Taiwan is gifted with gorgeous natural beauty - tall peaks and valleys, rivers, lakes, farmlands and miles of ocean coast. If you just visit Taipei without venturing outward, you are really missing out!
The East Rift Valley is an especially pleasant area to visit. Even on a gloomy and overcast day, there is no denying the breath-taking nature of some of these places.
The sheer variety of sights to feast your eyes upon is simply amazing. Outside of the cities and industrial towns, the air is crisp and fresh, the vegetation is shades of lush green, and the waters run clear.
Most of the towns and cities are connected by well-maintained roads, even through the mountains and valleys. We saw many bicyclists and motorcyclists making their way along the coast. There are several popular routes that travelers take, depending on whether they want to ride along the coast or journey through mountains.
If you travel in January, between New Year's and Chinese New Year, you will hit the low season, with its benefits and disadvantages. On the one hand, the weather is cooler and there are fewer tourists. On the other hand, some of the smaller attractions and tourist services may be closed. It's also quite rainy during this time.
Sadly, I'm leaving Taiwan in less than two weeks. I can't believe how fast these past six months have gone, and I've grown quite fond of this country. I highly recommend everyone to visit - it's modern, safe, convenient, beautiful, affordable, and the people are some of the friendliest you will ever meet. I'll be back!
