TAIWAN>>THE HEART of ASIA

Taiwan is an island nation of about 36,000 km² located off the coast of southeastern mainland China, southwest of Okinawa and north of the Philippines. The island is officially known as and governed by the Republic of China . It is shaped roughly like a sweet potato, the nation is home to more than 23 million people and is one of the most densely populated places in the world. Besides its crowded cities, Taiwan is also known for steep mountains and lush forests. Formosa is what the Portuguese called Taiwan when they came here in the 16th century and saw the verdant beauty of the island. Instead of that, Taiwan also rich with sea world and Eco park. Thus, this is a place for tourist to discover and be amazed.

From winding coastlines to high mountain forests and offshore islands, Taiwan has been generously endowed by nature  The island's many natural attractions can be experiences at national scenic area, national parks, recreation farms, forest recreation areas and general scenic area. For example, at the East Coast National Scenic Area of Taiwan, there is also known as'Taiwan's last unspoiled land'. The land here consists of volcanic rock, classic rock from deep beneath the sea, and shale that has been pushed upward. Here also consists of coastal terraces, sand and pebble beaches, shoreline reefs  inshore islands and capes along with sea-eroded platforms, trenches, and caves. The tourist can enjoy the peaceful environment at here.

Taiwan now has 8 National Parks, I will be introduce about the Yangmingshan National Park in Taipei suburb. This is the most popular national park. Yangmingshan National Park is located in the north of Beitou. This is the only park in Taiwan that has volcanic geography and hot springs. The magnificent mauntainous scenery and comfortable weather have made Yangmingshan National Park a perfect summer resort. This park is designed in traditional Chinese style, and the beauty part of the park has won it the reputation as urban forest and the Taipei garden.

Instead of that, Taiwan also consists of eight recreation area and farms. I will explain about the Kaohsiung Farm.  Kaohsiung Farm is located in Meinong Township in Kaohsiung City. Home to Taiwan's oil paper umbrella industry, Meinong is a traditional Hakka township and a popular visitor destination in southern Taiwan. The farm is panted with various gourds and fruit tree, medical herbs, and tropical plants. Visitors can also get up close to the natural world at the farm aviary and butterfly garden. At night, the sound of the breeze and insects form into a pleasing serenade, and with luck the visitors also heard the sound of Muller's barbets pecking for food in the tree trunks.

From the north to the south, there are many large shopping centers and chain department stores in Taiwan. Combining diverse leisure and entertainment facilities, these venues offer designer clothing, lifestyle products, food outlets, bookstores, movie houses, wholesale warehouses, amusement centers, and other attractions, providing the ultimate shopping environment. Moreover, several theme streets have sprung up, exhibiting an exciting blend of history and style, including Taipei's Ximending and Kaohsiung's New Juejiang commercial area, attracting different consumer groups. Other venues, including the weekend jade markets and the computer lane in Taipei's Guanghua Digital Plaza, are very good places to find unexpected bargains.

The special Taiwan food is Danzai Noodles. Oil noodles and bean sprouts are the main ingredients in this Tainan specialty dish. The noodles are served in a small bowl and usually topped with meat or an egg boiled in soy sauce for an extra flavor boost. Oyster Omelet is one of the food that must be try when go to Taiwan. Sea-fresh oysters are an important ingredient in this popular snack, available at just about every night market in Taiwan. The oysters are coated in potato starch and tapioca. Eggs and leafy vegetables are added to the mixture, which is skillet fried over a high flame. Crushed Ice Dessert is one of the popular dessert. This popular dessert has a base of crushed ice flavored with mung beans, adzuki beans, starch balls, taro, jelly, and other toppings, which are sprinkled with sugar water, offering sweet and cool relief on a hot summer day. Today, you can also find creative new variations with toppings of mangoes, strawberries and other seasonal fruit.