Taipei National Palace Museum
This has a permanent collection of more than 650,000 ancient Chinese artifacts, including bronzes, paintings, jades, calligraphy, pottery and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) manuscripts. Many of them are from the collection of Qing Emperors. The museum underwent a decade-long renovation and officially re-opened in December 2006.
There are several must-see treasures here, including the Jadeite Cabbage, the Meat-shaped Stone and the Palace version of the Qingming Scroll.
Taipei 101 Tower
With a massive spire inspired by Taiwan's native bamboo plant, the Taipei 101 Tower is among the world's tallest buildings.
This 508-m structure has 101 floors above ground and five floors underground. The observation decks located on floors 89 and 91 include the highest restaurant in Taiwan.
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
The hall officially opened in April 1980, the fifth anniversary of the death of Chiang Kai-shek, leader of Kuomintang. The building's exterior in blue and white tones borrows heavily from traditional Chinese architecture. The changing of the guard on the hour between 10 am and 4 pm is a highlight for tourists.
Sun Moon Lake
Located in Yuchih, Nantou, this is Taiwan's biggest natural lake. Its eastern part is round like the sun, while the western part is shaped like a crescent moon - hence the combined name "Sun Moon Lake".
Covering an area of 7.93-sq-km, the lake lies 760 m above sea level, and has an average depth of 30 m. The area around the lake is home to the Thao tribe, one of Taiwan's indigenous tribes.
Alisan Mountain
There is a saying that those who haven't been to Alishan cannot know the beauty of Taiwan. The mountain is well known for its majestic scenery of mystical trees, sea of clouds and stunning sunrise.
It takes four hours by mountain train from Jiayi county to reach the scenic spot. Spring is the best time to visit as a month-long cherry season gets underway every March 15. The mountain is also famous for oolong tea.
Kenting
As Taiwan's first national park, Kenting is renowned for its unique landscape, abundant wildlife and rich cultural heritage.
Located at the southern tip of Taiwan, it is one of the most popular resorts, attracting millions of tourists every year. Last year, the success of the movie Cape No 7, which was shot in Kenting, gave a further boost to the local tourism industry.
Yushan Mountain
Yushan is the centerpiece of the Yushan National Park in Nantou county. It has a variety of habitats, including mixed forests, bamboo and bare rocky outcrops. It is also home to a wide variety of birds, mammals and butterflies.
(China Daily April 23, 2009)
