Mt. Yangming

Yangming Mountain is a famous sightseeing spot in Taiwan, China. Located in the north of Taiwan, suburb of Taibei, Mt. Yangming is the largest and most beautiful natural area in the province. It boasts of volcanic sights, natural valleys, waterfalls, hot springs, and a multitude of flower and plant varieties. A national park built there in 1985 also attracts millions tourists every year. 

The climate there is mild and comfortable, with no severe cold and heat. Yet sceneries of the four seasons are totally different and unique. In spring, flowers such as rhododendrons, cherry blossoms, camellias and wild flowers, cover the whole mountain. Every year from February to March, the local people hold the activity of Flower Season, which attracts thousands of visitors. In summer, due to frequent thunderstorms, you can always see a colorful rainbow arcing across the valley. There are many maple trees whose leaves turn red in autumn, and make the mountain more beautiful than ever. When it snows in winter, the mountain will become completely white with clouds and mist swirling around, just like a fairy world.

The mountain can be divided into two parts: the Front Mountain Park (also called Zhongzheng Gongyuan in Pinyin) and the Back Mountain Park (also called Yangming Gongyuan in Pinyin). In the Front Mountain Park, you can see the exquisitely designed bridges crossing limpid brooks, elegant pavilions standing on the low mountains, and various flowers blossoming along the trails. All of these sights form a simple and primitive world, which can completely relax your body and mind. The most famous waterfall here is called the Grass Mountain Waterfall, from which water flows all year round. In the northeast of the park, you can see an ancient architectural site. It is the Zhongshan Lou where Taiwan politicians often hold important activities.

Yangming Gongyuan is the most beautiful and important part of Mt. Yangming. It is encircled by several mountains, which include Mt. Seven Star, Mt. Gauze Hat, Mt. Bamboo Lake, Mt. Zhongzheng, and Mt. Datun. Mt. Datun is the main group of volcanoes that is famous for its amazing geography. On Mt. Seven Star, the hot springs spout with average temperatures ranging from 60C (140F) to 70C (158F). Bathing in the hot springs will help to cure diseases like neuralgia, anemia, and diabetes. The famous Flower Season, symbolized by the Flower Clock, is also held here. There are more sights to see in the park, such as the sparkling Xiaoyin Pool, the well-rounded Seven Color Fountain, the magnificent Guangfu Lou, and various waterfalls.

Besides, Yang Ming House built in 1969 is a major cultural relic in Yangmingshan National Park. Formerly known as Jiang Zhongzheng mansion, it covers an area of about 15 hectares and was renamed the Yang Ming House after 1975. Mt. Yangming is also heavily populated with butterflies. There are about 133 different kinds of butterflies, which make Mt. Yangming one of the best places to see them.

For more information, please visit www.top-chinatour.com

Taipei National Palace Museum

The National Palace Museum is an antique museum of Chinese History and Chinese culture in Taiwan. Located in Shilin, Taipei, Republic of China. It has a permanent collection of more than 696,000 pieces of ancient Chinese imperial artifacts and artworks, making it one of the largest in the world. The collection encompasses over 10,000 years of Chinese history from the Neolithic age to the late Qing Dynasty. Most of the collections are high quality pieces collected by China's ancient emperors.

The Taipei National Palace Museum and the famous Forbidden City in Beijing are derived from the same institution, which was split into two as a result of the Chinese Civil War. Covering a total area of 1200 mu (about 198 acres), it is located in the outskirts of Taipei City, Taiwan. Construction started in 1962 and it was inaugurated on November 12, 1965, the 100th anniversary of the birth of Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925), the great Chinese revolutionary and founder of the Republic of China. Thus, it is also named as Yat-sen Museum. The splendid architecture of the structure is modeled on the Forbidden City in Beijing and incorporates elements of traditional Chinese royal design in feudal society. The architecture itself has four floors. The first, second and third floors are used for exhibitions, while the fourth floor is a lounge where visitors can rest.

The Taipei National Palace Museum houses the largest collection of priceless Chinese artifacts and artwork in the world, including ancient bronze castings, calligraphy, scroll paintings, porcelain, jade, and rare books, many of which were possessions of the former imperial family. The full collection, which consists of some 650,000 pieces, spans many dynasties. Each exhibit, however, puts on display only about 1,700 pieces at a time. At this rate, assuming duration of three months for each exhibit, it will take 100 years to cycle through the entire collection! Incredible!

To satisfy popular demand, the museum brings out a constant stream of new publications and souvenir items. Each month, both a magazine and an academic journal roll off the presses, and there is also a photographic collection, allowing museum fans to“bring the NPM treasures home.”The souvenirs come in splendid variety, including attractive replicas and miniatures of the famous artworks, and this year, the museum is specially rolling out a series of cute commercial items with the Jadeite Cabbage as the theme. And don't think they're just for kids—take a gander during a visit to the souvenir shop and we promise you won't be leaving empty-handed.

Also extremely popular is the clever series of upscale-dining dishes at the museum's high-end Silk Palace restaurant, which opened in June, 2008. Eight art masterpieces from the museum that cannot be, of course, eaten or even touched – such as the Jadeite Cabbage, Meat-shaped Stone, and“White jade branch of elegant lychee” (or White Jade Bitter Gourd) – are brought to your table as delicious chef-prepared dishes. Well, not the actual artworks, of course, but farm-fresh variants you can actually sink your teeth into.

For more information, please visit www.top-chinatour.com

Sun Moon Lake

Sun Moon Lake sits at an altitude of 762m in the mountains of Nantou County, in central Taiwan. This lake is famous for its clear, sparkling blue water set against a picturesque mountain backdrop. It is the largest lake in Taiwan and a traditional spot for newlywed couples to take their honeymoon. It has also been a center of aboriginal life for thousands of years, with aboriginal people involved in its tourist industry since the 1930s.

Sun Moon Lake covers an area of 7.7 square kilometers and has an average water depth of 40 meters. There is a legend about the origin and name of this lake. According to legend, a white deer contributed to the discovery of the lake. Three hundred years ago, a group of peasants were hunting when they discovered a large white deer running to the northwest. They followed this amazing creature for three days and nights, but it finally disappeared in the forest. On the fourth day, after they had moved through the forest, they came upon an impressive vista. They saw rolling verdant mountains and a shimmering lake shining brightly under the sun. A small round island covered with trees divided the lake into two parts. One part was like the sun and the other part was like the moon, so they called it Sun Moon Lake. Attracted by the fertile soil and beautiful scenery there, the peasants decided to settle down and began a new life.

Originally called Shui Shalian and Long Lake, the Sun Moon is the largest natural lake in Taiwan. The climate in this area is quite temperate with the highest summer temperature being less than 22C (71.6F) and the lowest winter temperature bottoming out at 15C (59F). With such a pleasant climate, it is a top choice as a summer resort. Many places of interest are found around the lake. Among them the most famous are Wenwu Temple and Cien Pogoda.

Wenwu Temple, located near the north shore, pays homage to Confucius (551-479 BC), the founder of Confucianism. As you approach Wen Wu, the first thing you notice is its immense size. This isn't really just one temple, but rather a whole complex of shrines, courtyards and pagodas. Guarding the entrance is Asia's largest stone lions, and behind them lie the various shrines that honor both the pen of scholarly learning and the sword of military might. The Temple's main gate, elaborate carvings and sloping tiled roofs are attractions in their own rights, and it is here at the temple that you'll be able to take some of your best and most artistic photos of Sun Moon Lake itself.

Though Wen Wu might be the grandest place you'll visit, there's no doubt that the Cien Pagoda is the loftiest. Built by Chiang Kai-shek to commemorate his mother, the nine-floored Tsen Pagoda, or Pagoda of Filial Virtue, is a wonderfully serene site.

For more information, please visit www.top-chinatour.com

Ali Mountain Scenic Area

The Alishan National Scenic Area is a mountain resort and natural preserve located in the mountains of Jiayi County in Taiwan. Ali Mountain is in fact the general name of the eighteen hills including Zhu Hill and Tower Hill. Its highest peak is Tower Hill with the height of 2,663 meters (about 8,736 feet). The area is popular among tourists and mountain climbers, and Alishan, or Mount Ali, itself has become one of the major landmarks associated with Taiwan. The area is also famous for its production of high mountain tea and wasabi.

The sunrise is a must for everyone who comes here. Many have said "to miss viewing the sunrise on Ali Mountain is like returning empty after entering the Golconda." The best place to view the sunrise is on the top of Zhu Hill. The place and time of the sunrise are different due to the changes of the four seasons. If you plan to view the sunrise it is best to ask the local people the time of sunrise, so you don't miss this magnificent opportunity. When the sun is rising slowly from the peak, it sends out the golden rays for a short time which provides a spectacular scene.

Ali Mountain is also famous for thousands of acres of rich natural forest, including many ancient trees which have grown over thousands of years and experienced a change of climate in Taiwan. Influenced by the high altitude, many plants living in tropic zones, warm zones, temperate zones and frigid zones can be found in this area. In 1899 when the Japanese discovered the forest around Ali Mountain they immediately began a large-scale logging operation. After the World WarⅡ, Ali Mountain is completely protected from any kind of commercial logging.

There is a Chinese Juniper within the Ali Mountain forest area, with some 53 meters (about 174 feet) high, and 23 meters (about 75 feet) wide. This Juniper is so huge that more than ten people can surround the circumference. It has a history of more than 3,000 years, thus is called Alishan Sacred Tree. The most wondrous tree is a 'three-generation' tree. The three generations of this tree exist in the same trunk. Now since the first and second generations have faded, the third generation is still flourishing. This tree is really a wonder of nature. The forest sea on Ali Mountain creates a relaxed and pleasant environment for the people living in the city nearby.

The Ali Mountain Forest Railway is regarded as one of three mountain climbing railways. Traveling along the 72-kilometer-long railway, the train climbs from 30 meters (about 98 feet) to 2,450 meters (about 8,038 feet) above sea level. Its gradient is so great that it is rarely seen in the whole world. From the bottom of the mountain to the top, the train crosses four forest areas – tropic, subtropical, temperature and the Frigid Zone. While climbing up the forest scenery is spectacular including eucalypt trees, coconut trees, conifers and the Frigid Zone forest.

Every year from March to April, cherry blossom decorate the Ali Mountain into a beautiful and colorful clouds of flowers in the world. The firefly season is from April to June. Ali Mountain, due to its natural and ecological environment, is the best place to see firefly. With million fireflies gathering there, coordinating with stars in sky, the mountain is then a sea of lights of fireflies and lights. What’s more, if you want to avoid sunstroke in summer, the comfortable climate in midsummer on Ali Mountain will be a good choice.

For more information, please visit www.top-chinatour.com

Jade Mountain-----“Root of Taiwan”

Jade Mountain (Mt. Yushan) is the centerpiece of the Yushan National Park in Nantou county, Taiwan of China. It is also the highest mountain in Taiwan. It runs approximately north-south for about 280 km (about 174 miles). Most of its peaks are over 2000 meters (about 6500 feet) high, so Jade Mountain has gained the name 'Roof of Taiwan'. There are a variety of habitats, including mixed forests, bamboo and bare rocky outcrops in Jade Mountain. It is also home to a wide variety of birds, mammals and butterflies.

Jade Mountain consists of 11 peaks, including Jade Peak, South Peak, North Peak, and East Peak. Jade Peak is the main peak of the whole mountain. With an elevation of nearly 4000 meters (about 13,000 feet), it is not only the highest peak in Taiwan, but also the highest one in eastern China. In winters, the peak is often capped with thick snow which makes the entire peak shine like stainless jade, hence its name. At the top of the peak, one can overlook the Taiwan Strait and the Pacific Ocean. Owing to its height and steepness, Jade Peak is recognized as the most prominent of Taiwan's 'Ten Peaks'.

Yushan is one of the favorites among Taiwanese mountain climbers. Tourists can climb the mountain on foot or drive a car to enjoy the landscape along the road. Any season of the year is fine for a visit except at some times in the winter when roads are covered by snow. At this time it is too treacherous for climbers or cars.

Due to its high altitude, the temperature in the mountain is very low. Tourists who want to climb the mountain should be well equipped before the climbing. Prepare clothes to resist the cold as going high and take medicine for altitude sickness. If one has any intention of rock climbing, ropes and hooks must be prepared. If it is possible, climbing with an experienced guide is a better choice. Before climbing, one must apply for permission. In a word, tourists should be very serious and prepared to keep safe for this mountain climbing.

For more information, please visit www.top-chinatour.com