EXCURSIONES EN TIERRA

Spend the day much like a Taipei local by biking along the Keelung River, shopping at a market and visiting a temple. As you pedal along the river, you will surely be among other bikers, as bicycling is a popular and convenient way to get around town. Once you reach the Dongmen Market, you will mingle shoppers as they select ingredients for the day’s meals and engage in friendly haggling for the best prices and highest-quality items. The market will present an enlightening cross-section of residents, as will your lunch venue. After dining at a cook shop on local favorites that may include a beef-noodle dish or pork fried rice, you will drop by the 18th-century Longshan Temple, one of the oldest temples in Taiwan. Chances are, locals will playing board games and conversing on the exterior benches and tables. While inside, you will see others praying to Buddhist and Taoist deities for good health and good fortune.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Get a great feel of life in Taipei by spending the day much like locals do.
• Bicycle along the river, dine in a lively cook shop and browse the market for fresh produce.
• Spend time in Longshan Temple among locals who come to worship and meet friends.

Ubicada cerca del extremo norte de Taiwán, Keelung fue la base de los piratas japoneses del siglo 16, y más tarde fue invadida por españoles, holandeses, franceses y japoneses. En este tour de medio día, descubre los paisajes de Keelung, uno de los puertos marítimos internacionales y centros de transporte más ajetreados de la isla.

Drive to Chung Cheng Park, an eclectic combination amusement park and Buddhist holy site. With excellent views of the city and harbor, Chung Cheng Park is the location of the massive 74-foot statue of Kuan Yin, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy.

Explore the astonishing Yeliu Park, a promontory stretching over a mile into the sea, revealing an amazing variety of rock formations. Wave erosion, wind, rain and the action of the earth's crust combined to create fantastic natural sandstone and rock sculptures, known as dissolved basins, mushroom rocks, bean curd rocks, beehive rocks and potholes. Among the most spectacular and famous formations at Yeliu are the Queen's Head Rock, Fairy Shoe, and Candlestick Rock.

Discover the natural beauty of Taiwan by walking through revered Yangmingshan National Park and then enjoy the relaxing hot springs at a coastal resort.

Drive inland to Yangmingshan National Park, an emerald-green wonderland of dense forests, volcanically formed mountains and natural hot springs. Unspoiled and protected, it offers a welcome respite from the metropolitan areas nearby. Formerly known as Grass Mountain, this area has long attracted nature lovers, but it wasn't until 1985 that the park was officially established. You'll spend approximately 1 ½ hours at the park, and depending on where you walk, you may see towering bamboo, fruit trees in bloom, placid ponds and steam rising from the numerous volcanic springs. You may also catch sight of or hear the loud cackle of a Formosan Blue Magpie, a species of bird only found on Taiwan.

Make your way to a local restaurant where you can enjoy a traditional Taiwanese lunch before driving on to the Cal La Young Garden Resort in the Jinshan District. There are more hot springs here than in any other coastal district in Taiwan, and you'll have nearly two hours to enjoy the therapeutic effects of the mineral-rich waters. It's an immensely relaxing experience that has been delighting the Taiwanese for centuries. While you soak in one of the springs at the resort, afternoon tea will be prepared for your enjoyment.

Behold the natural beauty of Shifen Waterfall on the upper reaches of the Keelung River and then write a personal wish on a paper lantern and watch it rise into the sky to be answered.

Settle in for a one hour drive inland to Shifen Waterfall, the broadest waterfall in Taiwan. Known as Little Niagara because of its horseshoe shape, the waterfall cascades into a wide pool at the bottom. Although not the highest of waterfalls, Shifen is certainly one of the most majestic.

A different sort of phenomenon awaits you near the train depot at Shifen Station. You will notice that many of the surrounding shops sell colorful sky lanterns, which are biodegradable rice paper lanterns illuminated by a candle in the bottom. Each year Shifen Station hosts a large festival where literally thousands of these lanterns are lighted and released into the air, where they rise like hot-air balloons. People write personal wishes, messages or prayers on the lanterns and according to tradition, as the lanterns ascend heavenward their requests will be fulfilled. You'll have the opportunity to write your own thoughts on a sky lantern and release it. Powered by the candle, it should continue to rise for nearly 10 minutes, time enough for the lantern to disappear from sight and your wish hopefully to be answered. Enjoy a bit of free time at the station to get that last minute souvenir or browse the many shops.

Tour modern Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and a revered temple and then enjoy a pampering foot massage that will leave you feeling relaxed and invigorated.

Take a leisurely one hour drive inland to Taipei City, the robust capital of Taiwan. The energy is almost palpable in this modern metropolis whose skyline is crowned by Taipei 101, which was once the world's tallest building. Despite the booming development, the city still reveres its past and former leaders such as Chiang Kai-shek.

Stop for a visit of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, an octagonal building that reflects the fact that the number eight is considered a symbol of fortune and wealth in China. The 88 steps leading into the hall are also symbolic as the president was 88 when he died. See statues of Chiang, his personal memorabilia and perhaps the bulletproof Cadillac that he used as an official state car.

You'll also visit Longshan Temple, which was founded in 1738 and dedicated to the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy. Although rebuilt numerous times in the wake of natural disasters, the temple is still an architectural treasure. Be sure to notice its sweeping roof decorated with mythical creatures.

And what better way to end your tour than with a foot massage? After about 45 minutes in the hands of an accomplished masseuse, your feet will be refreshed and ready for the evening.