Weekend getaways to Thailand or Bali are an ocean away, but a similar beach experience with an enjoyably distinctive Taiwanese twist is just a 45-minute drive from Taipei.
Jinshan (金山) is a quaint beachside community on the northeast coast of Taiwan that has remained one of Taipei County's best-kept secrets.
Anyone under the impression that the Taiwanese do not like the beach, or swimming, are in for a shock at Jinshan.
PHOTO: ADAM ULFERS, TAIPEI TIMES
As a testament to a growing beach culture on the island, over the weekend one might find anywhere between 100 and 300 people at the Taipei County hotspot.
You may encounter a terrifying one-piece bathing suit or Spandex eyesore, but bikini-clad bunnies and bronzed surfers represent a growing population along the country's coastline, bobbing offshore, tossing Frisbees, riding waves or simply basking in the sun.
With five surf clubs in a 200m radius, Jinshan has the necessary resources (surfboards for rent and sale) and qualified instructors.
Johnny Hu (
A Toshiba engineer during the week, Hu says, "This is a very convenient and clean beach. Since I arrived less than a year ago, I've seen a lot more people everyday."
There are local variations on the world's stereotypical beach scene -- swim caps, biendangs (lunchboxes) and excessive littering -- but the scene is developing into the international norm.
There are an increasing number of eateries and coffee shops under construction to satisfy the crowds frequenting the shoreline.
Another shop owner, who calls himself Kevin (
His store, Surfing Shop, also offers aspiring surfers a modestly priced daily rental fee for boards, with a complimentary lesson included.
"You won't find overly competitive shop keepers or unfriendly surfers in the water, we just want people to have a good time," Kevin said.
The stores are located on either side of the beach entrance, others less than a block away, marked by economical hand painted signs.
Bring a full bottle of sunscreen, a pair of sandals and a big towel for a day off in the sun.
In late October of 1873 the government of Japan decided against sending a military expedition to Korea to force that nation to open trade relations. Across the government supporters of the expedition resigned immediately. The spectacle of revolt by disaffected samurai began to loom over Japanese politics. In January of 1874 disaffected samurai attacked a senior minister in Tokyo. A month later, a group of pro-Korea expedition and anti-foreign elements from Saga prefecture in Kyushu revolted, driven in part by high food prices stemming from poor harvests. Their leader, according to Edward Drea’s classic Japan’s Imperial Army, was a samurai
Located down a sideroad in old Wanhua District (萬華區), Waley Art (水谷藝術) has an established reputation for curating some of the more provocative indie art exhibitions in Taipei. And this month is no exception. Beyond the innocuous facade of a shophouse, the full three stories of the gallery space (including the basement) have been taken over by photographs, installation videos and abstract images courtesy of two creatives who hail from the opposite ends of the earth, Taiwan’s Hsu Yi-ting (許懿婷) and Germany’s Benjamin Janzen. “In 2019, I had an art residency in Europe,” Hsu says. “I met Benjamin in the lobby
April 22 to April 28 The true identity of the mastermind behind the Demon Gang (魔鬼黨) was undoubtedly on the minds of countless schoolchildren in late 1958. In the days leading up to the big reveal, more than 10,000 guesses were sent to Ta Hwa Publishing Co (大華文化社) for a chance to win prizes. The smash success of the comic series Great Battle Against the Demon Gang (大戰魔鬼黨) came as a surprise to author Yeh Hung-chia (葉宏甲), who had long given up on his dream after being jailed for 10 months in 1947 over political cartoons. Protagonist
The following three paragraphs are just some of what the local Chinese-language press is reporting on breathlessly and following every twist and turn with the eagerness of a soap opera fan. For many English-language readers, it probably comes across as incomprehensibly opaque, so bear with me briefly dear reader: To the surprise of many, former pop singer and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) ex-lawmaker Yu Tien (余天) of the Taiwan Normal Country Promotion Association (TNCPA) at the last minute dropped out of the running for committee chair of the DPP’s New Taipei City chapter, paving the way for DPP legislator Su