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Science council, environmental agency release top picks for domestic tourists

With only a few days left in the Lunar New Year break, those wishing to visit prime tourism destinations may be interested in ideas from the National Science Council (NSC) and the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA).

The NSC recently named the Eastern Rift Valley National Scenic Area (花東縱谷國家風景區) as the nation's most relaxing vacation hotspot, while the EPA named its 25 cleanest tourist destinations.

Yuan Shaw-ying (袁紹英), the director-general of the EPA's department of environmental sanitation and toxic substance management, said that in the north of the country, ideal places for a getaway or day trip include Yangmingshan National Park, Yingge Ceramics Museum (鶯歌) in Taipei County, Ershawan Battery (二沙灣砲台) in Keelung and Jhaoyang Forest Park (朝陽森林公園) in Taoyuan County.

Attractions in central Taiwan include the 17km coastline of Hsinchu City, Hsinchu County's Mangrove Ecosystem Reserve, Citizen Square in Miaoli County and Wenhsin Forest Park (文心) in Taichung City, Yuan said.

Southern gems include the Anping Tree House Ruin (安平樹屋) in Tainan City, the west bank of Kaohsiung City's Love River and South Bay Recreation Area in Kenting, Pingtung County, he added.

Travelers in eastern Taiwan may wish to visit Ilan County's Plum Blossom Lake, Chihpen (知本) hot springs in Taitung County, or Seven Star Basin (七星潭) in Hualien County, Yuan said.

"National parks in Taiwan all offer different geographic features and local culture," said National Taiwan University professor Lin Yan-chou (林晏州), who headed an NSC study on the use of national scenic areas.

"Taiwanese choose places for their vacations according to cost [time and money] -- the longer the travel time, the less likely they will visit; as well as the destination's image," he said.

Topping the list of national scenic areas was the Eastern Rift Valley National Scenic Area spanning Hualien and Taitung counties. It was found to have the "most relaxing" effect on people, Lin said, adding that its scenery, friendly communities and convenient transport contributed to its popularity.

The adjacent East Coast National Scenic Area (東海岸國家風景區) received similar reviews, but fell short in terms of cleanliness and was thought to be more expensive, Lin said.

In central Taiwan, the Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area (日月潭國家風景區) was judged to offer pleasant weather, interesting Aboriginal festivals and local delicacies.

The Alishan National Scenic Area (阿里山國家風景區) won tourists' hearts with easy-to-obtain information, but this was spoiled by expensive accommodation and a lack of outdoor activities, Lin said.

The Matsu National Scenic Area offered fun nightlife, interesting architecture and a unique lifestyle, Lin said.

"But the unreliable weather and aloofness of locals may put some tourists off," he said.

A list of the EPA's recommendations is at ivy3.epa.gov.tw/cleanup_taiwan/index.html.
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