The nine-day Lunar New Year holiday presents an opportunity for nature lovers to explore some of the attractions in the southern county of Chiayi that are off the beaten track.
Stargazers can hit the Eryenping Trail (二延平山步道) in Fanlu Township (番路) and go all the way to the top of Alishan (阿里山) for a splendid view of the stars.
On the way up, hikers can look out over the Jianan Plain and see the Zengwen Reservoir. They can also look across to the imposing 3,952m high main peak of Yushan (玉山).
Some lucky travelers might be able to catch a glimpse of sea clouds against the setting sun. At night, they can enjoy a sky full of stars, clean air and the absence of artificial lights.
For those heading in the direction of Fencihu (奮起湖), one of the best spots to catch the sunrise is Dadongshan (大凍山). From that vantage point, the sunrise lasts three to four minutes, in contrast to the rapid sunrise on Alishan.
From the 1,976m peak of Dadongshan after the sun comes up, the view is a panorama of rolling hills and plains.
Another attraction in Fencihu is a little cabin that was one of the locations of the movie Starry Starry Night (星空), which was adapted from an illustration book by famed Taiwanese artist Jimmy Liao (幾米).
The interior of the cabin brings to life Liao’s original art and the clouds floating past the cabin create an ethereal scene.
Lovers who are looking for a more romantic spot can take a stroll on two suspension bridges named “Eternity” and “Permanence,” which command an excellent view of the surroundings.
A stroll on the bridges is also recommended for visitors suffering from travel fatigue.
ANOTHER EMERGES: The CWA yesterday said this year’s fourth storm of the typhoon season had formed in the South China Sea, but was not expected to affect Taiwan Tropical Storm Gaemi has intensified slightly as it heads toward Taiwan, where it is expected to affect the country in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 8am yesterday, the 120km-radius storm was 800km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, moving at 9kph northwest, the agency said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued tonight at the earliest, it said, adding that the storm is projected to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday. Gaemi’s potential effect on Taiwan remains unclear, as that would depend on its direction, radius and intensity, forecasters said. Former Weather Forecast
As COVID-19 cases in Japan have been increasing for 10 consecutive weeks, people should get vaccinated before visiting the nation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said. The centers reported 773 hospitalizations and 124 deaths related to COVID-19 in Taiwan last week. CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Guo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) on Tuesday said the number of weekly COVID-19 cases reported in Japan has been increasing since mid-May and surpassed 55,000 cases from July 8 to July 14. The average number of COVID-19 patients at Japan’s healthcare facilities that week was also 1.39 times that of the week before and KP.3 is the dominant
The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) working group for Taiwan-related policies is likely to be upgraded to a committee-level body, a report commissioned by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said. As Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) is increasingly likely to upgrade the CCP’s Central Leading Group for Taiwan Affairs, Taiwanese authorities should prepare by researching Xi and the CCP, the report said. At the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the CCP, which ended on Thursday last week, the party set a target of 2029 for the completion of some tasks, meaning that Xi is likely preparing to
US-CHINA TRADE DISPUTE: Despite Beijing’s offer of preferential treatment, the lure of China has dimmed as Taiwanese and international investors move out Japan and the US have become the favored destinations for Taiwanese graduates as China’s attraction has waned over the years, the Ministry of Labor said. According to the ministry’s latest income and employment advisory published this month, 3,215 Taiwanese university graduates from the class of 2020 went to Japan, surpassing for the first time the 2,881 graduates who went to China. A total of 2,300 graduates from the class of 2021 went to the US, compared with the 2,262 who went to China, the document showed. The trend continued for the class of 2023, of whom 1,460 went to Japan, 1,334 went to