Discover the Island: Top 12 Fun and Fascinating Facts About Taiwan

1. Wishes in the Sky: Pingxi Lantern Festival

In a land where wishes take flight and pandas rule the skies, neighbors turn to one another and whisper, "Is everything all right?": Each year during the Pingxi Lantern Festival in Taiwan, thousands gather to send their desires and dreams into the heavens with sky lanterns, originally 19th-century SOS signals from villagers to their families, and today's festivities boast lanterns in animal shapes, each symbolizing different hopes for wealth, fortune or marital happiness.
Source => cnn.com

2. Food Fiesta: Night Markets in Taipei

In Taiwan, food doesn't sleep, it simply transforms into a nocturnal extravaganza of irresistible morsels: night markets, particularly in Taipei, offer an extraordinary array of street food, delighting both locals and tourists alike with their flavorsome variety and exceptional quality.
Source => gothamist.com

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=> Fun Facts about South-Korea

3. Bamboo Skyscraper: Taipei Sky Tower

Move over, Jack and his beanstalk: Taiwan's capital, Taipei, is growing its very own bamboo skyscraper! The serious reveal: Designed by Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel, the 280-meter tall Taipei Sky Tower will house two luxury hotels and a retail podium crowned by a pool, becoming Hyatt's first dual-branded luxury development in Asia.
Source => dezeen.com

4. Speedy Friendship: Taiwanese Shinkansen Connection

In the world of high-speed rail, Taiwan decided to join the cool kids on the block by sending a friend request to Japan's Shinkansen: the THSR 700T trainset is based on the prestigious Shinkansen technology and marked the first time the land of the rising sun shared its rail secrets! Zipping through the west coast of Taiwan at 300 km/h, these sleek metallic beasts devour the 350 km between Taipei and Zuoying in a mere 1 hour and 45 minutes, making it almost impossible for nearly 90% of Taiwan's population to be fashionably late to their appointments. Despite some early hiccups, over 400 million passengers had hitched a ride on this iron stallion by December 2016.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

5. Eccentric Dining: Themed Restaurants in Taiwan

When life gives you lemons, Taiwan makes lemonade – served in a toilet: This creative nation is home to themed restaurants, such as ball pool establishments meant for family fun and even a toilet-themed restaurant where food is artfully presented atop bathroom accessories, all serviced by the friendliest of staffs, ensuring both a memorable and unique dining experience for tourists.
Source => tripadvisor.com

6. Typhoon Lifesaver: Essential Rainfall Source

Next time you're in a wet mood and find yourself riding a Taiwanese typhoon wave, remember to gratefully exclaim, "You are, quite literally, a lifesaver, dear typhoon!": These mighty whirlwinds actually provide a whopping 50-60% of annual rainfall in East Asia between July and October, serving as an essential water resource for thirsty Taiwan that experiences three to four typhoons per year.
Source => mdpi.com

7. Cultural Stir-fry: The Island's Rich History

Feeling a bit "Tai-wan and only," are we? The island nation's got quite the mashup of settlers—from indigenous folks 6,000 years ago, to Han Chinese immigrants, and even a Japanese annexation: Taiwan's history is a cultural stir-fry, now governed by the Republic of China, and an economic powerhouse making steel, electronics, and chemicals, even though its political status remains a hot pot of diplomatic contention.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

8. Funky Delicacy: Stinky Tofu

What's that smell? Could it be the funky aroma of Taiwan's culinary diplomacy in action? Why yes, it's stinky tofu time: a well-loved street snack in Taiwan, stinky tofu is fermented in a brine with veggies and meat for several months (though modern factories cut it down to just a day or two), and it's served in various ways, from cold to deep-fried, often luring hungry foodies with its pungent yet intriguing scent.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

9. Trailblazing President: Tsai Ing-wen

Breaking glass ceilings and Taipei stereotypes: Tsai Ing-wen became Taiwan's first female president in 2016 and the only one to bag the top job without having played "Mayor" in the Taipei Monopoly, rising above the mundane to clinch a second term in 2020 with even more votes in her kitty!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

10. Growing Giant: Mt. Jade's Height Update

Mt. Jade, the towering titan of Taiwan, once stood tall with a supposed height of 3950m, but in a feat rivaling your phone's constant software updates: it's now measured to be precisely 3952m high! This ever-so-slight altitude adjustment might not seem like much, but it means Mt. Jade soars higher than any peak in Japan, the Philippines, or even Australia, and is equivalent to a whopping 7.7 Taipei 101 buildings, the former world's tallest skyscraper - making it quite the marvel in Taiwan's architectural and natural portfolio.
Source => ysnp.gov.tw

11. Kingdom of Convenience: Taiwan's Store Density

In Taiwan, you're never far from your next caffeine or snack fix, as convenience stores reign supreme like tiny, unsuspecting kingdoms: The country boasts the highest density of convenience stores per capita in the world, with about one store for every 2,300 citizens, offering diverse services such as bill paying, package mailing, and transport card reloading, apart from the usual snack aisle galore.
Source => adventurefilledlife.com

12. Paw-some Destination: Houtong Cat Village

In a feline twist of fate that would give even the Cheshire Cat a reason to grin, a peculiar Taiwanese village finds itself in a purr-fect storm of whiskers and catnip: Houtong, known as the "Cat Village," boasts over 200 cats that have taken up residence, attracting tourists with cat-themed shops, cafes, and restaurants. Since the village's mining pits closed in the 1990s, the feline population has skyrocketed, thanks to local cat enthusiast Peggy Chien's social media efforts. Today, a volunteer team with veterinary support oversees the well-being of Houtong's cat community, advocating responsible interaction from visitors and the occasional cat census.
Source => lonelyplanet.com