STOPOVER IN TAIPEI

Taiwan may be small on the map, but few places offer such an astonishing range of experiences compressed into a single island. You can start your morning on a forest trail surrounded by subtropical mountains, spend the afternoon by the Pacific Ocean, and end the day with a bowl of beef noodle soup in a night market glowing under neon light.

In this issue, Ulrich Clef takes us across a country where traditional temples sit in the shadow of futuristic skyscrapers, where engineering brilliance meets volcanic landscapes, and where ancient rituals are lived out in a modern democracy shaped by global tensions. Clef traces a journey from Taipei’s dazzling skyline anchored by the bamboo-shaped Taipei 101 to secluded mountain villages, tea plantations in mist-covered hills, and regions where Taiwan’s complex history reveals itself in layers.

But Taiwan’s story does not stop at scenery and cuisine. The island is also the hidden engine of the modern world – a technological superpower whose semiconductors run everything from smartphones to satellites. This unexpected fusion of nature, spirituality, innovation and geopolitics makes Taiwan one of the most compelling destinations in Asia.

This feature is not simply a travel report. It is an encounter with a nation that is constantly transforming yet deeply rooted, confident yet understated – a place where towering buildings and lofty mountains mirror a society shaped by resilience, reinvention and quiet determination.

© Photographs by T. Jiang

👉 Discover the complete story in our latest issue and explore Taiwan’s hidden heights, cultural contrasts and extraordinary landscapes.