These cities less travelled in Taiwan prove that Taipei doesn’t have the monopoly on cool and photogenic hangout spots
Photos & text by Pamela Chow
Think of Taiwan and many will launch into daydreams about Taipei’s buzzing night markets and colourful ever-changing city corners. But while the capital city is a familiar haunt for Singaporeans young and old, hipster habitats are blossoming in Taiwan’s smaller urban enclaves.
Jetting to Kaohsiung on Scoot’s swanky new Boeing 787 Dreamliner, we uncovered six unexpected gems that could give Taipei a run for its money.
3. Chimei Museum, Tainan
It’s not uncommon for those who pass this building to do a double take. A behemoth straight out of classical Europe, the Chimei Museum stands out from the Tainan landscape with its grey stone walls, immaculate glass dome, stone-white columns and statue-dotted Olympus Bridge.
The private museum houses a surprisingly extensive collection of historic and worldly artefacts, from a menacing taxidermied polar bear to a remodel of Rodin’s famous sculpture, “The Thinker”.
Here’s where you will also find the world’s largest violin collection, featuring the instruments of famous artisans like Antonio Stradivari and Nicolo Amati. Entrance into the museum is priced at 200 yuan per person.
Because photo-taking is not allowed in the museum, photography enthusiasts often take their gear out back to the sprawling Tainan Metropolitan Park. This is a popular watering hole for locals to take a stroll through and capture stunning shots of the museum’s grounds and exterior.
Chimei Museum, No 66, Sector 2, Wenhua Road, Rende District, Tainan City, 717 Taiwan.
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