The neritic squid caught in the seas off Northeastern Taiwan account for more than 70% of Taiwan’s total catch. The Keelung Squid Festival, now in its 21st year, has become a well-known brand among summertime fishing-related events. Fishing at night amid cool ocean breezes, eating fresh seafood, and exploring the scenery in more than ten fishing harbors, one can really enjoy the richness of this part of Taiwan.
It’s always busy at the National Museum of Marine Science and Technology, located on the coast at Badouzi in Keelung. The NMMST was the first stop made by renowned conservationist Jane Goodall on her most recent visit to Taiwan, and the venue for the premiere of Shipwrecks Taiwan, a documentary directed by Tim Lee.
In early July, Taiwan’s online whale-watching community was issuing surprise updates about whale sightings every few days. The highly prized killer whale, not seen for three years, had appeared in the waters off Eastern Taiwan. Sightings of sperm whales quickly became a daily occurrence, with sperm whale calves actively approaching boats. Even a rare tropical bottlenose whale showed up. Was all this a response to summer festivities in Taiwan?
Do you remember the coral reefs where Nemo swam in Finding Nemo? In real life, these “rainforests of the sea” are home to enormous marine biodiversity.
But in the wake of climate change, ocean warming, pollution, and overfishing, these beautiful yet fragile homelands are facing severe threats. In Taiwan, many stakeholders are taking action and using technology to protect these underwater citadels.
In April of 2025, the first Chakto Program for contemporary dance was held in Cambodia. Among those invited by one of the sponsors, the Mekong Cultural Hub (MCH), to be a jury member was theater worker Wu Weiwei, director of Taiwan’s We Art Together Foundation and chairperson of the Performing Arts of South Taiwan Association (PASTA). She described the dance works she saw as being “as dynamic as a tuk-tuk winding through urban streets” and “very moving.”
Whether you are looking for crowds and excitement, secluded tranquility, or a place where “everybody knows your name,” there are bars in Taipei that can cater to everyone’s desires.
When it comes to classic scones, we think of Elizabeth II’s afternoon tea. Halve the scone horizontally, and slather each half with clotted cream and jam. Enjoy it with black tea poured from a bone china teapot. This is a quintessentially British ritual.
Since their introduction into Taiwan, scones have taken on distinctively local characteristics. Some have taro or sweet potato fillings; others are tantalizingly drizzled with cream. They’re accompanied with teas of all sorts of flavors.
Visitors from far and near come to Taipei’s Dihua Street to experience the bustling energy and warm hospitality in the clusters of shops selling traditional dried foodstuffs. Architectural styles from different eras complement each other here, with numerous buildings dating from more than a century ago. Light gray exposed aggregate concrete is seen on the external walls amidst red bricks, gracing the European-style façades of the terraced houses,
When visiting Taiwan, as well as enjoying pearl milk tea and xiaolongbao steamed dumplings, why not pamper your tastebuds with local croissants? Visionary bakers and entrepreneurs here have been experimenting with the shapes and flavors of this timeless French pastry. In Taiwan, you can find both classic croissants and those made with authentic Taiwanese ingredients or prepared in innovative ways.
“Taiwanese sensibility” has been a buzzword among Internet users recently. Some associate it with youthful hues that carry a scholarly vibe. Others describe it as a retro atmosphere—nostalgic, warm, somewhat carefree. The discussion revolves around key components such as old houses, red bricks, decorative window lattices, streetscapes, and, crucially, patterned glass with haitang floral motifs, all of which constitute that ineffably mysterious “Taiwanese sensibility.”
