Explore the hidden gems in Southern Taiwan

Taipei might still be Taiwan’s top tourist destination, but more and more visitors are heading south for a nice change of scenery. Southern Taiwan, home to a number of intriguing cities and natural attractions, has emerged as a prominent MICE destination in recent years.

Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s second-largest city with the country’s busiest port, is a unique destination with a rich culture, beautiful cityscape and a warm, pleasant climate. With its own international airport and world-class seaport, Kaohsiung is a gateway to many destinations in Asia. The city has generated more buzz over the past few years after the central government heavily invested in nurturing modern industries and revamping the seafront with major new infrastructure, including Kaohsiung Exhibition Centre (KEC), Maritime Cultural & Popular Music Centre, Kaohsiung Port Terminal and Kaohsiung Public Library.

Tainan, Taiwan’s oldest city known for its unique colonial architecture and snack food culture, is only about one hour away from Kaohsiung by train. With its upgraded infrastructure and facilities, Tainan is fast becoming a MICE destination in its own right. While Kaohsiung has developed diversified industries such as iron and steel, ship-building, and petrochemicals, Tainan boasts abundant metal, plastic, machine, and food industry clusters. With increasing financial support from the City Government, an international exhibition and convention centre is also in the pipeline.

Cultural heritage aside, both Kaohsiung and Tainan serve as a good base to explore Taiwan’s stunning natural beauty - jagged mountains, scenic rivers and reservoirs, and a great diversity of flora and fauna – including a black forest similar to that in Germany with vegetation dating back 30 to 60 million years ago.

Just as 2017 has been proclaimed the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, there is no better time to visit Taiwan, a major leader in eco-tourism with a wide variety of unique nature sites. For example, Maolin National Scenic Area, about 45km east of Kaohsiung, is home to several indigenous tribes, Rukai stone houses and splendid natural scenery. It’s also a place for observing Purple Crow butterflies. Such a beautiful setting is perfect for back-to-nature teambuilding activities, ideal for urban dwellers who would like to escape the concrete jungle. There is something for everyone: butterfly watching, guided hiking tours, cooking classes, and hunting trips with indigenous tribes, just to name a few.

To make your events successful, MEET TAIWAN, Taiwan's MICE Promotion Programme, continues to offer one-stop services such as venue recommendation, creating custom-made itineraries, and providing professional help throughout your travels and meetings. With its rich cultural heritage, thriving eco-tourism, and professional, tech-savvy MICE facilities, Southern Taiwan is ready to host your next unforgettable event.

www.meettaiwan.com