Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Seaside serenity (Silkroad)

In the more than 400 years since the first Han Chinese migrants crossed the sea from Fujian Province in China's southeast, they have made their mark on the island's culture and traditions. These immigrants brought their own distinctive styles of architecture and adapted cooking techniques to the native produce and seafood that locals and visitors alike enjoy today.

The biggest draw of the fishing harbour Donggang in Pingtung County is its seafood, and Guangfu Road is at the centre of it, with a number of long-running and highly regarded seafood restaurants. The town’s “Three Culinary Treasures” await gourmands... 

This article appeared in the July issue of Silkroad, Dragonair's inflight magazine.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Small wonders: The Penghu islands (En Voyage)

It takes less than an hour to fly from any of Taiwan’s major cities to Penghu, but a visit to this group of windswept isles is no daytrip. Look at a map and you’ll realize that the archipelago is simply too big and too spread out. 

There are 90 islands, only 19 of which have permanent human inhabitants. The two most- photographed sights — Jibei’s stunning sand spit and Qimei’s Double-Hearted Weir — are a full 60km apart. Nor should you try to cover everything in a weekend, even a long one. If ever a destination were suited to slow travel, it’s Penghu, where ocean views and ruined cottages [one pictured right] urge lingering attention...

This article, which appeared back in July in EVA Airlines' rebranded inflight magazine (formerly called Verve), can be read online. Click here and scroll through the pages.