THE New York Times put Taiwan on No.11 in its recently released list of ‘52 places to go in 2014’. Taiwan was also made it to number three on the list of top 10 safest Asian countries for female traveller. Also in 2014, Star Cruises has flagged off a new route from Hong Kong to Taiwan.
Taiwan has mosques in three major cities plus over 40 Muslim-friendly restaurants around the whole island. It is scrupulously clean country, people are honest and friendly.Malls and stores in Taiwan offer designer clothing, lifestyle products, food outlets, bookstores, movie house, wholesale warehouses and amusement centrs. Moreover, several theme streets have sprung up, exhibiting an exciting blend of history and style, including Taipei’s Ximenting and Kaohsiung’s New Juejiang commercial area, attracting different consumer groups. High-end boutiques are packed along Dunhua South Road between Xinyi and Zhongxiao East roads, presenting a tempting array of brand clothes, jewellery, shoes and leather items. Taipei 101 was opened to the public recently. It is 1,671 feet (509 metres) high and has 101 storeys. The multiuse steel-and-glass skyscraper echoes a traditional Chinese pagoda with its soaring podium base.Of special interest to leisure travellers is the picturesque Sun Moon Lake that enjoys the unique distinction of being the only natural big lake in Taiwan. The night markets of Taiwan are great places to shop for bargains and feel the pulse of Taiwan’s night-life. These markets bustle with uninhibited noise and energy, and you will find friendly restaurant owners calling out their menus, stall holders selling their wares, and crowds of onlookers, shoppers and diners walking around enjoying the balmy night air. Here you will find a variety of clothing, household items, watches, jewellery, toys, at bargain prices. Night markets are also where visitors can sample authentic Taiwanese food.Small eats, and a lot of them, are very popular in Taiwan. The culinary trend in Taiwan is to eat often and eat well. The Taiwanese capital, Taipei, has around 20 streets dedicated to snacking. Taiwan is known for its bao, stinky tofu, beef noodle soup, dimsums, five cup chicken and prawns and fish that is just lightly flavoured and baked in its own juices with a salt crust. Taipei also has a number of Middle Eastern and Indian options and can also cater to halal and other dietary preferences and restrictions.Taiwan is connected to the UAE via a non-stop flight from Dubai and other options with stopovers.