How to Plan a Luxury Staycation at Home — Taiwan Edition
While international travel may be off the table for most of us, we can still bring adventures home. If you need a quick getaway for an afternoon, a day or a weekend — try out a fabulous staycation. Today, we’re going On-Holiday-At-Home to the beautiful island of Taiwan. So whether you call East Asia home or it’s been on your list for years, here’s a roundup of what to eat, do and watch to bring Taiwan to the comfort of your own home.
Immerse Yourself in Its Rich History
Taiwan has a diverse and fascinating history of characters and cultures. From its aboriginal settlers to colonization by the Dutch, Portuguese, Japanese and Chinese. History is the perfect place to start your tour of Taiwan.
You should begin with a virtual tour of the National Museum of History, the oldest museum in Taiwan. While here you can step back into the neolithic period or an ancient Chinese dynasty.
You can follow that with a visit to the National Palace Museum. It has one of the largest Chinese art and artifact collections in the world, with more than 70,000 pieces. You can stroll through the museum on your own here or follow guided tours based on your interests.
And if you’re a history buff and really want to learn about Taiwan’s history I recommend checking out these books:
This catalog includes Taiwanese folk tales. The collection of 20 tales highlight Taiwanese culture, history, values and ethics.
Forbidden Nation: A History of Taiwan
This book covers more than 400 years of Taiwanese history. It chronicles centuries of colonization. Plus you’ll learn why Taiwan has been a battleground for dominance in the region. Experience the dramatic story of the island, its people and journey to independence.
Watch Award-Winning Taiwanese Movies
Movies are another great window into Taiwanese history and culture. Immerse yourself through the scenery, storytelling and hearing stories in the local language.
I picked movies that have been honored at the Golden Horse Film Festival in Taipei. The Golden Horse Awards are among the most prestigious in Chinese language cinema. And we’ve got a movie for whatever kind of mood you’re in.
A Brighter Summer Day — Mood: Deep and thoughtful.
This film is based on a true story of a crime that rocked the nation. It is considered a masterpiece of Taiwanese cinema.
Dear Ex — Mood: Emotional and humorous.
If you want to see superb acting and a unique storyline check out this Golden Horse winner. It’s the story of a teenager trapped between his mom and his recently-deceased father’s male lover.
A Sun — Mood: Loving and twisted.
If you want to see an excellent, well-told story this is it. A family reckons with the aftermath of their younger son’s incarceration. Then a greater misfortune that follows.
Step Back in Time With A Glove Puppet Show
A fascinating and unique art form that you should check out is Taiwanese glove puppetry. It’s also known as budaixi. Glove puppetry came from China to Taiwan where it blossomed into a distinct style.
Puppeteers move small glove dolls on ornate wooden stages. They tell historical and martial arts tales accompanied by live folk music. I’d liken it to beautiful opera-like stories with puppets.
There is even a TV program in Taiwan featuring glove puppets called Pili. I recommend checking out an episode of Pili. And, if you have little ones, why not buy a glove puppet and try out puppeteering at home?
Here’s a version with English subtitles
Bring A Taiwanese Night Market Home
Visiting a night market is a must-do experience in Taiwan. In the evenings, vendors congregate along streets and corridors. They sell snacks, clothing, tchotchkes and carnival games. The night markets can be found all throughout the country.
One of the most popular Taiwanese night markets is Shilin Market in Taipei. For your staycation, bring the night market home with a video tour. The video below takes you on a tour of the Shilin Market, giving you a front row look at the bustling streets.
Create Your Own Bubble Tea
Of course you’re going to want to eat something tasty while exploring the markets. Let’s talk about some of the delicious foods you can bring home for a taste of Taiwan.
The perfect place to start is with bubble tea, a Taiwanese creation that has made its way around the world. It originated in Taiwan at a tea shop in the 1980s. It got its name from the bubbles that form when the tea would be shaken to mix it with milk, sweeteners and flavorings. Later tapioca pearls were added to the mix, which is why it’s known as bubble tea or pearl tea.
For your bubble tea you can buy it at a local restaurant or make it at home yourself. All you need it black tea, milk, brown sugar and the tapioca pearls which can be found at an Asian market or online. You can also infuse other flavors into your tea like matcha, taro, jasmine, or fruit.
Ingredients
BLACK TEA
- 2 cups water
- 6 black tea bags (preferably, assam black tea)
TAPIOCA PEARLS AND BROWN SUGAR SYRUP
- ½ cup medium black tapioca pearls
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup hot water
ASSEMBLY
- ½ cup tapioca pearls, cooked
- ½ cup ice
- brown sugar syrup, to taste
- 1 cup black tea, chilled
- ¼ cup milk, half & half, condensed milk or milk alternative
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
- 2 wide-opening straws
Directions
- In a medium pot over high heat, combine the water and tea bags. Bring to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat and let the tea cool to room temperature.
- Bring a medium pot of water to boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, add the tapioca pearls and boil until softened, about 20 minutes.
- Drain the pearls through a strainer.
- Set the strainer with the pearls over a medium bowl. Add the brown sugar to the strainer and pour the hot water over.
- Stir to dissolve the brown sugar. Soak the pearls in brown sugar syrup for 30 minutes. Then store the bubbles and syrup separately until ready to serve.
- Assemble the tea: Divide the pearls and ice between 2 glasses, then add the brown sugar syrup, tea, and half and half.
- Stir with a wide-opening straw, then serve.
Want more Taiwanese recipes? I recommend having a big plate of Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken served over rice. Or check out my story on making xiaolongbao soup dumplings, Din Tai Fung-style.
Indulge in Delicious High Mountain Teas
Bubble tea is just one of the signature teas from Taiwan that you’ll want to try on your staycation.
Taiwan is famous for its high mountain teas, specifically oolong teas. The perfect way to experience one is by doing a tasting or traditional tea ceremony at home.
The Chinese tea ceremony, also known as gongfu, is about admiring and bringing out the best flavor in the tea. It involves several steps that help optimize the flavor of the tea. This includes warming each of the utensils before preparing the tea and brewing tea in small batches to reduce the taste of tannins. You can then admire the smells, appearance and tastes of the tea.
For your tasting or tea ceremony, I recommend trying an oolong tea. Some of my favorites are Oriental Beauty or Iron Goddess. Taiwan doesn’t export lots of its tea so the price can be a bit high. The upside is you rebrew the leave many times. So maybe the re-steeping can make up for the steeper price!
Re-brewing also allows you to experience new flavors that come from a second or third tasting. For the full experience I recommend ordering a gongfu tasting set online. It will come with all the tools you need. And, you can learn about how the process works here.
Make a Paper Lantern
Paper lanterns were brought to Taiwan by Chinese immigrants. They provide light and decoration and symbolize vitality, social status and good luck. Red is the most common lantern color and is associated with joy and good fortune. You’ll see lanterns displayed for celebrations, marriages, births and at religious structures.
Taiwan is also famous for sky lanterns or Kongming lanterns. These lanterns are like mini hot air balloons that are meant to be released into the sky. The town of Pingxi is most famous for sky lanterns. Visitors come to make lanterns, write their wishes on them and release them in hopes that their ancestors will answer their prayers.
You can bring a slice of this experience home by making your own paper lantern. Once you’re done, try decorating your lantern with positive messages in Chinese characters. Common options are good fortune, health, and prosperity. It will take some practice and a steady hand. Here’s a guide that you help you learn some characters to include.
Supplies
- Red paper or card-stock
- Scissors
- Glue or double sided tape
- Needle and thread
- Template
Instructions
- Cut out the template along the solid lines. Notice the little glue-tab on the left.
- Glue the glue-tab to the spot marked “X” to create a cylinder shape. (You’ll see the “X” when you print the template.) If you are using patterned paper, make sure the pattern is facing out.
- Prepare a piece of thread about 15 inches long. Double the thread over a couple of times near one end so you have 2–3 loops. Then tie the ends of the loops into a bow with a simple overhand knot.
- Cut the loops of the knot to make a tassel.
- Thread a needle with the other side of the cord. Pass the thread through one of the circle-shaped ends on the lantern, from outside to in. Whichever end of the lantern you start on will be the bottom of the lantern.
- Thread the cord through all the remaining circle-shaped ends on the bottom of the lantern. Pull the cord through to the top of the lantern. All the sides of the lantern should now come together in a hexagon shape.
- Next, thread the cord through each of the circle-shaped ends on the top of the lantern, from inside to out.
- Pull all the sides together. Tie a knot to keep things in place. It helps to poke a pencil into the knot as you tie it. By pulling the pencil up or down the thread, you can position the knot exactly where you want it.
- Secure the knot. Then you can decorate your lantern with Chinese characters or decorations in traditional gold or black.
