One Day in Chiayi – Walking Tours Spotlight Local Culture and History

Words and photos by Chen Yu-hsiu
Translated by Erica Lin

The history of Chiayi City stretches back over three centuries. As the main processing and distribution center for cypress wood from Alishan area during the Japanese Colonial Period in the early 1900s, Chiayi is home to historical buildings that reflect the town's once booming lumber industry, railway heritage, and affluence.

The International Spotlight Central Region Program (ISCRP) is a cooperative initiative of Taiwan's Tourism Bureau and the iSee Taiwan Foundation dedicated to discovering, integrating and promoting Central Taiwan's distinctive cultural heritage. Program organizers hope to increase tourism to the Chiayi area and let visitors experience for themselves the historical ambiance and charms of the city's halcyon days.

Hands-on experience delivers the best travel adventures. ISCRP has designed several exceptional "Travel x Learning" itineraries that let visitors enjoy Chiayi using the six senses of sight, sound, smell, taste, touch...and heart. Itineraries encourage visitors to create their own Chiayi experience with local retailers and get the most out of their Central Taiwan LOHAS Spotlight adventure.

Chiayi La Mere Terre Travel x Learning One-Day Itinerary Suggestions

One-Day Itinerary - Chiayi Cultural Walk
Chiayi Park → Bless Cafe & Clothes → East Market (Village Chief Liu's Chicken Rice) → Chenghuang Temple → Central Fountain → Souvenir Shopping (Q cake, mochi, Dafu Dorayaki, pickled plum, and square cookies) → TaoCity (ceramic monkey painting DIY)

One-Day Itinerary - Chiayi Historical Walk
Hollygazai (pineapple shortcake DIY) → Jwu-Jiu Tea House → Chiayi Train Station (ride Forest Railway) → Pei-Men Station → Cypress Forestry Life Village → Garage Park → Forest Song → Old Prison →Downtown Culinary Adventure (Lin Tsung Ming - Restaurant, A-an Rice Pudding, Chiayi King Hotel, Qingsheng Diner, and Xin Ming Jin Epicurean)

For more information, please visit:
http://www.lohaspot.com.tw
http://www.facebook.com/LOHAS.Spot