Things to do on a summer evening-without a beer glass or microphone in sight!

By Claire Tyrrell Translated by Ann Lee

When I first arrived in Taiwan, the pressure of coordinating an evening out seemed immense. People separated into two distinct sides—the first stood staunchly in the bar camp and the second were steadfast KTV fans. So, after much debate between the two sides, the inevitable compromise was bowling. Bearing that in mind, this month's Taiwan Fun endeavors to guide you or, more accurately, remind you of some of the evening activities the city has to offer.

City Lights
Admiring cities by night is an activity that has always been popular for an evening's fun. Arguably Taipei's most attractive aspect, the night view offers star-gazers some great sights. Take advantage of the world's tallest building (still clinging to the title), by heading to the 101 observation deck for an evening. The last admission is 9:15 p.m. For a more romantic perusal of the night lights, go to the Miramar complex and ride what is rumored to be the world's second-largest Ferris wheel (open 11 a.m. until midnight). The wheel itself is lit up with over 600 sets of neon lights and it takes about 17 minutes for a single circuit. Or, why not time an afternoon hike and finish as the lights of the city come on, and appreciate the view from YangMing Mountain or from the many restaurants dotting the hills? Or try the trails at the Four Animals Mountains in the eastern part of the city.
For a different view of the city, it is possible to take an evening trip along the Keelung River and appreciate the cityscape from this relaxing location. However, the tide greatly affects the times of these weekend trips, so sometimes boats leave in the morning or afternoon. Some companies can accommodate large groups of people or events. For more information, check the sites below.

Another popular choice is to head out to the hills of Maokong and pass the evening in any of the 100 or so teahouses and restaurants in the area. Many have city views or are nestled in the vegetation. The summer is the best time to enjoy these locations, which offer a certain sense of history, some of Taiwan's finest tea leaves, and good cuisine. Head a little further over the hills and spend an evening sampling the choicest stinky tofu around, as well as many other traditional Taiwanese snacks, in the atmospheric market streets of ShengKeng.

Get Active
For the more vigorous, the increasingly-popular Lazer Treks is situated in K-Mall near Taipei Main Station. Described as similar to indoor paintball, Lazer Treks brings combat right up to date with "phasers". You can shoot infra red beams at your enemies in a 330-square-meter maze that has pulsing techno music, fog machines, and a futuristic urban theme designed by one of Taiwan's hottest graffiti artists. Lazer Treks proudly claims that players can experience the most progressive and exhilarating lazer games available in the world. If bringing on-line gaming to life is your thing, or you and your friends need a good release, Lazer Treks is ideal and can be played individually or in teams (open till around 10 p.m., check website: www.lazertreks.com).

Returning to more active evening pursuits, don't forget to check out the Y17 youth center, which is open until 10 p.m. Open for over five years, this is a fantastically-equipped youth center. One of our clear favourite activities was the huge, two-level skating plaza—the largest indoor skating area in Taiwan. Though billed as a youth center, it is open to all ages, and all ages will certainly enjoy it! Chilling in the summer months is easy at the new arena's ice rink. Here open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. If you want to really brush up on your skills, you can arrange group or private lessons here.

Away from the city
If you want to make the most of the summer evenings and escape the city streets, then there are many directions in which to head. On the outskirts and easily accessible by public transport, two areas that have been developed to really make the most of the waterside atmosphere are Bitan (near Xindian MRT—check out Taiwan Fun, July '06) and BaLi on the west bank of the Danshui River—quieter than Danshui, but allowing you to enjoy a view and a developing water recreation area. Farther away, JiuFen is an old favourite. JinShan has also been suggested as a good site which, in addition to beaches, has a number of pleasant hot springs and places to dine. You can sit on an open deck and eat just 30 meters or so from the water. For an evening hot springs dip, Wulai and Beitou (see Taiwan Fun, Feb. and April '07) have always been the obvious choices and are easily accessible for the evening. Also recommended, with the opening of the new Xueshan Tunnel, is a trip to JiaoXi, a good and cheap hot springs that has some nice restaurants.
These are just a few ideas to get you thinking. No matter whether your summer evening plans include chilling-out or building-up a sweat—enjoy!

Lazer Treks: http//www.lazertreks.com; (02) 2598-0880
Taipei Youth Activity Center (Y17)/ Y17: www.y17.com.tw; (02) 343-2388
Ice Skating/ (Taipei Arena): www.tpa.com.tw/iceland.php; (02) 2570-1136
Keelung River Cruises: www.sea-sky.com.tw; (02) 2618-6348
Taipei Travel Net: www.taipeitravel.net