Taiwan has an almost unmatched variety of tourist attractions and pastimes, including fine cuisine, exotic temples, beautiful natural scenery, and many other features. Yet it is human nature to fall into a rut – to repeat experiences, rather than try new ones, and to believe that one has “seen everything.” Sometimes a fresh perspective is needed, and there is no better source of new travel ideas than those that have emerged from the Taiwan Tourism Bureau’s “Best Trip in the World” campaign.

The campaign got underway last summer with requests that teams of entrants submit itineraries and themes for simple four-day tours of Taiwan. Altogether, more than 1,100 teams entered the contest, representing 44 different countries. Soon 52 teams had been selected to participate in the second round, with each given NT$28,000 to follow their proposed itineraries. The contest climaxed in November when a winning team – Bah Kut Teh from Malaysia – was chosen to receive the NT$1 million grand prize. This spring, the members of Bah Kut Teh will use the prize money to take a one-month trip in Taiwan, which they will document via blog and video.

The participants were picked from among a wide pool of entrants that included people from a broad range of backgrounds in terms of nationality, age group, and major interests. The teams’ enthusiasm and insight, and the itineraries they proposed, provide a refreshing new window – or rather 52 windows – into the tourism possibilities in Taiwan. Anyone running out of ideas for what to see and do in Taiwan should check the web page, read the descriptions, and watch some of the videos.

The grand prizewinners, Bah Kut Teh, had never been to Taiwan, but they were smart enough to explore one of the most scenic areas on the island – Taroko Gorge National Park and the nearby countryside. They also joined an Aboriginal festival at the Matai’An Wetlands Cultural Village, where they donned Amis warrior costumes and joined in the singing and dancing. As the video shows, the team members enjoyed themselves thoroughly, and Bak Kut Teh also wrote songs about their tour, which gained widespread exposure in their native Malaysia.

In response to the creative outpouring from the entering teams, the Tourism Bureau selected eight additional teams, awarding each of them another NT$28,000 to enable them to return to Taiwan to enjoy the island at their leisure a second time, without any need to document their travels. China Airlines, which was part of the selection committee, also pitched in with round-trip tickets for the second place team, “West Meets East,” which consists of a pair of newlyweds (Taiwanese bride and American husband).

Each of the original 52 teams posted information and videos that are often fun and filled with enthusiasm, and a few minutes spent browsing the videos is an excellent way to do some armchair traveling and re-ignite a passion for Taiwan travel. There are itineraries on the website to suit every age group and interest, from food and dining to local culture and mountain adventure.

Take, for example, the “West Meets East” team, which launched an in-depth exploration of Taiwan’s tea, starting with a tea-making contest in Mucha, and then moving on to a look at the tea sets in the pottery village of Yingge. The team also explored tea farms at Sun Moon Lake and Alishan, and along the way enjoyed a selection of Taiwanese teas, which rank among the best in the world.

A team called “FrenTainese” chose cycling as the main theme of their trip. They picked an accessible area – the Northeast Coast and Yilan – and coupled the cycling with stops to eat local specialties like tofu, fishballs, and seafood dishes. The team won a special “Most In-Depth Travel” citation for their entry.

Several other teams also shared the “Most In-Depth Travel” award, including “Taiwan Explore,” which toured villages in the Penghu archipelago, concentrating on locations used by famous movie director Hou Hsiao-hsien, whose best known film is probably A City of Sadness. The team also incorporated some of Hou’s directing techniques to produce an unforgettable video. Another winner of the In-Depth award was “Yin Di Ah Mei,” a team that featured two girls cycling across southern Taiwan and exploring Kending National Park and the culture of its indigenous tribes.

Another special citation, the “Most Heartwarming Team” award, was given to two teams. The experience of “Taiwan Footprint,” which featured three generations of women traveling together, provides a perfect snapshot of the rewards of family travel. In addition, “The Senior Australians” arrived in Taiwan with an entire extended family, including parents, son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. Once here, they explored the high mountains, proving that vigorous holidays are possible even for large families with children.

The Taiwan Tourism Bureau also handed out a pair of special “Most Brave and Adventurous” awards. A team called “Above and Below” used 11 different modes of transport to travel the length of the island in four days, which stands as an endorsement of the ease and variety of public transportation in Taiwan. The team’s transportation choices included tour buses, public buses, taxis, bicycles, boats, scooters, high-speed rail, jeep, subway, and cable cars.

The most adrenalin-inducing tour – and another “Most Brave and Adventurous” award winner – was provided by the “Formosa Adventurers,” who pursued an itinerary filled with high-voltage sports popular in Taiwan. The team managed to pack paragliding, river trekking, and white water rafting into a busy four-day itinerary.

The overall variety of video and blog contributions, combined with the wealth of Taiwan travel possibilities, goes much further. Many of the teams that failed to win nonetheless provided worthy themes and presented wonderful itineraries based on such subjects as shopping, dining, travel with children, music, movie themes, local culture, and others. Numerous parts of Taiwan were explored in depth, including outlying islands, west coast cities, the central mountains, remote sections of seacoast, and others.

The “Best Trip” website has generated more than 2.4 million page views, and many of the videos have been watched repeatedly. Most of the teams were young and tech-savvy, and additional publicity was generated via their personal blogs and social network sites, especially Facebook. The campaign also attracted considerable international media attention. The teams were encouraged to use public transportation, and to keep their itineraries simple and their budgets modest, which makes it easy to follow in their footsteps. 

For a fresh and inspiring look at Taiwan travel, and more information about the contest, see the official contest website at www.taiwanbesttrip.net, and catch the creative videos that show how beautiful and touching Taiwan truly is.