My Life Abroad: museum (博物館)

Travel Date: 2026/03/07

One of the things I love about living in Taiwan is how easy it is to turn a normal day into a small adventure. This trip started in Huwei, a town in Yunlin County known for its old sugar factory history. From there, we decided to explore a few famous spots in Chiayi County before heading to the lantern festival in the evening.

First Stop: Xingang Fengtian Temple (新港奉天宮)

Our first destination was Xingang Fengtian Temple, one of the most important temples dedicated to Mazu, the goddess who protects sailors and travelers.

The temple has a long history dating back more than three centuries and is a key stop during the famous Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage, one of the largest religious events in Taiwan. During this pilgrimage, hundreds of thousands of people walk over 300 kilometers across Taiwan to escort the goddess’s statue between temples.

Even outside festival time, the temple is always busy. Visitors come to pray, burn incense, and admire the intricate carvings and colorful decorations that cover the temple’s roof and halls. The atmosphere is calm but lively, with the smell of incense and the sound of prayers filling the air.

National Palace Museum Southern Branch (國立故宮博物院南部院區)

After visiting the temple, we continued our journey by scooter toward the National Palace Museum Southern Branch.

The weather was perfect: bright sunshine with a cool wind, which made the ride comfortable and refreshing. Taiwan’s countryside can feel very peaceful compared to the busy cities, and riding a scooter through these areas is one of the best ways to experience it.

The National Palace Museum Southern Branch is a modern museum focusing on Asian art and culture. It is part of the larger National Palace Museum system, which preserves the vast imperial art collection originally from China’s Forbidden City.

One of the most famous treasures associated with this collection is the legendary Jadeite Cabbage. This small jade sculpture shaped like a Chinese cabbage is one of the most recognizable artworks connected to Taiwan’s museum collections. The detailed carving even includes tiny insects hidden among the leaves, symbolizing fertility and abundance.

Although the original cabbage is usually displayed at the National Palace Museum in Taipei, the Southern Branch still hosts impressive exhibitions and offers a great opportunity to explore Asian art without traveling to the capital.

Another nice detail: entry was free after 3 PM during the Lantern Festival, which made it a great stop while traveling nearby in the afternoon.

The museum building itself is also worth visiting. Its modern architecture, open spaces, and surrounding lakes give it a very different atmosphere compared to traditional museums.

Lantern Festival in Chiayi

As evening approached, we headed to the Taiwan Lantern Festival in Chiayi.

Every year this festival transforms the host city into a giant outdoor exhibition of glowing lanterns, artistic light installations, and performances. The displays range from traditional lantern designs to huge modern light sculptures.

The venues are conveniently located near Chiayi Station, making it easy to arrive by high-speed rail. From the station, free shuttle buses run regularly to the festival areas.

The crowds were huge, but the atmosphere was festive and full of energy. Families walked through the illuminated streets, taking photos and enjoying night market food around the festival area.

The Taiwan Lantern Festival is the highlight of Lantern Festival celebrations across Taiwan every year. In 2026, the event takes place in Chiayi County from March 3 to March 15, marking the third time the festival has been hosted in Taibao City, after previous editions in 2007 and 2018.

Interestingly, the very first Lantern Festival I ever visited in Taiwan was also in Chiayi. When I first came to Taiwan years ago, Chiayi happened to be the host city that year as well. Coming back again in 2026 felt a bit nostalgic—it was like returning to the place where I first experienced the incredible scale of Taiwan’s lantern celebrations.

Like every year, the Taiwan Lantern Festival combines traditional lantern craftsmanship with modern technology. Visitors can admire classic lantern displays inspired by Taiwanese culture alongside large-scale light installations, interactive exhibits, and high-tech lighting shows that transform the entire area into a glowing nighttime spectacle.

The Fire Horse Festival

That night we also saw the dramatic Lucao Fire Horse Festival.

This intense local ritual involves a large horse structure that is set on fire and launched with fireworks, creating a spectacular and slightly chaotic show of sparks and flames. It’s loud, bright, and definitely one of the most unique festivals I’ve experienced in Taiwan.

But that experience deserves its own full story—and its own video. So I’ll save that part for the next post.

Travel Date: 2025/11/07

Strawberry season is coming, so we took a short trip to Dahu in Miaoli to check on the fruits. Surprisingly, even though it’s already November, the strawberries weren’t ready yet (though I've recently seen some for sale). However, that didn’t stop us from enjoying the area - there were still plenty of strawberry-infused foods, snacks, drinks, and desserts to try. From strawberry sausages to strawberry wine, the entire town feels dedicated to celebrating the berry even before the fields turn red.

After Dahu, we headed to an old oil refinery preserved as a free museum. We explored the indoor exhibitions, but didn’t wander outdoors for long. As soon as we tried to climb the stairs outside, a killing bee (giant hornet) appeared out of nowhere and successfully scared us back inside. With posted warnings about venomous snakes and aggressive bees all around, we weren’t sure how safe it was to walk deeper into the hills, so we kept our exploration short.

The final stop on our trip was the Taiwan Hakka Culture Museum, conveniently located on the way home. The building is huge and filled with old photographs, cultural displays, and historical information. The best part for us, however, was probably the interactive game called “throwing fireworks on a tower”—a traditional activity that kids and adults can enjoy. It was a lighthearted way to end a long day of sightseeing.

If you’re planning a day trip in central Taiwan, these three spots make a great combination of food, history, and culture.

Dahu Strawberry Cultural Center (大湖草莓文化館)

Dahu is known as the Strawberry Capital of Taiwan, with more than 500 hectares of strawberry fields—around 80% of the country’s total production. Even though the strawberries weren’t ready yet during our visit, the Dahu Strawberry Cultural Center is absolutely still worth a stop.

On the ground floor, you’ll find an impressive range of strawberry-themed products: wine, jams, vinegar, pudding, dried strawberries, strawberry tofu snacks, strawberry sausages, and even silk quilts made by local farmers. It’s the perfect spot to pick up unique souvenirs.

Head up to the second floor for the Screening Room, where short films introduce Dahu’s agricultural history and nearby attractions. Groups can also book a 15-minute introductory video.

The third floor features the Strawberry Ecology Exhibition, where visitors can learn how strawberries are grown, harvested, bred, and managed. Many of the displays are interactive or life-like, making it a fun and educational area for kids.

Finally, the fifth floor opens up to the Sky Garden, filled with colorful flowers and offering a beautiful panoramic view of the Dahu countryside.

Overall, the center is extremely family-friendly, and even without fresh strawberries, you can really immerse yourself in the rich “strawberry culture” that defines Dahu.

Taiwan Oil Mine Exhibition Hall (台灣油礦陳列館)

This site marks the first place in Taiwan where oil was discovered—and it remains one of the oldest still-producing oil fields in the world. The exhibition hall traces the entire journey from early discovery to modern extraction, combining historical artifacts with clear, science-focused displays.

You’ll learn about the Qing Dynasty discovery of oil in Chuhuangkeng, its development during Japanese rule, and later operations under CPC Corporation. Old photographs and documents reveal what a lively, booming oil village the area once was.

One of the highlights is a virtual cable-car ride that takes visitors “into” the oil mine to experience what life was like in the 1960s.

There’s also a cave-themed passage explaining how oil forms underground, featuring real rock cores taken from some of Taiwan’s deepest drilling projects.

Throughout the exhibition, you’ll find large drilling machines from different eras, hands-on games, and animated demonstrations showing how oil is extracted and processed. You can even try pipeline-inspection equipment and learn how modern oil transport is monitored.

Other interactive sections include miniature offshore platforms, VR deep-sea drilling, and an interactive map of CPC’s global operations.

Despite its historical setting, the museum feels surprisingly modern and engaging—perfect even for visitors with no background in geology or mining.

Note that the outdoor area is home to local wildlife, and warning signs for venomous snakes and aggressive bees are posted throughout.

Taiwan Hakka Culture Museum (臺灣客家文化館)

This museum is one of the largest cultural centers dedicated to Hakka heritage in Taiwan. Its striking architecture is paired with a thoughtfully designed interior that blends history, folk customs, interactive learning, and kid-friendly exhibits.

Inside, you’ll find spacious exhibition halls filled with old photographs, farming tools, traditional clothing, and stories of Hakka migration. Interactive installations help visitors explore the Hakka language, festivals, rituals, and aspects of everyday life.

There are also family-friendly zones where kids can learn through play, along with beautiful outdoor spaces that are perfect for taking photos or enjoying a short walk.

The unexpected highlight of our visit was the firework-throwing tower game, where you aim “firework” bags at a target - a fun and much safer version of the traditional activity.