FORMOSA

Famed for centuries as Ilha Formosa, the Beautiful Island, this is a land with more sides than the 11-headed

Guanyin. Sandy beaches, marble-walled gorges and tropical forests are just the start of your journey,

which could take you as far as Yushan, Taiwan's 3952m alpine roof. The activities possible in this

landscape are equally diverse. Criss-cross Yushan National Park on colonial-era hiking trails. River trace

up to the Golden Canyon. Windsurf the fastest conditions in Asia, or cycle Hwy 11 with the blue Pacific

on one side and green volcanic arcs on the other. Along the way you'll find plenty of locals to keep you

company. And not just the sporting people. Taiwan is the Kingdom of Butterflies, and home to a host of

other endemic flying, crawling and swimming things. When you step away from the urban jungle into

the real thing be prepared to say 'I've never seen that before' very often.