Combine the wonders of this exotic Asian destination with one of the biggest celebrations on earth and you’ve got yourself a trip of epic proportions. No one does Chinese New Year better than Beijing, China.

A celebration filled with color, energy, food, and history, Chinese New Year in Beijing hosts a number of fascinating local events to make your journey truly unique and unforgettable. MSW offers you an essential travel guide to some of the best attractions, activities and restaurants in Beijing during Chinese New Year.

Beijing Chinese New Year Winter Attractions

Fireworks

Each year, Beijing’s skyline erupts in a colorful array of fireworks for nights on end, while daytime hours are filled with noisy fireworks being fired all across the city by residents. The resulting cacophony is deafening and the city literally reverberates for days on end.

The most popular venues for setting off fireworks – and watching the pandemonium that ensues – are around the Drum and Bell Towers in the Houhai Lake district. During the day, this Beijing neighborhood is a perfect place for visitors who want to learn about traditional hutong lifestyles.

Nightlife

Houhai Lake District

If it’s Chinese culture that you’re looking for, start your night off with a rickshaw tour of Houhai Bar Street and its surrounding area. There are an ample number of bars and boutiques situated alongside a picturesque manmade lake; the area is dotted with gardens, ponds, traditional Chinese courtyards and ancient temples.

After you’re finished exploring, warm up with a hot beverage or a nightcap at the nearby Drum & Bell Bar. Overlooking the courtyard between the Drum Tower and Bell Tower, this rooftop bar provides a great view of the lake. In recent years the Drum & Bell Bar have provided a great place to view the fireworks on Chinese New Year’s Eve.

Another local favorite, the East Shore Jazz Café, comes highly recommended as the most authentic jazz in town. The café’s rooftop terrace offers views overlooking Houhai Lake.

Sanlitun Bar Street

Sanlitun Bar Street boasts some of the best nightlife activities in Beijing. Known as THE entertainment district of Beijing, Sanlitun has a wide variety of venues, including nightclubs, sports bars, pubs, coffee houses, and cafes.

As one of the most popular nightclubs in Beijing, Mix Club is the perfect place to dance the night away. The ultra modern 2-story nightclub regularly features international DJs who spin the latest music in a trendy setting that resembles some of the hottest clubs in LA.

The Bird’s Nest

Home to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the National Stadium, also known as the Bird’s Nest, hosts several celebrations in honor of Chinese New Year.  During the Spring Festival, visitors can enjoy an artificial Winter Wonderland that includes skating rinks and mini ski slopes.

Skiing and Snowboarding

If you tired of sleepless nights in a city that sounds like it’s under siege, try hitting the slopes for a day or two.

Just 30 minutes outside of Beijing, Nanshan Ski Village has one of the best snowboarding parks in the country with five kickers jumps, a mini half-pipe, and over 12 boxes and rails. This winter wonderland also boasts some of the best man-made snow in the world. Experience it for yourself on any of Nanshan’s 12 ski trails, or try your hand at tobogganing or snowmobiling.

Less than a 4-hour drive from Beijing, Wanlong Ski Resort boasts a snowboarding park and 22 ski trails of man-made snow. As China’s largest ski mountain, Wanlong sees over 1000 skiers every weekend.

Celebrate Chinese New Year in a Traditional Village

This tour, hosted by the China Culture Center, takes visitors into the suburbs of Beijing to experience Chinese New Year in a traditional village, where lively street entertainers, folk dancers, puppet shows, sword swallowers, story tellers and magicians spin their magic and showcase their mesmerizing skills. Visit a traditional Chinese home and learn how fire is used to cook and heat the bed. Guests learn how to make dumplings and steam buns. The tour even includes a visit to local artisan who makes life-size paper replicas of horses and carts for Chinese funerals!

Experience Beijing’s Temple Fairs

Chinese New Year in Beijing is a noisy, colorful and busy occasion. If you’ve never experienced the temple fairs of Beijing, then this should be at the top of your travel itinerary during Chinese New Year.

The first temple fairs in Beijing date back to around 1000 AD. Vendors would often set up shop outside of the temples where pilgrims came to pay tribute to the gods during traditional festival periods such as Chinese New Year.

Today, Beijing’s temple fairs attract thousands of visitors from all over the world. Each year, organizers invite hundreds of performers and artisans from all over China to participate in the Chinese New Year temple fairs that are held near the temples and parks of Beijing.

These lively carnivals offer an opportunity to appreciate traditional artwork and local delicacies, spectacular variety shows from rural areas of China, dragon and lion dances, boys and girls on stilts, life-size puppets, waist drum dancing, lotus blossom fairy dances, Peking opera, acrobatics, and tea culture displays. If all that entertainment makes you hungry, you’re in the right place. You’ll find plenty of snacks and Chinese delicacies to sink your teeth into.

Temple Fair Tour

The China Culture Center offers a temple fair tour in Beijing each Chinese New Year. Visitors learn about the history of Beijing temple fairs and then they are taken to two or three temple fairs where they will get a chance to sample local snacks, purchase traditional handicrafts and view various folk performances and traditional handicrafts.

Eat

Chinese New Year celebrations generally begin with a family feast at home, but many families are breaking away from this traditional custom in lieu of eating out. Hu Zhifu, the secretary general of the Beijing Food and Catering Association, states that having Chinese New Year’s Eve dinner at a restaurant first became fashionable in 2003. The number of families that host their New Year’s dinner at restaurants is growing annually.

Popular Beijing Restaurants

Dumplings – Din Tai Fung

When food is renowned as much for its flavor and appearance as it is for being a true work of art, you know you’ve attained perfection in the culinary world. Din Tai Fung got its start in Taiwan in the 1980s, but since then it has expanded to 42 locations in nine countries worldwide. The Beijing restaurant does a brisk business, and many people say that they offer some of the best dumplings in China.

Visitors come for the paper-thin xiao long bao, (steamed dumplings) which are stuffed with vegetables and meat or mashed red beans. Beijing does not have a high concentration of xiao long bao restaurants, and food critics have claimed that the difficulty of finding good xiao long bao in Beijing makes their high prices worth it.

Weighing in at just five grams, the outer-skin of each dumpling is thin as tissue. Each skin is then stuffed with approximately fifteen grams of meat filling. Served with finely sliced pieces of ginger and a soy-based dipping sauce, the end result is sheer art. The tiny bundles bulging with a delightful combination of flavorful soup broth and meat simply burst with flavor.

Mongolian Hot Pot – Donglaishun

After a evening out in the cold Beijing winter air, warm up with a hearty meal of Mongolian Hot Pot at Beijing’s most popular hot pot restaurant, Donglaishun. This northern style hot pot restaurant has been serving Chinese Muslim fare since 1903, and the restaurant is thought to have some of the best shuanyangrou, (instant-boiled mutton) in town. An integral part of northern Chinese cuisine, hot pot is traditionally served in a copper potfilled with soup broth. Meat, frozen bean curd, vegetables, and noodles are added to fill the broth out. Once cooked, a final dip into a sesame butter sauce gives the meal an extra burst of flavor. As Beijing’s most famous hotpot restaurant, Donglaishun may be a little pricey, but its 40 locations throughout the city attest to its popularity.

Peking Duck – Quanjude

No visit to Beijing is complete without dining on glazed and roasted Peking duck. Crispy skin and tender, juicy duck meat is wrapped in paper-thin pancakes and topped with a thick, sweet hoisin sauce, scallions, and radishes.

Locals may argue vehemently on their picks for the best duck in town, but there’s no denying the popularity of Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant, a seven-story building at #32 Qianmen Dajie. The unique presentation of the food and the traditional interior design at Quanjude has been attracting roast duck lovers for more 146 years.

Shop

Shopping in Beijing is a veritable paradise for bargain hunters. Add Spring Festival fever into the mix and you’ll find yourself looking for deals of the century. Many shops and vendors hold sales to celebrate the New Year, so shop to your heart’s content and don’t forget to bargain!

Hong Qiao Market

One of the best places in China to buy pearls, coral, turquoise and other semi-precious stones lays a short distance from the Temple of Heaven’s main east gate. Prices at Hong Qiao Market are very reasonable owing to a number of vendors selling the same goods, so smile, have fun and bargain hard for your Chinese souvenirs.

GuWanCheng (Curio City)

This four-storey building on the 3^rd Ring Road behind Pan Jia Yuan harbors treasures waiting to be discovered. The store offers upscale Chinese antiques with prices to match. The management makes every effort to avoid selling fakes and low quality goods, but please remember the rule that applies to all antique shopping in China: Let the buyer beware.

A Note About Travel During Chinese New Year

Mainland China sees more interurban trips during the Spring Festival travel season than the total population of China (1.3 billion as of mid-2008). Masses of people begin rushing home in time to have a reunion dinner with their loved ones on Chinese New Year’s Eve, and all modes of public transportation are thrown into chaos every year. It is almost impossible to book any kind of travel tickets during Chinese New Year, and if you do manage to lay your hands on a ticket, beware that it might be a fake and don’t be surprised to learn that you are paying double the price for a ticket that allows standing room only.

The best advice we can give you about travel in China during Chinese New Year is to plan ahead and don’t try to travel by rail outside of Beijing. On a positive note, since most people stay at home with their families during Chinese New Year, you will be able to take advantage of fewer crowds at some of Beijing’s tourist attractions. Just remember to call ahead to make sure that they’re actually open! Furthermore, if you can beat the crowds, it is a great time to observe local Chinese New Year customs and traditions.

Twelve Tips for Enjoying Chinese New Year in Beijing

1. Book your hotel well in advance of Chinese New Year.
2. Avoid traveling by rail during Spring Festival.
3. Find out where the local performances are being held before you set out on your journey.
4. Bring warm clothing. The weather is bitterly cold in Northern China.
5. Call ahead if you’re planning on visiting any major tourist attractions since many places close down for a few days during Chinese New Year.
6. Catch a lion or dragon dance at one of Beijing’s many temple fairs.
7. Firework displays are de rigueur in China during Chinese New Year. Go somewhere special to enjoy the show!
8. Buy some chunlian. These temporary decorations are embossed with happy and hopeful messages for the coming year.
9. Buy a Chinese-style coat, or purchase some rabbit-head hats and shoes for the kids to usher in the Year of the Rabbit.
10. Visit a temple on Chinese New Year’s Eve to pray for a prosperous New Year. Don’t forget to light some incense to send your prayers to the skies.
11. Travel a few days before Chinese New Year to avoid getting stuck among the crushing millions of people who are traveling home to be with their loved ones.
12. Since many popular Beijing restaurants are booked months in advance, many restaurants recommend that customers book a lunchtime meal instead.

Article Resources

NIGHTLIFE - As of this writing, these establishments have not confirmed if they will be open during Chinese New Year’s Eve 2012.

• Drum & Bell Bar: #41 Zhonglouwan Hutong - Telephone: 86-010-8403-3600
• East Shore Live Jazz Café: Houhai, 2^nd Floor, 2 Shichahai Nanya -Telephone: 86-010-8403-2131
• MIX Club: Workers Stadium, North Gate, Chaoyang District, Beijing Open 8pm to 6am. www.mixclub.sohu.com - Telephone 86-010-6530-2889

 ACTIVITIES

• The Bird’s Nest National Stadium: Olympic Green Village, Chaoyang District
• Nanshan Ski Village: Shengshuitou Village, Henanzhai Town - Telephone: 010-8909-1909 www.nanshanski.com
• Wanlong Ski Resort: Honghualiang, Chongli Xian, Hebei Province 031-3478 5111  - www.wiski.com

RESTAURANTS

• Din Tai Fung Beijing: #24, Xinyuan Xili Zhongjie www.dintaifung.com.cn Telephone +86-010-6462-4502
• Donglaishun Dongcheng Branch: Xin Dongan Plaza, 5F, Wangfujing, Dongcheng - Telephone: 010-6528-0932
•  Quanjude Jinsong Branch: #826, Jingsong Eight District, Guangming Bridge - Telephone: 010-67711211
•  Quanjude Hepingmen Branch: #14, Qianmen West Street - Telephone: 010-63023062
•  Quanjude Qianmen Branch: # 32, Qianmen Dajie - Telephone: 010-6701-1379

CHINA CULTURE CENTER
Kent Centre A 101, Anjialou, No.29, Liangmaqiao Road, Chaoyang District  -  info@chinaculturecenter.org  - www.chinaculturecenter.org

Telephone +86–010-6432-9341 
Fax: +86–010-6432-0145

Celebrate Chinese New Year in a Village

February 5, 2011. RMB 350 per person. The bus leaves the China Culture Center at 9am and returns at 4pm. Call 86-10-6432-9431 to reserve your spot. Book early because tickets sell out fast!

February 4, 2011. Tour price (RMB 200 per person) includes admission tickets, lunch, and transportation. The bus leaves from the China Culture Center at 9:30am and returns at 4pm. Call 86-10-6432-9431 to reserve your spot.

Calla Hot Springs, Yangmingshan

Yang Ming Mountain has remained a first choice getaway for city residents for decades. Fondly referred to be locals as the Imperial Garden of Taipei, Yang Ming Mountain, enclosed in Yangmingshan National Park, offers an entirely different kind of bathing experience from the sulfur hot springs in nearby Beitou. Spring waters in Yangminshan, ranging from 60-70°C, are clear, odorlesss, and are touted to be extremely effective in healing skin diseases, goat, and muscular pains.

Jin Shan, just one of several popular hot spring destinations in the area, is located on the northern side of the mountain. If you can imagine bathing partway up a mountain in an outdoor hot spring that is surrounded by towering mountains on every side, you might have some idea for what you’re in for with a visit to Jin Shan.

The rugged area is known for its scenic hiking trails, and many people come here to get attuned with nature before ending the day with a nice, long soak in the hot springs at Calla Young Garden Hot Spring Resort in Jin Shan Village. The resort offers unlimited soaking in a number of outdoor pools that range in temperature. The most impressive feature of Calla Young Garden Resort is its outdoor public pools, which provide a sweeping panorama of the prolific natural scenery. After you’re done soaking, proceed to the main dining area to enjoy a sumptuous Taiwanese meal that is included in the price of your bathing ticket.

A little further down the mountainside in Jin Shan Village, an inexpensive mountain hot spring experience awaits you at Jin Shan Hot Springs. You can soak for as long as you want in their steaming hot spring waters in either a private hot spring room or the public pool for US$20 and US$5 respectively. Jin Shan Village is a good hour’s drive away from central Taipei, but it’s well worth the journey. You can expect to pay around US$15 each way in cab fares.

When the chill winter weather arrives in Taiwan between the months of October and April, hot springs become packed with enthusiasts in search of the warmth and relief that comes from bathing in Taiwan’s heated groundwater. So don’t forget to sit back and indulge in a heaven-sent natural resource when you visit this green island in the Pacific.

TRAVEL TIPS – Yangmingshan Hot Springs

Jin Shan (Yang Ming Shan)

Calla Young Garden Resort

No. 33-3, Linkou Jhonghe Village, Jinshan Township, Taipei County, 20841  TELEPHONE: [02] 2408-0001

• Rooms from $157US per night
• Outdoor public hot spring pool and private hot spring rooms
• NT$800 includes all day soak and meal

Jin Shan Hot Springs

No.1, Ching Nian Rd, Jin Shan Township, Taipei County. TELEPHONE:  [02] 2498-1191, fax: 2498-3621

• Private hot spring rooms US$20 per session and public pool US$5 per person (unlimited).

Flickr photo by Tydence

An aboriginal legend of the Ketagalan tribe claims that a witch once lived in the northern outskirts of Taipei in the foothills of a volcano. She made her home next to a pond whose piping-hot waters permeated the air with sulfurous fumes and swirling white smoke.

This area, which is situated right in the backyard of Taiwan’s northern capital city of Taipei is known today as Hell Valley or Geothermal Valley, is the hub of Beitou’s hot spring culture. Overlooked by traditional Japanese style inns and luxurious hotels and resorts, Hell Valley’s boiling pond, eerie smoke-filled air, and lush vegetation looks as if it comes straight out of a fairy tale. As every fairy tale is wont to do, there is a message within the scalding hot and extremely acidic waters of that sulfurous pond: Jumping in most certainly means death.

Often teeming with locals and visitors alike, Beitou owes its ever-growing popularity to a natural abundance of hot springs and a tourist infrastructure that includes five-star resorts, cheap public pools, fine restaurants, and traditional Japanese beer halls and tea gardens. Very few cities in the world can boast of a backyard full of world-class geothermal hot springs that have been shaped into a spa connoisseur’s idea of heaven.

Resorts such as the ritzy Spring City Resort are designed for hedonistic pleasure with activities to occupy guests every second of the day. Each room comes equipped with its own hot spring bath, while those who are searching for more of a communal bathing experience are sure to find something on the resort’s extensive grounds, which include warm sulfur hot springs, swimming pools, an extensive health club, fountains, cafes, and areas for children to play in.

Discerning travelers also revel in the opulent private hot spring rooms of Villa 32, Taiwan’s quintessential spa playground. Devoted to providing a top-notch spa experience through its many prestigious services, Villa 32 embraces nature through three types of hot springs, serene waterfalls, and rock gardens, and its guests are treated to lavishly decorated rooms with every kind of modern amenity you can think of.

Nominated by Conde Naste Traveller as one of the most popular new hotels in the world in 2006, and lauded in 2007 as one of the best new hotels in the world by Australian Gourmet Traveler, Villa 32 promises an unmitigated excursion into the land of luxury spas in Taiwan. The rate for a private hot springs suite starts at $180US for three hours.

With all of these blue-ribbon wonders, is there anything left for the frugal-minded? Budget travelers need look no further than the Public Hot Springs for a cheap outdoor bathing option in Beitou. Located within walking distance of Xinbeitou MRT station, the Public Hot Springs offer six piping hot pools filled with milky-white water. The waters top out around 60 degrees Celcius and for a mere US$1.25, a long, lazy day of soaking should be your top priority here.

Finally, if you’ve finished soaking and you’d like to absorb a little local history, don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about the history of Beitou’s spas and bathhouses in the Hot Springs Bathhouse Museum. The museum, which was built in 1913 during Japanese occupation, was once the original spa used by Japanese soldiers, including Japan’s kamikaze pilots of World War II.

Flickr Photo by Shenghung Lin

TRAVEL TIPS – Directions to Beitou Hot Spring Valley

MRT:

• Take the MRT to Xinbeitou Station. From there, you can walk or get a free shuttle to any number of spring resorts in the area.
• Take the red line to Beitou MRT station. Then catch the shuttle bus or bus #25.

Bus:

• # 6, 9, 216, 218, 223, 230, and 266 to Xinbeitou

Spring City Resort

No.18, You Ya Rd, Hsin Peitou, Taipei – TELEPHONE: [02] 2897-2345, [02] 2897-5555

• Rooms from US$225 and up
• Spring Suites from US$396
• Private hot springs US$20/person per hour

Villa 32

No 32, Zhongshan Rd, Hsin Peitou, Taipei – TELEPHONE: [02] 6611-8888, fax: [02] 6611-5000,

• Western-styled double from US$529
• Japanese-styled double from US$826
• Private hot spring rooms from US$60 to US$90 for 2 guests for 90 minutes

Japan (Flickr photo KatB Photography)

Todd Anderson is a freelance writer for the University of Southern California’s Masters in Education online program, which prepares student to earn an MA in TESOL as well as a California credential.

Living in a culture as different as Japan’s can be challenging for many Americans. I lived in Japan for six months during my junior year of college and did everything I could to not be one of those stereotypical gaijin (foreigner) who only hang out with other Westerners and never become a part of the real Japan.

Here are some of the things I figured out that were most important to living life to the fullest in Japan:

1. Talk as much as possible
Well, maybe not as much as possible, but don’t miss out on any opportunities to have a conversation in Japanese. Many Japanese people are curious about Westerners and what they think about Japan, and will be happy to endure your mediocre Japanese to get to know you. You can also give them an opportunity to practice their English.

I met my closest Japanese friend when we were both waiting in a doctor’s office to have a physical done. He was wearing a goofy pair of shorts and I made a joke about them, and it turned out we had a lot in common and ended up meeting for coffee or drinks several times a week for the rest of my stay. A close Japanese friend will make navigating Japan much easier, as well as giving you great conversation practice.

2. Eat and be merry
Japan has amazing food made with fresh, delicious ingredients. There are many types of meals to try besides your stereotypical ones like sushi and yakisoba. Do yourself a favor and try abura ramen and shabu shabu. The Japanese takes on other cuisines such as Chinese, Indian and Indonesian are also very good, as they blend some local ingredients and cooking styles with dishes from afar. Get together with some eating buddies and try something new!

3. Do something!
Food is great, but too many foreigners living in Japan spend their lives in a monotonous cycle of working, eating, drinking and sleeping. Many are too intimidated by the language barrier to try a group activity or participate in an event, but there’s no way to get around this fear — you have to push through it! You can find a group of people doing almost anything you would enjoy in America, especially if you’re connected to a school or university.

When I was in Japan, I joined an Ultimate Frisbee team, which is how I got most of my exercise as well as how I met many of my Japanese friends. I also joined a reggae band in which I played trombone. Being a part of these groups gave me lots of opportunities to practice my Japanese as well as keep doing the things I love. I had other American friends who joined a Coffee Appreciation Society and a Snowball Fight Club. There’s something for everyone.

Ask around at your school or use the Internet (possibly with the help of a Japanese friend) to find something to do in your area. English language magazines like Metropolis can be a great help too.

4. Learn to love the train
Odds are you won’t be driving a car while you’re in Japan, so the sooner you learn to get around by train, the better. This is especially true of Tokyo, where I lived and where there are over 100 different train lines to choose from. But don’t worry, there are lots of helpful websites such as Jorudan where you can put in any two stations and it will show you the fastest route between them.

Anywhere you want to go in Japan can be reached by train and even though it’s a little pricey, you should try riding the shinkansen (bullet train) when you travel between cities.

Some things you should be aware of when riding the train in Japan:

• You have to pay for the distance you travel on the train, which means each stop is more money out of your pocket. Some trips across Tokyo can cost $10 to $15.
• The trains stop running around 1 A.M., so you’ll have to be sure to catch your shuuden (last train). I once misread the station name and got off my last train at the wrong stop, but luckily found some fellow students from my university who let me sleep at their place.
• Trains get really packed during rush hour, sometimes to the point where station employees have to shove people in so the doors will close. Try to take up as little space as possible, breathe deeply and remain calm. It’s stressful at first, but you get used to it.

—

Now you’re ready to go off and enjoy your time in Japan. Ittekimasu!

Ask anyone who has been to Taiwan what the national pastimes are and they will undoubtedly tell you shopping and eating. It’s no small wonder that Taiwan’s night markets play such a vital role in daily life. You can find just about anything at Taiwanese night markets from food, clothing, and household items to family-style games and entertainment. And, of course, the food is out of this world.

The origins of Taiwanese cuisine can be traced back to its aboriginal tribes and through the immigrants who came to Taiwan from Mainland China. Over time, Taiwan has developed its own unique culinary culture. Taiwanese basil, star anise, white pepper, crushed peanuts; chili, pickled vegetables, and oyster sauce are just a few common ingredients that can be found in Taiwanese cuisine. Adding a variety of herbs, seasonings, and sauces to your meal will bring a whole new dimension of flavor to your dining experience in Taiwan. Most dishes are represented by several major categories that are eaten on a daily basis. Known locally as xiao-chi, these traditional dishes are categorized according to their primary ingredients.

Here are a few of our favorites:

Taiwanese Poultry Dishes

Taiwanese Deep-Fried Chicken

It’s not unusual to see kids snacking on Taiwanese fried chicken fillets or deep-fried chicken chunks at school. Tender white chicken breast is dipped in a special batter and then coated with flour before it’s deep-fried. Vendors offer a number of seasonings, such as white pepper, chili, Taiwanese basil, curry, dried laver, plum, and garlic to give it an exotic flavor.

Taiwanese herbal chicken soup is a standard dish that can be found all over Taiwan. Many people believe that chicken soup has anti-inflammatory properties, and the addition of ginseng and ginger really gives this wholesome soup the punch it needs to help combat sore throats and revitalize the body.

Poultry dishes in Taiwanese cuisine generally consist of duck, goose, and chicken, which are cooked in a number of ways to give it a rich flavor. San bei ji, also known as three-cup chicken, is one dish in particular that packs a flavorful punch. This local dish has its origins in China’s Jiangxi province, but a liberal amount of Taiwanese basil, garlic, and fresh ginger make it uniquely Taiwanese. A cup of wine, a cup of sesame oil, and a cup of soy sauce are the main ingredients in this spicy chicken stew.

Taiwanese Meat Dishes

Taiwanese meat dishes have found fame for their flavor and taste as well as their unusual ingredients.

Taiwanese fatty pork sausages

Taiwanese sausages are a popular snack in Taiwan. These sweet tasting sausages are formed with chunks of emulsified pork fat and chopped pork. In night markets, they are usually served on a stick and can be glazed or topped with many different condiments.

Braised Meat and Organs on a Stick

Braised meat (and veg) is a popular snack in Taiwan. Braised meat is offered in a variety of dishes, from noodles and rice dishes to served plain on a stick. You’ll also find organs of every size and shape on offer, from chicken hearts to intestines. Other tasty tidbits on offer include chicken feet, chicken heads, pig’s cartilege, and other yummy delights.

Pig’s Blood Cake

Pig’s Blood Cake is a hot, spicy snack served at night markets in Taiwan. The cake is made from a combination of sticky rice and hot pig’s blood, which is cut into rectangular pieces and served on a stick. Then, it is dipped in a combination of soy sauce, hot sauce, and topped with powered peanut and cilantro.

Taiwanese Fish and Seafood Dishes

Oyster Omelettes

Food in Taiwan reflects the culture of this Pacific island by incorporating plenty of seafood and fish. The most popular seafood snack in Taiwan is an unassuming little dish called an oyster omelet. Made with eggs, fresh oysters, tapioca starch, Garland chrysanthemum leaves, and cilantro, the omelet is then fried over a high flame and eaten with a sweet and spicy sauce.

Squid

Squid is also a popular and extremely tasty snack in Taiwan. Large squid is marinated, grilled, and served on a stick. Deep-fried squid balls are another tasty alternative. Squid balls are skewered, dipped in flour and then deep-fried to a deep golden brown. White pepper, chili, and fried basil are added to give it a spicy taste.

Taiwanese Noodles and Dumplings

The Taiwanese are passionate about their noodles and dumpling dishes, with endless variations and flavor combinations that are both nourishing and appetizing.

Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup

Don’t miss out on a speciality dish in Taiwan known as Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup. A hot and spicy beef broth filled with hand-pulled noodles and tender chunks of beef hits the spot on a cool day.

Oyster Vermicelli

Oyster vermicelli is a thick, hearty soup bursting with flavor. Made with fresh oysters, pig intestines stewed in soy sauce, black vinegar, special sauce, and fresh cilantro, its exotic flavor is heightened by red vermicelli, which lends a delightful chewiness to the dish. Served in 15 seconds flat for $1-2US, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a cheaper or faster way to fill your belly.

Dumplings and Steamed Buns

Dumplings and steamed buns can be found in any convenience store or night market. Most dumpling varieties are served with a sauce consisting of any combination of soy sauce, garlic, black vinegar, chili, and cilantro. Don’t miss Taiwan’s very own Din Tai Fung dumplings. If you eat at one restaurant in Taiwan, it should be at Din Tai Fung!

Soup Dumplings

An ample bowl of soup dumplings or a bowl of steaming wonton soup that no traveler to Taiwan should miss. Pop one of these bite-sized packages in your mouth and you’ll experience a flavorful explosion that has the unforgettable taste of spiced soup broth and tasty meat stuffing.

Taiwanese Bean Curd Dishes

Stinky Tofu

Tofu can be found all over the island of Taiwan in various kinds of vegetarian dishes, but nowhere is it more apparent than at a stinky tofu stand. We promise you’ll be able to find one. All you have to do is follow your nose. The aroma of stinky tofu is a full-on assault of the senses, causing eyes to water and your nose to shut down. The smelliest tofu, however, is often the best. While many people are disgusted by the smell of this fermented tofu dish, those who rise to the challenge are often won over by this tasty treat. Cubes of fermented tofu are usually deep fried and served with pickled vegetables and a sauce made with soy paste, garlic, and spices. Don’t miss the grilled version. It comes glazed with soy sauce and is then dipped in a spicy Mala sauce made with duck blood.

Sweet and Savory Dishes

Taiwanese Cakes

Small cake vendors can be found in every night market. Just look for the vendors pouring cake batter into hot-metallic molds. The cake is quickly cooked into various shapes and sizes and come with a variety of fillings including cream, red bean paste, and peanut butter.

Fresh Fruit

Like most countries in Asia, you’ll find an abundance of the sweetest, freshest fruit on Earth. We’re not joking. Fruit is a staple snack in Taiwan, and you’ll be hard-pressed not to pass by a street stand without purchasing at least a small bag of the freshest fruit of the season.

Candied Fruit Sticks

If you’ve got a sweet tooth, candied fruit sticks are a sticky bite-sized delight. They come in all sorts of flavors. Crabapples stuffed with preserved plums and strawberries are two local favorites.

Taiwanese Beverages

Bubble Tea

Pearl milk tea, known throughout the Western world as Bubble tea, is a delightful combination of fragrant black tea, milk, and chewy tapioca balls. Whether it’s drunk hot or cold, the special taste of this drink has made it an instant island-wide favorite and a unique Taiwanese invention that is now available around the world.

Fruit juice

Juice and tea stands can be found all over Taiwan and are especially popular on hot summer days. These refreshing drinks range from freshly squeezed fruit juices to fruit and bean smoothies made with milk and crushed ice. The most popular flavors are papaya, mango, watermelon, mung bean, and azuki bean.

What’s your favorite Taiwanese nightmarket snack? We’d love to hear from you!

My Several Worlds participates in Wanderfood Wednesday, a global travel blogging project that features food from all over the world. For more tasty snacks, recipes, and dishes around the globe, check out the original Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust and Lipstick.

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Thinking of teaching in China? The ESL industry in China is booming and the demand for qualified English teachers is going up every day. If you’re one of the thousands of ESL teachers who have decided to make the leap to life in the Middle Kingdom, you’re in for an incredible adventure of a lifetime. Here are 12 tips to keep in mind during your first few weeks abroad in China. These tips should be second nature in no time!

Visit Reach To Teach Recruiting and ask their team of experts for more information on teaching in China!

1. Westerners stand out in China, and they can be easy prey.  Be careful when you’re out and about.
2. It’s OK to go out alone, but for your first few weeks in China, it’s better to hook up with friends or ask them to meet you before you head out.
3. Keep a business card for the school you work for and a name card with your address so you can remember how to get home.
4. Be wary of over-anxious English speakers you haven’t been introduced to.  There are scam artists everywhere and some of them speak English quite well.
5. Expect to pay more at markets than the locals do. If you’re not sure how to make purchases at the local markets, try standing behind someone and watching what they’re buying. Try offering the same amount as the previous buyer, but don’t get upset if you’re asked to pay more. Paying a ‘foreigner’ price is a fact of life in China.
6. Most taxi drivers are honest and fair, but sometimes you’ll meet one who wants to take you on the scenic route.  If you can’t express that you know you are being cheated, and you don’t want to pay the few extra RMB he is scamming you for, just shout out, “TING, TING, TING”, and the driver will stop.
7. Never carry more money on you than you can afford to lose. As in most cities, pickpockets are everywhere.
8. Don’t drink the tap water.
9. During eat street food during your first few weeks in China. Wait until your system has had time to adjust properly.
10. Markets are best in the morning, especially for things like meat and fresh produce. It’s ok to bargain when you shop.
11. Always take tissue or toilet paper with you when you go out.  Most public facilities do not have toilet paper.
12. It isn’t necessary to carry your passport and residence card with you.  Make photocopies and leave the originals at home.

Things to consider before you move abroad:

Departing from your home country and moving overseas is a huge decision. With so much to discover around the world, moving abroad can be a thrilling experience. You may move for a long holiday, career or business, but make sure you set your plans before you leave. Many factors can obstruct your joy if you don’t consider these basic following tips before you leave.

1. Financial Planning

Firstly, know how much you can spend and save. If you are leaving for good, set your budget well in advance. Before you leave, you may have to pay for unexpected costs of which you never even thought. And once you have arrived, you will spend on sudden cost like rent, insurance, travel, etc. Therefore plan your budget first, so you’re prepared and aware of your expenditure.

2. Culture

Adjusting to a new culture will take time but the sooner you begin practicing it, the faster you will get accustomed to the change. Make new friends, share your experiences and get to know their interests. You may attend social parties or just associate with your colleagues on weekends. You will gradually feel comfortable and will begin living in your new culture easily.

3. Climate/Weather

Even though you are moving overseas for the sun and the warmer temperatures, are you really prepared to accept this change? Many times, we fall ill due to change in weather in our very own country. Hence you should know your health status well before you move. If you are someone who easily adjusts to change, then go ahead. There are also many younger people who have also been attracted by the vast array of different climates available around the world.

4. Communication

Learn the means of communication available in the new place before you go. Once you arrive, homesickness and loneliness are sure to overtake your mind until you adjust to the new atmosphere. In such times, communicating with your family at home is the key to feel relaxed. International calling rates are cheaper than ever, allowing you to speak for hours for next to nothing, so reaching out to your loved ones is never a problem. There are also other suitable mediums to stay connected such as Skype and MSN/Yahoo messenger.

5. Health Care

Before you move, find out about various health plans that are in your overseas country for your health and safety. Some companies will only insure you in your resident country, while others provide limited international coverage. Also, do your research by finding nearby hospitals and other medical facilities available around your new city.

Learn how to order a plane ticket in this week’s episode of Peggy Teaches Chinese.

Learn Chinese with Peggy Lee

Subscribe to Peggy’s YouTube channel for pre-recorded lessons.

Visit Peggy’s web site: Peggy Teaches Chinese

Follow Peggy on Twitter: http://twitter.com/followpeggylee

Learn Chinese from the comfort of your own home. Peggy offers paid tutoring lessons via Skype: peggyteacheschinese

E-mail: peggyteacheschinese@gmail.com

Photo by Flickr member The Voyager

John and I are getting to ready to book our next trip with our airline reward miles. This is our fifth free flight in the last year and a half.

We are always surprised at how many travelers we meet who don’t take advantage of air miles. Studies have shown that about 50% of the people who fly are not affiliated with frequent flyer programs. I’ve always wondered why? I can understand the reasoning behind someone who only flies once or twice a year, but I’m not talking about them. I’m talking about the expats and long-term travelers that I meet over here who don’t collect air miles, and I’m not just talking about a few. The majority of people that we meet over here do not take advantage of these programs. We’ve talked at length with several friends about this, and while they are interested, they never seem to get around to signing up.

John and I take full advantage of these programs, and the rewards definitely pay off. There are two ways to get more bang for your buck when it comes to frequent flyer programs. It’s easy to enroll in a program and start collecting air mile points for each flight you make. I joined Air Canada’s Aeroplan program back in 1990 just to cash in on frequent flyer miles for my trip to South America. After that, I got my own air mile reward card which I used to gain more miles.  It became a matter of using my card at affiliate shops and services, and before long, I had racked up a lot of points.

Every trip we make home and back earns us an easy 16,000 miles. We have never used our reward miles for flights from North America to Asia. We don’t want to miss out on collecting more miles! We have, however, used our miles to upgrade on our intercontinental flights. We almost always use our miles for short flights within the US and Canada. Continental flights within the U.S can be purchased with air miles for as little as 25,000. As for Asian flights, just last year, we were able to fly from Taipei to Japan on free reward miles.

When I met John, we started collecting on his United Mileage Plus Visa. We quickly realized the benefits of using his credit card everywhere it is accepted. We earned extra miles with each purchase and continued to build up our miles. By 2005, we were using our miles to purchase tickets for expensive flights between Minneapolis and Ottawa and saved ourselves $700 every time we flew to visit each other. We’ve always been careful to make purchases that we can afford and have never had any payment problems.

There are pros and cons to each program. The first danger lies in being able to pay off your balance in full each month. No reward scheme is worthwhile if your interest payments outweigh the rewards. However, if you do avoid the interest, you will essentially earn by spending. It’s also important to check whether or not you can pay cash to go further than your accrued points will allow. Most programs will allow this, but some airlines apply restrictions, such as where you can fly to. Some cards offer discounts at partner stores. We’ve taken advantage of this by staying at hotels that offer triple reward miles or a discount on room rates. Hidden costs can also be added when claiming free flights. Usually, this  involves applicable taxes and surcharges. For example, the flights that I mentioned above charged us tax, but we paid less than $100 for a $700 flight.

Another thing to be aware of is instant cash transactions. Interest starts adding up as soon as you make a transaction, so we almost always avoid taking out any kind of cash advance on our credit cards. You’ll also want to check to see if the card you are using has an annual fee. There are lots of cards out there with no yearly fee. We pay an annual fee on our card, but we get great miles out of it. However, on my Canadian credit card, I don’t pay any annual fees at all and I’ve still enjoyed free flights.

Today, with a conglomeration of major airlines across the world, frequent flyer programs are becoming even more beneficial to regular flyers.

Chris Guillebeaue, author of The Art of Nonconformity has made an art of traveling on air miles. Check out his impressive stats and helpful hints to find out how he manages to flee for free almost everywhere he goes.

Japanese Deep-Fried Tofu

One of the pure joys of traveling is discovering the culinary delights that are at your fingertips. Japan, in particular, is a gastronomes paradise.

Yes, there are McDonalds and KFC chains on every block, but what’s the point in traveling if you aren’t willing to be a little adventurous?

How to find food:

1. Look for restaurants that are busy. A busy restaurant means two things to a traveler. Busy restaurants usually mean good food. Lots of people eating in those restaurants means you can get a good look at local dishes first-hand.
2. Department store food courts and train stations are usually pretty good places to eat. Food should be fast and considering how many people pass through these places, the food vendors probably have established a good reputation.
3. Unlike their North American counterparts, convenience stores in Japan actually pack pretty decent food.
4. If you’re  a picky eater, it’s generally safe to stick with noodles and rice dishes. Ramen noodles, udon noodles, beef noodles – there are loads to choose from.

The Art of Plastic Sushi Rolls

Table Etiquette:

The Japanese are fastidious about manners. We always follow these simple rules:

1. Most places will provide a chopstick rest for your chopsticks. Use it. If you don’t have one you can lay your chopsticks across your rice bowl. Your chopsticks should NOT be sticking  out of the bowl vertically. It reminds people of death and funerals.

2. Don’t share your chopsticks.

3. Don’t feed someone else with your chopsticks.

4. Don’t stab your food.

5. Don’t lick your chopsticks

6. Don’t play with your chopsticks.

7. Don’t point at anything with your chopsticks.Don’t walk and eat in public. It’s better to find a place to sit down. Face away from people while you are eating.

8. Don’t pour beer or alcohol into your own glass. Let your guests serve you. Likewise, you should serve the people you are dining with.

9. If you keep your bowl close to your mouth you can avoid making a mess.

10. People don’t normally split the bill in Japan. If you invite someone to eat, you should pay.