Having celebrated its four hundredth anniversary this year, Tainan continues to hold dear the ancient culture of Taiwan. It is the country's oldest city and once served as the capital of Formosa—the previous name of Taiwan—for two hundred sixty years, spanning the rule of the Dutch, the Kingdom of Tungning, and finally, the Qing Dynasty.

Imagine Taipei, but more relaxed. That is how I would describe Kaohsiung, Taiwan's second-largest city. Despite being laid-back, the city has evolved into a thriving metropolis brimming with modern living necessities such as charming cafes, walking paths, cycling routes, outdoor parks, museums, jazz bars, and art districts, all surrounded by adjacent beaches and expansive, lush, forested mountains.

When one mentions the word lanterns, understandable concerns about the environment usually follow. Where would the lanterns land? Who would clean up the debris? Questions regarding the environmental impact of the recent Lantern Festival in Tainan, a city in southern Taiwan, should be put to rest. The festival is now in its thirty-fifth year and is staged as part of the sustainable tourism program run by the Taiwan Tourism Administration (TTA). Instead of sending lanterns soaring into the sky, the Lantern Festival features a variety of colorful, artistically designed, and LED-lit lanterns that remain fixed on land—displayed beautifully throughout the festival's duration that lasted a couple of months.

Hearing about Taipei's street food scene went way back to my mom's solo trip to Taiwan in the late nineteen-sixties. Although my mom was not adventurous when it came to food, she would later tell me when I started traveling that I had better try as much local food as possible when I got the chance. Indeed, I did just that in Thailand, Vietnam, India, Hong Kong, and the rest of the countries I had visited thus far.

It might have felt like eons ago when Taipei 101 stood as the tallest skyscraper in the world when it first opened in 2004. Ten taller buildings later—led by Dubai’s Burj Khalifa—Taiwan’s tower of power remained an enigma of an architectural wonder lording over the skyline of Taipei. Standing one thousand six hundred sixty-seven feet with one hundred one floors, Taipei 101 held the title of the world's tallest building from 2004 to 2010.

My memory of this vibrant neighborhood of Tainan revolved around the pleasing smile of Emily—the EVA Air manager who traveled with our small media group to Taiwan. Mirroring the captivating cobalt art installations at Blueprint Culture and Creative Park, her stares rapid-fired into me with invisible arrows, arresting my full attention. To save myself from (an expected) heartbreak, I remembered ignoring her as we crossed the street by focusing my eyes on the vibrant wall paintings adorning the side of the buildings nearby.

When you successfully mix history, culture, and food-tripping, that’s another level of wanderlust high. Taipei, the capital city of Taiwan, is the ideal place to take your wanderings into another height of discovery, learning, and fun.

A line from a Moby song, “As I wake its kaleidoscopic mind,” hummed inside my head as we entered arguably the most unique fine dining restaurant in the Dashu District of Kaohsiung. Porcelain-filled ceilings, chandeliers, tables, walls, bowls, cups, and statues adorn the interiors. Doubling as a museum displaying porcelain figurines priced from ten thousand NT to as high as four million five hundred thousand NT, 1300 Only Porcelain also lavishes guests with mouth-watering fusion cuisines.