I was recently in Taidong – “Taitung” if you prefer – for a weekend at a hot spring place. I took a second class train from Taipei, about 6 hours. This was my first time down the east coast. The scenery in the rural, industry-free boonies was not too bad – Taidong itself reminded me of a tropical Vermont, because of the layout of buildings and sparse population.
However, the entire landscape the entire weekend the entire way was covered in a stubborn and uglifying haze, which meant, as everywhere in Mainland China, no breathtaking distant vistas.
Did I just pick a bad weekend to go down the east coast, or is this haze I saw pretty much permanent? I’d consider going back if I had a reasonable chance of seeing some blue sky and distant mountains. If not, I think I’ll get my dose of nature’s grandeur somewhere in SE Asia, perhaps even for cheaper.