Recommended Taiwan Blogs 2011

It pains me greatly to admit it, but it’s been over 2 years since I’ve moved from Taiwan to Hong Kong. Still, a connection remains as I somehow manage to maintain links to Taiwan by following up on Taiwan’s finest blogs. In Taiwanderful we’re currently running the 4th annual Best Taiwan Blog Awards which is our greatest opportunity to show tribute to the blogs we follow and adore. It always blows my mind just how many high quality expat bloggers there are on this very small expat rare island.

So, after inviting you to vote for your favorite Taiwan blogs and encouraging the bloggers to share some link love with writing a post of their favorite Taiwan blogs, I’ll quickly point out my favorite Taiwan blogs. Some classics persist and have been fantastic over a course of a few years, but there are a few new additions.

Hiking

By far, my favorite category and the blogs I retweet and read through Google Reader. These blogs make me unbelievably jealous and incredibly regretful of having to leave Taiwan.

• OFF THE BEATEN TRACK – As the name suggests. Brilliant.
• Hiking Taiwan – Take me with you.
• Wandering Taiwan – Perfect combo. Not many things that I like more than wandering, or more than Taiwan.
• Camping in Taiwan 台灣露營 – If only… I’ll keep dreaming.

Relationships & Cultural observations

I love cross cultural observations, and these blogs do it so well. Don’t miss any of MKL’s and YFFM’s posts…

• Yellow Fever, Foreign Moons 黃色戀情‧外國月亮比較圓 – One of the greatest cross-cultural relationship projects out there. All bilingual, amazing.
• Betelnut Equation – Absolutely hilarious.

Business

This is a category not very often blogged about, but I’m very happy that there is one business blog that connects both of my former homes with such a passion.

• MultiReach.biz Blog – Go Israelis in Taiwan!

Photography

After so many years of taking photos you would expect I would know something about photography. I really don’t, but I am getting better over the years. In the last year I’ve taken my fake photographer skills to a new level by carrying around a DSLR and buying an all-around-superzoom-photographers-despise-people-who-use-it-18-270mm lens. Which is why I’m very envious of the wonderful photographer-bloggers in this following category. I don’t really know how they do it, but I’m hoping at some point we’ll meet up and I’ll learn a trick or two (though it could be I simply lack the touch).

• Josh in Taiwan – A relatively new one that keeps delivering both on photography and culture/travel.
• Liefintaiwan’s Weblog – A different look at things. Have really improved over the years. Like almost everything I see.
• Neil Wade’s Photography Blog – What can I say? Jealous.
• Brian Q. Webb – Love his work.
• Editorial music and travel images from Asia | CraigFergusonImages – In my eyes, has taken a leader role in the "cultural photography" niche. Has helped me with the Taiwanderful awards.
• Taiwan – Garret – Former classmate with a keen eye. Great projects, and does some good clubbing photography with Vigar.
• Alive and Kicking – With a local perspective.

Travel

• Hanjié’s Blog – My Tainan local pal, who I’ve had the pleasure of meeting a few times. Helps me with iTainan. Does some amazing work on showing the lesser known areas of Taiwan, has really upgraded his photography over the last couple of years to produce some really great work.
• Taiwan In Cycles – Darn. I need to get me a bike.
• My Several Worlds – Not as Taiwan specific as she used to, but always a pleasure to read. A blogger with a golden heart.
• TheNHBushman.com – Been following the Bushman forever. He definitely does things differently and he’s got quite a character. Inspiring.
• Culture.tw – Opinions – Though it’s a government site, some of the articles there are fantastic.
• Steven Crook – Every place needs a freelance writer like Steven. Incredibly prolific writer.
• Ilha Formosa – Alt om Taiwan – Does a great job of promoting all that’s Taiwan.
• Patrick Cowsill – Visiting places you don’t normally see on blogs.

General

• The View from Taiwan – When it comes to blogging – Michael is everything and everywhere. Politics, travel, biking, cultural observations, you name it – he’s got it. Definitely one of Taiwan’s top bloggers with his blog serving as an ongoing tribute to the island.
• shuflies (舒飛) :: life in Taiwan – American Taiwan view of Taiwan. Not your typical Taiwan angle.
• OZSoapBox – A very diverse set of topics covered here. Always interesting.

Food

• a hungry girl’s guide to taipei – I only know one blog in this category that has proven consistently to be the top food blogger in Taiwan.

Politics

I feel so out of touch with what’s going on with Taiwanese politics, but these blogs help me through it. If you need to keep track of the upcoming elections, make frequent visits to the following :

• The Wild East
• Letters from Taiwan
• It’s Not Democracy, It’s A Conspiracy!
• Taiwan Matters!
• In Claudia Jean’s Eyes
• That’s Impossible! Politics from Taiwan
• Far Eastern Sweet Potato

New blogs I’ve (re)discovered through the …

Best Taiwan Blog Awards

… which I think are impressive and I’ll be following from now on.

• Taiwan Duck – we love to cook
• Charles Moacham Photography Blog
• Brent Franke Photos
• Ballots and Bullets
• The Taiwan Adventure Blog
• Sponge Bear

Here’s what I wrote on the Taiwanderful voting page :

Most important – it’s all for the Taiwan blogging community

The whole purpose of this awards process, the reason that we’re going into the trouble of running this, is to promote the Taiwan based blogging community. If you’re a blogger, please use this opportunity to write a post recommending and linking to other blogs you like. If you’re a reader, take this opportunity to promote the blog you like on social networks and recommend the blogs to your friends. Try and link to the actual blogs, not to Taiwanderful, they are the ones who need your support and your linking and social promotion will help boost their exposure.

Take this opportunity to introduce our little Taiwan blogosphere to the world. People should become aware of the remarkably high quality bloggers we have here and the unbelievable work they do.

Good luck to those participating in the awards.

If your Taiwan blog is not on Taiwanderful, please take a minute to add it here.

For my reviews of Taiwan blogs from previous years :

• English language Taiwan blogs : The top bloggers 2007
• Taiwan’s English Blogosphere – Introducing Expat Bloggers to local Taiwanese
• Expat English language Blogs in Taiwan continued
• Best Expat Taiwan Blogs : Analyzing Top Bloggers 2008
• Top bloggers 2009 : Best Taiwan blogs
• My Taiwan blogs of 2010