Taiwan is home to some 170,000 Muslims, most of them being of the Hui ethnic group who hail from the Northwestern regions of China.
Along with a large number of Muslim foreign workers, the Chinese Muslims of Taiwan who resemble most other Taiwanese and speak the same language, have built a strong community that supports the Muslim traveller.
Gathering of the faithful
Local history has revealed that Islam first appeared in Taiwan in the 1700s, with the migration of some Muslim families from China. Later, in the 1940s more Chinese Muslims settled in Taiwan and set up the Taipei Grand Mosque, the first mosque in Taiwan.
Taipei Grand Mosque in Da'an district
Situated to this day in Da’an district, the original mosque that was built in 1947 was later re-built at a new location at Xing Sheng South Road on government-donated land and funds raised by the local Muslims. It is considered the main Taipei Mosque and many of the faithful congregate at the Taipei Grand Mosque, especially during Friday prayers.
Declared a historic building in 1999, the establishment of this first mosque in Taiwan was followed by another in 1950, namely the Taipei Cultural Mosque, as well as the Kaohsiung Mosque that was set up in 1949.
Taichung Mosque was the fourth mosque to be built in Taiwan.
There are seven mosques across Taiwan and the At-Taqwa Mosque is the seventh and newest mosque built, located very close to Taoyuan International airport.
The Taipei Grand Mosque was designed by Yang Cho-Cheng who is known for his Chinese-style architecture as seen in his works that include the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, National Theater and Concert Hall and Taipei Grand Hotel. But with the mosque, the work is distinctly Byzantine in look and Central Asian in its feel.
Peace and quiet under the domed roof of the Taipei Grand Mosque
The Taipei Grand Mosque is strategically located, and served by four Taipei Metro stations that are within walking distance - Daan Park Station, Dongmen Station, Guting Station and Technology Building Station. It’s also possible to take a bus from Taipei Main Station with bus service 18, 671 or 643 making the 20-25 minute trip.
The other mosques are:
Taipei Cultural Mosque: 3, Beiping W. Rd., Jhongjheng District, Taipei City 100.
Transport: Taipei Main Station MRT to Taipower Building stop, exit 1.
Longgang Mosque: 216, Longdong Rd, Zhongli District, Taoyuan City, Taiwan 320.
Transport: Zhongli Station of the Taiwan Railway Administration, walking south-east, and the future Longgang Station of the Taoyuan Metro. Or take bus number 112 from Jhongli bus station.
At-Taqwa Mosque: Taoyuan: 8-2, Zili 1st St, Dayuan District, Taoyuan City, Taiwan 337.
Transport: Taoyuan Station of the Taiwan High Speed Rail, walking north-west, and the future Dayuan Station of the Taoyuan Metro.
Taichung Mosque: .475, DaDun South Rd. Nantun District, 408, Taichung.
Transport: Daqing Station of the Taiwan Railway Administration, with a brief walk towards the north, and the future Nantun Station of the Taichung Metro. Alternatively, bus from Taichung Train Station on service 85, 40 or 30 for the approximate half hour ride.
Kaohsiung Mosque: 11, Jianjiun Rd, Kaohsiung
Transport; Weiwuying Station of the Kaohsiung MRT, within walking distance towards the north along Jianjun Rd, or take bus service 88 from the Kaohsiung Train Station.
Tainan Mosque: 12, Alley 34, Lane 34, Sec 3, Chung-Hwa E. Rd, Dong District, Tainan City
Transport: Tainan Station of the Taiwan Railway Administration, walking south-east. Alternatively, it’s a 20 minute bus ride from Tainan Train Station on service 7660, 7661 or 9020.
Halal Dining
As expected, there will be eateries near the mosques that serve Halal food, but note that the ones near Longgang will be more often Thai-spiced should you be hankering for a taste of Southeast Asia.
Those in Da’an near the Grand Mosque include Toko Sakura and Enjoy Kitchen along Roosevelt Road.
Within Taipei and Taipei City there are a large number of Halal-certified eateries that serve local dishes.
Taiwan is famed for its beef noodles and there’s more than one stop that you could make to get your fill.
There is the Chang Beef Noodle Soup Restaurant located on Yanping South Road, and the Muslim Beef Noodles Restaurant that’s located two doors down the same street. Both serve flavourful beef noodles for about the same price.
Catch the Bannan Line on the MRT to Ximen Station and exit on Baoqing Road for a short walk before taking a right turn onto Yanping South Road where both restaurants are located.
Also check out Ai-Jia Qingzhen Beef Noodle Place at 41, Alley 223, Zhongxiao East Road, Section 4, Taipei city, Taiwan 106.
This Halal eatery is run by Yusuf Ai who has a loyal following among foodies both at home and abroad for his delicious beef broth with hints of herbs and a spicy finish.
The sky-reaching Taipei 101 mall
If you are visiting the iconic Taipei 101 and feeling hungry, set your GPS to Xinyi Road.
Keep a look out for Dingxian 101 which is very close to the local district government office. This eatery has a Muslim-friendly menu that offers six set meals featuring Taiwanese specialties.
To get to Taipei 101 and Diangxian 101, catch the Red Tamsui-Xinyi MRT line and exit at the Taipei 101/World Trade Center Station.
Try to have a nice dinner planned one evening at Hui Guan.
This is known as a Chinese Muslim private kitchen and is helmed by a Hui Chinese Muslim cook.
Expect mild spices in the rich dishes that come from the kitchen with recipes from Ningxia, a Hui autonomous region in China. This restaurant serves Taiwanese beer, and dishes that are heavy with beef and mutton.
Catch the Green, Songshan-Xindian MRT to Taipei Arena Station to get to the restaurant.
After the meal, take a walk at the Tonghua Street night market that is close by the restaurant which is located at 9, Alley 51, Lane 12, Sec. 3, Bade Rd.
Exquisite dishes served at the Silks Palace restaurant which includes a Muslim menu
Another spot to dine in style is the Silks Palacerestaurant at the National Palace Museum. It offers Muslim guests a separate menu from its kitchen.
With its lovely décor, this is worth a trip just to appreciate the layout after exploring the different museum halls that must not be missed.
An Easy Trip
Working with the Chinese Muslim Association, Taiwan’s tourism officials have worked out itineraries, as well as accommodation, that have been marked as Muslim friendly.
Among the hotels, there are the five-star Landis Taipei Hotel and the Regent Taipei.
There is a Muslim-friendly restaurant at the Regent that also offers Muslim visitors a special accommodation package of rooms with a prayer rug, compass, Quran, Salat schedules and specially furnished bathrooms.
Among the three-star establishments, there's City Suites Taipei Nandong and Amba Taipei Ximending.
If you’d like a Taiwan hot springs experience, then check into the Atami Hotel Taipei Onsen which is linked to the Beitou hot spring area, and easily accessible via Xinbeitou MRT station.
As for shopping and tours, the suggestions include souvenirs and visits to Chinese Tea houses or plantations, where the best Oolong tea can be tried and taken home, in some cases, after the visitor gets a chance to pick some tea leaves fresh from the rows of bushes.
This means travel outside Taipei, which can still offer Halal options, including hotels such as Chuto Plaza Hotel in Taoyuan and the Different Muslim Restaurant. There’s also The Ferris Wheel Restaurant at the Window on China Theme Park, which means a day at this tourist spot can’t be missed.
Tayih Landis Hotel Tainan is situated in the historic old capital of Taiwan
The Landis chain in Tainan which is the oldest city in Taiwan, has a hotel catered to the Muslim traveller so this is a good chance to make discovery trips outside of Taipei.
In Yilan, there is the Shangrila Leisure Farm which is also a popular choice as a Muslim friendly spot.
In total, there are more than 50 restaurants and hotels that have received Halal certification from Taiwan’s Chinese Muslim Association.
Attention has been paid to providing prayer rooms at places such as Taipei Main Station, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and the Taichung High-speed Rail Station.
Also newly-opened are prayer rooms at a freeway service area on the Formosa Freeway (National Freeway No. 3) in Taichung’s Cingshuei District, which is the largest and busiest stretch of highway.
The iconic Sun Moon Lake is among the many tourist spots designated as Muslim friendly
In addition , there are more than a dozen scenic areas that have prayer rooms, such as the Discovery Center of Taipei, the National Palace Museum in Taipei, shopping mall Taipei 101, Alishan National Scenic Area in Chiayi County and Sun Moon Lake in Nantou County.
According to Taiwan’s Tourism Bureau there were 200,000 Muslim visitors to Taiwan in 2015. So if you haven’t been sure about visiting Taiwan, now seems a good time to start planning.
(All photos courtesy of Taiwan Tourism Board )