Whether you’re working from home, sheltering in place or just staying home, if you’re like us, you’re probably dreaming of open skies, sandy beaches, tall mountains, or perfect powdery slopes. Our travel plans may be on hold, but that doesn’t mean we can’t dream up where we’ll go next.

Welcome to virtual vacation video series where we can explore destinations from the comfort of our homes.

Join us as we take a short virtual journey to Taiwan.

The great thing about this destination is that it is easily accessible from almost anywhere in the Pacific theater and getting there can be relatively inexpensive thanks to many budget airline options in the region.

Taiwan is about a 14,000 square-mile island nation in East Asia. Here you’ll find beautiful mountains and beaches, cheerful people and delicious cuisine, along with old traditional Chinese buildings and cutting-edge skyscrapers coexisting in the city. This is definitely an exciting place for a getaway.

Some of the must-see spots in Taiwan include:

• Chiufen Town— This small mountain town is a one-hour drive from Taipei is home to unique architecture, a remnant of the Japanese occupation period in the early 19th century. Popular animation film “Spirited Away” uses this location as its backdrop. Visit the town at dusk, for the real-life scenes Director Hayao Myazaki captured in the animated movie.

• Dihua Street— In this small district along the Danshui River you’ll find many wholesale shops, eateries and cafes housed in traditional Chinese, baroque-style stone buildings or elegant art-deco style buildings. Don’t miss visit a famous power spot, “Xiahai Chenghuangmiao” Temple, as the statue of “Oldman in the moon light” here is believed to bring you good luck for marriage. Legend has it that a visit to this statue will lead to finding your life’s companion.

• Shilin Night Market— Built in the 1910s, Shilin Night Market is one of Taiwan’s oldest and largest of the kind. Since it is surrounded by many schools, students are the market’s main customers, so, expect reasonable prices. The Lover’s Street in the market offers popular tasty shaved ice and shops for cute, small items.

A visit to Taiwan would not be complete without sampling popular “Paigu Chaofan,” or fried rice with pork spareribs. Dipped in rich, well-flavored broth before being slightly deep-fried, the ribs pair well with soy sauce-flavored crispy fried rice. It’s very tasty!

I hope you enjoyed our virtual visit to the exotic and nostalgic nation of Taiwan and that perhaps it's inspired your next trip. Stay safe and get ready to travel with us in our next video. Thanks for watching!