Only two in Taiwan: Rainbow Village and Mushroom Baby Museum selected as world’s secret wonders

▲ Rainbow Village in Taichung. (Photo / Reporter Huang Linghan)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

The internationally renowned travel guide Lonely Planet has released a new book titled "The World’s Hidden Wonders," in which Taichung’s Rainbow Village and Yilan’s MycoBaby Museum are the only two Taiwanese attractions featured.The book describes how the once-abandoned village was transformed by the skillful hands of “Rainbow Grandpa,” not only preserving the original military dependents’ village appearance but also becoming an internationally surprising tourist destination.

Located in Nantun District, Taichung, Rainbow Village has become an internationally renowned tourist spot in recent years, attracting over a million visitors. Statistics show that Rainbow Village has a higher check-in rate than Taipei 101. Many tourists are drawn to its simple yet whimsical art style, unaware that all of it was created by “Rainbow Grandpa,” Mr. Huang Yung-Fu. He began painting in 2008, and unexpectedly, his bold and quirky style won the affection of nearby neighbors, leading him to continue and expand his artwork. It has now become a famous photo spot.

The Taichung City Government noted that Rainbow Village attracts 3,000 to 5,000 visitors daily, including international tourists from Southeast Asia, Thailand, Japan, and Hong Kong. However, due to the aging buildings—such as damaged roofs, beams, and water leakage—the city government allocated NT$3.73 million in engineering funds last year to renovate the roof, replace tiles, fix leaks, and upgrade old electrical wiring. The renovation project was completed in June this year, aiming to preserve the historical and cultural significance of Rainbow Village while providing a safer and more complete visiting environment for the public.

As for Yilan’s MycoBaby Museum, it was established in January 2011 by Bionin Biotech Group in collaboration with a group of Taiwanese and American microbiology experts. The name “MycoBaby” is a homophone of the Taiwanese phrase meaning “very precious,” with the hope that through the museum, people can gain a deeper understanding of the microbial world and overcome their fear and aversion toward it.