Via Michael Turton, the ultimate photo link collection of Taiwan’s betel-nut girls.:
Betel nut beauties or betel nut girls (檳榔西施 binlang xishi) are a common sight along the roadsides in Taiwan. Some people regard their presence as an outrage while others think they are a unique and colourful part of life in Taiwan. The girls can be seen in sitting in large glass-walled booths on the sides of the road. They are usually busy counting betel nuts or else sitting there looking very bored. Customers stop while driving past and the girls run out to sell them bags of betel nuts.
Betel nut is Taiwan’s second largest agricultural crop. Betel nut plantations dominate the landscape in parts of Central and Southern Taiwan. While betel nut girls are a source of controversy and interest the environmental and health impacts of betel nut are in reality more serious concerns.
