Exploring Taipei, Taiwan (Where to Stay, Places to Visit, Things to Remember)
Last week, I went to Taiwan for a vacation with 2 of my college friends, Mia and Aiko. We’ve been friends for quite some time, and this was our first international travel together. Since the Visa-Free Travel to Taiwan for Philippine Passport Holders has been extended until July 31, 2020, we took advantage of it!
Mia and I planned this trip for a couple of months, waiting for seat sales and promos. We booked a one-way ticket on sale (Manila to Taipei) for only P2200 each via Cebu Pacific. We did not book our return tix immediately because we were planning to exit in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, to explore other cities than Taipei. It was supposedly a 6-day trip, but due to some reason, we decided to make it 4 days instead – 2 days in Taipei, 1 day in Taichung, and 1 day in Kaohsiung. So, expect a 3 part blog series of our Taiwan Adventure (and misadventure)
Things to Remember
Taiwan is one of the best countries to consider if it’s your first time traveling abroad. The weather is quite similar to the Philippines, and there is no time difference. It’s very easy to go around because they have accessible transportation and they also use the same power outlet. And if you are picky when it comes to food, they have a great selection of food everywhere! I have here a few reminders or things to consider that might help if you are planning to go to Taiwan for the first time.
Buy a local sim card or pocket wifi
Even though there is free wifi everywhere, you still need to buy a local sim card or pocket wifi when traveling for you to have internet access. I purchased a 4G Prepaid Sim Card via Klook for only 375 PHP that includes 5 days of unlimited data with calls and text. It is cheaper, and unlike the portable wifi, you don’t have to return it at the airport. You can dispose of it after using or keep it for remembrance.
Get an Easy Card
The easy card is like an octopus card in Hongkong. It can be used for transportation and cashless payment at selected stores and tourist attractions. You can book it on Klook ahead of time, and it can be easily claimed at the airport upon arrival. I loaded my card 600 NTD at the airport, and I was able to use it in Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung for 4 days. For the remaining balance, I was able to use it to buy food at the airport before our flight back home.
Download the Taiwan Metro App
One of the things that I love about Taiwan is its fast, clean, safe, and efficient metro system! No wonder it is considered one of the best in the world. It’s very accessible, and everything is organized. You won’t see people eating, smoking, and talking out loud. Everyone follows MRT etiquettes.
It’s best to download their MRT app because it is more reliable than google map. Trust me! Google Maps can be a bit confusing. We got lost a couple of times during our 1st day. Good thing, we have a 1-day transport fun pass with unlimited access to MRT and city buses in Taipei.
Prepare an umbrella or raincoat
Lastly, you must prepare an umbrella or raincoat when you visit Taiwan because the weather here can be crazy! A few days before our travel, I always check the weather in Taiwan. Luckily the weather is not that bad when we arrived. But guess what? When it’s about time to visit some of the tourist spots in the city, it rained! Luckily, some umbrellas and raincoats are being sold in the convenience store like 7/11 and Family Mart.
Where to Stay in Taipei?
We booked an Airbnb in Zhongshan District (Who’s Knock Tiny Apartment) for our 2 nights stay in Taipei. I highly recommend this place because it is very clean and spacious. Everything we need is already provided. The photos on the website are the same in person. What you see is what you get!
Get 1600 PHP discount when you book at Airbnb if you sign up here.
With our host, Henry. He is very welcoming, friendly, and he let us check in early upon arriving.
Our Airbnb is just near the Minquan W Rd Station, and there are many restaurants and convenience stores around.
Places to visit around the city
Getting around Taipei isn’t difficult because of their well-mapped public transport system. Using public transportation is the best way to dig in for an action-packed trip.
On our first day, we were supposed to explore the city in the afternoon. But, since it rained that day, we had to cancel some plans, including Maokong Gondola Ride and the Double Decker Bus Night Tour 🙁 We are at Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall when it starts raining, so we bought our raincoat at the convenience store and ate a quick snack. After that, we went to Taipei 101 Mall and the observatory deck, then headed back to our Airbnb to rest.
Taipei 101 Observatory
Taipei 101 is located in Xinyi District in Taipei. It is one of the most famous skyscrapers in the world that features a unique appearance that differs from other usual skyscrapers. We were able to experience the fastest elevator that takes only 37 seconds to travel from the 5th floor to the 89th floor. There’s a lot of instagrammable spots inside! You may book your Taipei 101 Observatory ticket here
Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is a famous landmark and tourist attraction erected in memory of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, former President of the Republic of China. The entire place is so clean and pleasant to walk around in. The main gate and the hall are decked in Blue and White, which makes it beautiful to look at.
Ximending District
The weather in Taipei is much better on our 2nd day, so we just walk around Ximending in the afternoon. It is a neighborhood and shopping district where you can find really cool buildings, shops, and restaurants.
The 110-year-old Red House is also located here.
One of Taipei’s most iconic building, at the heart of Ximending
Raohe Street Night Market
Of course, a trip to Taipei wouldn’t be completed without going to a night market! The Raohe Street Night Market is one of the oldest night markets in Songshan District, Taipei, Taiwan. It is packed with fun and interesting night foods and snacks, quaint shops and stalls, claw machines, and carnival games with prizes.
And that’s it for our Taipei City adventure! On my next blog post, I will be showing you a different side of Taipei, so make sure you are subscribed to my blog.
Thank you for this guide. I might go there next year!
You're welcome! Thank you for reading my blog 🙂
I have always wanted to visit Taiwan. It looks like such a lovely country.www.poutineandprada.com
Looks like an absolutely amazing place! Thanks for sharing your experience!
So much to see and do. Now I have one more place to add to my list of places I want to visit.
I think I should add Taiwan to my bucket list, its beautiful, clean and the food look so delicious!
It looks like there are plenty of things to see in Taipei. I would like to visit some day. I would definitely go to the observation tower. The AirBnB you booked looks very cute.
Yes, it is also affordable! You can get 1600PHP discount on your airbnb booking if you sign up here: https://www.airbnb.com/c/nicoles25732?currency=PHP