Help me with my Taiwan trip

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  cvxmelody on 02/09/2013 - 20:39

  I recommend you consult the Michelin Guide - http://www.amazon.com/Michelin-Green-Guide-Taiwan/dp/1907099…
  I used this on a trip to Taiwan about 2 years ago and it covers the main sights plus some off-the-beaten path attractions. Compact and practical. Ximending is a good area to stay in Taipei (pedestrianized area with many shops, restaurants) and well-connected by metro. On a first visit, as a minimum you should take in CKS Memorial Hall, Taipei 101 (observation deck of tallest skyscraper shaped like bamboo), National Palace Museum (largest repository of Chinese imperial treasures in the world), and the Martyr's Shrine. For night market there are several to choose from, but Shihlin is one of the biggest. And the expansive grounds of the nearby CKS Shihlin Residence are interesting to wander during the daytime, although expect long queues to enter the Residence itself. For a longer stay there is the Maokong Gondola, Beitou Geothermal Valley, Yamgmingshan (CKS retreat, fumaroles) and Danshui with European colonial structures. For a taste of the old China there is the Lin Family Mansion. Juifen (atmospheric hillside village near the sea) can be done as half-day trip. Single day tour of Taroko Gorge is even possible (I did this - fly out in morning, back by train in evening), and well worth it as this is one of their premier natural attractions….
  Southern cities of Taiwan are easily and quickly reached by bullet train. The main tourist attraction of central Taiwan is Sun Moon Lake. The mountains of Taiwan are also famous and there are many high peaks which are for the most part inaccessible, with the exception of, say, Hehuanshan which you can easily visit by hiring a driver from Taichung. It is traversed by the highest road pass in East Asia (Wuling) and receives snow in winter. Summit at 3416 metres is an easy (half hour) walk from the road. En route are some interesting tea towns. Lugang/Lukang (ancient village on west coast of the island) is also fascinating with authentic Qing-era buildings.

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  twocsies on 03/09/2013 - 01:25

  I am going to Taiwan in January, a couple weeks after you. It will be winter there, so some scenic spots might not be as enjoyable as during other seasons. The temperature should be reasonably comfortable with a high of around 20 degrees and 13 degrees at night. Too bad you aren't there for New Years; the fireworks show is really great.

  You should be able to find a lot to do in the Taipei area, many of them listed by cvxmelody. Taxi is quite reasonably priced so it's really easy to get around. Although many taxi drivers might not speak English, there are a lot of people around Taipei who can help you get around.

  There are a lot of people in Taiwan, so the countryside is not as big as you might think. Most of the settlement has been done in the last 60 years, so there is a lot of new development. On the other hand, Trip Advisor has 59 different things you can do in Xinbei (which is the 2000 square km near Taipei) "including coastlines, hot springs, temples, historic landmarks and more". http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Tourism-g1432365-Xinbei-Vacati…. As you can see Jiu Fen is quite scenic. It's just a short trip from Taipei to this tea area.

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  kirasuran on 05/09/2013 - 11:51

  Not sure where to buy in Australia BUT if you can, go have a look at some tour/guide books on Taiwan. When i was planning my trip there, I was based in HK so i was able to buy some travel books which provided maps + locations to visit. It was infinitely useful, and I'd say a large percentage of the shops/restaurants were not tourist traps at all.

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  netbies on 05/09/2013 - 16:58

  Just some of my experiences, 1 day for sightseeing around the city might not be enough depending on how many places you are thinking to go. As some of these places are quite far apart. It will take an hour on MRT to travel from one place to another, and then wait for another half an hour to get onto the bus to get to the final destination.

  If you dont want to take the public transport, perhaps you may think about hiring a taxi for a few hours so that the driver can carry all 4 of you around the city. It isn't that expensive, my opinion, but would be easier to get around.

  Going to the country side is similar story. If you are flying Taipei, most country side are more than a few hours coach away from the city. Day return may only allow you to travel to one place only. Although the new railway can take you from Taipei to Kaoshiung much quicker, but coaches are still the main transport to those country side, e.g. Taichung 台中, Ching King 清景, KeeLong 基隆 or 花蓮 (excuse me if the translation of the places are incorrect, a bit lazy to look up their proper names… ;-))

  If you wish to stay in places like TST in Hong Kong, stay at the Eastern district in Taipei 忠孝東路四段, not too sure in Kaoshiung. There is where all the big department stores located, plus easily access to cafes and restaurants plus still heaps of people on the streets during night time.

  You may have some issues not speaking mandarin at all. Taiwan is not like Hong Kong that mostly everything comes with chinese/english together. Most of the places/things in Taiwan only have Chinese. And youngster and teens would be the one most likely speaking English but dont expect too much. The teens and youngsters are more close to Korean/Japanese.

  Hope this helps.

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  emiko on 12/09/2013 - 15:47

  +2

  I just want to say Taiwan is not another side of china!
  and don't say that in Taiwan, I don't think people there are happy to hear that!

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    OutOfComplaintForms on 12/09/2013 - 23:25

    I agree. Taiwan is NOT a part of China, and given the history of China and Taiwan, it's actually quite insulting to infer that. A lot of missiles on Mainland China is actually pointed at Taiwan…

    But I guess since it's your first time, people could let the ignorance slide :) I wouldn't go to Kuwait and start speaking Hebrew for example.

    Anyways, Taiwan is generally bustling at night, and the night markets are one of the best in the world. The foot is also quite a sight - be sure to try the infamous stinky tofu!