Travel Tips Series: Taiwan
Taiwan is a easy country to travel to solo nor is any tour needed. The public transport is great, and there is plenty of English making it easy to get around. I recently spent eight days there, exploring Taipei then I caught the fast train to Taichung then to Kaohsiung and back to Taipei.
March to May is considered the best time of year to go. So don’t ask me why I booked to go in October, it just worked with my school holiday break. There was a typhoon warning whilst I was there which shut the town down for a few days. Schools and businesses were closed and people were told to stay safe indoors, which they did. I think I missed the real vibe of bustling Taiwan. So I do suggest sticking to March to May for better weather and access to attractions.
No visa is needed for Australians to travel to Taiwan so choose ‘visa exempt’ when completing the arrival form. You can complete the arrival form before departure using the QR code at the check in counter or they have it again before you go through customs in Taipei.
Once you arrive in Taipei and you get off the plane, walk to Terminal 2 for arrivals. Upon arriving, you must take a green card to declare that you are not carrying any fruit/meat products that you then must hand over when you go through security. If you are busting for the toilet, don’t waste your time queuing for the first one you come across. There are plenty more as you walk through the airport.
First thing firsts, I bought a SIM card from Taiwan Mobile for my phone and used the ATM to get cash out, both are close by in the terminal. I took out the equivalent of $300AU and was battling to spend it over the eight days. Make sure to get some smaller 100 notes, not all 1000 as when buying train tickets the machine doesn’t give change over 100TWD. You don’t necessarily need alot of cash as most places accept credit/debit cards. The express train to Taipei City is easy and convenient from the airport. I bought a one way token to get me through. This will cost you 150TWD and you get a purple circular token which you push through the turnstile and it spits it out for you so you can get out at the other end. Try to get the express train from the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport to Taipei Main Station, if thats where you are headed. It is only four stops and takes 45 minutes.
When I got into Taipei I visited a 7Eleven to buy an ‘easy card’. They have a large variety of styles to choose from, usually on the front counter and cost 120TWD. You can top the easy card up and use this ever time you go on public transport. The check out chick can help you top it up.
First impressions arriving early morning into Taipei is that it felt clean, safe, quiet, orderly and organised. There is plenty of greenery and trees. Driving is on the right hand side of the road and walking is on the right side of the path. Masks are still very much warn. I didn’t notice any homeless people or rubbish on the streets. There is plenty to see and explore, so much that I was walking up to 22,000 steps a day.
Public transport is super convenient and easy to navigate. When taking the bus, they have the next stop scrolling along the electric board but if you are wanting to get off, you must press the buzzer as the bus driver does not necessarily stop at each stop. Also consider you are not permitted to eat or drink on the bus. They also ask you to keep phone calls quiet. If taking the bus, allow ample time. They do not always run to time and peak traffic can affect the amount of time it takes to get somewhere.
For lunches I mostly went to 7Eleven for the sushi and the grape juice and maybe a sneaky chocolate. You can usually find a bench table and stools inside to sit for awhile, cooling off from the outside heat.
Here’s my top recommendations in each of the main towns;
TAIPEI
Within town must see - visit Taipei 101 but ensure to go on a clear day to see the incredible view and the outside is closed in high winds so make sure to also avoid windy days. The view was the highlight of the trip for me. If you have arrived by train you come out at ground level. Look up to see the tower before entering the shopping centre. You must catch the lift to the fourth floor then take the escalator up to the observatory on the fifth floor. I bought tickets on klook so I beat the line though mid morning though there was not much of a queue. It is the same price online as when you get there, so its up to you. Keep in mind though when buying online you are given a time period which you must arrive by. I had booked at 12pm but they let me in at 11am even though I was early. Weekdays I am presuming there are not so many people, comapred to weekends. Once you have your ticket, the lift takes you up to the 91st floor in 34 seconds flat. So quick! Be prepared to be amazed once you get out of the life. I stayed for a good hour and there are plenty of photo opportunities. The 360 degree view is phenomenal. You can also buy the popular Milksha bubble tea while you are up there. Also peek into the centre where the damper is, that’s the part that stabilizes the building in earthquakes. Once outside again there are certain places to get a good view of the tower including from Takemura Izakaya.
Out of town - I highly recommend catching the bus or train to a town called Beitou. I caught bus 218 from Taipei main station though it is quicker on the train. Visit Fuxing Park for the foot hot springs and sit amongst the locals on temperatures over 40 degrees. Or check out Quanyuan Park which also has clear blue sulphar springs. Then walk to the Thermal Valley. It is closed on Mondays. There is a boardwalk that goes around it. You don’t need so long here, just time for a couple of happy snaps before moving on to the library which is one of the top ten greenest buildings in the world. There is a hot springs public bath that you can pay 60TWD to enter and there are three pools to move between.
You definitely need a at least a couple of days to check out all the sites in Taipei. Get up early to explore parks and coffee shops but keep in mind most don’t open till around 11am. Ones worth visiting include the Taipei Botanical Gardens, National Taipei Museum, Peace Memorial Park (where you can do a stone foot walk), Da’an Forest Park, Huashan 1914 Creative Park (Open Tue-Fri 10am to 10pm), Jingfu Temple, Dihua Old Street then walk back through Yanping Riverside Park for a great view over the river.
Spend some time at the grand Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and watch the change of guards starting at 9am, on the hour until 5pm. It is free to visit and has surrounding gardens which are beautiful. Ximending pedestrian zone is good to explore during daylight for some shopping or revisit at night for the night markets. Everything in Taiwan looks better at night with the lights on. There are a few night markets around to check out, including the Snake Alley and Nanjichang.
The Maokong Gondola could be fun if you are visiting the zoo, it is 4kms and one-way travel time on the gondola is about 20 to 30 minutes.
Day trips - Head to Jiufen Old Street and Shifuen Street (famous for its lantern releases from the railway tracks). You can catch the bus and walk around yourself or book a tour through Klook. The 100 year old teahouse, A Mei Ta House is adorned with lanterns and is popular to visit. It was raining with a typhoon warning the two days I had free to go so opted not to, though the pics look great. You can also catch the bus from Jiufen Old Street out to Keelung which has night markets.
I stayed at CitizenM Hotel in the Zhongzheng area. It was convenient to the train, only a 8 minute walk and sights. It was a corner room with a brilliant glass window with amazing views. Since I arrived early morning, I dropped my bags at the hotel before heading off for the day. You can pay 1000TWD for an early check in.
A cute cafe I revisited for breakfast was Meet. One of the cheapest finds for a medium latte 80TWD and a bagel 100TWD. Tamed Fox is another popular spot and known for their doughnuts. Yongkang Street is also worth visiting for food lovers in Taipei. There are cafes, desserts, noodle shops, dumpling stalls plus you can find the green onion pancakes here.
TAICHUNG
The High Speed Rail from Taipei to Taichung gets you there in under one house. The train travels at speeds up to 300kms. You can purchase tickets, reserved or unreserved and the guys at the desk at the HSR are very helpful. If you are after a window seat I suggest reserving a seat in advance.
I stayed at the outskirts convenient to the Fengjia Night Markets, so stored my bags at the train station so I could explore the city before catching a bus to the outer suburbs. I stayed at Hotel Euphemia which was nice enough and offered free drink vouchers and daily snacks. The night market is open 6pm to 3am.
Worth visiting - Taichung Park is quite big. A nice place to take a walk through; beautiful old trees, bridges, sculptures, pegodas, seats to sit on and watch the world go by. The Riverside Canal Walk is a pleasant way to pass the time as well as walking the Taiwan Connection 1908, a 1.6km walk along the old railway line beginning from Taichung Train Station. You will find the Comic Museum near by but make sure to check the opening hours as you may be disappointed, or check out the Cultural Heritage Park.
The icecream shop Miyahara Taichung is well known and popular for locals and tourists. I had lunch at Hunger Restaurant which was a cute place to relax out of the heat. PARK2 Caowu Square also has places to sit and eat or do a spot of shopping. Shen Ji New Village is open of a weekend and is worth a look see.
Skip Rainbow Village. It is way out of town and after a quick happy snaps you must find your way back. There is a bus but not so many taxis. I would suggest if you come by taxi to ask them to hang around for you.
Day trips - visit Sun Moon Lake and hire a bike. You can cycle all the way around the lake to and from Suishe. The western park is more about nature and views (you may need to push your bike up the hills at certain parts). The western part of the lake you will find the ‘touristy spots’ like Ci’En Pagoda (must see), Xuanzang Temple, Ita Thai (great lunch stop) and Wenwu temple.
KAOHSIUNG
Day trips - catch train back to Tainan to explore for the day. The express train goes quick and travels up to 120kms/hr and costs 101TWD. Tainan is known for its historical sites and traditional Taiwanese culture. You will find Chihkan Tower and the Confucius Temple. Wander through the Anping Old Street at evening and try some famous Tainan snacks or there is the Garden Night Market.
I stayed pretty central at Jezreel Inn, opposite the park and close to the train station.
Check out Weiwuying Street Art Village on the outskirts of Kaoshiung in the Lingya District. Lots of murals and street alleys. Great for those Insta snaps.
One of my favourite parts of Kaohsiung is the harbour. Walk around the Pier-2 Art Centre for plenty of street art, shopping and eatery’s in old abandoned shipping warehouses on the port. The Kaohsiung Light Rail (LRT) takes you right there. The new Kaohsiung Music Center is at one end also. Watch the Great Harbor Bridge rotate at 3pm every day. It is a pedestrian bridge in Yancheng District. There are plenty of places to stop of a bite to eat or drink if you get caught over the other side. It takes about half an hour before it reopens and worth the visit. Also visit The Dome of Light in Kaoshiungs main station. It is a glass artwork and there is a light show daily at 11am, 3pm and 8pm and lasts for 15 minutes and projects videos to illustrate the four elements - earth, wind, fire and water.
If you have time, take the trip out to check out the Wuliting Pavilion on the Lotus Pond.
Have you considered visiting Taiwan? Or maybe you have been and can suggest what is best to see. We would love it if you joined the conversation and left a comment below.
