Upon leaving amazing Singapore we were en route to Taiwan, not completely sure what to expect. Taipei, our next destination would, however, following a four and a half flight become the new adventure we were excited to explore. We arrived somewhat exhausted as we caught the night flight in order to save as many daylight hours as possible. We needed to get to our hotel to unload our backpacks and took the MRT to the main station which cost $160TWD (€4.70). Have in mind that the MRT does not run 24 hours so check beforehand if arriving during late hours. Our first impression of Taipei was not the greatest, everything looks a bit run down and old as you make your way through the suburbs on the train. From the main train station, we knew that we needed to catch another train to Ximending which was only a 6-minute train ride and cost less than 50 cents. After what felt like a very long journey, we finally reached our hotel, Papa Whale. It was centrally located which is always a good thing, has a great trendy feel and the hotel lobby was pretty cool too. I will say that I have never seen a busier hotel in my life, there were people everywhere and no matter what time you would go to the reception, it would be bustling. The only negative would be navigating your way to your room, it’s an absolute maze!! So much so that we got lost trying to find it…..the first three times we tried to find it!! It was though lovely and clean, spacious and had everything we needed. The hotel has its own laundrette service which is coin-operated, which is very handy.

We knew that we wanted to explore and we started at the very bustling Ximending area, it was Sunday when we arrived and the place was buzzing….. we instinctively knew we were going to love it. Be it shopping, eating, people watching, drinking bubble tea, watching a late-night movie or have your caricature done then this place has it all, I mean all and its a place where you definitely need to visit. The whole place is pedestrian-only which is an added bonus. We actually did not have a sit-down meal as the street food was in abundance and suited us down to the ground. We were meeting some Taiwanese friends for dinner so we decided to have their caricature’s done as a gift from this very talented artist in Ximending, we’re pretty sure they liked them.

We also wanted to learn a little bit more on the history of Taiwan so the next day we ventured to Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall. This was built in memory of Chiang Kai-shek, the first president of the Republic of China. Work on the hall began in 1976, a year after President Chiang passed away. Design by C.C. Yang, who was also the architect for The Grand Hotel, the memorial hall is white with a blue roof, representing the dominant colours in the ROC flag; while the emblem of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) adorns the vaulted ceiling. A bronze statue of Chiang looks west symbolically to the Presidential Office Building and mainland China. The front plaza of the hall is also a major venue for democratic assemblies.

A trip to Maekong village with a glass-bottom cable car is something that we wanted to experience. Maekong village is full of tea houses and spectacular views of Taipei from above. We took a train and bus ride to Maekong and it took approximately 45 minutes. We bought our tickets, which cost 120TWD (€3.50) one way for the glass bottom cabin. These are preferable as the views are quite spectacular, something you wouldn’t experience from the standard cabins.  It’s not for the faint-hearted as the cabin car reaches 300 meters above the ground level but hey….what could go wrong?….there are 6 ‘stations’ in total until you reach the village. Upon reaching the top there are so many street food stalls, cute little tea houses and gift shops, however, we decided to take a long wander around to take the place in before trying some tea from a quaint little tea house that served traditional local tea’s. The weather was overcast but it didn’t stop us as we managed to take some really beautiful photos and were able to walk around without having to suffer under the midday sun.

A trip to Taipei without visiting Taipei 101 wouldn’t seem right so we ventured out in the morning taking the train from Ximeding to this huge and symbolic structure. Taipei 101 is to Taipei what the Empire State Building is to New York and the Shard is to London. The moment you get out of the station you can’t miss the gigantic skyrise, the shape of the building designed to resemble 8 pagodas joint together with a very impressive building and one that stands out from miles away. You enter the building into a high-end shopping mall and lots of offices. We headed straight to the ticket desk for the observation deck. They advise you of the visibility and it is entirely up to the individual whether they choose to go. Our visibility was 50% which was fine…….and seeing as time was of the essence, it was seeing it now or not seeing it at all….. we reached the top and in all fairness, it was a beautiful view, Taipei from above is a lot more impressive than some might think as the city is actually huge. We paid 600TWN (€17,50!!!) per person which is definitely a kick in the nether regions…….and just a reminder that it gets super busy and there will definitely be a line either way.

After Taipei 101 we headed to the Elephant mountain which is walking distance from the tower. It’s a pretty steep hike with lots of stairs along the way but there are plenty of places to rest if you need to……and you probably will….. The hike to the top is full of flora and fauna and this lowers the ambient temperature somewhat which helped keep us cool. I would recommend visiting either early in the morning or late afternoon as it can become really hot. Once you reach the top the views are just stunning and there are two viewing decks, lots of signage too to help you along the way. The Taipei 101 looks stunning from here and views of Taipei are also something to enjoy. Many people want to take pics from atop of the famous rock and there was a queue waiting to climb on…..we were not interested…. so we left them to it. The hike is completely free and its 183 meters above sea level. I suggest wearing sports shoes and taking water with you as it can become quite hot. From Taipei 101, there is signage leading towards the hiking trail. It’s definitely worth a visit and you will be mesmerised once you reach the top.

Xinyi district was hands down my favourite area in Taipei, its where Taipei 101 is situated and the central business district. The buzz of the area was awesome and I was drawn to this place. Was it the area, food, atmosphere? or was it the fact that everything looked unbelievably immaculate? I just don’t know, but I loved it. There was an abundance of shops, restaurants, cafes and an outdoor market selling more upmarket products. We had a couple of great meals here at really reasonable places. Food in Taipei was awesome, whether you were eating street food or having a sit-down meal, you can’t go wrong.

One thing that surprised me the most about Taipei was how bike-friendly the city is. There are rental bikes scattered across town and we were lucky as our lovely friends Ming and Ling registered us using their mobiles phones allowing us to hire bicycles from all over the city. Registering is a requirement and you need to start with a minimum balance and can top up as you wish. One time users can use their credit card. We decided to rent bikes and explore the riverside and we covered over 13km along the Yanping Riverside Park, which was just fantastic. The government are trying to encourage the use of bikes and they have certainly done a great job. Riding was a breeze as there was plenty of green space, toilets and bench space to take a break if needed. And the best thing about renting is that you can leave them at any designated station and trust me they are everywhere. They are run by Youbike and there are different rates depending on how long you will be using it.

We really wanted to see Jioufen as I read a few blogs recommending it as a must-visit. We took the MRT from Xinyi to Zhongxiao Fuxing and jumped on the 1062 bus from outside of Sogo department store, we paid 98 TWN – (€3) one way and it took roughly an hour. The route is very scenic with a few stops along the way. Jioufen is very mountainous and I think is one of the reasons why it attracts so many people. Upon arrival, there were heaps of people already there, lots and lots of tourists which sometimes can feel quite claustrophobic, but the gorgeous scenery makes up for this. There were lots and lots of street food, Taiwan local pastries and sweets, tea houses and restaurants.  We wandered the narrow lanes admired the beauty and drank lots of tea and ate heaps of street food. The streets are decorated with Lanterns and during the evening there lit up making the place look even prettier. As a first-timer in Taiwan, I would highly recommend it.

As with every place we visit, night markets are a must and we managed to visit a few. Shilin Market, Raohe St Night Market, Ningxia Nightmarket.  Hands down Shillin Market was our favourite. Just wanted to point out that I really thought we would struggle to find vegetarian food in the markets but there were a few options and we also saw a few stores catering for Vegans. We took the train from  Ximen station towards Jiantan station and it’s a 5-minute walk away. The markets open from around 6 pm, right through to midnight. The markets get really busy, adding to the vibrant atmosphere. You can literally find everything your heart desires in terms of food…. but be warned of the aroma that is Stinky tofu….. very popular in Taipei and trust me you will be able to smell it from a mile away….the clue is in the name!! We decided to try some Tofu not knowing it was of the stinky variety until we took our first bite, what can I say…. yuck. However, the markets are buzzing, there are really cool stores, lots of bubble tea places and lots and lots of yummy food…. was definitely a place we would go back again.

Roahe Night Market was pretty cool but we got there just as they opened and I didn’t feel it had the buzz that Shilin did. Regardless we tried street food, wandered around the market and drank lots of bubble tea. There are lots of shops to buy accessories and trinkets to bring home. Found in the Songshan District and the nearest MRT is, unsurprisingly, Songshan Station.

Ningxia Nightmarket was very traditional and we only saw locals here which was really nice. Taiwanese love their food and the market was heaving. There was store after store selling whatever your heart desires in terms of traditional food. Lots of tables and seating areas which was great. We walked around ate lots of food and enjoyed our evening with the locals. The market is located in the Datong area and the closest stations are Shuanglian MRT stop and the Zhongshan MRT.

Longshan Temple is one of the largest and oldest temples in Taiwan. Entering the Temple is completely free, however, they do accept donations if you are feeling generous. The day we went there were heaps of locals in attendance, we believe there must have been a religious ceremony as there were food offerings everywhere. We wandered through as numerous people prayed. The temple itself is absolutely beautiful and definitely worth visiting. Ladies do remember to cover up shoulders and knees, obviously, this is to show respect to the locals.

Din Tai Fung restaurant is world-famous and has branches across the world and while we were visiting the Taipei 101 we decided to have lunch there. The queues at lunchtime are unbelievable as there are hordes and hordes of people looking to enjoy their world-class offerings, but luckily at 3 pm, when we decided to go……it was quiet!! We wanted to try these amazing dumplings and were even happier when told that vegetarian options were available. We absolutely understand why it’s so famous, their dumplings were just amazing as was everything else we tried. The staff were incredible and the whole kitchen is visible through the glass and you can see the dumplings being prepared by expert chefs, it takes talent for dumplings to be perfectly shaped and these guys definitely had skills.

Our friends Ming and Ling surprised us with a really fancy vegetarian meal at a restaurant called Easy House, we were both really pleased. To be honest, I really thought we would struggle with veggie food, but the Taiwanese like their veggies, although pork is their favourite according to Ming. The decor, food and service were all so lovely. The food was so well presented that we actually didn’t want to touch it. We had such a great night, but most important was the fact that we saw our friends again which was definitely the highlight of our trip.

Useful Information in Taipei 

• Visa was granted upon arrival for Aussie and British passport holders, but its different for each nationality.
• Public transport is super efficient in Taipei and very cheap, we bought a 6-day pass which was the best thing we did
• Taipei was super safe, never felt threatened to move about and people were generally really friendly.
• Exchanging money requires an ID and we went to a local bank, they are quite strict so without ID they will not change money.

In a nutshell, Taipei was awesome, we highly recommend anyone to visit this vibrant place. We had an amazing time and cannot wait to return to explore more of this magical place … Thank you, Ling and Ming, for a great time and see you somewhere in the world…