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4D3N DIY TRAVEL GUIDE TO TAIWAN

Taiwan Travel Guide Day 1: Taipei City Travel Guide Day 2: Taipei Expo Park, Yangmingshan, Beitou & More!Day 2: Taipei Expo Park, Yangmingshan, Beitou & More! – Yangmingshan Travel Guide – Beitou Travel Guide Day 3: Keelung City, Yehliu Geopark, Shifen Old Street, Jiufen, Jinguashi and more! Day 4: Taichung City, Taiwan

Beitou is a geothermally active region only half an hour from Taipei if you take the MRT. It’s a popular spot for both locals and tourists, who go to enjoy its mix of hot springs, Japanese history, and its geothermally active park and spring.

Pre-booked Tours

It’s better to plan your travel so you don’t have to waste hours in thinking if a place to go when you are there. Instead, write it down on a paper/notebook or type it down on your phone. Plus book your activities online beforehand as its way cheaper than buying it when you get there.

Where to get cheaper tours?

Based on our personal experiences, Klook Are a great company for discounted tours for your trip to Taiwan and we took the following from KLOOK.

Yangmingshan National Park & Hot Springs Tour

‘Unite Traveler’ 4G SIM Card (TW Airport Pick Up) for Taiwan

Yehliu Geopark Shuttle Bus from Ximen

Taipei at Night

Taipei Double Decker Bus Tour

Taipei 101 Observatory E-Ticket

THSR One Way Ticket to or from Taipei

More Activities

History

Beitou geothermal qualities were first in use centuries ago as sulfur mines, but with pretty disastrous consequences as, at the time, they were the cause of serious health problems for the poor miners. Fortunately, how times have changed!

Japanese Era – In 1896 a Japanese businessman from Osaka, Hirita Gengo (平田源吾), set up Taiwan’s first hot spring resort in Beitou (then known as Hokutō Village  / 北投庄). It was hugely popular and soon a great success with all of Japanese and local society, including a visit in 1923 from Prince Hirohito! It was obviously THE place to hang out in the hot baths and much the same attitude prevails today although there have been no further royal visits since 1923.

Post-Japan – Sadly it was left to rot in heavy neglect after WWII and it was not really until Taiwan started achieving some autonomy in the 1990s that local interest, fuelled by the improving economic situation, began to revive its fortunes and put it on the path of favor and popularity once again. With renewed funding, it was soon restored to previous heights of grandeur to once again become the popular ‘hot spot’ that you see today!

 Getting There

To reach Beitou take the red MRT line towards Tamsui Station or Beitou Station, transfer at Beitou Station to the Xinbeitou Line, which reaches XinBeitou Station (the hot spring area) in a few minutes (one stop). From there it’s a few minutes walk to the Hot Springs Park.

It’s difficult to find a better way to spend a great day in Taipei that beats routing around in the Beitou area. It has a great deal to offer from Buddhist Temples to Hot Springs to Museums and more besides. Below are just some of the must-see places.

Touring around Beitou using Youbike.

  Xinbeitou Station

From Beitou station a one-station branch line runs to Xin Beitou station, which is near the hot springs area. One train services this line running back and forth between Beitou and Xinbeitou MRT stations, departing from each end approximately every ten minutes.

In order to get close to the hot springs, you can go from Beitou Station direct to Xin Beitou. The train goes every 10 minutes. You can rent a bike (YouBike)when you arrive which makes it so much easier to get around but you can walk if you have the energy and stamina and if you’re going to want to visit the Beitou Museum it’s a fair old trek on foot!

How to get there: Option 1: 

From Yangmingshan, Wait for bus 108 (only bus going to Yangmingshan Bus Station) then from Yangmingshan Bus Station take bus 9 or 230 opposite of 7/11 and Starbucks then get off at Xinbeitou Station in front of the Youbike area.

Option 2:

By MRT: Take the MRT Red Line 2 to Beitou Station (北投), then change to the train bound for Xinbeitou (新北投). Upon exiting the station, walk straight on either side of the park to find hot springs.

    Beitou Park

Beitou Park is a long, narrow park just by Xinbeitou Subway Station. Established 1913! It is best known for its water fountain at the entrance which puts on an hourly water show throughout the day. There are also a number of walking trails and great places to relax and worth a look are the Beitou Library and Plum Garden.

Free: All time Address: No. 2, Zhongshan Rd., Beitou Dist., Beitou Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C  Opening hours: Tue-Sun 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Closed on national holidays.

Taipei Public Library Beitou Branch

Not just a library but a building, housing books, that Tarzan would feel at home in and the first building in Taiwan to be certified as ‘Green’ by the government. Built-in 2006 it’s an awesome wooden structure and even if you are not interested in literature, the building architecture is a must see.

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Free: All time Address:  Beitou Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C  Opening hours: Tue-Sat 8:30am – 9pm, Sun-Mon 9am – 5pm; Closed first Thursday of each month

  Beitou Hot Springs Museum

The museum has an amazing history and really only by a mix of luck and perseverance of some locals, survived the turmoil of post-WWII and the lack of enthusiasm for anything originally Japanese in that era. Luckily for all as late as 1997 the building was lovingly restored to the beautiful landmark that it is today. Both the building and the museum displays are a must for a visit – don’t miss it.

Unfortunately, They are renovating the place when we went there. So we didn’t go inside.

Admission: Free Address: No. 2, Zhongshan Rd., Beitou Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C  Opening hours: 9:00am – 5:00pm

  Millennium Hot Spring in Taipei

There are a total of 3 hot springs and 2 cold springs. The hottest is at 43 to 45-degree c. With the others at 41 to 42-degree c and 35 to 40-degree c. Conditions of use are strict and using you’ll need to use the shower to rinse yourself and once you have decided which one you’re going to try, you’ll need to wash your feet again with the buckets by each spring. The protocol also requires complete body immersion and not just dangling your feet in etc.

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The hot spring is open only at certain hours (below) and if you forget swimwear you can buy in the expensive onsite shop. There are full bathroom facilities and changing lockers.

Entrance Fee: NTD 40. Suggested Months: 01、02、12 Address: Beitou Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C  Opening hours: 5:30am– 7:30am / 8:00am – 10:00am / 10:30am –1:00pm 1:30pm – 4:00pm / 4:30pm – 7:00pm / 7:30pm –10:00pm

Puji Temple

Beitou’s Puji Temple is an uncommon example of a Japanese Buddhist temple. Few survive in Taiwan and Puji was built in 1905 and combines the elements of three Japanese religious traditions; Wayo, Daibutsuyo (Great Buddha) and Zen Buddhist. Today, Puji Temple is dedicated to Tangshou Guanyin – the Goddess of Mercy and the temple and the Goddess are believed by locals to be the guardian spirit of the hot springs.

Free: All time Address: No. 112, Wenquan Rd., Beitou Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C  Opening hours: Daily 8am – 5pm

Beitou Museum

The Beitou Museum (北投文物館) houses over five thousand pieces of Taiwanese folk craft dating from the Qing Dynasty up until the 1970s. The building itself is probably the best-preserved example of  Japanese architecture in Beitou and has been beautifully restored, complete with two small stone gardens and in its day it was the most luxurious hot spring hotel in Taiwan. The museum also houses a cafe and restaurant (vegetarian meals must be ordered two days in advance). It’s only a short taxi ride to get there and it’s a great experience.

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Entrance Fee: NT$120 Address: No. 32, Youya Rd., Beitou Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C 

Opening hours: Tuesday – Sunday 10:00AM – 6:00PM. It opens on Mondays if they are a national holiday.

Beitou Thermal Valley

Beitou Geothermal Valley is on the northern edge of Taipei and its hot springs have a history Going back over 200 years to when the Japanese first started using the springs. The Valley has hot springs that reach temperatures of over 100º Celcius and although you have to pay to actually take a dip in the cooler ones, you can enjoy the great views free of charge.  The Valley is easy to access on the subway and it’s a nice break from the buzz of the city center.

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Free: All time Address: No. 32, Youya Rd., Beitou Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C  Opening hours: Tue-Sun 9am – 5pm; Closed Mondays

Plum Garden

The historic Plum Garden was once a summer house of the calligraphy master and political leader Yu Youren. Built in the late 1930s, it was not until 2010 that officials renovated the building and opened it to the public.  The actual characters “Mei Ting”, meaning Plum Garden, were actually written by Yu and can be seen on a plaque at the entrance. Now housing a visitor information center to promote tourism, the traditional Japanese wood-framed architecture is amazing in its own right and as well as getting information of other places to visit, you can also see some great examples of Yu’s calligraphy.

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Free: All time Address: No.6, Zhongshan Rd., Beitou Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C  Opening Hours: Tue-Sun:09:00 – 17:00. Will be closed on Feb. 28 (2/28 Memorial Day).

  Cherry Blossom Tunnel at Fuxing 3rd Road

The well-known “Cherry Blossom Tunnel,” located at Fuxing 3rd Road, Datun Village, Beitou District, is home to a stupendous ‘river’ of flowers that extend along the entire length of the road. Meticulously maintained, the trees were planted as part of an overall floral theme many years ago and are a symbol of pride for officials and locals alike.

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Suggested Months: 03、04 Address: Fuxing 3rd Road (Beside Baigong Villa), Beitou Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C  How to go: Take Bus S(小)6 to Qingtian Temple (清天宮)

  Where to Eat?

 Man Ke Wu Ramen 滿客屋拉麵

A slightly further walk away from Puji Temple, next door to a beautiful old church. It’s a much humbler Buddhist affair than Su, but still offers delicious set meals for 100 – 200NT. Staffs were welcoming and happy, but it may be difficult to communicate this if you can’t speak Chinese. They offer an English menu.

Perhaps if you come here, try order another ramen like the fried pork chop ramen? or just order a couple of plates of that divine pork chop!

Address: No. 110, Wenquan Road, Beitou District, Taipei City, Taiwan. Tel: (+886) 2 2893-7958 Nearest MRT: Xinbeitou MRT

Sample Budget & Itinerary 

STAY IN TOUCH WITH OUR WORLD OF ADVENTURES BY CHECKING OUT:

4D3N DIY TRAVEL GUIDE TO TAIWAN

Taiwan Travel Guide Day 1: Taipei City Travel Guide Day 2: Taipei Expo Park, Yangmingshan, Beitou & More! – Yangmingshan Travel Guide – Beitou Travel Guide Day 3: Keelung City, Yehliu Geopark, Shifen Old Street, Jiufen, Jinguashi and more! Day 4: Taichung City, Taiwan

Yangmingshan National Park was established in 1985 and is next to Mt. Yangming, one of the most famous mountains in Taiwan.  It is massively popular and features volcanic formations with fragrant flowers during all four seasons. It is also known locally as the ‘Backyard of Taipei’ owing to the abundance of flora which thrives in its tropical climate, also loved by some of the unusual animals there.

Being the only national park in Taipei City, Yangmingshan National Park has always been popular with locals and foreigners alike. The park not only has lots of popular scenic sites such as Qingtiangang and the Zhuzihu but unusually the opportunity to see some of the wild animals and then eat them in the cafes! Perhaps not such a politically correct idea these days!

Pre-booked Tours

It’s better to plan your travel so you don’t have to waste hours in thinking if a place to go when you are there. Instead, write it down on a paper/notebook or type it down on your phone. Plus book your activities online beforehand as its way cheaper than buying it when you get there.

Where to get cheaper tours?

Based on our personal experiences, Klook Are a great company for discounted tours for your trip to Taiwan and we took the following from KLOOK.

Yangmingshan National Park & Hot Springs Tour

‘Unite Traveler’ 4G SIM Card (TW Airport Pick Up) for Taiwan

Yehliu Geopark Shuttle Bus from Ximen

Taipei at Night

Taipei Double Decker Bus Tour

Taipei 101 Observatory E-Ticket

THSR One Way Ticket to or from Taipei

More Activities

How to get there?

You can get to the Park’s bus terminal (Yangmingshan Bus Terminal) in less than an hour and all the buses to other destinations within Yang Ming Shan National Park can be found there as well. The reason you will need to consider ongoing buses is that different features of the whole national park (see below) are pretty widely spaced, so unless you have your own transport, a bus is a logical option.

By Bus From MRT 2 Jiantan station (劍潭), leave Exit 1 (Shilin Night Market), and walk to the left-side bus station, buses heading north. Take either city bus R5 or small bus (PREFERRED) S15 or S17 to Yangmingshan station (陽明山). The fare is NT$15, payable by cash or Easycard. This station serves as a base to explore the mountain, and the area has a few shops like 7/11 and a Starbucks. Bus 260 also leaves from Taipei Main Station, although Jiantan is recommended. Bus S15 from Jiantan is best, as it travels past the main transfer station to other destinations such as Xiaoyoukeng (小油坑), Lengshuikeng (冷水坑), and Qingtiangang Grassland Trails (擎天崗).

To get to these destinations, you can take Bus S8 (小8).

*It operates from 7:00am to 5:30pm daily, with 5 to 8 minutes interval time.

Favourite Attractions

Yangming Park, Flower Clock (陽明公園, 花鐘) 

Yang Ming Park is reachable by walking from the main bus terminal, probably taking about 30 minutes for this 2km walk. It seems like a long way for but trusts me, it is totally worth the effort as the scenery along the way is just totally awesome. You can pass by beautifully-landscaped garden compounds which are filled with purple lavender in the right season as well as roads lined with white cherry blossom. Even if your not a flower lover is an amazing spectacle!

  travel.taipei

Walking this route gives you access to massive Yang Ming Park.

It is most famous for it’s Flower Clock (花鐘), which compared to its pictures, I found a little disappointing – tribute to good photography I guess!!, even so, this is a great hiking place / budget-friendly tourist area which Is not that far to travel to from the city.

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Suggested Months: 03、04、10、05、11

By Bus If you prefer not to walk, From Yangmingshan Bus Station, take Bus 125 to Yangmingshan Park.

  Zhuzihu (竹子湖) 

The dinky little village of Zhuzihu is tucked between volcanic mountains in Yangmingshan and is another must visit place and is known for its calla lily fields. There are numerous paths into the fields and over waterways, and for a few hundred of the local currency you will be allowed to pick some of your own to take home – if you’re not into that you buy them in nearby stalls.

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Suggested Months: 02, 03、04、

By Bus

From Yangmingshan Bus Station take Bus 131, S8, or S9 to Zhuzihu (竹子湖). Take the S8 [ 小8 ] bus that leaves from Shipai MRT all the way to Zhuzihu [ 竹子湖 ] Once there you can take any bus that goes to the main visitors center in Yangmingshan and transfer to the S8 or S9 [ 小8 or 小9 ]

Xiaoyoukeng (小油坑) 

Taipei’s very own dormant volcano.  Xiaoyoukeng is considered by most to be the most beautiful scenic spot in Yangmingshan National Park. You can understand why as you walk the scenic trail of Xiaoyoukeng. It is famed for the fumaroles, sulfur crystals, hot springs and spectacular ‘landslide terrain’ formed by post-volcanic activity.

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 Xiaoyoukeng (小油坑) (literal translation ‘Little Oil Pit’)is around 20 minutes away from Zhuzi Hu by bus and although it may look close on the map, don’t be tempted to walk, it’s further than it looks.

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The shuttle bus Take you to the bus stop for Xiaoyoukeng. It takes another 3 minutes walk to the observatory platform some 50 meters away from the pit. You can see the steam gushing out from the rocks with sulfur, and if the wind is blowing at you, you will get the heat and smell of sulfur as well. Suggested Months: All Year Round

By Bus From Yangmingshan Bus Station take Bus 108 or 124 to Xiaoyoukeng (小油坑).

Mount Qixing

Mount Qixing (Seven Stars Mountain) is the highest peak in Yangmingshan National Park is a popular hiking trail and you can access it directly from the park headquarters (Miaopu entrance) and is known as the Mt. Qixing Hiking Trail (2.5 Kms.). About 1.6km into the trail, you’ll reach Qixing Park, which is a scenic rest area that also provides great views of the peak, as well as over the city of Taipei. Carry on up the trail and you’ll reach the summit of Mt. Qixing. There is an alternative 1.7km side route down to Lengshuikeng where you can grab a relaxing free dip at the public hot spring.

mytaiwantour.com

  https://www.mytaiwantour.com/blog/2016/04/25/mt-qixing-a-hike-you-cannot-miss-while-in-taipei/

https://www.mytaiwantour.com/blog/2016/04/25/mt-qixing-a-hike-you-cannot-miss-while-in-taipei/

https://www.mytaiwantour.com/blog/2016/04/25/mt-qixing-a-hike-you-cannot-miss-while-in-taipei/

Suggested Months: All Year Round

By Bus Board the 108 shuttle bus at the Yangmingshan bus station or Headquarters Visitor Center and alight at the Xiaoyoukeng.

Lengshuikeng (冷水坑)

Lengshuikeng is popular rest spot for visitors hiking or touring Yangmingshan National Park, has a visitor center with a small restaurant/café, a formal hot spring building (not for the bashful as you are separated into genders and must enter naked), as well as an outdoor foot-soaking. All hot springs are free to the public.

https://www.rtaiwanr.com/yangmingshan/lengshuikeng

https://www.rtaiwanr.com/yangmingshan/lengshuikeng

https://www.rtaiwanr.com/yangmingshan/lengshuikeng

Oddly translated into English as cold water pit, they are very much hot springs at Lengshuikeng but a little cooler than others in the area that can be 40c, so ideal for those not quite ready to be cooked! If you not ready for the full immersion experience, just try the easy foot soaking pool!

Suggested Months: 01、02、10、11、12 Opening Hours: 09:00～16:30

By Bus From Yangmingshan Bus Station take Bus 108 or S15 to either Lengshuikeng or Lengshuikeng Visitor Centre.

Menghuan Pond

Menghuan Pond is an ecological conservation zone and if famous for the extremely rare Taiwanese Isoetes (a perennial aquatic fern) as well as other aquatic animals and plants. A chorus fit for a choir is a constant from the frogs, insects, and birds that live around the pond, and is quite something to hear. Qixing Park has a pavilion, corridor, and bathrooms, and if the weather is kind you can see great views of the green hills of Mt. Qixing, Taipei City, Mt. Shamao or the Syue mountain range.

Menghuan Pond is located next to Lengshuikeng (冷水坑), a cooler-temperature hot spring with public facilities.

Suggested Months: 01、02、10、11、12 Opening Hours: 09:00～16:30

By Walk Menghuan Pond is located next to Lengshuikeng (冷水坑), a cooler-temperature hot spring with public facilities.

Qingtiangang Grassland Trails (擎天崗) 

Qingtiangang is another location worth a visit in Yangmingshan National Park. It is a beautiful grassland area, 20 minutes by bus from Xiaoyoukeng. Originally it was a tea plantation and farmland which in the 1930s, was changed into cattle farms which all closed some years ago apparently due to low demand for traditionally reared cattle. Some cattle remain to roam free around the area, not to end up on your plate but because they are a tourist attraction! It’s a vegan-friendly place to visit!

You can access Qingtiangang easily by car or bus and a drop into the visitor center is very worthwhile as there is a free guided tours start (twice a day: 9:30 and 13:30). Once you are there follow the 2.4-kilometer-long circular trail to meet those grazing cattle on the grassland as well as a number of historic ruins on the way. Weather permitting, which is normally Spring, the Jinshan plain, and the Taipei basin crowd the uninhibited views to the horizon.

Suggested Months: All Year Round

By Bus From Yangmingshan Bus Station take Bus 108 or S15 to Qingtiangang (擎天崗).

Transportation

A. Routes and Schedules 1.Shuttle Bus #108:

Round trip ticket is 60 NTD per person per day. Service Tel:+886-2-28616206

Routes: Yangjin Road (Highway 2A) , Bailaka Highway, Zhonghu Road of Armaments , Jingshan Road, Xingyuan Street. Bus Stops: Yangmingshan Bus Station, Headquarters Visitor Center, Yangmingshuwu, Zhuzihu, Mt. Qixing, Erziping, Xiaoyoukeng, Zhonghu, Menghuan Pond, Qingtiangang, Lengshuikeng (to Bus Station), Songyuan, Juansi Waterfall, Yangmingshan Bus Station. Bus schedule: 7:00～17:30 daily; Average interval of 10-20 minutes during weekends and holidays, on weekdays an average interval of 30-40 minutes.

 2. Minibus S15 (Capital Bus)

Jiantan MRT Station ←→ Qingtiangang (or Jingshan Recreation Area) Weekdays Weekends and Public Holidays 5:40 10:20 15:00 5:40 12:00 6:20 10:40 15:20 6:20 12:30 6:40 11:00 15:40 6:50 13:10 7:00 11:20 16:00 7:20 14:00 7:20 11:40 16:20 8:00 14:30 7:40 12:00 16:40 8:30 15:00 8:00 12:20 17:00 9:00 15:30 8:20 12:40 17:30 9:30 16:00 8:40 13:00 18:10 10:00 17:30 9:00 13:20 19:30 10:30 19:30 9:20 13:40 20:50 11:00 20:50 9:40 14:00 22:30 11:30 22:30 10:00 14:20 14:40 Service Tel: 0800-000-866

3. #681:

Donghu ←→ Yangmingshan Second Parking Lot (06:00～18:30)

Weekdays:

Departure times at Donghu: 05:30, 06:00, 06:15, 06:30, 06:45, 07:00, 07:30, 08:00, 08:30, 09:00, 09:30, 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 13:00, 13:40, 14:20, 15:00, 15:20, 15:40, 16:00, 16:20, 16:40, 17:00, 17:20, 17:40, 18:00 Departure times at Yangmingshan Second Parking Lot: 06:30, 07:10, 07:30, 07:50, 08:10, 08:30, 09:00, 09:30, 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 13:30, 13:30, 14:00, 14:40, 15:20, 16:00, 16:20, 16:40, 17:00, 17:20, 17:40, 18:00, 18:30, 19:40

Weekends and Public Holidays:

Departure times at Donghu: 06:00, 07:00, 09:00, 11:00, 13:00, 14:00, 16:00, 18:30 Departure times at Yangmingshan Second Parking Lot: 07:30, 09:00, 11:00, 12:30, 14:30, 15:30, 17:30, 20:00

4. Minibus S9 (Danan Bus)

Beitou ←→ Zhuzihu 5:20 7:45 11:00 15:00 18:20 5:45 8:20 11:40 15:40 19:00 6:10 9:00 12:20 16:20 19:40 6:30 9:40 13:00 17:00 20:20 7:10 10:20 13:40 17:40 21:00 14:20 22:50 MRT Beitou Station ←→ Headquarters Visitor Center ←→ Zhuzihu Service Tel: 0800-089-456

5. 1717 Royal Bus

Taipei ←→ Jinshan Taipei→Jinshan Jinshan→Taipei Weekdays Weekends and Public Holidays Weekdays Weekends and Public Holidays 6:30 14:30 7:00 13:30 6:00 15:20 7:00 14:00 6:40 15:30 8:00 14:30 7:00 16:00 8:00 14:30 7:00 16:30 8:30 15:30 8:00 16:40 9:00 15:30 8:00 17:30 9:00 16:30 9:00 17:00 10:00 16:30 9:00 18:30 9:30 17:30 10:00 18:00 10:40 17:30 10:00 19:00 10:00 18:30 11:30 19:00 11:30 18:30 11:00 10:40 12:30 12:30 12:00 11:40 13:30 13:00 13:30 12:40 14:30 13:30 Taipei(Bureau of National Health Insurance) → Headquarters Visitor Center → Mt.Qixing Bus Stop → Zhonghu → Jinshan Service Tel: 0800-551-687

6. #260:

Taipei Railway Station←→ Yangmingshan Bus Station (6:00～22:30) Peak Hour: Every 7～10 minutes Off-Peak Hour: Ever 10～15 minutes Service Tel: +886-2-28616206

7. #230:

MRT Beitou Station ←→ Yangmingshan Bus Station (5:30～22:45) Every 30～45 minutes Service Tel: 0800-089-456

8. Red#5

(Connects to MRT at Jiantan MRT Station): Jiantan MRT station ←→ Yangmingshan Bus Station (5:30～24:40) Peak Hour: Every 5～8 minutes Off-Peak Hour: Every 12～15mintues Service Tel: +886-2-28616206

Tips and Reminders

1.High-temperature areas such as fumaroles and geothermal springs are unstable. Always stay on the trail. 2.To avoid slipping and getting lost, please stay on the trial. 3.Trails may be slippery, walk slowly. 4.Use headlights at all times when driving on mountainous roads, in fog use fog lights and drive slowly. 5.Be prepared for changeable weather before climbing mountains and hiking. 6.If poisonous snakes or wasps appear on the trail, leave quickly and quietly. 7.Do not wear colorful clothes or use perfumes, so as to avoid attack by wasps.

Overall, Yangmingshan National Park is one of the perfect places to get close to the nature in Taipei City!

Official Website: Yangmingshan National Park

STAY IN TOUCH WITH OUR WORLD OF ADVENTURES BY CHECKING OUT:

4D3N DIY TRAVEL GUIDE TO TAIWAN

Taiwan Travel Guide Day 1: Taipei City Travel Guide Day 2: Taipei Expo Park, Yangmingshan, Beitou & More! – Yangmingshan Travel Guide – Beitou Travel Guide Day 3: Keelung City, Yehliu Geopark, Shifen Old Street, Jiufen, Jinguashi and more! Day 4: Taichung City, Taiwan

Day 2 of our stay in Taiwan. Tired from our Day 1 activity, we woke up early to stick with our itinerary. Today’s itinerary is a bit different because we are going to experience the off beaten path tourist destinations often overlooked by most of the tourist when they come to Taiwan. Here, one will experience the Japanese influence left in the country and the Mainland China. So let’s start!

Pre-booked Tours

It’s better to plan your travel so you don’t have to waste hours in thinking if a place to go when you are there. Instead, write it down on a paper/notebook or type it down on your phone. Plus book your activities online beforehand as its way cheaper than buying it when you get there.

Where to get cheaper tours?

Based on our personal experiences, Klook Are a great company for discounted tours for your trip to Taiwan and we took the following from KLOOK.

Yangmingshan National Park & Hot Springs Tour

‘Unite Traveler’ 4G SIM Card (TW Airport Pick Up) for Taiwan

Yehliu Geopark Shuttle Bus from Ximen

Taipei at Night

Taipei Double Decker Bus Tour

Taipei 101 Observatory E-Ticket

THSR One Way Ticket to or from Taipei

More Activities

Places We Visited

Taipei Expo Park  

The Expo Park was a big noise in 2011  during an International Floral Expo, but this often overlooked attraction is well worth a visit. Its huge, kids friendly, gardens are great with loads of interesting pavilions to rest your feet and watch the world go by. ?aid=2313

It’s easy to access from the nearby Yuanshan MRT Station and is close to the Maji Maji Square shopping and food area when you moving to the Fine Arts Park and Museum. The museum also offers free interactive child-themed exhibits in the basement as well as a cafe that serves child-friendly meals in plastic car and plane dishes.

Finally a little further on is the Xinsheng Park and the Lin Tai Ancestral House. Entrance Fee is FREE except to Taipei Fine Arts Museum where you need to pay 30NT$.

Yuanshan Park

Yuanshan Park! One part of the Taipei Expo Park.

Taipei Fine Arts Museum

Taipei Fine Arts Museum

Taipei Fine Arts Museum

Maji Maji Mall

Maji Maji Mall Photo by: fattrips

Maji Maji Mall Cafeteria

Xinsheng Park

Xingsheng Park Photo by: fattrips

Xinsheng Park Photo by: fattrips

Maze Garden at Xinsheng Park

Lin Tai Ancestral House

Photo by: atoddlerintaipei

Park Address: No. 1, Yumen St., Zhongshan Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C Entrance Fee: No Entrance Fee Opening Hours: Tue – Thu & Sun, 9AM-5PM; Fri – Sat, 9AM-8PM; Closed on Monday

How to get there: Option 1:

From our hotel, We took the Green Line from Namjing Sanmin Station to Zhongshan Station then transferred at Red Line and we got off at Yuanshan Station. Taipei Expo Park is Beside the station.

Option 2: 

By MRT After arriving at Yuanshan (圓山) on the Red Line 2, exit into Taipei Expo Park, walk east to enter the park. The park is readily visible from the MRT station.

  Confucious Temple & Dalongdong Bao-an Temple 

These are THE two temples that you have to visit and are seldom visited by tourists in comparison to others like Longshan Temple. With these 2 you have a serene tranquility almost an out of body religious experience as well as fantastic architecture.

Confucious Temple

The Confucius Temple honors one of the greatest philosophers of all time and exemplifies his teaching- simplicity and you will notice the lack of elaborate wall designs and the blinding mixture of gold and red colors.

Dalongdong Bao-an Temple 

Just behind the Confucius Temple is the also renowned Dalongdong Bao-an Temple. Established in 1742, it was awarded a UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award in 2003.

Perhaps a little sadly, the Bao-an Temple is usually visited by people praying for good health or recovery from illness, but you will be pleased to know that the temple deity, Baosheng Dadi, seems to grant many visitors a speedy return to health! Taking over 25 years to build with materials mostly sourced in Mainland China, Bao-an Temple is a style icon along the lines of those of the more exotic temples.

So 2 contrasting experiences right next to each other – be sure not to miss them!

Address: No.275, Dalong St., Datong Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C Entrance Fee: No Entrance Fee Opening Hours: Tues~Sat: 08:30~21:00; Sundays and National Holidays: 08:30~17:00; Closed on Mondays

How to get there: Option 1:

From Taipei Expo Park, use your google to reach the Confucius Temple.

Option 2:

By MRT Take the Red Line 2 to Yuanshan Station (圓山). After leaving by Exit 2, continue walking down Kulun St (庫倫街), take a right at the intersection of Dalong St (大龍街). The main entrance will be located on the right side. Youbike A rental station is located slightly further along Dalong Street at the intersection of Hami Street. When exiting the temple, turn right and walk 70 meters.

  Yangmingshan National Park

The park is famous for its cherry blossoms, unique volcanic geology, and topographical sights, with signs of volcanic activity like fumaroles and hot springs everywhere. It’s easy to reach from Taipei, just one hour by bus. Due to its accessibility for the people of northern Taiwan, on weekends and holidays, the park attracts countless hikers and other visitors who come to enjoy the scenery.

Yangmingshan National Park

Yangmingshan National Park

Park Address: No. 1-20, Zhuzihu Road, Shilin Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C  Entrance Fee: No Entrance Fee Best Months: 01、02、10、11、12

How to get there: Option 1:

Go back to Yuanshan Station, then take MRT, get off at the next station – which is the Jiantan Station. Wait for the bus s15 on the left side of the station going to Yangmingshan Park.

Option 2:

By Bus From MRT 2 Jiantan station (劍潭), leave Exit 1 (Shilin Night Market), and walk to the left-side bus station, buses heading north. Take either city bus R5 or small bus (PREFERRED) S15 or S17 to Yangmingshan station (陽明山). The fare is NT$15, payable by cash or Easycard. This station serves as a base to explore the mountain, and the area has a few shops like 7/11 and a Starbucks. Bus 260 also leaves from Taipei Main Station, although Jiantan is recommended. Bus S15 from Jiantan is best, as it travels past the main transfer station to other destinations such as Xiaoyoukeng (小油坑), Lengshuikeng (冷水坑), and Qingtiangang Grassland Trails (擎天崗).

    Xinbeitou Station

From Beitou station a one-station branch line runs to Xin Beitou station, which is near the hot springs area. One train services this line running back and forth between Beitou and Xinbeitou MRT stations, departing from each end approximately every ten minutes.

In order to get close to the hot springs, you can go from Beitou Station direct to Xin Beitou. The train goes every 10 minutes. You can rent a bike (YouBike)when you arrive which makes it so much easier to get around but you can walk if you have the energy and stamina and if you’re going to want to visit the Beitou Museum it’s a fair old trek on foot!

How to get there: Option 1: 

From Yangmingshan, Wait for bus 108 (only bus going to Yangmingshan Bus Station) then from Yangmingshan Bus Station take bus 9 or 230 opposite of 7/11 and Starbucks then get off at Xinbeitou Station in front of the Youbike area.

Option 2:

By MRT: Take the MRT Red Line 2 to Beitou Station (北投), then change to the train bound for Xinbeitou (新北投). Upon exiting the station, walk straight on either side of the park to find hot springs.

    Beitou

Beitou is a geothermally active region about half an hour by MRT from Taipei. A prime tourist spot for domestic and international tourists, it’s famous for its hot springs, Japanese history, and its geothermally active park and spring.

To reach Beitou take the red MRT line towards Tamsui Station or Beitou Station, transfer at Beitou Station to the Xinbeitou Line, which reaches XinBeitou Station (the hot spring area) in a few minutes (one stop). From there it’s a few minutes walk to the Hot Springs Park. A trip to Beitou could easily take a whole afternoon and is often combined with a trip to Yangminshan.

Use your Google Maps in getting around Beitou as the tourist spots are just near to each other. We paid 55NT$ in total for our Youbike.

  National Palace Museum

Before heading to Shilin Night Market and if you still got plenty of time, you can still include this in your itinerary. The Taipei National Palace Museum can trade punches with any world-class museum anywhere and contains some of the rarest pieces from centuries of Chinese dynastic rulers and how they got there is a great story in its own right.

The design of the museum itself mimics the Northern Chinese Palace in The Forbidden City and contains over 700,000 pieces of Chinese imperial art spanning a total of 8,000 years! Needless to say, it can get very busy (over 6 million visitors a year) but if you enjoy ancient Chinese art and history this is a no-brainer – can’t be left out of your places to go in Taipei.

kosublog.com

Park Address: No. 221, Sec. 2, Zhishan Rd., Shilin Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C  Entrance Fee: NTD $350 Opening Hours: 09:00 – 17:00 (Sunday ~ Friday) 09:00 – 20:30 (Saturday)

How to get there: Option 1: 

From Xinbeitou Station, take the MRT and get off at Shilin Station, then you have an option to ride the bus or Youbike going to National Palace Museum.

Option 2: 

By MRT & Bus:

From MRT Red Line 2 Shilin station (士林), walk outside the station and board Bus R30 (紅30), fare NT$15, payable by cash or Easycard. Do not cross the road, as busses on the MRT station side of the road head east towards the museum. Busses generally leave every 30 mins on weekdays until 7PM and 15 mins on weekends until 6:55PM. To visit Shilin Night Market after the museum, take R30 back to the city, but stay on after MRT Shilin until the night market (MRT Jiantan). Additional buses are available after hours on Friday and Saturday evenings. Bus BR20 (棕20) also travels from the museum to Brown Line 1 Dazhi station, however, Shilin is recommended for speed and convenience.

Xiangshan Park

Elephant Mountain

Elephant Mountain (it’s more a big hill) is known for being a great place to get amazing pictures, not least Taipei 101, but also if you’re lucky, some drop-dead fantastic sunsets, so a good time to start a hike is during the afternoon to coincide with the event. The climb takes roughly 15-20 minutes with a lot of steps along the way, but it’s not too hard to reach, even for even for those of moderate fitness. There are rest points, benches and viewing balconies along the way if needed. It is all free and that’s fantastic but the drawback is that it can be pretty crowded not only with sightseers but also lots of locals who can often be seen walking up backward for some reason, as well as aspiring athletes engaged in the rigors of training. But it’s all worth it if you get your timing right and nature cooperates and you get 101 with a stunning sunset behind – quiet breathtaking!

Elephant Mountain

How hard is the hike? Not too hard.  Like I said, it’s 15-20 mins, maybe 30 minutes up if you’re a little out of shape, and while it’s pretty steep, there are plenty of rest stops and seats on the way to take a break. I’d recommend taking a bottle of water and a towel, other than that it’s pretty basic.

There’s no ticket necessary for the hike, so you can rock up pretty much any time and actually the night hike is super popular too.  Another benefit of the evening hike is that it’s not so bloody hot!

Park Address: Xiangshan (Mt. Elephant), Xinyi Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C  Entrance Fee: No Entrance Fee Reminders: 1. Trail length: Hiking trail: approx. 1.5km, total: approx 2.3km 2. Altitude: 183m 3. Walking time: approx. 1 hr 40 min

How to get there: Option 1: 

From Xinbeitou Station, Take the MRT Red Line going to Beitou Station, Transfer to another train then alight at Xiangshan Station. It will take you 12 mins or more to reach the Hiking trail Jump-off.

Option 2:

By Mrt After arriving at Xiangshan station (象山), the terminus of Red Line 2, leave from Exit 2 and continue walking alongside the edge of the park. At the end of this road, take a left and follow until the entrance for Xiangshan Hiking Trail (象山登山步道), total 650 meters, around 20 mins. Youbike The closest station is located along the street next to the park at the base of the trail. Another station is located across the street from Taipei 101.

    Shilin Night Market

There are many night markets in Taipei but none can shine a light on Shilin. It’s the biggest, best, most popular and downright top dog of them all. It has everything from a massive selection of food to gaudy, yet amusing, tourist nonsense that you can haul back to not so good friends and family! It’s like some unsolvable maze to walk around and you can’t help feeling you been somewhere before 10 minutes after you think you were there previously, but that’s all part of the fun of such a great place that oozes atmosphere from every single nook and cranny. Be there or be square – and you can buy them too!

Shilin Night Market

Shilin Night Market

Many of Taiwan’s traditional foods can be found and bought for reasonable prices from the friendly locals who are eager to let you taste the unique flavours of their traditional recipes such as Giant Fried Chicken Steak, Tempura, Bubble Tea, Oyster Vermicelli Oyster Omelet, Fried Buns and of course, the most notorious Taiwanese goodie, Stinky Tofu.

Shilin Night Market

Park Address:  Jihe Rd., Shilin Dist., Taipei City Taiwan, R.O.C  Opening Hours: Daily 17:00 – 24:00

How to get there: Option 1:

From Xiangshan Station, Take MRT Red Line going to Shilin Station, But you may also opt to get off at Jiantan Station as it’s just across the station.

Option 2:

By Mrt Take the Red Line 2 to Jiantan Station (劍潭), not Shilin Station. After leaving Exit 1, diagonally across the street to the left to enter the night market.

Taipei Expo Park + Yangmingshan + Beitou + Elephant Mountain + Shilin Night Market Itinerary & Expenses

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Taipei City Travel Guide

4D3N DIY TRAVEL GUIDE TO TAIWAN Taiwan Travel Guide Day 1: Taipei City Day 2: Taipei Expo Park, Yangmingshan, Beitou & More! – Yangmingshan Travel Guide – Beitou Travel Guide Day 3: Keelung City, Yehliu Geopark, Shifen Old Street, Jiufen, Jinguashi and more! Day 4: Taichung City, Taiwan Day 1 – Taipei City Attractions

Day 1 on our Taiwan Itinerary was to explore Taipei City. Taipei is a…

4D3N DIY TRAVEL GUIDE TO TAIWAN

Day 1: Taipei City Day 2: Taipei Expo Park, Yangmingshan, Beitou & More! – Yangmingshan Travel Guide – Beitou Travel Guide Day 3: Keelung City, Yehliu Geopark, Shifen Old Street, Jiufen, Jinguashi and more! Day 4: Taichung City, Taiwan

  Here are things you need to know before your trip:

1.Check if your Country is VISA free

Normally if your passport still has a least 6 months validity you can apply for a visa, but please check details for your own country. A Tourist/Visitor visa requires filling in a form and satisfying the requirements (it’s all on the Taiwan official web site).

Citizens of the Philippines: Visitors to Taiwan for tourism purposes are permitted a 14 day stay starting on 1 November 2017 until 31 July, 2018. For other cases, please apply for e-Visa or ROC Travel Authorization Certificate.

Arrival Information Documents required for entering Taiwan: 1. Passport 2. Return ticket 3. Customs declaration form 4. Hotel Reservation or any proof of accommodation 5. Foreign nationals: Visa, arrival card, boarding pass

Find Out More

2. Book your Ticket & Hotel

Most of the flights from the Philippines to Taiwan go through the night and arrive early morning, so their not the best, but a typical ticket price bought well in advance is around PHP 2,000 return plus luggage – but there are always loads of spot promotions so you never know your luck!

Hotels abound and cater for all types of budgets – use all the usual online hotel search sites as even the cost of the same hotel can vary depending on which site you check out. In our case, we stayed at Jiizu Hostel. We paid Php3456.28 in our 4D3N stay. Check-in is from 2pm onwards but you may store your luggage as early as 7am. Their rooms are so clean and service is really accommodating. But if you want to check out other hotels you can check Agoda.

Book Here

  4. Plan your Itinerary

It’s better to plan your travel so you don’t have to waste hours in thinking if a place to go when you are there. Instead, write it down on a paper/notebook or type it down on your phone. Plus book your activities online beforehand as its way cheaper than buying it when you get there.

Where to get cheaper tours?

Based on our personal experiences, Klook Are a great company for discounted tours for your trip to Taiwan and we took the following from KLOOK

‘Unite Traveler’ 4G SIM Card (TW Airport Pick Up) for Taiwan

Yehliu Geopark Shuttle Bus from Ximen

Taipei 101 Observatory E-Ticket

THSR One Way Ticket to or from Taipei

Yangmingshan National Park & Hot Springs Tour

More Activities

5. Get a Local Simcard or Pocket Wifi

We bought our sim cards online via Klook for Php531 with 5 days Unlimited Internet (Buy here). I prefer getting a Simcard because data roaming with a Philippines network is so expensive. You can purchase sim cards at the airport but they are so expensive and are often not even open, so if you want to use Youbike you will need a working data mobile phone.

Pick Up Location:(Opening Hours: 5:30am-1:00am)

Taoyuan International Airport(TPE) Terminal 1, counter 3, Unite Traveler

Taoyuan International Airport(TPE) Terminal 2, counter 3, Unite Traveler

In picking up your Simcard you need 2 things: 1.Your Passport 3. Another Valid ID ( Drivers License, Birth Certificate and so on.. ) One person can purchase up to 5 Sim cards 

Opening Hours: 5:30am-1:00am

Pick up near the arrival area!

Book Here

Note: Free Public Wi-Fi

Each connection only lasts 4 hours before you’ll need to re-connect. Check out the location of Wi-Fi Hotspots here and some popular FAQs answered here.

With the same iTaiwan account, you may use local internet Wi-Fi service in other cities such as New Taipei, Tainan, Taichung, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Changhua and Taitung.

Be very careful with what data (e.g. passwords, usernames etc) you share during connection because the connecting process uses unencrypted transmissions. This might cause information you put out there to be stolen.

6. Get an EasyCard 

The EasyCard is one of the most important things to have in Taipei. Among the things, you can use these contactless smartcards for the excellent metro, the city bike scheme, buses, ferries, and even taxis. You can use them to pay for public parking, and as a prepaid credit card for convenience stores and supermarkets. They can also get you into the zoo, the Maokong Gondolas, Youbikes and some museums. Buy them at Metro and bus stations or at convenience stores. In our case, we bought them at the convenience store downstairs the Arrival Area. A standard fare card is NTD100 ($3), and they can be topped-up in amounts up to NTD10,000 ($310). Any unused cash can be refunded

We bought Easycard at the convenience store near the arrival area.

7. Where to change money?

If you think ahead then order your foreign currency in advance through your bank or in the malls. Changing money at any airport is a rip off so try to avoid. You can of course use credit and debit cards, but check with your bank as to charges. Don’t take peso cash and no one wants to change them, so if you can’t get local currency in advance get some US Dollars instead.

In our case, We exchange our USD at the airport and get a great deal.

In our case, We exchange our USD at the airport and get a great deal.

  Getting out of Taoyuan International Airport

The transportation network connecting to the Taoyuan International Airport is highly efficient. Travelers entering or departing the country can choose from a variety of transportation methods to and from the airport. The high-speed rail which allows direct access to all major cities and the buses which travel between various regions make it extremely convenient for travelers to go to and from the destination of their choice and the airport.

Visitors may also take a taxi, a tour bus, or car rentals if they wish to reach their destination directly.

Shuttle bus to THSR Taoyuan Station

Taoyuan International Airport a complete THSR shuttle bus routes network connecting the airport, Novotel Hotel, and THSR station, providing a comfortable, convenient, low-cost and practical transportation option for travelers.

Shuttle information Ticket price: full fare NT$30, half fare NT$15. Ticketing: Tickets sold at bus counters. Intervals: 06:15-21:45 15-30 mins 21:45:22:50 20-40 mins Trip length: 25 minutes.

The Taiwan Airport MRT has Express and Commuter Trains. The Express Trains are for airport passengers and travel time is 38 minutes while Commuter trains have more stops and the travel time is 1 hour & 10 minutes and you can pay using your EasyCard. The Airport MRT is also one of the best ways to get to Taipei from the airport. It costs 160NTD one way. Make sure to ride the express service, which is only a 35 minutes train ride from Taipei Main Station, than the commuter service who stops at all stations before the airport. It is also just available at 6AM to 11PM.

If you arrive at 2am or so, like we did, the best option is to take a bus going to Taipei (Cost 125NTD) Buses are 24/7 with 15-20mins interval.

If you are arriving in Taiwan around 11pm to 7am it’s really quiet and you can opt for a hassle-free transfer from Taoyuan International Airport to Taipei. You can book the Taiwan Airport Carpool Transfer here. or Choose a private car from Taiwan Airport Transfer, good for 4 persons.  Click here for Private Car Aiport Transfer.

Book Carpool Transfer Book Private Car

Getting Around Taiwan

Train – This is probably your best bet, but if you arrive at the airport after 12am then the train station will be closed, but on a normal day it’s the best and most efficient way to travel. From your hotel just take a cab to the nearest Station. We took the Express train to the airport which was I think about 100-150 NTD. For trips around the city Taipei Metro is the easiest way to get around; it’s convenient, fast, easy and cheap. A basic ride starts at 20NTD (around 35Php) so our advice to you is to get a travel card called an EasyCard. The fare using EasyCard is 20% lower than the single ride ticket. It costs 100NTD which is consumable.

Bus – If you are going to New Taipei City or any other northern province, it is better to ride the bus. We used Google Maps to know where the bus stops and what bus number should to ride. EasyCard can also be used here. A bus showing 上, will cost a fare of  NT$15 (US$0.49) or one showing 下, Will be NT$15 (US$0.49).

Taxi – Strange as this may seem, not only is this the most expensive travel option but it’s all the least effective. An average trip from the Airport or your hotel will cost around 800+ NTD that’s 1000+ Php. and the drivers speak little English so you need google maps or similar to show them where you want to go.

Uber – Uber is the only app bested taxi service in Taiwan and they do not accept cash payment, only credit cards or account.

Rent a car – You may prefer to pre rent a car and that saves long taxi queues etc., check out Klook for offers Private Car Charter.

Rent a Youbike – This is a bike sharing system and it is all over the city! This is definitely recommended if you want to save time and energy avioding long walks. All you need is an EasyCard and a local mobile number to be able to register in the kiosk terminal. One mobile number can register up to 5 EasyCards. Once your registered, you just need to tap your EasyCard on the bike terminal to use and once you return it at another kiosk just tap your EasyCard again to terminate the hire. The first 30 minutes of each trip is free then the following 30 minutes will cost 10NTD.

Taiwan High-Speed Rail  (THSR) –  is a high-speed rail line that covers the West coast of Taiwan. It starts from Taipei Main Station and ends at Kaohsiung in the South. It’s an amazing service and can reach speeds of up to 300kph. Taiwan has train pass packages to help tourists save money, especially so if you’re planning to visit places outside of Taipei (which we highly encourage you to!).You can check out Klook’s 3 Day THSR Tourist Pass Guide and 5 Day Joint Train Pass Guide to discover the many places of interest, both mainstream and hidden gems like.

Sun Moon Lake

Alishan

Da Han Bridge (bungee jumping everyone!)

Shei Pa National Park

Lotus Water Park (wakeboarding time!)

Rao He Night Market

Feng Chia Night Market…and so many more!

4D3N Taiwan Itinerary & Expenses

Day 1: Taipei City 

 Detailed Guide

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall

Presidential Office Building

National Taiwan Museum

228 Peace Memorial Park

Lin Family Mansion and Garden

Dahu Park

Maokong Gondola

Taipei Zoo

Taipei Zoo

Taipei 101 Observatory

Day 2: Taipei Expo Park, Yangmingshan, Beitou & More!

 Detailed Guide

Taipei Expo Park  

Dalongdong Bao-an Temple 

Yangmingshan National Park

Yangmingshan National Park

National Palace Museum

Elephant Mountain

Elephant Mountain

Shilin Night Market

Day 3: Keelung City, Yehliu Geopark, Shifen Old Street, Jiufen, Jinguashi and more!

 Detailed Guide

Keelung City

Yehliu Geopark

Yehliu Geopark

Jiufen

Jiufen

Shifen Old Street

Shifen Old Street

Amitea house

Raohe Night Market

Raohe Night Market

 Day 4: Taichung City, Taiwan

 Detailed Guide

Taichung City

National Museum of Natural Science

Gaomei Wetland

Rainbow Village

Rainbow Village

Miyahara

Taichung Park

*Expenses may differ depends on what you eat or where you eat plus I didn’t include here the Php1,500 pesos I spent for Pasalubong (take home gifts).

Tourist Spots in Taiwan

BUILDINGS AND MONUMENTS MUSEUMS Lin An Tai Ancestral Home Taipei 101 Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall Grand Hotel Taipei Film House National Martyr’s Shrine Fort Santo Domingo Lin Family Mansion and Garden Beitou Public Library Chiang Kai-Shek Shilin Residence Plum Garden Taipei Guest House The Red House National Palace Museum Taipei Fine Arts Museum Suho Memorial Paper Culture Museum Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei Beitou Hot Springs Museum Taipei Astronomical Museum Shung Ye Museum National Museum of History Miniatures Museum of Taiwan Museum of Drinking Water National Taiwan Museum Taiwan Folk Arts Museum PARKS AND GARDENS TEMPLES Yehliu Geopark Zhishan Ecological Garden Taipei Zoo Maokong Tea Plantations and Gondola Yangmingshan National Park Daan Forest Park Xinsheng Park Huashan 1914 Creative Park Jinguashi Gold Ecological Park Taipei Botanical Gardens 228 Peace Park Quingshui Temple Bao’an Temple Longshan Temple Taipei Confucious Temple Xingtian Temple Zhishan Huiji Temple Guandu Temple Beitou Puji Temple Zhinan Temple Songshan Ciyou Temple MOUNTAINS AND HIKES

WATERFALLS AND GEOTHERMAL ACTIVITY

Elephant Mountain/ Four Beasts Trail Xiaotzukeng Old Trail Tianmu Trail Mount Shamao Trail Juansi Waterfall Trail Jinmianshan/ Little Gold Face Mountain Teapot Mountain Lion’s Head Mountain Dalunwei and Daluntou Hiking Trails Guanyin Mountain Xianjiyan Hiking Trail Menghuan Pond Trail Battleship Rock Pingding Historical Canal Caoling Old Trail and Wankengtou Mountain Jinbaoli Trail Qingtiangang Circular Trail Jiantan Mountain Trail Qixingshan/ Seven Star Mountain Erziping Trail Da Tun Shan Hiking Trail Mount Miantian Mount Caigongkeng Trail Zhong Zhen Shan Hiking Trail Mount Ding and Mount Shiti Trail

Xiaoyoukeng Recreation Area Wulai Waterfall Lengshuikeng/ Milk Lake Shengren Waterfall Beitou Thermal “Hell” Valley Shifen Waterfall Sandiaoling Waterfalls Longfenggu Geothermal Area Yuemeikeng Waterfall NEIGHBORHOODS TO EXPLORE Juifen Old Town Bopiliao Ancient Street Dihua Street Dadaocheng Wharf Ximending Shopping District Bitan Scenic Area Danshui/ Tamsui Waterfront

Things you need to Know!

What to Eat?

Taipei is a foodie paradise. There are so many good dishes and some of the most favored include braised pork on rice, beef noodles, oyster omelet, and pearl milk tea (bubble tea). There are really so many good things to try that you could write pages on this subject alone, but for the more unusual dishes to keep an eye out for , look for fried cuttlefish soup, Dongshan duck head, Taiwanese meatballs, shredded chicken on rice, pepper popcorn chicken (Taiwanese fried chicken), flaky scallion pancakes, hot grass jelly, and mango shaved ice etc. Most are not expensive and have some unique tastes!

Must-Buy

Pastries and Tea go together in Taipei like a horse and carriage! In the more traditional cafes, the old ways still prevail, but there are plenty of more modern slants on an old theme. Specialty teas include Tieguanyin and Baozhong and don’t forget to try the delicious local pineapple cakes, mung-bean cakes, and nougat candies.

Tipping

Tipping is not customary in Taipei, but some hotels and restaurants automatically add a 10% service fee to the bill.

Night Markets

Taipei’s night markets are the places to go for the overall food experience. You don’t want to arrive earlier than 8/9pm or you will not get the full atmospheric effect of the places. Greater Taipei has more than two dozen night markets, and Shilin, Raohe (don’t miss black pepper pork puns by the temple entrance) and Ningxia with its excellent fried chicken, are the most popular. Sadly as they are so popular with tourists from all over the world, they are becoming ‘fashionably’ pricey, so do try the lest well-known places such as Nanjichang in gritty Wanhua district, or Dalongdong in historic Datong district. Nanya night market in Banqiao, Sanhe night market in Sanchong, and Luzhou-Miaokou night market in Luzhou are also Less famous.

Shilin Night Market

Shilin Night Market

Raohe Night Market

Raohe Night Market

Feng Chia Night Market

Shilin Night Market

Top 10 Night Markets in Taiwan

Most Charming Shilin Night Market (Taipei) Best Shopping Huaxi St. Night Market (Taipei) Most Unique Ningxia Night Market (Taipei) Wenhua Night Market ( Chiayi) Flower Night Market (Tainan) Zhonghua Street Market (Fengshan) Tastiest

Fengjia Night Market (Taichung)

Most Popular

Liuhe Night Market (Kaohsiung)

Friendliest Ludong Night Market (Yilan) Tastiest & Friendliest

Miaokou Night Market (Keelung)

Apps to Download

I recommend these apps. These are life-saver apps.

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