17 to 22 December - My maiden Taiwan trip ...


Adam Goi

ClubSNAP Idol
Staff member
Hi people, decided to start a thread here which I'll also update (hopefully with pictures and all) along the way when I'm there ...

Woo hoo! Counting down to 17 Dec! After doing a bit of research as well as getting input from very kind friends and as well as wonderful CS members, think I'll be checking out the the night markets like Shilin, Ningxia and Huaxi, attractions such as the National Palace Museum, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial hall, the Flora Expo, Danshui, Fisherman's Wharf, Yang Ming Shan and Jiufen ... I've even sign up for two short day tours conducted by their local volunteers ...

I guess on top of all these, I need to get a YoYo card ... any recommendation on where I should get food especially for lunch (dinner is likely to be at the night markets?) ... are there any food or place which I really must go and try, otherwise people will say 'you wasted your whole trip"?

Any feedback? Thanks in advance!
 

Out of the top of my head:
Must try: Ah zhong mian xian - I had it at shilin market. I think Ximending also have.

At shilin, I saw many stalls serving the beef steak. I did not try it but it looks quite popular with the locals. Maybe because it is cheap?

You can try the food stalls along the streets at Danshui also.

Beef noodles at Jiufen! I forgot which stall though.

For sights, besides the usual attractions, there's a Miniature Museum in taipei which I recommend.
 

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Do note that theres always a super long queue at the flora expo, easily can kill off half a day for queue-ing there .

Try not to go to Jiufen during weekends, there will always be traffic jam while going up there and theres alot of people. When i say alot it really means alot , to the extend of shoulder to shoulder throughout the entire street.

Well, for XiMenDing, weekdays would definately have lesser crowds. Weekends is also pretty manageble.
Ah Zhong Mian Xian is a must-try, its located at Ximending. Add vinegar for more punch !!


Don't forget to get their cup noodles for supper, its also a must try :)
Their cup noodles come with beef meat inside, yes real beef meat.


This is the brand to get:
DSCN5889+copy.jpg

http://ylyn-journal.blogspot.com/2009/05/beef-cup-noodles-from-taiwan_15.html


Also, if you wanna stay for sunset in the Fisherman's Wharf:

Sunset @ Taipei 漁人碼頭 Yu Ren Ma Tou by Joe Joe 12 (Very Busy), on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39554395@N08/5012077022/

Do note by 6pm, its pitch dark already. Sunsets around 5pm.

Generally, for shopping wise, price are slightly lesser if not similar to S'pore.
Food wise, definately worth spending on.

As for the Taipei 101, its the 2nd tallest building in the world right now(1st is located in Dubai, 2717 ft). But it holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest elevator in the world.
IF its foggy, no point going up the 101. Tix costs 400NT($20) to go up.


So, its all that i have for you. Some things are better off exploring on your own.
Have a pleasant trip !! :)
 

hmm...in terms of food, u can try the hao2 da4 ji1 pai2 (big chicken cutlet) at Shilin market. its along the boundary of the market with a blue signboard and with lots of people queueing up...lol....

u shld also go to Feng Jia night market cos besides good food like the lan3 ren2 xia1 (lazy prawns)...that place is also famous for shopping esp shoes which are cheaper than sg...
 


Woo hoo! Counting down to 17 Dec! After doing a bit of research as well as getting input from very kind friends and as well as wonderful CS members, think I'll be checking out the the night markets like Shilin, Ningxia and Huaxi, attractions such as the National Palace Museum, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial hall, the Flora Expo, Danshui, Fisherman's Wharf, Yang Ming Shan and Jiufen ... I've even sign up for two short day tours conducted by their local volunteers ...


May I know how you sign up the day tour? any link? Thanks
Me also planning for a possible Taiwan trip...
 

Hi there, you can check out www.travelintaipei.com.tw ... so when you're leaving? Will share my feedback after the tours, which last about 4 hours, which I reckon will provide tourists like us a snapshot of things ...

So when are you going?

May I know how you sign up the day tour? any link? Thanks
Me also planning for a possible Taiwan trip...
 

Urgh! Jetting off in less 8 hours and I haven't decided what to do first ... heh ... got all the inputs at hand (but keep them coming!), guess need to organise them ...

By the way, I think by the time I check in, it'll be between 1-2pm, hopefully ... anyone can suggest where I should head first for my first lunch in Taiwan (FLIT)? Heh ... sounds catchy ... by the way, my hotel is just next to MRT Nanjing East Road so if it's really nearby, it'll be great!

Once again thanks for the input and will report back (if you're still keen to read and follow) from time to time ...
 

Urgh! Jetting off in less 8 hours and I haven't decided what to do first ... heh ... got all the inputs at hand (but keep them coming!), guess need to organise them ...

By the way, I think by the time I check in, it'll be between 1-2pm, hopefully ... anyone can suggest where I should head first for my first lunch in Taiwan (FLIT)? Heh ... sounds catchy ... by the way, my hotel is just next to MRT Nanjing East Road so if it's really nearby, it'll be great!

Once again thanks for the input and will report back (if you're still keen to read and follow) from time to time ...

see if u can find the good old 鲁肉饭 :) cheap and yummy

as mentioned, shilin is a good place. wu jiao chuan ban too. take taxi, its really cheap. eat the 棺材板 and oyster omelettes
 

Hi there, you can check out www.travelintaipei.com.tw ... so when you're leaving? Will share my feedback after the tours, which last about 4 hours, which I reckon will provide tourists like us a snapshot of things ...

So when are you going?

Thanks for the link. And will be great to get our feed back.
Yes I guess as a first timer and blur blur + a bit lazy, maybe good to being guide :)
I book my outbound flight at 1 Apr (no joking, it is 1 Apr). But not yet the return flight... Mostly can stay there for 6 nights only...
 

Urgh! Jetting off in less 8 hours and I haven't decided what to do first ... heh ... got all the inputs at hand (but keep them coming!), guess need to organise them ...

By the way, I think by the time I check in, it'll be between 1-2pm, hopefully ... anyone can suggest where I should head first for my first lunch in Taiwan (FLIT)? Heh ... sounds catchy ... by the way, my hotel is just next to MRT Nanjing East Road so if it's really nearby, it'll be great!

Once again thanks for the input and will report back (if you're still keen to read and follow) from time to time ...

Well, enjoy your trip :)
 

阿宗麵線's main outlet is at 西門町.

Beef noodles at 九份 is called 舊道口牛肉麵 if I'm not wrong. Near to the entrance of 九份, somewhere near 7-11 shop. Their soup is very nice, but I find the noodles so-so only. However, if you go eat it during cold weather, that's another story lah...:bsmilie:

Out of the top of my head:
Must try: Ah zhong mian xian - I had it at shilin market. I think Ximending also have.

At shilin, I saw many stalls serving the beef steak. I did not try it but it looks quite popular with the locals. Maybe because it is cheap?

You can try the food stalls along the streets at Danshui also.

Beef noodles at Jiufen! I forgot which stall though.

For sights, besides the usual attractions, there's a Miniature Museum in taipei which I recommend.
 

Hello from Taipei! Can't believe I'm actually here! Woo hoo!

First order of the day ... get lunch, then buy a Yoyo card, then find a bookshop ...

Catch you guys later ... :)
enjoy yourself! :)
 

Bro, I think by the time you see this, you should be in Taiwan now.

Nevertheless, expect rain, rain, and more rain during this time. Sorry, not to dishearten your spirit though, but this is the type of weather in Taiwan during this time. However, weather nowadays changes a a lot, so you may expect some sun! :)

For night market, choose those local ones. Just a few will do. Don't go every night, you'll get sick of them! 士林 is definitely a must must lah...華西街 is too touristy liao. No point going. The rest are just similar. See one see all. Choose another 1 or 2 max and you should be fine.

Try venturing out to 台北縣. Don't just stay at 台北市, because there are a lot more to see there.

Hope this helps.

Hi people, decided to start a thread here which I'll also update (hopefully with pictures and all) along the way when I'm there ...

Woo hoo! Counting down to 17 Dec! After doing a bit of research as well as getting input from very kind friends and as well as wonderful CS members, think I'll be checking out the the night markets like Shilin, Ningxia and Huaxi, attractions such as the National Palace Museum, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial hall, the Flora Expo, Danshui, Fisherman's Wharf, Yang Ming Shan and Jiufen ... I've even sign up for two short day tours conducted by their local volunteers ...

I guess on top of all these, I need to get a YoYo card ... any recommendation on where I should get food especially for lunch (dinner is likely to be at the night markets?) ... are there any food or place which I really must go and try, otherwise people will say 'you wasted your whole trip"?

Any feedback? Thanks in advance!
 

Hi guys ... sorry for the radio sillence and yes I've made it and will be coming home in less than 24 hours.

So far I've hit (in no particular order) Shilin, Danshui, Yang Ming Shan, Jiu Fen, Ye Liu, Flora Expo and Xi Meng Ding ... and my personal milestones (which I didn't expected to do) are that I left Taipei County twice on two seperate days to go to Jiu Fen and Ye Liu respectively and hiked two mountains ... one is Da Tun Shan and another one in Jiu Fen cos I'm actually afraid of heights!

By the way, I know this is pretty short notice ... anyone know where is a convenient place to find a large collection of DVDs here in Taipei?

All in all, thanks everyone for your tips, advice and encouragement ... I'll miss Taiwan no doubt but I guess I miss Singapore more ...
 

I guess you are referring to movie DVDs? Try 台北车站area, behind 新光三越 at 许昌街。There are a few CD/DVD shops, 光南大批发、五大唱片、大众唱片,and at the underground shopping street of the MRT station there is 佳佳唱片。
At 西门町 there are 佳佳唱片 and 玫瑰唱片。
 

photos !!!! (in Travel gallery )

ha ha :) amended above
 

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photos !!!!

Aren't photos supposed to be posted in the other places?

And Adam is not newbie, so he should know that too...

I look forward to seeing them, but in the right place, as everyone else does the same.

Cheers.