TAIWAN TRAVEL GUIDE 台湾旅游指南

Taipei is a huge city with several district articles containing sightseeing, restaurant, nightlife and accommodation listings — consider printing them all.

Taipei (台北 or 臺北; Táiběi) [1] is the national capital of the Republic of China, otherwise known as Taiwan. It is in the northern part of the island in a basin between the Yangming Mountains and the Central Mountains. It is, with 2.6 million inhabitants, the fourth largest administrative area of Taiwan, after New Taipei, Kaohsiung and Taichung. However, the Greater Taipei metropolitan area, which encompasses the central Taipei City along with the surrounding New Taipei City and Keelung, represents the largest urban cluster in Taiwan with nearly 7 million people. Taipei serves as the island's financial, cultural, and governmental center.

Downtown districts

Districts of Taipei

Wanhua (萬華區) Wanhua is the oldest district of Taipei, home to many historic buildings, such as the Longshan Temple and the Red House Theater. Ximending is the "Shinjuku of Taipei", a shopping neighborhood centered around teenager fashion, Japanese culture and subcultures.

Datong (大同區) Datong is one of the oldest inhabited areas in what is now Taipei. It used to be the city's commercial center, but has lost relevance as the economic center shifted southeast to Zhongzheng, Daan, and Xinyi. It is now most known for Dihua Street with its Japanese colonial era and Qing dynasty architecture, and Chinese medicine market.

Zhongzheng (中正區) The political center of Taiwan with most of the national government and judicial buildings. Its prime tourist attractions are the National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, the Taipei City Walls and many museums.

Zhongshan (中山區) Zhongshan has numerous parks, the Martyrs' Shrine, the Fine Arts Museum, and a large pub and bar district.

Daan (大安區) Daan is a modern commercial district with numerous department stores, restaurants and night markets. It offers some of the most expensive residential real estate of the East District.

Xinyi (信義區) As a part of the East District, Xinyi is the financial district of Taipei home to the Taipei 101, the World Trade Center, and the International Convention Center. It is the most cosmopolitan district of the city with many shopping malls and entertainment venues.

Songshan (松山區) Many firms and financial institutions in this neighborhood, which is also a part of the East District. Raohe Street Night Market is one of the oldest of Taipei's famous street markets. Suburban districts Beitou (北投區) This district is famous for hot springs and the Yangmingshan National Park. Shilin (士林區) A traditional area of the city that is known for its excellent museums, including the world famous National Palace Museum. Shilin is also home to one of Taipei's largest nightmarket and the expat enclave of Tianmu. Neihu (內湖區) Located in the north-east of the city, Neihu is a hub of IT industry in Taipei, home to many large shopping centers, and a great place for hiking and 'templing'. A mouth-watering juxtaposition of local Taiwanese culture and modern shopping malls and restraunts. A definite must-visit, Neihu is largely a secret to the tourist world, unfortunately. Nangang (南港區) Neighboring Neihu, this district is known for its IT industrial complexes and is also home to one of Taiwan's leading academic institution - Academia Sinica. Wenshan (文山區) This district comprises of the two traditional districts of Muzha and Jingmei. It is in the south of the city and associated with its many tea plantations and also for being the location of Taipei Zoo. Taipei is surrounded by New Taipei (新北市), the largest city of Taiwan by population and surface area. Taipei, New Taipei and Keelung (基隆市), are basically one metropolitan area, but are run by three different government authorities. In 1884, the Qing dynasty governor of Taiwan, Liu Mingchuan, decided to move the prefecture capital to Taipei, and with the construction of government offices and the influx of civil servants, Taipei's days as a sleepy market town were over. Taipei remained the provincial capital when Taiwan was granted provincial status in 1885. As Taipei is in the north of Taiwan (the closest area to Japan), the city continued to thrive when Taiwan was ceded to Japan in 1895. However, as Japan was in the throes of a 'modernize-come-what-may' period, little regard was paid to Taipei's traditional Chinese-style architecture and many of the old buildings, including the city walls, were demolished. During the Japanese period of colonial rule, several prominent buildings were however constructed, the Presidential Palace and National Taiwan University being among the most famous, but the city's architecture again suffered a major onslaught when the KMT government arrived from mainland China in 1945. In order to cope with the influx of millions of mainland refugees, temporary housing estates sprang up all around the city. Later, these were replaced by Soviet-era style (or 'no-style') concrete apartment buildings. These buildings characterized Taipei's landscape until very recently. In the 1980s, Taiwan's economy began to take off. Wages increased and in order to satisfy a wealthy and sophisticated market, Taipei began to change. Wide, tree lined boulevards were laid, high quality apartment blocks constructed and stylish restaurants and cafes established. The city was booming and has never looked back since. The Taipei of today is a confident city of about 2.5 million inhabitants (about seven million including suburbs), and is characterized by its friendly people and safe streets. While it is not usually high on the list of tourist destinations, it is a fascinating place to visit and live. Furthermore, despite its size, Taipei does not have any rough areas that are considered unsafe, even at night - which in itself is attractive. The downtown area is culturally divided into East and West. The West side, with its narrow streets and road side vendors, is considered the bastion of old Taipei life, whereas East Taipei, with its classy malls, chic boutiques, and stylish restaurants and cafes, reminiscent of those found in Hong Kong, Paris or New York represents the city's metamorphosis into a modern and international city. Climate Climate Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Daily highs (°C) 19 19 22 26 29 32 35 34 31 28 24 21 Nightly lows (°C) 13 14 15 19 22 24 26 26 24 22 19 15 Precipitation (mm) 83 170 180 178 235 326 245 322 361 149 83 73 Central Weather Bureau seven day forecast for Taipei: [2] Taipei has a semi-tropical climate characterized by hot and humid weather. The most comfortable season to visit is the fall, when the rainfall is at its lowest and the temperatures average a pleasant mid 20°C. February to April are particularly damp with little sunlight, while the summers can be very hot, but often punctuated by heavy thunder showers. Taipei is prone to typhoons from May to October, though the highest concentrations are in August and September. Winters can be quite chilly, with temperatures occasionally falling below 10°C at night, though snowfall has never been known to occur. Tourism Tourism Taiwan Tourism Bureau [3] – The offical Tourism Bureau website. Taipei Travel Net [4] – The official travel guide from the Taipei City Government. Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Taipei's international airport is officially called Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport [5] (台灣桃園國際機場) (IATA: TPE). However, the name was changed only in September 2006 and the old name, Chiang Kai Shek International Airport (often abbreviated as CKS), is still commonly used. Many airlines fly to the Taoyuan International Airport, among them is the low-cost carrier, AirAsia. [6]The airport is located about 30 km from the city and freeway buses ply the route, picking up and dropping off passengers at most of the five star hotels. It also stops at the Taipei Main Station and the domestic airport (Songshan Airport), which is in downtown Taipei. There are also bus services connecting the airport to nearby cities and Taichung in central Taiwan. Travelers to other destinations need to change transportation in Taipei. There are four transportation options at the airport: bus, high speed rail, taxi, and pre-arranged sedan. An MRT line is under construction, but it will not be completed until June 2013. Here are the options from cheapest to most expensive forms of transportation: Express airport buses cost between NT$120 and NT$150 depending on the bus company, and there are stops at both terminals. Most Taipei routes are divided into West and East, with each company operating a service every ten to fifteen minutes on each route. The western line bus terminates at Taipei Main Railway Station and also makes a stop at Yuanshan MRT Station on the Xindian line (NB: The Airbus company buses on the western line meander through local towns before joining the freeway and therefore take much longer than the blue and white Guoguang buses which enter the freeway directly). Buses plying the eastern route terminate at the Taipei Grand Hyatt Hotel and make a stop at Zhongxiao-Fuxing MRT Station on the Nangang and Muzha lines. There is also a bus connecting to the domestic Songshan Airport. Ticket counters display route maps showing all stops. In addition, there are some non-express buses which are slightly cheaper, but pass through towns such as Taoyuan (桃園), Nankan (南崁) or Kueishan (龜山) before arriving in Taipei. When returning to the airport, express buses can be caught at various stops throughout the city. One major one leaves every 15-20 minutes from Taipei West Bus Station adjacent to Taipei Main Railway Station (near MRT exit M5 and underground mall exits K12 and Z3). Another is at the terminal at the Songshan Domestic Airport (松山機場). Other stops are outside major hotels and also in front of Minsheng MRT Station. For people taking early morning flights, the earliest available buses to the airport leave at around 4AM from the Far Eastern Plaza Hotel (台北遠東國際大飯店) (201 Dunhua South Rd Section 2). It is also easy to get to the High Speed Rail station from the airport. There is a bus that runs approximately every 15 minutes from the airport to the Taoyuan High Speed Rail station. From there, you can catch one of the HSR trains to Taipei Main Station (where it is easy to take a taxi or MRT to your final destination). The bus is NT$30 and the train is NT$160. On the way back, there are check-in counters at the station for China Airlines, EVA and UNI flights. A one-way taxi fare between the airport and Taipei will cost at the minimum NT$900 (generally NT$1000-$1200 from the airport). In Taipei, don't make the mistake of asking a taxi driver to take you to the Taipei airport (Songshan) if you actually mean Taiwan Taoyuan Airport. The international airport is actually about an hour's drive from Taipei, while Songshan is in downtown Taipei. A one-way pre-arranged sedan fare between the airport and Taipei will cost at the minimum NT$1300-$1500. Generally these sedans are pre-arranged through your hotel and the sedan company or driver will meet you as soon as you exit baggage claim. Since the price is not much more than taking a taxi, it is usually recommended that you ask your hotel if they offer this service. This is a more comfortable half-hour ride to the hotel. Direct bus connections between the airport and other cities in Taiwan are also available. U-bus also runs shuttle buses every 15 min from both terminals to THSR Taoyuan station (15 min away), from where you can continue your journey by high-speed train. In addition to the transit hotel within the airport terminal, there are several hotels located near the airport if you desire more comfortable quarters for an extended transit or for some other reason would rather lodge by the airport than in Taipei. The Novotel Taoyuan International Airport, located next to the China Airlines headquarters building, is mere minutes from both terminals and has commanding views of the airport's runways. Also nearby is the CitySuites Gateway Hotel, 10 minutes from the Cing-pu High-speed Rail Station and three minutes away from Taoyuan International Airport. [7]. Another inexpensive option is a nearby love motel. Songshan Airport Songshan Airport Songshan Airport (松山機場) at the northern end of Dunhua North Rd is the city's domestic airport, as well as serving a few select international routes to regional destinations. There are numerous daily flights arriving and departing for all major cities on the island and the outlying islands. The airport also serves flights to mainland China and Haneda International Airport in Tokyo, Japan. The airport is served by the Metro Brown Line's (officially labeled the Wenshan-Neihu Line) Songshan Airport Station and can be reached in about 20 minutes from the city's main railway station. By metro Taipei MRT Taipei MRT Taipei City has a very clean, efficient and safe Mass Rapid Transit system [13] known most commonly as the MRT, but also called Metro Taipei (台北捷運). Muzha line, which connects to Taipei Zoo, is a driverless elevated system. The last trains depart at midnight. Fares are between NT$20 and NT$65 for one-way trips around town. Stations and trains are clearly identified in English, so even for those who cannot read Chinese, the MRT system is very accessible. All stops are announced in four languages: Mandarin, Taiwanese, Hakka and English. Most stations have information booth/ticket offices close to the ticket vending machines. There is no eating or drinking while in the stations or on the trains. Trains generally run from 6AM to midnight, with convenient bus connections outside the stations. Women and/or children traveling at night can benefit from the Safe Zones - sections of platforms that are under heavy surveillance - located in some of the subway lines. Stations and trains (including the monorail) are wheelchair-friendly, but note that when there are multiple exits from a single station, usually only one of these is equipped with a lift. MRT Station in Taipei In addition to single journey tickets, the Taipei MRT also sells value-added cards/smartcards called EasyCard (悠遊卡). These cards hold amounts up to NT$5,000, and one only needs to "touch" (sensor) them past the barrier monitor to gain entry and exit. Value added cards can be purchased at station ticket offices or at vending machines. One great advantage of using the EasyCard is that there is a 20% discount on all MRT rides, and if you transfer from the MRT to an ordinary city bus, or vice versa, within an hour, the bus ride is only NT$7. The discount is automatically calculated when you leave the MRT station. Student cards with even deeper discounts are also available for purchase, but only upon request at a desk and a student ID. The EasyCard can be recharged at convenience stores and subway stations. In addition to the subway and buses, some parking lots also offer an option to pay with the EasyCard. To purchase a new EasyCard you will need to pay NT$500 (including a deposit of NT$100 and NT$400 usable credit). For more information, see their website [14]. In recent times, major convenience stores such as 7-11, as well as various other retail outlets have begun to accept the card as payment. Often times limited-edition cards are issued by the transit authority depicting artworks, famous characters, landscapes, etc. These are quite collectible and are perfect souvenirs for your trip. Remember single-journey tokens are recycled when you exit the stations, so if you want to keep a particular one you should purchase an extra. [ ] By bus Taipei City Bus Taipei City has a very efficient bus service [15], and because all buses display information (destination and the names of stops) in English, the system is very accessible to non-Chinese speaking visitors. Payment can be made by cash (NT$15) or EasyCard (see "metro" listing) for each section that the bus passes through. For local buses (all local buses have a number, but long distance buses do not) the maximum will be two sections with a total cost of NT$30. The confusion, however, arises by not knowing where the section boundaries are located and the fact that there is often a buffer zone to prevent people who get on one stop before the boundary from overpayment. When to pay Above the driver, there is an electronic red sign. If the Chinese character for "up" (上) is lit, then you pay when you get on. If the same sign is lit when you get off, you do not need to pay again. However, if the sign is displaying the Chinese character for "down" (下) when you are getting off, then you will need to pay a second time. Finally, if the character for "down" is lit up when you get on, then you need to pay only when you get off. Until you get the hang of the system, just let the locals go first and follow their action. It's really not as complicated as it sounds, and bus drivers won't let you forget a second payment if you owe one! Besides, if you are transferring from the transit system to a bus within one hour, there is a discounted bus fare. [ ] By taxi Taxis are the most flexible way to get around, and are extremely numerous. They are expensive in comparison to mass transit, but are cheap when compared to taxis in the rest of the world. Most taxi drivers cannot speak English, and it will be necessary for non-Chinese speakers to have their destination written down in Chinese. Taxis are metered, with higher rates for night (an additional NT$20 over the meter). Tipping is neither necessary nor expected. Passengers who sit in the front seat of the taxi are required to buckle their seatbelt. Women and/or children traveling at night are advised to use one of the reputable taxi companies. The toll free taxi hotline is 0800-055850 (maintained by Department of Transportation). Taiwanese taxi drivers tend to be more honest than in many other countries. They are notorious for their strong opinions on politics as they spend all day listening to talk radio, although they will probably be unable to share any of this with you if you do not speak Chinese. Hot Springs (溫泉) Wulai Hot Springs Hot springs come in various brands in Taipei, ranging from basic, to plush spas at five star hotels. The basic free 'rub and scrub' type public baths are run by the city. Most hotels offer the option of a large sex-segregated bathing area that generally consists of several large baths of various temperatures, jacuzzi, sauna and steam bath and also private and family rooms (NB: the law in Taiwan states that for safety reasons, individuals are not allowed to bathe in the private rooms, and there must be at least two people). Some hotels also have outdoor baths (露天溫泉), which offer restful views over the surrounding country-side. Prices range from around NT$300 to NT$800. Public hot spring etiquette requires that bathers thoroughly wash and rinse off their bodies before entering the bath, do not wear clothing, including swim wear (though this is not the case for mixed-sex public areas) in the bath and tie up their hair so that it does not touch the water. Finally, people with high blood pressure, heart disease or open wounds should not enter the baths. There are three main places to have a soak in the Taipei area: Beitou (北投) Wulai (烏來) Yangmingshan National Park (陽明山) Night markets (夜市) The most famous one in Taipei is the Shilin Night Market (士林夜市) – Vendor food is nearly always safe to eat and offers a cheap way to sample delicious Chinese 'home cooking'. Use common sense though if you have a sensitive stomach! Some of the best known night market snacks are: Oyster omelet 蚵仔煎; ô-á-chian Tianbula 甜不辣; tiánbúlà Literally "Sweet, not spicy", is a Taiwanese version of Tempura. Stinky tofu 臭豆腐; chòudòufǔ Mango ice 芒果冰; mángguǒbīng Pan fried pork buns 水煎包; shuǐjiānbāo Taiwanese sausage 香腸; xiāngcháng Pearl milk tea 珍珠奶茶; zhēnzhū nǎichá a classic drink invented by a tea vendor in TAICHUNG. Braised soy bean and tea eggs 滷豆乾&茶葉蛋; lǔdòugān, cháyèdàn braised soy bean and tea eggs click for our FANTASTIC ITINERARY http://gogoasiavacation.blogspot.com/2011/11/we-arrange-most-comfortable-taiwan-trip.html EMAIL us We have local guide tours and many budget to luxury accommodation waiting for you. SHIRECHINTRAVELSTATION@GMAIL.COM TRAVELBOOKING@SHIRECHINTRAVELSTATION.COM We are the only tour agents who collect Deposit (non-refundable) - SGD or USD 150-400 per case (every 2persons to go) depends tour duration and balance to be paid by NT dollars - cheaper and safe when you arrive in Taiwan direct to our guide/hotel/homestay. 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