Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of the Republic of China (Taiwan) which is it's economic, political, and cultural center. It is a modern cosmopolitan metropolis with a lively and diversified face, filled with exuberance. Taipei has became one of the most visited cities in Asia because of the diverse culture, history, natural wonders, and food. The city is a tantalizing mix of Chinese, Japanese and Western influences, vibrant in its own right yet unhurried by global standards. Whether you're just stopping over en route to another Asian destination, or planning a longer stay, Taipei is a many-faceted treasure that will call you back again and again. Here are some of the things to do and places to go when you're in Taipei City:
MAOKONG GONDOLA
The Maokong Gondola is a lift transportation system in Taipei, Taiwan. Opened on 4 July 2007, the Maokong Gondola operates between Taipei Zoo and Maokong. The 4.3 km (2.7 mi) line has four passenger stations which are the Taipie Zoo, Taipei Zoo South, Zhinan Temple, and Maokong. The three most beautiful times to take the gondola are in the midst after rain, when the sun is setting, and when the lights of the city are shining at night. The final stop is at Maokong, where numerous tea shops and food stalls are located.
Watch this YouTube video of Maokong Gondala in Taipei City:
Maokong Gondola
Taipei City, Taiwan
TAIPEI 101
Taipei 101 is a famous skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan. The building was
officially classified as the world's tallest from its opening in 2004 until
the 2009 completion of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, UAE. Upon completion, it
became the world's first skyscraper to exceed a height of half a kilometer
(about 0.3 miles). Taipei 101 is the tallest building in Taiwan
and comprises 101 floors above ground, as well as five basement levels.
The elevators of Taipei 101 that transport passengers from the 5th to the
89th floor in 37 seconds (attaining 60.6 km/h (37.7 mph)) set speed
records.[11] In 2011, Taipei 101 was awarded a Platinum certificate rating
under the LEED certification system for energy efficiency and environmental
design, becoming the tallest and largest green building in the world. The
structure regularly appears as an icon of Taipei in international media, and
the Taipei 101 fireworks displays are a regular feature of New Year's Eve
broadcasts and celebrations.
Taipei 101's postmodernist architectural style evokes traditional Asian
aesthetics in a modern structure employing industrial materials. Its design
incorporates a number of features that enable the structure to withstand the
Pacific Ring of Fire's earthquakes and the region's tropical storms. The
tower houses offices, restaurants, shops, and indoor and outdoor
observatories. The tower is adjoined by a multilevel shopping mall that has
the world's largest ruyi symbol as an exterior feature.
Taipei 101 is owned by Taipei Financial Center Corporation. The skyscraper
opened on 31 December 2004 to celebrate New Year's Eve (2005).
Watch this YouTube video of Taipei 101:
Taipei 101
Taipei City, Taiwan
TAMSUI OLD STREET & LOVER'S BRIDGE
Located along the riverfront in Tamsui (Danshui), Tamsui Old Street is a
boardwalk-like area full of shops, carnival games, restaurants, cafés, and
xiaochi snacks. The waterfront area is a great place to watch the sunset
over the Tamsui River. Tamsui Old Street is divided into the inner and outer
side. The outer street is the golden anchor walkway of Tamsui river coast,
while the inner side is a traditional old street lined with bustling shops.
Vendors will generally start in the afternoon and stay open until the last
MRT train at 12 midnight. Visitors who arrive early can first walk around
the town area and visit other local attractions.
Watch this YouTube video of Tamsui Old Street & Lover's Bridge:
Tamsui Disrict, Taipei City, Taiwan
The National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is a national monument, landmark
and tourist attraction erected in memory of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek,
former President of the Republic of China. The imposing building, with
its pagoda-like blue, octagonal glass roof, is in a 250,000-sq m park in the
heart of the city, with the National Theatre and National Concert Hall
sharing the park while the National Central Library and the Presidential
Office Building are nearby. The gardens of the park are beautifully
landscaped, with ornamental bridges crossing ponds and waterfalls, all
surrounded by well-tended flower beds where the prominent color is red
(which, combined with the blue and white building, give you the colors of
the Taiwanese flag). It commemorates the life and career of one of the
Republic of China’s most prominent and world-renowned figures. The dramatic
white marble structure contains an extensive library and museum. There's
also a spacious hall with a large statue of the man himself and a regular
guard-mounting ceremony, making it a popular tourist attraction for domestic
and international visitors.
Watch this YouTube video of Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall:
Taipei City, Taiwan
LUNGSHAN TEMPLE
Lungshan Temple is a famous old temple in Taiwan. It is for worshiping
Guanshiyin Budda and other divine spirits. This temple originated its
name from the ancient Lungshan Temple established in Chin-chiang county of
Fukien province in the seventh century.Immigrants from the three counties
Chin-chiang, Nan-an and Hui-an of Fukien came to Manka in the beginning of
the eighteenth century. Due to natural disaster and damages caused by
men, the temple was restored for several times. The doors, beams, and
poles are beautifully decorated. There is a pair of bronze dragon poles in
the front hall, four pairs of dragon poles in the middle hall. The
sculptures are delicate. There are also exquisite wood sculptures. Among
them, the well and Budda setting in the main hall are highly appreciated.
The temple has many Chinese poems, verses and lyrics on signs. These add a
touch of literature in addition to the religious and sightseeing
value. Being a masterpiece of traditional Chinese architecture
and a well-established Buddhist temple in Taipei, the Lungshan Temple of
Manka has become a center of people's religious life and a heritage of
local culture.
Watch this YouTube video of Lungshan Temple:
Taipei City, Taiwan
SHILIN NIGHT MARKET
The Shilin Night Market in Taipei is one of the largest, most popular
night markets in Taiwan with regard to food, and also one of the most
popular points of Taipei's night life among visitors. The night market is
formed by many prosperous shops on Wenlin Road, Dadong Road and Danan
Road, etc. Among them, Shilin Market was built as early as in 1899 and the
market is famous for various snacks and eatery. Located in Taipei’s
Shilin District, a mere 70 metres from MRT Jiantan Station between Dadong
Rd, Danan Rd, Wenlin Rd, and Jihe Rd. The maze of alleyways is filled with
a variety of local, traditional, and international merchandise that
attract locals and foreigners alike. Because the night market is
close to many schools, students are the main customer group. Goods are
sold at less expensive prices as compared to regular stores. There are
special areas for furniture, clothing, photo shops or pet shops. The
finery shops and cold dessert shops in "lover's lane" attract most student
customers. Shilin night market is one of the attractions that
must be visited when in Taipei, the sites, scents and bargains are enough
to plan a second visit - you can never get enough!
Watch this YouTube video of Shilin Night Market:
Taipei City, Taiwan
WOODERFUL LIFE
The “Wooderful life” brand was launched to the market for the first time.
Insisting on using wood from sustainable forests, they developed products
with the natural properties of wood to preserve the natural beauty of
wood. By creating unique DIY experiences, we enabled consumers to
create their own memories through selecting and assembling parts. Through
developing comprehensive household products, Wooderful life extended the
unique warmth of natural wood to daily life. Through
re-interpreting the warm character of wood, they developed a brand-new
product range by blending green with design and launched the Light Together
Indoor Gardening Collections and Home Electrical series to comfort people
and green our homes and life.
Watch this YouTube video of Wooderful Life:
Taipei City, Taiwan
SHIFEN WATERFALLS
The Shifen Waterfall was mostly likely Taiwan’s most famous waterfall as
it was seemingly very reachable from the major population centers of
Taipei and Keelung. It was a major waterfall permanently falling some 20m
high and 40m wide on the Keelung River. Shifen Waterfall is a
ledge waterfall. The rock formations on both sides of the waterfall go
against the flow of the water, which is a geological feature called the
anticline structure. It is dubbed Taiwan's Niagara Falls because of the
panorama similar to that of Niagara Falls in North
America. There are several waterfall viewing platforms near the
Shifen Waterfall. Visitors can see the wonders of the waterfall from
different angles. Walk along the trail and see the emerald waters at the
top of the waterfall to feel the grandness of the rushing stream, or you
can have a frontal panoramic view of the waterfall from the bottom, which
is the No. 1 spot for many visitors to see the waterfall and take photos.
Watch this YouTube video of Shifen Waterfalls:
Pingxi District, New Taipei City, Taiwan
SHIFEN OLD STREET
Located in the Pingxi area, Shifen Old Streets is a collection of lanes
and alleys in and around the Shifen railway station area. Originally built
for transporting coal during the Japanese era, the station and track runs
straight through the village. With the marketplace surrounding the
train station and the openness in which people can freely cross the track
running straight through the center of town, the marketplace area of
Shifen is a great place to grab some xiaochi snacks and some
souvenirs. The sky lanterns at Shifen Old Street are of
particular note. Once used as a signaling system for those living and
working in the railroad industry, visitors today paint their wishes with
calligraphy before releasing the lanterns into the sky. We think Shifen
Old Street is one of the best stops on the Pingxi Line, but if you have
time, jump back on the train to visit some of the other stations, offering
gentle mountainside strolls, sky lanterns and an up-close look at the
early days of train travel and coal mining in Taiwan.
Watch this YouTube video of Shifen Old Street:
Shifen Old Street
Pingxi District, New Taipei City, Taiwan
JIUFEN OLD STREET
Jiufen Old Street is located in Jishan Street, Shuqi Road and Qingjing
Road. It is in New Taipei City's Ruifang District. It has been
made famous largely due to its similarity to the village in Spirited Away,
arguably Hayao Miyazaki’s most popular movie. Jiufen used to be
the center of gold mining and is located within the hills in northeast of
Taiwan. Jiufen, which was rich in gold mines in the early days,
has the good name of “Golden Mountain City”. The settlements were prosperous
due to the influx of gold miners, but then became quiet after the decline of
gold mining. Jiufen Old Street is the most prosperous shopping
district. It goes through most of the village. There are many visitors on
the street. Along the street there are shops vending the most famous country
snack of Jiufen, yam dish and various local dishes. There are some
historical items well reserved. The trip to Jiufen is full of fun and
delights. Jiufen has many accommodation places provided by local residents.
If you were not in a hurry, you may want to pick a nice inn and stay for the
starlight and fishing lights at night.
Watch this YouTube video of Jiufen Old Street:
Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Taiwan
YEHLIU GEOPARK
Yehliu is a cape of about 1,700 meters long formed by Datun Mountain
reaching into the sea. When overlooked from above, the place is like a giant
turtle submerging into the sea. Thus, it is also called "Yehliu Turtle."
Because the rock layer of seashore contains sandstone of limestone texture
and it is subject to sea erosion, weathering and earth movements, there is
particular scenery consisting of sea trenches/holes, candle shaped rocks,
and pot shaped rocks. One of the premier destinations in northern
Taiwan, Yehliu Geopark is home to a number of unique geological formations
including the iconic "Queen's Head", and is located along a cape stretching
out from the town of Wanli. Before entering the cape area, you
will see duplicates of Queen’s Head and Cute Princess, as well as colorful
cartoon rock figures. This place is shaded by trees and not too close to the
rock area and the sea, making it a perfect place for children to take a
break, or to take photos.
Watch this YouTube video of Yehliu Geopark:
Wanli District, New Taipei City, Taiwan
YANGMINGSHAN NATIONAL PARK
Yangmingshan National Park is one of the nine national parks in Taiwan,
located in both Taipei and New Taipei City. The districts that are partially
in the park include Taipei's Beitou and Shilin Districts; and New Taipei's
Wanli, Jinshan, Sanzhi and Tamsui Districts. The national park is known for
its cherry blossoms, hot springs, sulfur deposits, fumaroles, venomous snakes,
and hiking trails, including Taiwan's tallest dormant volcano, Qixing (Seven
Star) Mountain rising to 1,120 m (3,675 ft). Unlike most other
national parks, the Yangmingshan National Park has a lower elevation. Although
the park's elevation ranges from only 200–1120 meters, beautiful landscapes
such as ridges, valleys, lakes, waterfalls, and basins are abundant. Andesite
rocks make up most of the area's geology. Located just a short bus
ride from Taipei City, Yangmingshan National Park is one Taiwan’s most
beautiful national parks, and is a popular sightseeing destination thanks to
its hot springs and sulfur crystals.
Watch this YouTube video of Yangmingshan National Park:
Beitou District, Taipei City, Taiwan
Beitou is a mountainous district in the north of Taipei City, Taiwan. It’s
known for its hot springs and natural green spaces. The Beitou Hot Spring
Park is home to open-air hot springs of varying temperatures. In the park,
the Beitou Hot Spring Museum, the site of the former public bathhouse, is
built in a Euro-Japanese style. Thermal Valley's basin of steamy, sulfurous
waters can be viewed from observation decks. Beitou has one of
the largest concentrations of hot springs and spas in the world. Once a
small park where locals used to relax in the hot springs, the Beitou Valley
has evolved today to include over thirty resorts; a 20-minute subway ride
north of Taipei takes you to Beitou. The resorts and spas are regarded by
many locals and international tourists as among the most relaxing and
rejuvenating places in the country. The spas consist of different degree
pools (from cool to very hot) and minerals. However, residents of this
district note that sulfuric fumes from the hot springs do ruin their
electric appliances in the long term.
Watch this YouTube video of Beitou District:
Taipei City, Taiwan
NATIONAL PALACE MUSEUM
The National Palace Museum houses one of the largest collections of
Chinese art in the world. With nearly 700,000 precious artifacts, the
museum’s extensive collection spans thousands of years and consists of
magnificent treasures from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing imperial
collections. In recent years, the National Palace Museum has
dedicated itself to melding culture and technology, hoping to make its
national treasures and remarkable cultural inheritance more accessible to
people around the world. The museum building itself was built
between March 1964 and August 1965, with many subsequent expansions making
it one of the largest of its type in the world. The museum
provides Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Spanish and Korean
language guides and museum-related literature. The museum is a must- see
on any visitor's itinerary.
Watch this YouTube video of National Palace Museum:
Shilin District, Taipei City, Taiwan
ZHISHAN GARDEN
Located next to the National Palace Museum - Chinese Antiquities, also known
as Taipei Gugong, the Zhishan Garden is an 18,800SQ M. large traditional
Chinese-style garden, reflecting the styles of the Song and Ming dynasties,
and designed to evoke the feelings of a beautiful poem. It is
planned based on Wang Xizhi's writings and looks like the inner courtyard of
the museum. The design blueprint of Zhishan Garden is Wang Xizhi's eight
scenic spots: Orchid Pavilion, Cage Goose, Qushui Liujing, Songfeng
Pavilion, Waterside Pavilion, Biqiao West, Pen Washing Pool, and Zhaohe
Tingying, fully expressing the exquisite and elegant landscaping art, and A
visit to the Chinese garden and the scent of books makes people think of
ancient times. If find yourself at the National Palace Museum,
then Zhishan Garden is a must visit – especially as it’s free to enter with
a museum ticket.
Watch this YouTube video of Zhishan Garden:
Zhishan Garden
Shilin District, Taipei City, Taiwan
Taipei is a cultural and economic hub. With years of interesting and contested history, this island city has so much to offer. From the finest in shopping and design, to traditional markets and ancient museums, Taipei is the heart of Taiwan and a must-see for travelers of all ages. It is a highly recommended tourist destination.
Here are some travel tips if you want to visit Taipei:
- Taiwan have 4 seasons, so depending on the time of year, make sure that you wear the appropriate clothes. Winters can be cold and summer can be hot.
- Most of the attractions in Taipei involves a lot of walking and hiking. Make sure you wear comfortable shoes during your travels.
- For the attractions within Taipei City, public transportation is highly accessible so wandering around will not be difficult. But if you are visiting neighboring provinces or districts, getting tour packages is highly recommended because you wouldn't worry about directions and your guides will help you throughout your journey. They can also provide you a lot if info & history as well as showing you access to places only known to the locals.
- In the outskirts of the city, some establishments may not accept cards as payment so please always carry cash with you.
- Taipei is a food destination as well. Make sure to try out their food stalls as well as their night markets. It's a whole experience in it's self.
For more info about Taiwan, please
visit: https://english.gov.taipei/ and
https://www.travel.taipei/en
For more travel and food blogs, please visit:
http://haringlarga.blogspot.com/p/home.html
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