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Traveling Taipei

Posted by on 18. June 2009
Taipei 101 at Night
New Work
Towards the end of 2003, I transferred jobs and it didn’t take long before I was finally entrusted my first out-of-the-country trip in my new job which was to do the annual report in Taipei, Taiwan in March 2003.  That was the beginning of my regular trips in Taipei which was about 2-4 times a year either for the annual report, board meeting or just short business meetings. I started a bit cautious on my first trip using just taxi’s with the Chinese written address of the hotel, office and places of interest.  In just a few days, I was already comfortable taking the MRT given I was trained to use subways in Paris which had a more complicated mass transit system.  The only quirk was that sometimes the names on the map are not the same as the one in the rail stations which thought me the next trip as long as it sounds the same, it’s good to go (e.g. Jingmei and be Xinmei).  It does make it much easier traveling Taipei with the MRT and numbered bus system.


The Attractions

What Can I Say? I’m “IN” Love.

  • They used to be the tallest skyscraper which is Taipei 101 before being overtaken in 2010 by Burj Khalifa in Dubai.  You can actually go to the 89th floor in the world fastest elevator and for an additional fee, you can also go to the outdoor observation area in the 91st floor.

Fisherman’s Wharf

  • I’m always mystified by Tam Shui which is in the northern part of Taipei which gave you a magnificent ocean view and also a nice place to view the sunset.  There are many food stalls, games and attractions in the area and is a common place for people to visit in Taipei.  This is also where you can get to see a view of the Fisherman Wharf which is accessible by Ferry and brings you into a nice bridge and ocean view.  There are also food stalls and other attractions in the area.

 Panda at Taipei Zoo

  • They also have a very spacious Taipei Zoo which has about 90 hectares open to the public and it’s really a walking tour navigating an area that big to see common and unique animals in the zoo.  Alternatively, you can also use the train to go around the zoo.  The Zoo is just located nearby the Mokong Gondola, which is a cable car ride that can bring you in the mountainous areas in Taipei where you can see some temples and Tea plantations.  It’s also an excellent place to have a nice cup of coffee and tea.

Jumping at CKS

  • There are also political structures such as Chang Kai Shek and Sun Yat Sen memorial hall which was a tribute to influential people in the past.  Just nearby this area is the Botanical Garden, which has scenic lakes and attractions which is also an excellent place to do some exercise and also appreciate plants and animals in the area.

The Queen’s Head

  • They also have natural edifice in Yehliu Geopark which had rock formations like the queen’s head located in the north of Taiwan. There’s also a dolphin and acrobat show nearby the area.

Fine the Missing Franc at Yangmingshan Park.

  • There are also parks like Yangmingshan which can have you appreciate various fountains, structures and a big flower clock.  You can also hike into the the mountains coming from Yangmingshan.

Temples

  • Then there’s also those scenic temples and a very affordable night market.

Traveling Taipei

Taipei’s Bullet Train with my office mate Jing

 I really like the cooler weather here and the convenience of the MRT System that you can navigate the place even if some of the signs are in Chinese then there’s also their bullet train that brings you south of Taiwan which can take you to the south of Taiwan in Two Hours.  It’s really easy traveling Taipei once you get the hang of it.

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