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IFLY tips
Shilin Night Market (2 hrs)
You can find deals on clothing, shoes and other accessories here, but the market is mostly known for its wide variety of amazingly good food. There are many stalls in the market's heart, which offer delicious dishes, like squid stew dumplings, Taiwanese sausages and oyster omelettes. Remain calm if a stranger hovers over you while you eat. He's just waiting to take your seat when you're done.
This place is busy at every season. Even in winter the place is filled with people fighting their way to get food. Best time to go there is between 6 and 11 pm. Shilling Night Market is in Shilin District and accessible from the MRT Shilin stop.
EarthQuake Museum Taichung (1 day)
The actual ruins of a school housed in the museum show how buildings respond to seismic forces. Findings from research on the ruins of the earthquake have served as guides in structural designs of buildings after 1999.
The opening hours are from Tuesday to Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm. A ticket costs NT$ 50 per person. Best way to go there is to take a high-speed train from Taipei to Taichung. For directions to the museum click here.
Nature in Hualien (1 – 2 days)
A very comfortable two-hour commuter train ride from Taipei Main Station will bring you to the (east) coastal city of Hualien. This city is renowned for it's marble and jade market but the real attraction is the beautiful nature in the surroundings.
From Hualien you can make a trip to Taroko Gorge. The natural beauty of the Gorge is spectacular. This is literally Taiwan's version of the Grand Canyon. The crystal clear mountain streams are beautiful and if you visit shortly after a monsoon you'll see spectacular (temporary) waterfalls cascading through the mountains.
Yehliu Geopark (1 day)
The place is truly beautiful. By walking along the seaside you get to see the beautiful landscapes and all the different structures of rock created by the waves. A number of rock formations have been given imaginative names based on their shapes. The most well known formation is the ‘The Queen's Head’, an iconic image in Taiwan and an unofficial emblem for the town of Wanli. Other formations include ‘The Fairy Shoe’, ‘The Bee Hive’, ‘The Ginger Rocks’ and ‘The Sea Candles’.
The opening hours are seven days a week from 8 am to 5 pm (6 pm in summer). The entrance fee is NT$ 50 per person. You can go there by bus or by car from Taipei. To see the directions click here.
Taipei 101 (1½ hr)
The name of the tower reflects its floor count. Taipei 101 comprises 101 floors above ground and 5 floors underground. It was the first building in the world to break the half-kilometre mark in height with 509 metres.
Taipei 101 features an Indoor observatory (89th floor) and an outdoor observatory (91st floor). Both offer a 360-degree view and the view is absolutely breathtaking.
The indoor observatory is open seven days a week from 9 am to 10 pm. The outdoor observatory is open during the same hours as weather permits. Tickets may be purchased in the shopping mall at the 5th floor. Tickets cost NT$ 400 and allow access to the 88th through 91st floor via a high-speed elevator.
Ximending shopping street (2 hrs)
Ximending is the first pedestrian area built in Taipei and is the largest in Taiwan. It is located near the Taipei Main Station so it’s very easy to go there by train, MRT (Ximen station) or bus. The opening hours of most shops are from 10 am to 10 pm.
Taipei by cable car (½ hr)
Maokong is located in the Wenshan district in Taipei. The area used to be the biggest tea growing area of Taipei. Nowadays it's a popular place for tea culture and viewing the night scenery of Taipei. There are many footpaths; which have been used to transport tea. But it’s wonderful to see from above as well.
The Maokong Gondola System is shaped like the number seven and extends over four kilometres of hills south of Taipei. The Maokong Gondola runs from Taipei Zoo MRT station to Maokong, with stops at the Taipei Zoo South and Zhinan Temple stations.
A one-way fare to Maokong is NT$ 50, a bargain for this type of transport. Two bus lines serve the Maokong area: bus number S10, which departs from the Wanfang Community MRT Station, and bus number BR15, which can be boarded at the Taipei Zoo and Taipei City Hall MRT stations.
It’s a great way of transportation and a very relaxing way of sightseeing. Just sit down and enjoy the view on the city and the mountains. A complete ride will take about 25 minutes.
Sun Moon Lake (1 - 2 days)
Its crystalline, emerald green waters reflect the hills and mountains, which rise on all sides. Numerous cultural and historical sites enhance the natural beauty.
If you want to discover the many faces of Sun Moon Lake, take a stroll along its shores and let your soul be moved by its inexhaustible beauties. You can also ride a bicycle along the road circling the lake, and soak up the tranquility and peace of nature. Or you can board a boat and cruise over the waves as you take in the glories of the mountains and waters. A map with places of interest can be seen here.
From Taipei you can take a high-speed train to Taichung. This will take less than one hour. From there you can take a bus to Sun Moon Lake.
Hot springs in Beitou (1 – 2 days)
Beitou is a northern district of Taipei and it’s famous for its hot springs. Thanks to Taipei’s public transport system, heading out for a quick soak in perfect 60 degree Celsius waters has never been easier.
Xin Beitou (New Beitou) is the area around Xin Beitou MRT station and Qinshui Park that was developed as a hot spring resort during the Japanese era. Besides enjoying the hot spring you can visit the Beitou Hot Springs Museum, which is a hot spring bathhouse that was built in 1913. Visitors may browse the historical bathhouse with the hot spring bath facilities.
It’s great to go there for a day but it’s a wonderful place to stay overnight as well. Here you will find a list of resorts where you can stay overnight and enjoy the wonderful hot springs.
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Language of the world
Of course you like to speak a few words of the local language onboard the plane or at your destination. Here you find some simple basics of the main language spoken in Taipei.