Taipei City - Food & Shop!
Night markets, the main night scenes in Taipei, are unavoidable for all visitors. Shi Lin night market is one of the most popular and well-known spot in Taipei. To get there, simply take a Metro train (known as “JiéYun in Chinese) to Jian Tan station (Dan Shui Red Line). Do take note that there is a station known as Shilin after Jian Tan but do not alight there. There are exit signs within the stations directing you to the markets. The metro ride staffs are friendly and you can check with them to avoid using the wrong exits for all your rides in Taipei.
There are two sections within the market which is divided by the main road. On the right section, you can find many food stalls while the left section consists of shops & street stalls. Varieties of food there are great, ranging to the infamous Smelly Beancurd (Chou Dou Fu) to the popular oyster omelette & bubble tea drinks. Prices are reasonable which range from NT$35 onwards for most dishes there. The most well-known store there is the chicken chop (Shop name is “Da Da Ji Pai) which is at the front row and can be easily located from its long queue.
The left section consists of shops selling mostly fashion accessories; clothes and soft toys. There are also many game stores which allow customers to “catch” soft toys in the glass. Each game costs NT$10 and they have ladies around “assisting” you in positioning the toys in the glass for you. The catch is sure win but be prepared to spend at least NT$100 before they place the toys in the easiest position for you to win. I got myself a mini-mahjong set; Da Xiong puppet (Doreamon’s friend) and Winnie the Pooh in Japanese Kimono anyway! Fashion accessories are widely available but are not very cheap. Most bracelets cost about NT$250 which is equivalent to S$13.
For ladies, the “must-go” market is Wu Fen Pu night market which is the distinguished fashion district and wholesale market for ladies’ wear. Tops and dresses can be purchased from NT$100 to NT$250 only! Most of the shops carry new pieces, so do ask for brand new pieces before purchasing. The place is pretty huge and you should allocate about 3 hours for this trip to conquer the entire area. (I bought 7 pieces of dresses and tops within 1.5 hour stay there). The market Is open after 5pm till about 12.30am daily except on Sunday which open till 10pm only. Also, avoid Tuesday as it is their trading days with wholesalers and retailers and they may be too busy to entertain you. To get there, take the metro train (Ban Nan Blue Line) to Hou Shan Pi Station. Ask for directions as the market is not located directly outside the station. Turn left from the station and walk along the alley for about 5 minutes.
Rao He night market is about 10 minutes walk from Wu Fen Pu where you have to pass by Songshan Train (not Metro) Station before seeing it. (Although most books have indicated that it is just across the railway track). The market sells mostly food & drinks with few souvenir and game stalls but the food varieties aren’t as fantastic as the ones at Shi Lin. This place is good to go if you are going to Wu Fen Pu, else I would not quite recommend it.
Xi Meng Ding is one of the most sought after places for youngsters. The place is both lively in the day with students and in the night with tourists and youngsters. You can find many shops selling clothes and accessories suitable for mostly youngsters. There are numerous stalls and shops selling cute stuffs such Doraemon; Hello Kitty; My Melody items! There are also street stalls set up that sell food. The best food there is the Fried Mushrooms! It costs only NT$35 for a big bowl with different varieties of mushrooms. There are also two shops near the end of Xi Meng Ding with great food. One is selling desert which includes sumptuous selection of snow ice with different flavors such as Chocolate; peaches; green tea and many others! Next to the desert shop is a steamboat store, apparently owned by the same boss, which stars smelly beancurd steamboat! There are other great varieties for the steamboat which include Pork or chicken or duck as well. Xi Meng Ding is conveniently located next to the Xi Meng Ding (Ban Na Blue Line) Metro station.
Taipei 101 is the #1 tallest building in the world (surprisingly I realize that there are other buildings in the world which have more than 101 stories yet height is lower than Taipei 101). It offers an observatory gallery at 88th, and 91st floor. The ticket booth is located at level 5 and each adult ticket costs NT$400. The 88th floor offers general information and magnificent view of Taipei city behind the glasses. The 91st is an open floor which offers a different view of the city. However, wind is extremely strong on this level. The 89th floor is also open to public and features the wind dampers of Taipei 101 and pearls (it is weird on why they showcase pearls there, they even sell pearls there!). It may be quite an experience to step into Taipei 101 given its global reputation as the tallest building in the world but there is nothing to wow about when you are up there. In fact, like most tourists, you may be taking more pictures with its “Baby Dampers” mascots around the building. The mascots has eyes that look like “1” and mouth that looks like “0”, hence symbolizing “1o1” with its features. To get there, take a Metro Train to Taipei Main Station and Taipei 101 offers shuttle buses at exit 2 at 15 minutes interval. There are public buses, with clear signs of Taipei 101, that stop just outside the building as well.
Bei Tou hot springs are also one of the popular spots in Taipei. There are numerous resorts at Beitou (Nearest Metro station is Xin Bei Tou) which offer both public & private hot springs and prices range from NT$1250 for 60 minutes session in private rooms. I did not visit any of them so I am unable to comment much. In case you are wondering why are there hot springs in Beitou. The simple reason will be Beitou is geographically located near major tectonic plates which give rise to hot springs in the region. (Although I read somewhere that it is also drawing its energy source from the famous Yang Ming Shan. Will read more and update this section once I clearly understand the source of Hot Springs at Beitou)
If you love Hello Kitty, you must visit the Unique Hello Kitty Café in Taipei. The themed café carries a wide selection of Hello Kitty cakes and pastries. Main courses such as Fish & chips and pastas are also available too but most customers are there for the cakes. Due to its strong popularity, even for the locals, it is recommended that you make a reservation first. Sogo departmental store is located nearby so you can go over there while waiting. The café may accept phone reservation (02-2711-1132). It is located at No 90, Da An Road Section 1 and the nearest metro station is at Zhong Xiao Fu Xing.
Although cute items carrying famous Japanese characters such as Doreamon; Hello Kitty etc are widely sold at most night markets, you must visit the land of Doraemon if you are his true fan! Land of Doraemon is located in “Window on China – Xiao Ren Guo” park at Long Tan area. There is no direct metro train to the area and it should costs at least NT$2000 to take a taxi there. The most convenient transportation is to take the “Xiao Ren Guo” bus which will take you directly to the park. The bus station is located near to metro station – Zhong Xiao Dun Hua (Go straight and turn right at the junction) but it is not easy to locate the bus stop and you have to ask around to get the right pick up point. To avoid getting the wrong directions, it is advisable to ask staffs in nearby shops as they may be more familiar. If you get to the right bus stop, you should see the bus routes of different bus services including the bus to Long Tan. The bus stops at several pick-up points within Taipei before heading the highway. It takes about 1 hour to reach Long Tan before you align at the ticket counter to pay for the bus ride which cost NT$128 for one-way trip. The bus ride will take another 20 minutes to reach Xiao Ren Guo. The bus proceeds on to Liu Fu Choon which is also a tourist attraction. The park does not only contain of Doraemon but also numerous miniature buildings and structures. Doraemon land is located at the last sector of the park! There are souvenirs shops selling the must-buy Doreamon items. The park also consists of a gallery featuring other Doreamon characters and their lifestyle. This is definitely a great place for photo-taking and getting exclusive Doreamon character gifts despite its inaccessible location. For more information (in Chinese though), visit http://www.woc.com.tw/index_1.asp
If you only visting Taipei City, 4-5 days would be pretty sufficient and comfortable to cover most major places. If you arent a shopaholic, $400 will be pretty sufficient for your shopping and eating in 4-5 days. Otherwise, do ensure that you change at least S$700 worth of currencies. You can save pretty much on transportation in Taipei city due to its well-connected metro trains so do avoid cabs unless necessary. There is a surcharge of NT$20 after midnight and meter starts at NT$70 once boarded. Enjoy eating & shopping there!
Night markets, the main night scenes in Taipei, are unavoidable for all visitors. Shi Lin night market is one of the most popular and well-known spot in Taipei. To get there, simply take a Metro train (known as “JiéYun in Chinese) to Jian Tan station (Dan Shui Red Line). Do take note that there is a station known as Shilin after Jian Tan but do not alight there. There are exit signs within the stations directing you to the markets. The metro ride staffs are friendly and you can check with them to avoid using the wrong exits for all your rides in Taipei.
There are two sections within the market which is divided by the main road. On the right section, you can find many food stalls while the left section consists of shops & street stalls. Varieties of food there are great, ranging to the infamous Smelly Beancurd (Chou Dou Fu) to the popular oyster omelette & bubble tea drinks. Prices are reasonable which range from NT$35 onwards for most dishes there. The most well-known store there is the chicken chop (Shop name is “Da Da Ji Pai) which is at the front row and can be easily located from its long queue.
The left section consists of shops selling mostly fashion accessories; clothes and soft toys. There are also many game stores which allow customers to “catch” soft toys in the glass. Each game costs NT$10 and they have ladies around “assisting” you in positioning the toys in the glass for you. The catch is sure win but be prepared to spend at least NT$100 before they place the toys in the easiest position for you to win. I got myself a mini-mahjong set; Da Xiong puppet (Doreamon’s friend) and Winnie the Pooh in Japanese Kimono anyway! Fashion accessories are widely available but are not very cheap. Most bracelets cost about NT$250 which is equivalent to S$13.
For ladies, the “must-go” market is Wu Fen Pu night market which is the distinguished fashion district and wholesale market for ladies’ wear. Tops and dresses can be purchased from NT$100 to NT$250 only! Most of the shops carry new pieces, so do ask for brand new pieces before purchasing. The place is pretty huge and you should allocate about 3 hours for this trip to conquer the entire area. (I bought 7 pieces of dresses and tops within 1.5 hour stay there). The market Is open after 5pm till about 12.30am daily except on Sunday which open till 10pm only. Also, avoid Tuesday as it is their trading days with wholesalers and retailers and they may be too busy to entertain you. To get there, take the metro train (Ban Nan Blue Line) to Hou Shan Pi Station. Ask for directions as the market is not located directly outside the station. Turn left from the station and walk along the alley for about 5 minutes.
Rao He night market is about 10 minutes walk from Wu Fen Pu where you have to pass by Songshan Train (not Metro) Station before seeing it. (Although most books have indicated that it is just across the railway track). The market sells mostly food & drinks with few souvenir and game stalls but the food varieties aren’t as fantastic as the ones at Shi Lin. This place is good to go if you are going to Wu Fen Pu, else I would not quite recommend it.
Xi Meng Ding is one of the most sought after places for youngsters. The place is both lively in the day with students and in the night with tourists and youngsters. You can find many shops selling clothes and accessories suitable for mostly youngsters. There are numerous stalls and shops selling cute stuffs such Doraemon; Hello Kitty; My Melody items! There are also street stalls set up that sell food. The best food there is the Fried Mushrooms! It costs only NT$35 for a big bowl with different varieties of mushrooms. There are also two shops near the end of Xi Meng Ding with great food. One is selling desert which includes sumptuous selection of snow ice with different flavors such as Chocolate; peaches; green tea and many others! Next to the desert shop is a steamboat store, apparently owned by the same boss, which stars smelly beancurd steamboat! There are other great varieties for the steamboat which include Pork or chicken or duck as well. Xi Meng Ding is conveniently located next to the Xi Meng Ding (Ban Na Blue Line) Metro station.
Taipei 101 is the #1 tallest building in the world (surprisingly I realize that there are other buildings in the world which have more than 101 stories yet height is lower than Taipei 101). It offers an observatory gallery at 88th, and 91st floor. The ticket booth is located at level 5 and each adult ticket costs NT$400. The 88th floor offers general information and magnificent view of Taipei city behind the glasses. The 91st is an open floor which offers a different view of the city. However, wind is extremely strong on this level. The 89th floor is also open to public and features the wind dampers of Taipei 101 and pearls (it is weird on why they showcase pearls there, they even sell pearls there!). It may be quite an experience to step into Taipei 101 given its global reputation as the tallest building in the world but there is nothing to wow about when you are up there. In fact, like most tourists, you may be taking more pictures with its “Baby Dampers” mascots around the building. The mascots has eyes that look like “1” and mouth that looks like “0”, hence symbolizing “1o1” with its features. To get there, take a Metro Train to Taipei Main Station and Taipei 101 offers shuttle buses at exit 2 at 15 minutes interval. There are public buses, with clear signs of Taipei 101, that stop just outside the building as well.
Bei Tou hot springs are also one of the popular spots in Taipei. There are numerous resorts at Beitou (Nearest Metro station is Xin Bei Tou) which offer both public & private hot springs and prices range from NT$1250 for 60 minutes session in private rooms. I did not visit any of them so I am unable to comment much. In case you are wondering why are there hot springs in Beitou. The simple reason will be Beitou is geographically located near major tectonic plates which give rise to hot springs in the region. (Although I read somewhere that it is also drawing its energy source from the famous Yang Ming Shan. Will read more and update this section once I clearly understand the source of Hot Springs at Beitou)
If you love Hello Kitty, you must visit the Unique Hello Kitty Café in Taipei. The themed café carries a wide selection of Hello Kitty cakes and pastries. Main courses such as Fish & chips and pastas are also available too but most customers are there for the cakes. Due to its strong popularity, even for the locals, it is recommended that you make a reservation first. Sogo departmental store is located nearby so you can go over there while waiting. The café may accept phone reservation (02-2711-1132). It is located at No 90, Da An Road Section 1 and the nearest metro station is at Zhong Xiao Fu Xing.
Although cute items carrying famous Japanese characters such as Doreamon; Hello Kitty etc are widely sold at most night markets, you must visit the land of Doraemon if you are his true fan! Land of Doraemon is located in “Window on China – Xiao Ren Guo” park at Long Tan area. There is no direct metro train to the area and it should costs at least NT$2000 to take a taxi there. The most convenient transportation is to take the “Xiao Ren Guo” bus which will take you directly to the park. The bus station is located near to metro station – Zhong Xiao Dun Hua (Go straight and turn right at the junction) but it is not easy to locate the bus stop and you have to ask around to get the right pick up point. To avoid getting the wrong directions, it is advisable to ask staffs in nearby shops as they may be more familiar. If you get to the right bus stop, you should see the bus routes of different bus services including the bus to Long Tan. The bus stops at several pick-up points within Taipei before heading the highway. It takes about 1 hour to reach Long Tan before you align at the ticket counter to pay for the bus ride which cost NT$128 for one-way trip. The bus ride will take another 20 minutes to reach Xiao Ren Guo. The bus proceeds on to Liu Fu Choon which is also a tourist attraction. The park does not only contain of Doraemon but also numerous miniature buildings and structures. Doraemon land is located at the last sector of the park! There are souvenirs shops selling the must-buy Doreamon items. The park also consists of a gallery featuring other Doreamon characters and their lifestyle. This is definitely a great place for photo-taking and getting exclusive Doreamon character gifts despite its inaccessible location. For more information (in Chinese though), visit http://www.woc.com.tw/index_1.asp
If you only visting Taipei City, 4-5 days would be pretty sufficient and comfortable to cover most major places. If you arent a shopaholic, $400 will be pretty sufficient for your shopping and eating in 4-5 days. Otherwise, do ensure that you change at least S$700 worth of currencies. You can save pretty much on transportation in Taipei city due to its well-connected metro trains so do avoid cabs unless necessary. There is a surcharge of NT$20 after midnight and meter starts at NT$70 once boarded. Enjoy eating & shopping there!
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