THINGS TO DO IN TAIPEI, TAIWAN

     Thank god for being a millennial and the birth of the internet. How the hell did people travel in the old days? Anytime I plan a trip, I hop online in search of cool blogs and reviews on destinations. However, I had not such great luck during this trip to Taiwan.. DO NOT, I repeat, do NOT, stay at Come Inn Taipei. I was being cheap, as per usual, and trying to find the most cost efficient hostel to stay in, but this place was a nightmare. I didn't even bother vlogging getting to the "hostel", or me even being in it, because I wanted to forget about that experience altogether. I'm kind of being overdramatic, but you try spending 6 days in a sketch place with no wifi. NO WIFI!? How do you live..

     I kind of did this trip on a whim, and relied solely on blogs to find out fun things to do in the city. Here is my attempt to pay it forward to my fellow adventurous travellers - a comprehensive list of things to do in Taipei, Taiwan. 

                                                                                      INTERESTING FACTS

i took this great shot of Taipei's skyline from a viewpoint on Elephant Mountain.

i took this great shot of Taipei's skyline from a viewpoint on Elephant Mountain.

  • Taiwan is an island.
  • From 1895 to 1945, Taiwan was ruled by the Japanese and made Taipei their capital, establishing both their economy and infrastructure.
  • In 1945, Taiwan became a dictatorship after the Chinese Nationalist Party ruled Taiwan in World War II.
  • Taiwan is not politically recognized as a sovereign nation. Instead, it is recognized as the Republic of China.
  • Today, Taipei serves as the political and economic center of Taiwan.

 

 

 

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WHAT TO DO

  • Eat delicious pork and potato kabobs while simultaneously shopping at trendy urban fashion stores at Shilin Night Market (Taipei’s largest and most famous night market!)    
  • Take a scenic, amateur-level hike at Elephant Mountain Hiking Trail. Be sure to stop at the viewpoints to take pictures of Taipei’s modernized skyline, featuring the famous Taipei 101 tower.
  • Give your body a break and release some stress by soaking in the sulfur public baths at Millennium Hot Springs. See if you can endure the hottest bath at a scorching 45 degrees Celsius! 
  • Visit Longshan Temple for its impressive mosaic decoration and elaborate woodcarvings. You may be lucky enough to catch a ceremony!
  • Hit up Taipei 101 for high-end shopping and take a trip up Taipei 101 Tower to get a breath-taking view of the entire city.
  • On a budget? Shop for souvenirs and thrifty threads at K Underground Mall. Be sure to try the delicious Chinese Pizza in the center of the mall.

WHAT TO EAT

  • Taipei is mostly famous for its night markets and street vendors who offer a variety of mouth-watering dishes and snacks for anytime of the day. That’s not the best part. It’s SUPER CHEAP too!
  • Eat potato kabobs, stinky tofu, cheese rolls, pork dumplings (my absolute favourite!) at Shilin Night Market. Each food item is no more than $1 CAD!
  • Satisfy your sweet tooth with brown sugar buns at Shida Night Market

Enjoy! Let me know if you have visited any of these places and be sure to watch the vlog of my trip at the top of this post!

Peace & Love; xo.
- Brady.

 

travelchelsea bradyasia, taiwan, travel, wanderlust2 Comments