Any Taipei experts/residents here?

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We're visiting Taipei for a week land vacation in July. I got pretty good ideas from TripAdvisor and Wikipedia for some tourist attractions that I want to visit. I would appreciate if someone can share the tips for Taipei and day trip from Taipei.

We book a hotel at Zhongshan District.

TIA.

We are heading to Taipei in the coming weekend. Anything specific that you'd like me to look into?

Taipei is a fun, fun, fun city. I am a little biased not because I was born there, but I have been living and visiting the city as an adult, and then as a parent, that I think this is one jewel of the city that most people neglect when they talk about visiting Asia.

People are friendly; subway system is efficient and clean; food is superb. The only thing bad is the hot and humid weather during the summer months. But there is air conditioning everywhere, even on the public buses, so you are only hot and humid for a short time.

Free Wifi is available at all government and subway stations. (http://www.tpe-free.taipei.gov.tw/tpe/EN-TPE-Guide_Foreigner.html). If you have a smart phone (iPhone), I would upload Google Map. I use Google Map to get around Taipei. It even shows bus stops and the bus #s at that stop.

OK. If you have already booked a hotel. Type in the hotel address in Google Map, then you look around the hotel area for a 7-11, Family Mart, or OK Mart. There should be one within a block of your hotel. If there is one, then you are set for all 3 meals (and snacks) and all the convenience of forgetting to pack underwear, for example. You can buy everything at a 7-11 in Taipei. Starbucks is owned by the corporation that owns 7-11. So if you feel like a cup of joe, go to 7-11. You will get a great cup of coffee at fractions of a cost of a Starbucks coffee.

The fun of buying your breakfast, lunch, snacks, drinks, and dinner at a convenience store might wear thin after awhile. But there are tons of restaurants in Taipei that caters to every taste and regional cuisine. The bakeries in Taipei are also to die for. They are everywhere. If you don't know where to eat, go to any department store you can find in the city. Head towards the basement of every department store. There should be a food court there.

Here is the link to Taipei's subway system: http://english.trtc.com.tw

subway map: http://english.trtc.com.tw/ct.asp?xItem=1056373&CtNode=49780&mp=122032

I don't know where you are staying, hopefully it is near a subway station.

There are many places to see, just by way of going on the subway.

I would highly recommend going to Mao Kong Gondolas for one day (end of the Brown Line, Taipei Zoo), then go to Tamsui for one afternoon on the Red Line. Then another day, you can go to Beitou's hot springs on the Red Line as well.

If you want to venture out further and see the northern coasts of Taiwan, go to

http://www.taiwantrip.com.tw/Main/Lang/?redirect=/About/&lang=en-us

and click on "North".

This website is a government website. All the transportation listed are small buses that will accept as payment Taipei's subway EASY card (http://english.trtc.com.tw/ct.asp?xItem=1056512&CtNode=33389&mp=122032). If you run out of money on the EASY Card, you can replenish the amount by going to any subway station or any 7-11 or Family Mart convenient stores.

Taipei 101 and CKS Memorial are both on the new RED line extension of the subway system. The Sun Yat Sen Memorial is on the Blue Line. The Blue Line runs through the heart and soul of Taipei, besides the Taipei Train Station, it goes to ZhongXiao-Fuxing Station. There is an Airport Bus (#5201, #5202, #5203) that will take you directly to Exit 1 Entrance of the Zhong Xiao-Fuxing Station for NT$150 pp.

Zhongxiao-Fuxing stop is where Taipei's most profitable department store, Sogo, is located. The Blue Line also goes to the City Hall. The Taipei City Hall will lead you to the newly developed XinYi District where all the nouvelle riche of Taipei society live nowadays. Very modern corridors between different department stores (but all owned by Mitsukoshi-ShinKong) that are interesting to walk through. Exit 2 of the Taipei City Hall subway stop will lead you to the Taipei bus terminal. Another airport bus will take you here for NT$145pp. You can go to the airport the same way.

If you have a party of 4, I would see if one of the taxi drivers that's hanging out at the airport bus ticketing area can take you to your hotel all for between NT$800-$1000 (please bargain with the taxi driver). This will save you the hassle of lugging your bags through the subway staircases.

I think that's the basics for having fun in Taipei. I will be happy to field any questions you have.

merela-

I totally agree with you. We spent 9 days in Taipei earlier this month and did nearly everything you listed. We even braved the crowds on Ching Ming weekend and took the Ping Xi Rail Line to Ping Xi and Shifen. Managed to visit 4 different night markets as well. I also like the fact that on a short MRT ride away, you are in the mountains and can enjoy the open spaces unlike Hong Kong which seems overly congested at all times.

Given the chance, I would definitely go back and head south next time.

Have a meal at Din Tai Fung when you are at Taipei 101.

Hit a night market even if you are not going to eat there. We found that the Raohe Night Market is the best one we have been so far. They even have Aussie's meat pies.

National Palace Museum could be crowded but worth a visit.

Take the MRT to Tamshui in the afternoon.

Take a bus to the aboriginal village in Wulai.

If you want a nice hotel near Zhongshan at the right price, check out:

http://http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g293913-d1577080-Reviews-Capital_Hotel_Dazhi-Taipei.html

No pool, but great rooms, and metro, supermarkets and restaurants nearby.