Taiwan Travel Report: Taiwan is more than just a place for satisfying meals!

Such a feeling may seem a little strange today, because it has become much easier to travel to Taiwan, and Taiwan has long been stripped of its mysterious veil. Compared with the mainland, which has developed rapidly in the past 10 years, many people who have gone to Taiwan may even be a little "disappointed". Even the most fashionable and fun city in their imagination, Taipei, is actually far less prosperous than today's Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, and even a little "rural".

But do people who say this really just want to go to another city to find the same prosperous experience? I have set foot in more and more big cities, and I live in a big city myself, but I actually lack interest in cities. But I always have a passion for Taiwan. In addition to my previous study experience, which made me have a thick fan filter for this place, this place that once gave birth to various well-known pop singers and produced various good-looking variety shows and idol dramas always makes me curious: how do they live?

In fact, I had the answer many years ago. The Taiwan I like is that everyone says thank you to the driver when they get off the bus; the grandpa in the small restaurant says to me, you are a sister from the mainland, do you like Taiwan, grandpa will give you an extra fish ball; the band lead singer who squats at the door and smokes melancholy after the live house closes late at night even though the music is very good; the streets and alleys are filled with the aroma of food no matter how late it is.

This time I returned to Taiwan as a tourist and went to some places that I didn't have the money or time to go to back then. There are some joys, some disappointments, and still some regrets that I didn't have time to complete.

Share with you.

It's really a very careful (well) used strategy. This article mainly introduces northern Taiwan, and the next article will introduce you to the fun places in southern Taiwan~

01 Taipei

I was a little depressed during the few days in Taipei. I rarely encountered bad weather when I went out, but this time I encountered continuous rain caused by the typhoon, which disrupted many of my original plans, such as not being able to climb Yangmingshan Mountain and getting soaked when climbing Xiangshan Mountain to see the night view. So I put away my tourist spirit, took a shared bicycle, wandered around the city, and opened up the daily life of Taipei.

Playing what？

▲ Section 4, Zhongxiao East Road (East District)▲
Transportation: MRT Bannan Line-Zhongxiao Dunhua Station
Business hours: Stores will start to open around 2 pm~




I always think that the song "Walk Nine Times on Zhongxiao East Road" by Power Train is so right. Zhongxiao East Road is really worth walking nine times because it is so fun to visit! However, compared to SOGO, Xinyi or Dunnan business districts, which are full of luxury stores and big department stores, my favorite is to go treasure hunting in Section 4 of Zhongxiao East Road, which is full of unique small shops.

People who like to watch Kangxi must know that the so-called Section 4 of Zhongxiao East Road is the "East District", which has been known as the most fashionable place in Taiwan for decades. Various celebrities and designers' trendy shops gather here, plus some tasteful grocery stores, dessert shops, bookstores, etc., forming the most design-oriented and life-like small block in Taipei. When I was in school, I met many celebrities here. I even expressed my love for Chen Qiaoen to Ming Dao (?)

Zoom in Apartment opened by Wu Qingfeng's sister, Jay Chou's Phantaci, Mayday's Stay Real... If you are not interested in celebrities and trendy brands, there are also various styles of online shopping stores waiting for you to explore. If you are tired of shopping, you can take a break in a coffee shop like September Cafe, and then you can have a good time for three or four hours! In short, it is really enough for you to shop from day to night~



The result of my shopping in an afternoon! I bought five pairs of shoes and seven or eight pieces of clothes for about 3,000 RMB, which supported the clothes for the entire trip. It was really great.

Baomu, who was responsible for helping me carry the spoils, squatted at the door and watched the people passing by while I was shopping. He said that this place is quite wonderful. Everyone on the streets of the East District has a different style of dress. You can't tell whether they are European and American style, Japanese style or Korean style at a glance, but they are all very good-looking. I think his evaluation of the East District is quite accurate.

▲ National Palace Museum, Taipei▲

Transportation: The MRT cannot go directly, it is recommended to check the bus or take a taxi directly

Business hours: Open from 08:30 to 18:30 all year round

TIPS: Buy the electronic package of Taipei National Palace Museum and 101 on Amazon, which is free of queues and cost-effective.

The official website has manual (free) and audio guide (30 Taiwan dollars) reservations, which need to be made in advance.

Among all the places called tourist attractions, I really, really, really, really (*10) like the National Palace Museum in Taipei. Don't be scared off by the fact that it is surrounded by tour groups. The exhibitions and guides of the National Palace Museum in Taipei are very detailed and interesting. The amount of information is not too overwhelming, which makes people very patient to watch. They are very attentive in displaying our cultural relics.

If you have watched the popular "Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace" and "Story of Yanxi Palace" a while ago, and observed the costumes of the characters in them, then you will find a lot of fun in the exhibition of the National Palace Museum in Taipei, because the crew has been to the National Palace Museum in Taipei to do their homework, and even many jewelry are copied according to the original ones in the National Palace Museum in Taipei.



For example, in the exhibition of historical documents and treasures of the Qing Dynasty, I carefully read some of the emperor's memorials. It turns out that the emperor's review of memorials was just like a teacher's review of a student's homework. He used red ink to write an indifferent "got it" (poof) on the minister's eloquent memorial. When a minister sees a lot of typos, he will directly dissitate, and the emperor and his ministers will say hello to each other. It can be said that it is beyond imagination.
  



Some of the jewelry used by the harem concubines that I saw in the permanent exhibition looked just like seeing Ruyi herself standing in front of me! I never expected that after so many years, these jewelry would still look so beautiful and dazzling today.
  



Put a picture of Ruyi to compare

▲ Xiangshan▲
Transportation: MRT Tamsui-Xinyi Line Xiangshan Station, along Instructions are for a 10 minute walk.
TIPS: It requires a lot of... physical strength.



There are many places in Taipei where you can enjoy the night view. You can climb up to the famous 101 Building to overlook the entire Taipei, or you can climb up to Yangmingshan and have a meal at a restaurant. Savor it slowly, or climb up Elephant Mountain to take photos with the entire 101 from the best viewing point. If time is limited, just choose one of the three. Because it rained, I didn’t go to Chengyangmingshan. I went to both 101 and Xiangshan. Although I got soaked in the rain while climbing Xiangshan Mountain, I think the viewing effect of Xiangshan Mountain will be better compared to 101, because when you stand on 101, you can’t see 101 (seriously) ) ~ It’s the same reason as why there is a Roppongi Observation Deck to see Tokyo Tower in Japan.



Be mentally prepared because the Xiangshan Trail is really It is used for exercise, but the whole thing is too steep... Without a certain amount of physical strength, it is impossible to climb to the observation deck above. We almost died when we climbed to the first viewing platform! But the second observation deck further up is the place with the best views.
  
▲Watch a movie▲

In fact, in Taipei, it is nothing more than changing places to continue city life, visiting Eslite Bookstore, Shin Kong Mitsukoshi shopping, etc. It's so special. If you have time, I think you should go watch a movie. Compared with mainland China, I think the happiest thing for people in Hong Kong and Taiwan is that they can watch many diverse and uncensored movies for the first time. This time I watched "Boyfriend 3" and "Venom" in a few days in Taipei, and they were released earlier than in the United States! A satisfying book! The Golden Horse International Film Festival is held in Taiwan every November. Many of my friends will fly to Taipei to watch it for more than ten days at this time. It is really a great pleasure for movie fans. This year’s Golden Horse Film Festival is from 11.08 to 11.25, so arrangements can be made immediately.


What to eat

There is really no shortage of food in Taiwan, with endless snacks available at night markets. Everyone who goes to Taiwan should hate themselves for not having ten stomachs! There are more than a dozen night markets in Taipei, so don’t just go to the crowded Shilin Night Market. Our airbnb host recommended to us that locals would prefer Ningxia Night Market, Normal University Night Market, Raohe Night Market, etc. Each night market has its own unique delicacies, so you can explore them carefully. But besides night markets, there are actually many delicious places to eat in Taiwan. Without further ado, let’s quickly recommend!
  
▲ Ma Spicy Top Spicy Mandarin Duck Hot Pot▲
Price: About RMB130 per person for lunch and RMB160 per person for dinner.
TIPS: If it is a meal, it is recommended to make a reservation in advance, just call.



The first thing I did when I landed in Taipei was to eat the hotpot buffet that was my favorite when I was in school! All-you-can-eat hot pot, it’s really Taiwanese! Bay! Of! Light! When you come to Taipei, be sure to save your stomach and give it a try. The price/performance ratio is super high, and you can eat to your heart's content for just over RMB 100 per person. You can add unlimited orders within 2 hours, you can eat various snacks and Haagen-Dazs, and the self-service drinks will include Calpis and pearl milk tea. Most importantly, the various meats and seafood provided in the store are indeed of high quality, and we couldn't stop eating plate after plate. But when it comes to Taiwanese so-called spicy food, people who can usually eat spicy food just order the spiciest one! There are many chains here, just choose the one closest to you based on your itinerary.
  



▲ Shangyin Aquatic Products▲
Price: around 200-300RMB per capita
TIPS: It is recommended to slightly stagger the meal times, otherwise there will be too many people!



This It is another light of Taiwan (laughs), a super large seafood market, affiliated to the famous Mitsui Group. After being transformed by Eslite designers, it was transformed into a complex seafood experience space integrating shopping, eating and shopping. The market is so big that when we entered, we were a little confused. We wanted to eat this and that. It can be said that the difficulty of choosing broke out.
  



Because the entire Shangyin Aquatic Products has many themed areas, each area has a different way of handling seafood. You can directly choose fresh seafood in the live fish area and hand it over to the clerk for cooking; you can also enjoy fresh sashimi in the Liton area while watching the chef make sushi; charcoal grilled, cooked, and various cooked foods are also available . Another place where I hate that my belly is too small!
  
Because I love eating sashimi, we chose to have a feast in the Liton District this time. Two people ordered a set meal (1980TWD≈444RMB), which includes lobster, abalone, oysters, sea urchins and other fresh food, as well as the legendary black tuna that melts in your mouth! In addition, there are 7 sushi set meals and miso soup. At first I thought it wasn’t enough, but after two people finished eating, it still came out sideways... The miso soup was also full of various seafood, and I couldn’t finish it! As far as the price of domestic seafood is concerned, I feel that the price/performance ratio of this large basin is really good, it is really fresh!
  



Where to live

▲ Yongji Linju (Airbnb) ▲
Price: around 450 RMB per night
Location: MRT City Hall Station



We stayed in Taipei for 4 years I stayed in this apartment booked on Airbnb for three nights. On the last day, I changed my taste and checked into a hotel called Taipei East Hotel for nearly 900 RMB according to an unreliable guide. It has been blocked (...). This small apartment in Xinyi District is not very big, but the landlady is very welcoming and the facilities are complete and comfortable. Walking to 101, Eslite, Shin Kong Mitsukoshi, Breeze Plaza, Mala are all very close. Although it is not a very unique B&B, it is definitely not a wrong choice.

02 Beitou

Transportation: Take the MRT Tamsui-Xinyi Line to Beitou Station, transfer to the special line to Xinbeitou Station. TIPS: It is about a 45-1 hour drive from Taipei city center.
  
Beitou, located in the outskirts of Taipei, is where Mayday singer Ashin grew up. It is also where Taipei people bring their whole family together during weekends and holidays. A hot spring town where you can take a rest. It's cool in Taipei when it rains, so it's a good time to take a dip in the hot springs, slow down your pace, and relieve yourself from the fatigue of the journey. There is a lot of green in Beitou, and walking among it with an umbrella is surprisingly beautiful. Beitou is not a big place. After getting off the MRT, start from Zhongshan Road and walk along Beitou Park, which is basically all the places worth visiting.
  


What to play

▲ Kagaya▲
Price: Tingquan hot spring (2 people) + afternoon tea = 650RMB
If you need accommodation, 2500-3000RMB a night



The most important thing to do in Beitou is definitely to soak in the hot springs! There are many hot spring hotels in Beitou, the three most famous ones are Kagaya which is a completely Japanese hot spring, the only five-star hotel Grandview, and the most top-notch and private private hot spring club San Er Hotel.
  



Because I didn’t go to a hot spring in summer last time I went to Japan, I chose the all-Japanese Kagaya this time. Kagaya has been the number one hot spring hotel in Japan for 30 consecutive years, and this one in Beitou is their only overseas branch. If you stay, the girls can also change into kimonos and take pictures~ If you think the price is a bit high, or like me, you have other plans in the evening, you can also choose to book a 90-minute private bath for 2 people+ Just try the afternoon tea set. Afternoon tea is also a Japanese-style snack. It is very beautiful and light in taste. It is very relaxing and comfortable with a large green area outside the window.
  


After the afternoon tea, we officially started to take a bath. This time I booked Tingquanjian. I have always soaked in public hot springs before, but this is my first time to soak in private hot springs. There are small wooden benches and small basins in the soup pool. You can take a bath and travel to Japanese anime in one second. Haha. The soups here in Beitou are mainly based on sulfur springs, which have beauty effects. However, you must be mentally prepared that Japanese hot springs will not have all kinds of strange pools like in China. They will mainly use natural mineral spring water. The white sulfur hot spring water we soaked in looks like white water to the naked eye. Do not Some strange expectations.
  

A bathing photo. I really wasn’t drinking water (seriously!)

▲ Beitou Books Museum/Geothermal Valley/Beitou Hot Spring Museum▲
Walking along Beitou Park, there will be several small attractions like this. Because it rained that day, we didn’t stay too long. Hot springs The museum is not even open, which is a small pity. Beitou Library is known as one of the most beautiful libraries in Taiwan. Its appearance is indeed very special, and the wooden decoration inside also gives people a calming power. If you have time, sit down and read for a while to take a break.
  



The Geothermal Valley is a pretty magical place and is one of the sources of Beitou hot springs. The temperature of the blue-green spring water is about 90 degrees Celsius to 100 degrees Celsius. It emits white smoke all year round. It feels like you will see the White Snake in the next second! However, this gas actually contains sulfur smoke, which is not beneficial to the human body.
  


What to eat

▲ Manlai Hot Spring Ramen▲
Price: around 60RMB per person



The famous Hot Spring Ramen in Beitou is basically an internet celebrity shop. It is very close to the MRT and can be seen within a few steps. So before I went there, I was a little worried about whether it was really that delicious, but it turned out to be really delicious! I feel like it’s hard to be cautious when eating in Taiwan, and I don’t seem to eat anything bad. Because we ate this before afternoon tea and didn’t want to be too full, we shared a bowl of spicy ramen, plus a side of water-spiked sausage and hot spring egg. The noodles are very chewy and the sausage will really squirt when you bite it. I am already hungry as I write this... Go and eat!
  


03 Yilan

Transportation: at Taipei Transfer Station, City Government Transfer Station Various transfer stations can transport passengers to Yilan. There are many flights. You can go as you go and you can reach Yilan in about an hour. It is not recommended to take the Taiwan Railway, it is very slow and a waste of time.



Zaizai Zhou Yumin’s hometown ~ Yilan. I fell asleep on the bus, and when I opened my eyes, it was completely different from Taipei. It turned into a simple rural style. This time we stayed in Yilan for a day and a half because we love wine and wanted to check out the Kavalan Whiskey Distillery, which has frequently won international awards in recent years. In the process of doing my homework, I found that there are quite a lot of things to do in Yilan County. You can experience flying a paraglider in Australia, soak in hot springs in Jiaoxi, and have a satisfying meal at Luodong Night Market. However, these places are a bit scattered, so in Pay attention to the route and time when planning your itinerary.
  
What to play

▲ Outside Australian paragliding base▲
Transportation: Take the Taiwan Railway to Waiao Station (the station has fewer flights, so you need to check the flights in advance), and then take a taxi Go up the mountain.
Price: 1200NT/person (about 270RMB)
Business Time: 9:00-16:00 every day
Telephone: +886 935 181 191
TIPS: The weather conditions required for paragliding are relatively high, so you need to call in the morning to confirm whether you can fly that day. Photography is not included, but you can take selfies with your GoPro and mobile phone.
  



The most exciting point of the entire trip to Yilan was paragliding! Currently, there are two places in Taiwan where you can experience paragliding, one is Hualien and the other is Yilan. The flight altitude in Hualien will be higher than that in Yilan, so the price will be more expensive than that in Yilan. Although after paragliding, I feel that it is a very gentle activity that is suitable for all ages and is much smoother than I imagined. However, I am still very happy to have crossed this item off my life list and treat it as skydiving. Warm up!
  



The person who took me flying that day was a young lady. I thought it was really cool for a girl to do such a job. So I chatted with her for a while during the flight. She said that she has been paragliding for four years. If she wanted to fly with guests, she would have to train for more than three years. I am qualified, so the "stability" I experience is hard-won. Last time I saw on the Internet that there are also paragliding training bases in China, so I silently added the option of "flying my own paraglider" to my bucket list. I hope that one day you can see me realize it. .
  
▲ Kavalan Whiskey Distillery (Kavalan Whiskey) ▲
Transportation: Rent an electric car in Yilan City or call a taxi to arrive
TIPS: Check and book the winery guided tour on the official website in advance Or DIY bartending



I am rather disappointed with Kavalan, which has won many international awards. There are two reasons for this. One is because this whiskey distillery is amazing. Compared with the whiskey distilleries in Scotland and Japan that I have been to, this distillery seems to not pursue style at all and has become a tourist attraction. When we went there, the lobby of the winery was full of middle-aged and elderly tour groups who seemed not to be interested in wine at all. Secondly, because their tour guide was very careless, it happened to be a Sunday when we went and we made a holiday reservation on the official website. I took a guided tour, but when I arrived at the site, I was told that the tour was suspended today because many parts of the winery were closed.
  




But the DIY bartending activities at Kavalan Winery, It's something that other wineries don't have. For NT$1,500 (approximately 220RMB), you can mix your own bottle of wine to take home, and you can sign your name on the box and packaging, which is quite memorable!
  
▲ Jimmy Park/Xingfu Transfer Station▲




When I came to Yilan, I realized that this is also the hometown of cartoonist Jimmy, so there are many traces of Jimmy left in the entire Yilan City. . Jimmy Park and Xingfu Transfer Station are both near Yilan Station/Transfer Station. You don’t have to make too many arrangements and go there, you will definitely pass by. Although many guides mention these two places, I personally find them quite boring. They are just places to take photos and can be viewed in a few minutes. I really like the elephants and giraffes at the Xingfu Transfer Station, but there are children playing nearby, so I’m too embarrassed to step forward and take pictures (cover my face)...

What to eat

▲ Luodong Night Market▲

Transportation: Take the Taiwan Railway to Luodong Station. Luodong is a large station with many trains and you can leave from Yilan at any time.




Actually, if you don't know where to stay in Yilan, I would recommend you to stay in Luodong, because Luodong Night Market is pretty good. After a day's trip, just eat until late at night in Luodong Night Market! Luodong is about 8 kilometers away from the center of Yilan City, and there are many trains running between them. I like the night market with a super compact layout like Luodong Night Market, and there are a lot of people. Eating is fun only when it is lively.

Yilan's night market is naturally indispensable for Yilan's local specialties, so you will find that many snacks contain three-star green onions. Three-star green onion buns are a local specialty. In addition, I recommend Wei Jie's stuffed vermicelli, lightning puffs, and the deep-fried 12-ounce chicken steak as big as my face! It's really as big as my face!





Where to stay

▲ Xingkou Hotel (Booking)▲

Price: about 540 RMB per night

Location: opposite Yilan Station, very convenient.




The streets near Yilan Station are all very run-down, and I was a little surprised to see the fresh and beautiful facade of this store. It actually stands out among the surrounding buildings. The comfort level is very good, and the location is also good. It is right opposite Yilan Station, and it is convenient to go anywhere. But as mentioned above, I don’t recommend you to live in Yilan City, because Yilan City itself is not fun. After this experience, I think you can live in Luodong or Jiaoxi. But if you decide to stay in Yilan City, then this must be the first choice. Breakfast is provided in the morning.