JIM HAMILL
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TAIWAN

I spent five days in Taiwan and never left Taipei.  There is more to do but after a month in China I was glad to relax in a sitting with lots of cafes and dining options.

​INTRODUCTION:  Taipei - the third of three Chinese cities that aren’t part of China - has parts of both Hong Kong and Singapore but is a bit quieter and more relaxed without the shopping and skyscraper glitz.

TRIP BACKGROUND:  Five day visa run to Taiwan; I spent all five days in Taipei.

​
ACCOMMODATIONS: Quieter hostels with a higher volume of students/teachers vs. backpacker types.
Picture
TAIPEI
FOOD:  
  • Xia Long Biao, NIght Markets, Themed Restaurants (Modern Toilet, Hospital, Airplane, etc.), Taipei run restaurants serving Western food
  • Vibrant cafe culture throughout the city

SITES:
  • Three Cultural Sites that indicate Taiwan’s connection with mainland China: National Palace Museum (lots of vases, china pottery), Sun Yat Sen memorial, Chang Kai Shek Memorial
  • Taipei 101
  • Eslite Bookstore / Mall - just north of Taipei 101
  • Elephant Mountain - short hike overlooking the Taiwan skyline
  • ***Tamsui*** - the New Jersey shore meets Asia - standout location that’s a different river/ocean side environment than anywhere else in Asia

INTER-TAIPEI TRAVEL:
  • Buses connect the airport with the city center area - a metro line is being extended but seems to be a few years away from being completed.
  • Metro covers the city reasonably well but there are times when you’ll need to hop on a bus to cover the longer distances

CONCLUSION: There’s more here than just a place for a visa run - Taipei’s an unassuming, nondescript city but it’s quiet and calm will win you over.
  • Lifetime Travels
    • Best Of... >
      • 2014 World Travels
      • Videos
    • Africa >
      • Egypt
      • Ethiopia
      • Kenya
      • Tanzania
    • Asia >
      • East Asia >
        • China
        • Hong Kong
        • Japan
        • Macau
        • South Korea
        • Taiwan
      • Indian Sub-Continent >
        • Bangladesh
        • India
        • Maldives
        • Nepal
        • Sri Lanka
      • Southeast Asia >
        • Brunei
        • Cambodia
        • Indonesia
        • Laos
        • Malaysia
        • Myanmar
        • Philippines
        • Singapore
        • Thailand
    • Europe >
      • Balkans >
        • Bosnia and Herzegovina
        • Bulgaria
        • Croatia
        • Moldova
        • Montenegro
        • Romania
        • Serbia
      • Eastern Europe >
        • Czech Republic
        • Hungary
        • Kazakhstan
        • Russia
        • Slovenia
        • Ukraine
      • Nordic >
        • Iceland
      • Western Europe >
        • Austria
        • Belgium
        • France
        • Germany
        • Ireland
        • Italy
        • Netherlands
        • Spain
        • Switzerland
        • United Kingdom
    • Middle East >
      • Israel
      • Jordan
      • Qatar
      • United Arab Emirates
    • North America >
      • Canada
      • Cuba
      • Mexico
      • Panama
      • Puerto Rico
      • United States >
        • New England
        • Mid-Atlantic
        • South
        • Midwest
        • Central Plains
        • Southwest
        • West Coast
    • Oceania >
      • Australia
      • Fiji
      • New Zealand
    • South America >
      • Argentina
      • Chile
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
      • Peru
      • Uruguay
    • Useful Links
    • Travel Writing >
      • Travel Tips
      • Travel Around the World
      • How To...
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  • Philadelphia Story
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  • About
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