A Long Weekend in Taipei

The great thing about being situated in Hong Kong is that any national holiday (and there are a lot) is an invitation to travel. For the 75th Anniversary of Republic of China, we jetted off to Taipei, Taiwan.

I had one ‘must’ from this trip; visit Juifen. Straight out of a Miyazaki film, this ancient mountain town is drowning in lanterns and noodle soup. It is a spectacle to wonder through and truly reminds you how far you are from home (in the best way).

The next day had one mission and that was to see a Panda. With plenty of research into the ethical practices of the Taipei Zoo, we took a gondola through the forest to visit Yuan Zai the Giant Panda.

Next stop was the famous ‘Raohe St Night Market’. Michelin star street food is a crazy concept to us Westerners but easily found here. The bustling and chaotic atmosphere is a unique and somewhat intimidating experience that throws you into the epicenter of Taiwanese culture. This one is a must when visiting!

As Sunday is for relaxing, we decided to check out the Natural Hot Springs in Beitou district. There were many tempting spa retreats but an exchange students budget refrained us to the public baths. Although busy, the cool breeze combined with the heat of the water was soothing and I can understand why so many come here.

The next day didn’t have a cloud in the sky, despite the typhoon warnings. We explored Lungshan Temple and Ximen shopping district followed by the captivating Dihua Street. Local crafts, souvenirs and galleries that could have easily taken up hours of our evening.

But before we concluded our final night, we had to visit the ultimate photo op location of the Taipei 101 tower.. outside a restaurant called Takemura Izakaya. I’m sure this restaurant are sick of tourists gathering here but it is the best spot!

Although not far from Hong Kong, Taipei had a completely different atmosphere. The buildings are low, everyone has a moped and the people are pleasantly surprised to see you and excited to welcome you.