TAIPEI
Overview
Visiting the capital city of Taiwan, Taipei is like taking a roller coaster ride spinning through a food paradise and sightseeing metropolis with so much to see and do. This wonderful capital city of Taiwan has so many facets to explore and won’t leave you disappointed. The city is nestled along the Tamsui River and has around 6.9 million inhabitants. The easy to navigate color coded Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) lines bring you to within close proximity of most areas and tourist sights.
We took the 35 minute ride on the MRT from the airport to the main station in the middle of Taipei, which was walking distance to our hotel. This bustling city with its friendly people, although very busy seemed to flow well, the crowds were never overwhelming and it is easy to see that this is a very livable city. By the time we got to our hotel, the mouthwatering restaurants and stalls had us ravishing. We quickly unpacked and went back to start eating our way through Taipei. Our fist stop was a very busy, tiny shop that sells Pepper Cakes, a famous and very popular traditional dish similar to a pie. These are made in front of you in a special oven. After waiting in a long line of people that went considerably fast, we bought some of these Pepper Cakes. They are filled with a kind of pepper beef mixture with an amazing taste. We washed them down with the not-to-be-missed wonderful milk teas, sold all over Taipei. These teas are rather hard to miss as the wonderful aroma of hot, sweet brown sugar follows you around wherever you go. With a very good start of our adventure in the 300-year-old city of Taipei we couldn’t wait to explore more.
Chiang Kai Shek Memorial
The iconic landmark monument to the authoritarian leader and first president of the Republic of China, Chiang Kai Shek opened in 1980 was a definite must-do on our list. The square before the 76m high octagon-shaped white building is named Liberty Square. The eight sides represent the cultural symbol of the number 8, associated with wealth and fortune. It is interesting to note that the entrance to the main hall is via a series of 89 steps, as this was the age at which Chiang died. There is a museum containing two of Chiang’s cadillacs, and documents and articles about his daily life.
The changing of the guard that protects the statue of Chiang every hour is very popular with tourists, as well as the raising and lowering of the flag at dawn and dusk. Two halls next to the main hall are where exhibitions are held, including art exhibitions, museum pieces and sketches. There are covered pathways around the memorial where older locals play musical instruments. On weekends groups of school kids play music and practice dancing.
Opening hours are generally 9am to 6pm every day.
Taipei 101
The iconic 508-meter high Taipei 101 Tower is only outranked by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The total cost of the construction is estimated at $1,600,000,000. It consists of 101 floors above ground and 5 basement levels. It claims the record for the world’s tallest sundial as well as the world’s largest New Year’s countdown clock. The building was designed to withstand gale winds of 60 meters per second and the strongest earthquakes in a cycle of over 2000 years. It was also designed to be flexible as well as structurally resistant to ensure the protection of glass and comfort for the occupants.
Tunes Mass Damper
A steel pendulum (tuned mass damper) is suspended from the 92nd to the 87th floor which offsets movements in the building caused by strong winds. Visitors are able to view the massive 660 tonne steel damper from the indoor observation deck on the 88th and 89th floor. There is an indoor as well as an outdoor observatory on the 101st floor that recently opened to the public and another outdoor observation deck on the 91st floor. All observation decks indoor as well as outdoor offers 360 degree views across the city and beyond.
Elevators
The high speed observatory elevators travel at 1,010 meters per minute, taking 37 seconds from the 5th to the 89th floor. The number 44 floor does not exist as the number 4 is considered unlucky, and was replaced by number 42A followed by floor 43.
‘Damper Baby’
The mascot ‘Damper Baby’ was designed and made into souvenirs and sold in Taipei 101 gift shops fueled by the popularity of the damper as a tourist attraction. ‘Damper Baby’ now has its own comic book and website.
Opening hours are from 9am to 10pm.
Modern Toilet Restaurant
The Decor
For a weird and fun activity there is the quirky Modern Toilet Restaurant in the Ximending area, one of a chain of restaurants across Taipei. Diners sit on real toilets and the tables are glass-topped with basins inside full of poo-shaped ornaments. There are fun couches shaped like giant toilets and the real toilet area is also a fun place to visit.
The Food
They sell meat dishes in toilet shaped bowls, milk teas or whatever drink you prefer in fake urine collection bottles, and even poo-shaped bread rolls. Some dishes come in squat toilet type shaped bowls or basins and dishes have weird names like Poop-stuffed Pancakes (this is obviously chocolate!), Poop Meatballs, Constipation Black Stool Chocolate Snow Shaving, Swirly Poop Ice Cream and Taiwanese Urine Beer! Take home a souvenir or two from their gift shop to remember this oddly, fun experience.
We opted for a hot pot of beef that came in a toilet-shaped bowl, some bread rolls with garlic sauce in the shape of poos and the massive shaved ice, jelly, ice cream and jelly beans dessert that came in a urinal-shaped bowl. Every person who sits down has to buy at least one dish. We had a field day photographing and laughing at our funny-looking, but quite tasty dishes, an Instagrammar’s dream.
We can really recommend this restaurant to the non-squeamish for a great lunch and guaranteed smiles all around.
Opening hours are generally 11:30am to 9pm.
Maokong Mountain Gondola
The 4.03km Maokong Gondola is definitely worthwhile a morning or afternoon trip. It takes just over 20 minutes to get to the top and passes over incredible scenery. There are 3 stops along the way, Taipei Zoo, Zhinan Temple and the Maokong Station. At the Maokong Station stop are numerous walking trails through beautiful working tea plantations and past little villages.
Maokong Station
In the village at the top of the Maokong Gondola Station are numerous cafes and restaurants where you can enjoy coffee or a meal before heading back down. Some of the restaurants offer amazing views across the mountains. There are small local buses that run on a schedule which you can take to Chih Nan Temple if you don’t want to walk all the way.
Chih Nan Temple
We took a walk up the mountain to the Chih Nan Temple (Zhinan Temple), a huge Taoist temple complex. The scenery along the way is amazing, well tended working tea plantations and grazing cattle makes for very peaceful scenes. At the temple you can sit and have wonderful panoramic views of Taipei city and the iconic Taipei 101. Visitors are welcome to help themselves to free tea poured from urns at the temple.
How to get to the Maokong Gondola
The Maokong Gondola is easy to get to. Take the metro on the Wenhu Line, get off at the last stop which is the Taipei Zoo Station, then take a short walk, 350m, to the Maokong Gondola Station. Try to take the ‘Crystal Cabin’ as there are only a few of them available. They have glass bottom floors and we found it totally worth while asking the operator if we could wait until a Crystal Cabin comes around. Our waiting time was about 20 minutes extra from when we reached the long line to the front until the first Crystal Cabin arrived.
Opening hours are generally from 9am to 5pm.
Beitou Thermal Valley
Beitou Thermal Valley (also called Hell Valley) is at the foot of Yangmingshan Mountain which is part of the Datun volcanic range. The range includes the dormant volcano Seven Star Mountain that last erupted around 700 000 years ago.
Beitou Park is free to enter and is quite stunning. There are a few gardens, an eco-friendly library and at one end of the park is the Ketagalan Culture Center, also free to enter. When you walk through the Thermal Valley there is a greenish lake which always steams and has a sulfur smell. It is an eerily sight. This water runs under Beitou and provides the water for all the hot springs. There are 3 main hot springs tourists usually visit.
Green Sulfur Hot Spring
Green Sulfur Hot Spring is an acidic jade-colored sulfur hot spring that is high in radium and varies between 50-75 degrees Celsius. Layers of cream and white diamond-shaped crystals (these are called Beitou Stones) were created due to corrosive reaction with andesite rocks on the river bed. Locals believe the water cures skin diseases, rheumatism and gout.
Red Iron Hot Spring
The Red Iron Hot Spring has clear water and the temperature varies between 40-60 degrees Celsius. The spring are believed to relieve nerve strain and inflammation.
White Sulfur Hot Spring
The White Sulfur Hot Spring has a rotten egg smell and the temperature is generally around 45 degrees Celsius. Locals believe the water treats ulcers, skin diseases, liver diseases and diabetes.
Museum
There is a historical museum on site with free entry. It was originally built in 1913 by the Japanese but is now managed by locals. The museum exhibits an 800 kg Beitou Stone and visitors can read the interesting history of the Beitou Thermal Valley and at the same time learn about the local culture. Visitors have to leave their shoes in a free locker while visiting the museum. It is a good idea to bring socks if you don’t want to walk through the museum barefoot.
Public Bath Pool
The Public Bath Pool dating back to 1913 offers 2 hour sessions at minimal entrance fees. While we were waiting for our session to start we went to the museum to fill in the time. Visitors are only allowed in with swimsuits made of Lycra, or else they need to buy one of the swimsuits on offer. Albert had to buy a Lycra swimsuit as he only had his cotton swimsuit there. It is advisable to take a towel as the hot pools make you sweat, a lot! At the entrance you can also buy a towel.
After a shower we hopped into the nearest pool, which was incredibly hot, not noticeable by the many older local people sitting around in the pool as if it was just body temperature. Jumping out much faster than we went in, we obviously provided entertainment for the oldies, judging by their smirks! We were amazed that the people sat in these pools for such long periods without fainting. The pools all have different degrees of temperature, from pleasant to impossibly hot to sit in (for us) as well as a pool that was ridiculously cold. After a good, relaxing soak it was time to farewell the pools. There are convenient driers which spins swimsuits and towels to almost dry and lockers are available for a nominal fee.
Getting there
Getting to Beitou Hot Springs is easy with the MRT. Take the red Danshui line to Beitou Station, get off and then follow the signs to transfer to Xin Beitou Station. From Xin Beitou it is a short walk to all the attractions of the area.
Bao'An Temple & Confusius Temple
Bao-An Temple
The Bao’An Temple (Dalongdong Temple), founded in 1760 by immigrants from Xiamen of the Fujian Province was declared a UNESCO Heritage building in 2003. It took a quarter of a century to complete with most materials used imported from Mainland China. This beautiful shrine has magnificent examples of traditional decorative arts. It showcases the folks arts festival annually, including the Five Day Completion Rituals to thank the gods for the temple as a sacred place. This festival also celebrates the gods’ birthdays and includes free lion dance shows, opera performances, Chinese medicine clinics and parades. The main resident god, Emperor Wu is revered for his medical skills. Parishioners light incense sticks and let the smoke purify them before hoping and praying for healing powers.
The main hall has numerous images of Emperor Baosheng and is surrounded by 36 statues of officials, dating from 1829. There are seven murals adorning the outer walls of the hall completed in 1973. The drum tower on the west side of the temple houses a shrine to the Birth Goddess. On the opposite side there is another bell tower built as a shrine to Mazu, the Chinese sea goddess. The rear shrine is dedicated to the god of agriculture, Shengnong.
The temple features dragon pillars and a pair of stone lions with open mouths. In the inner courtyard is an information office offering English brochures and a small library containing relics from the temple and English language books.
Opening hours are generally from 6:30 to 10pm.
Confucious Temple
Adjacent to the Bao’An Temple is the Confucious Temple, originating from 1879 during the Qing Dynasty, It honors one of the greatest philosophers of all time and showcases one of the Master’s teaching-simplicity.
The exquisite decorations include the Dragon Stone Pillars, carved and painted wooden ceilings, decorative stud doors, stone drums and Koji ceramics.
The temple offers a sereneness and has a calming effect on the visitors who can enjoy the lovely gardens with strategically placed seats to sit and read or just enjoy the view. Don’t miss the pond with turtles and fish.
There is a gift shop on site and a small 4D cinema which screens a 15-minute film of students learning about the six arts of Confucianism.
To reach the temples take the MRT Red Line to Yuanshan Station from where it is a short walk to the temples.
Opening hours are generally 8:30 to 9pm, closed on Mondays.