TAIWAN
Night Markets, Scenery, Onsen & The Milk Tea Alliance
Photo by Kaizer Bienes on Unsplash
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Your holiday - Your way
COUNTRY GUIDE
BEST TIME TO GO - Taiwan is on the Tropic of Cancer so the climate is sub-tropical and tropical in the south.
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Taiwan has two monsoons. May to September in the south and then they move north and north-east.
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They also have something called Plum rain which comes in May and June.
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Spring is March to May and a good time to view the Cherry and Plum blossoms.
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Typhoon season is July to September.
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Generally it's warm all year with hot summers and mild winters.
POPULATION - 23.78 million
CAPITAL - Taipei
RELIGION - Buddhism 35%, Taoism, Christianity, Mormonism, Yiguandao, the Unification Church, Catholicism, Islam, Eastern Orthodoxy, Judaism, and Hinduism, as well as native sects such as Yiguandao
ETHNICITY - Hoklo Han Chinese 70%, Hakka Han Chinese 14%, Fleeing Mao 14%, Native 547,465
LANGUAGE - Mandarin Chinese
NATIONAL DRINK - Bubble Tea
NATIONAL DISH - Beef Noodles
GOVERNMENT - Multiparty Representative Democratic Republic
MINIMUM WAGE ANNUAL IN $US - $9408
CURRENCY - Taiwan new dollar TWD $1 = 30 TWD
AGE - 6000
BIG MAC IN $US - $2.41
LITERACY - 98.5%
LIFE EXPECTANCY - 81
TOURISTS PER YEAR - 1.6 million
NO.1 TOURIST SITE - Taipei 101
CHEERS - Kan Pe
HIGHLIGHTS - NIGHT MARKETS & DAY SPAS
Taipei 4N to Taipei 1N via - Hualien 2N - Dulan 1N - Taitung City 2N - Green Island 2N - Kenting 4N - Tainan 3N and Sun Moon Lake 3N
Yongkang Street
World Famous Din Tai Fung
Taipei 101
Pig's Knuckle Ice Cream
Betel Nut Beauties
Green Island Cook up
Jade Cabbage
Coffin Bread
World's best Taxis
Sun Moon Lake
Animated News
Toilet Restaurant
Taroko National Park
Zhaori Hot Springs
Ximending Cosplay
Musical Garbage Trucks
Pineapple Cock Cake
Young Marshal's House
Many more than 70 Night Markets
More than 100 Onsen - Hot Springs
Taiwan High Speed Rail
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Fly into Taoyuan airport catch the MRT to Taipei Main Station and get a hotel nearby. As you can see getting around is going to easy due to the great infrastructure in place. Not only is Taiwan well organised it's fun too. Just watch the animated news, watch the musical garbage trucks, eat at a toilet restaurant or visit the Betel-nut Beauties. You will also come across rather bizarre and vulgar bar and cocktail names and T-shirt slogans that wouldn't be tolerated in the west but are kind of funny here. It's also a great place to eat and many places you visit will have enough night markets to go to a different one every night. Taiwan has many specialties and you should try as many as you can find. The pulled tea and tea ice creams are fantastic. Taxis are so cheap and honest that getting around town is simple. The Japanese ruled here for 50 years and apart from having an influence on the food they also developed many of the island's hot springs or Onsen. Which is a wonderful thing. Make sure you learn the etiquette.
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Taipei itself is a great place and you will be able to mix up your day to include lot's of variety. Some of the things at the top of the list should be a visit to Yongkang street for some great food. Head straight to Din Tai Fung the original store of the now World famous chain of soup dumpling restaurants. Head up to the top of Taipei 101 to see the view. Taiwan has a very interesting recent history and you'll learn about it at the 228 Peace Park Museum. A good day out is to catch the cable car up to the tea plantations at Maokong. Head to the National Palace Museum where you can see and eat China's most valuable treasures, the Jade Cabbage and the Pork Belly jade. you can catch the train to the hot springs at Beitou and visit the Young Marshal's mansion where he lived under house arrest until Chiang Kai-shek died. Now that's a story worth hearing and it covers a span of 85 years. We've barely scratched the surface here and I haven't even mentioned the changing of the guards ceremony at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall or the many worthwhile day trips or hikes in the mountains.
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Take the tilting train Taroko Express to seaside Hualien. If you're confident it's worth hiring a scooter here to get around town and see the Taroko Gorge. When you see 80 year olds riding around with their pets you might think yea I can do that. Plus there's safety in numbers and believe me there are a lot of scooters. Your biggest problem will be trying to locate it after you've been for a walk. (Take photo's and tie a ribbon on it). This is your base for visiting Taroko Gorge the impressive 19km scenic wonder. There are a few different ways to visit and there are some great hikes if you're feeling energetic. Don't forget to have a look at the Qingshui Cliff on your way home.
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Time to trade your scooter in for a car because you're going on a road trip. It's only two days but there are so many things to stop off at along the way it makes sense. If you'd rather not just hop on the bus or the train and have an extra night somewhere else. Your first stop will be the Fengbin Skywalk which as the name implies will have you walking 50 meters above the crashing waves of the Pacific. Have some fresh seafood for lunch near the Shitiping Fishing Harbour.
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Some of the other stops enroute will include the Tropic of Cancer Landmark, the Sanxiantai Dragon Bridge, famous Donghe Meat Buns, Buddha Fruit Ice Cream and hot springs. Spend the night in surf town Dulan and if your lucky you might see some live music or an aboriginal performance at the Dulan Sugar Factory.
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The spectacular coastal scenery will continue today. First stop is "Water running uphill", strange rock formations, the Liji Badlands, Little Huang Mountain, Luye tea farm area and more hot springs (regarded among the best). Buy your boat tickets, check in to your hotel then drop the car off. Taitung City has the biggest aboriginal population in all of Taiwan. There are 16 different tribes here so it provides a good opportunity to meet and learn about them. There is a great Night Market if you are here on the right night. They even have a beer keg on wheels and the biggest Takoyaki I've ever seen.
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Early start to get on the boat to Green Island. My favourite place in Taiwan. Leave your main pack at the hotel and just take a day pack with you. Grab a scooter as soon as you arrive and you're set. This is an unusual island and there's lots to see and do here for a few days. There is one of the very few salt water hot springs. The gaol used to lock up political prisoners during the "White Terror". Great souvenir shops and restaurants. If you can try to be here for Saturday night when the whole village seems to get together for an all you can eat, cook at your table BBQ / Karaoke night. It's a hoot.
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Back to Taitung City and why not go to an Indigenous Restaurant for some truly local food and some live indigenous music. If you are here on the 15th day of the first lunar month you'll be able to bomb Master Handan. This is done by throwing fire crackers at a half naked man being paraded through the streets on a bamboo throne. Sounds like fun. It's a part of the spectacular Lantern Festival.
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Still heading south you're off to Taiwan's surf capital Kenting. It has more of a tropical climate than the rest of Taiwan. Hit the beaches, have a surf, work on the tan. Grab a scooter and visit the southernmost point in Taiwan go for a hike or check out some of the other attractions. You can cook popcorn on the Eternal Flame and try the healing waters at the Sihjhongsi Hot Springs which are rated in the top four on the island. The area is renowned for it's natural beauty and you can drink the water. The two kilometer Night Market here is one of the most famous in Taiwan, well known for it's fresh seafood. After dinner hit the truck bars with their extensive cocktail menus and pumping music. there are various pubs and bars around some with different themes.
"Taipei is Taiwan's pocket, Tainan is Taiwan's heart" - Local saying
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Tainan is Taiwan's oldest city and former capital. The Anping district is the historical centre and original capital of Taiwan. There is a big Dutch Fort here. It's a good place to watch the sunset. Stay near the train station again and spend some time looking around the city and some on day trips. It is called the city of snacks and their beef noodle soup is famous. There are Night Markets scattered all around the city which are open on different nights so you won't be going hungry. If you see a line of people outside a food shop just line up too. Don't worry about what it is. It will be good. you might be able to catch a baseball game while you're here.
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Take the High Speed Train and bus to scenic wonder Sun Moon Lake. Stay on the eastern side of the lake. There is some great eating here and lot's of street food. It is about 30 kms around the lake so you could hire a bicycle and do a lap. There is a very good quality bikeway to follow. Or there is a hop on hop off bus. There are temples, look outs and various other attractions to stop off at along the way. You could also hire a scooter or take a boat cruise around. You can walk up to lookout points. You can take the cable car which is linked to the Formosan Aboriginal Cultural Village 62 hectares of culture and amusement park. You can travel across on passenger ferries. Sand sunsets can be stunning so it's worth getting up early and being in the right spot. There are hiking paths as well Make sure you have a wander along the Lakeside one that starts at Ita Thao pier and goes past the ropeway.
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Time to head back to Taipei and start thinking about home. Or maybe the NE Asian Islands tour - next stop Naha, Okinawa #82.
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Stay near kenting night market
Lakeside Trail
Even if you are not a big fan of hiking, be sure to take a few hours to explore the easy and fun Lakeside Trail. The trail starts at Ita Thao Pier, continues towards the ropeway center and past it, along the lake. The trail is flat and accessible virtually to all. As you explore this area you’ll notice dozens of species of butterflies, hundreds of birds and, if you are lucky, monkeys. This easy walk is an absolute must-do on your list of things to do in Sun Moon Lake.
