TiiiPsss 2 Ta|wAi / tA|pE|

READERS. here are some information abt taipei i picked up while holidaying there,
tho info may not be very accurate due to recent price hike from the Taiwan-China relations but its the most recent (travelled in end april 2008).

International air port is at TAO YUAN. or u mite can check which airport ur flight takes u to.
i took jetstar n i landed at TAO YUAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

from there u can take a airport express bus to taibei cost

• FREEGO or 'fei gou' (flying dog)
  
• NT$135
  
• www.freego.com.tw
• EVER GREEN or 'chang le' (long happy)
  
• www.evergreen-eitc.com.tw
  
• NT$135
  

or another alternative is to take the TAIWAN HIGH SPEED RAIL (tai wan gao tie)
http://www.thsrc.com.tw/en/

MRT is called 'jie yun' not di tie'
same as singapore's exylink sys (can use both on public cbus and MRT)
the card is called easy card or 'you you ka' buy value NT$500 deposite NT$100
top up at the control station when nececssary

public bus is called 'gong che' not 'ba shi'
taxi is called 'xiao huang' (small yellow) not 'de shi'

** Best to change all NT currency in sing as there are very very few money exchanger in the taiwan. plus exchange rates not good. Most ATMs can use our local cards just make sure of the necessary signs, ie. cirrus or plus are there.

>>>>>>>>>>TAiPEi<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Cabs are not very expensive there so no worries if u wanna travel till late.
MRT in taibei : last train leaves 1st station at 12mn.

shopping in taibei
*all/most nite market opens till late 1 to 2am

• buying in bulk
  
• go to wu fen pu (like pratunam in BKK)
• take taibei MRT to hou shan pi (blue line) and its a 5mins wallk away from station.
  
• cheap only if buying more then 3/5 pcs
• need abt 2 nites or 1 full day.
• special things to note : look for hu xu zhang (beardy zhang) to eat lu rou fan (braised meat rice) - one word shiok!!

• night market
• shilin nite market (shi lin ye shi) and shilin market place (shi lin shi chang)
• take MRT to jian tan station (red line) n walk across the road n u'll see the market place 1st then further down is the nite market
• similar to chatuchak of BKK (a lot stalls sells similar stuff)
• needs abt 2 to 3 nites (only opens at nite)
  
• best go on mon to wed cos fri to sun super pack can not shop properly
• bargaining depends on shop holders not like BKK taiwanese very reluctant to lower price unless very desperate.
• more unique individual shops in nite market.
• MUST EAT : famous chicken cutlet (ji pa) only buy from the stall in the pic attached the blue sign board one.

• its in front of the cinema (u can ask the locals where the cinema is cos its a bit diff for me to direct u there)
  
• also do eat the mango ice (mang guo bing). taiwan's ICE shaving is frozen milk. (just fyi in case u dun like milk keke)
• also try their local fav drink 'ai yu bing' its like our ice jelly.

• dan shui (i didnt manage to go but its quite worth going)

• take MRT to dan shui station on the red line (north last station)
  

• know for their yu ren ma dou (fisherman jetty)
• there are nite market and game stalls
• walk down the the river (romantic place for lovers)

sight seeing in taibei

• taibei 101 & new york new york
• best to go 2nd half of the day as the nite view of 101 tower is nicer

• alight at taipei city hall station (blue line)
• there's a bus at the exit to Taipei 101
• shopping of very all the branded stuff.
• is like taka n paragon combine
  
• Mao Kong
  
• mountain view of taipei
  
• known for their tea plantation and country side tea houses (very relaxing)
  
• take MRT to taipei zoo station on the brown line (last station down south)
  
• then walk to cable car tower
• tickets can use the 'easy card'
  
• cable car tide takes abt 30 to 40 mins
  
• best to visit place in the morning, will take abt half of the day.
  
• temperature ranges abt 19-22 degrees
• jiu fen N jin gua shi
  
• known as the ancient mountain city (looks like japan).
• and jin gua shi know for their hand painted rocks
• take MRT to zhong xiao fu xing exit at exit #1
  
• take jiu fen bus from the bus stop opp SOGO (bus stop is in front of 7-11)

• bus ride takes abt 1&half hrs plus
• take a walk down the 'old alley' (where the shops r)
• temp ard 21-23 degrees
  

other place to visit in taipei :

• hot spring at bei tou
  
• whole stretch of hot spring 'houses'
  
• take MRT to bei tou station on the red line (north)
  
• xi men ding (shopping)
• shops closes early (1130-12mn) in xi men ding
• go find jolin cai's manicure place (i dunno where either)
• check out the oyster mee sua "ah zhong mee sua"
  
• always long q. many pp stanging outside eating
  
• taipei city hall
• zhong zhen ji nian guan
• yang ming shan (like mt faber in sing)
  

budget Hotel recommendation : in heart of xi men ding district

• dong long da fan dian (east dragon hotel)
• clean service good,
• hotel staff very pleasant
• $1800NT per nite
  
• paradise hotel
  
• rainbow hotel
  
• relatively clean
• looks eclectic
• service good
  

Food must try :

• smelly tou fu (must eat with sauce/chilli - then not so smelly)
  
• fan tuan (rice 'ball')
  
• mochi
• fried oyster "o lua jian"
  
• ma la steamboat
• average buffet steamboat is NT$350 pax
• can try 'tian tian' (red sign board ) or 'fei tian' (blue sign board)
  
• oyster mee sua
  
• some dun have oyster cos its seasonal but most of them have pig intestines
• tian bu la (local yong tao fu dry with sweet sauce)
• kong wan (gigantic meat ball)
• shui jian bao 'water fry bao'
  
• can find a lady selling at the exit at zhong xiao fu xing station taking bus to jiu fen.
• try all! keke... 1 is not enough.