Visiting Taiwan last year was not in my plans, but I ended up stopping there because my flight from London to Australia had a connection in Taipei. I decided to ask the airline for a “stop over” 4 days to break the trip, and it was without a doubt the best thing I could have done!
I usually don't do a lot of research on the destinations I visit, I like to arrive at the place for the first time without much expectation and be surprised. Only this time I was so anxious to get to the Australia that it didn't even cross my mind the possibility of Taiwan join my favorite places list.
In those 4 days I saw a lot, and here's my suggestion of what to do on a short stop in this fantastic country.
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Night Markets:
The night of Taipei it's super busy, and the night markets bring the city to life when the sun goes down.
night market in Taiwan
Raohe
The oldest market in Taipei is also, in my opinion, the coolest. There you can see them selling a little bit of everything… food, clothes, souvenirs, and even contact lenses!Shiljin
The biggest and most famous market in taiwanese capital. I even saw fried duck head selling in this market!Tonghua
This one is quite small compared to the others, but leaves nothing to be desired. I stayed at a hostel practically across the street, so I had a quick stop by it every night. What I liked most about this market was the lighting, the colored lights give it a special touch.Huaxi Street (Snake Alley)
Until I arrived at this market I thought I had seen all the foods in the region, which was a mistake! It was there that I saw and had snake soup for the first (and last) time.
Taipei 101
A hell of a 101-story building that was once the tallest in the world. It is possible to go up to the top floor for a panoramic view of the city, but it is only worth paying to go up if the weather is not cloudy.
Another nice option is to have breakfast at the Starbucks which is on the thirty-fifth floor of the same building. To gain access, you need to call and book (I called the day before and got it just fine), and consume at least one drink and a snack.
Elephant Mountain
The view from this mountain is spectacular and I recommend going up in the late afternoon. Besides the sunset being beautiful, when it gets dark you can see the whole city lit up, including Taipei 101. There are a lot of steps, but the effort is worth it!
Wulai
A small town famous for its hot water pools. arrive at Wulai leaving Taipei is super easy. It's worth waking up early and going there for the day. The pools are public, and are located on the edge of a river.
In this city there are also several hotels with heated pools inside the rooms, but I found the idea of staying among the Taiwanese to be more interesting. When I went, it was pretty crowded even though it was drizzling, and there weren't any tourists around.
Oh! When hunger strikes, be sure to try the traditional dish of Wulai, a delicious rice served inside a bamboo.
Hot Water Pools in Taiwan
Huaxi Street Market in Taiwan
Modern Toilet
To close with a flourish, I couldn't help but talk about the craziest restaurant I've ever been to… Modern Toilet!
The restaurant is all decorated with a bathroom theme! Instead of chairs, the seats are private, drinks are served in miniature urinals and the chocolate ice cream I ordered I don't even need to say how the presentation came on the plate, right?! The price is comrade and the laugh is guaranteed!
Good trip!
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