Taiwan

January 29 - Feb 2 2013. 

First out of the country trip for this year. It's my second time in Taiwan (first was in August 2010). Was in Changi Airport a good 2 hours before my flight, check-in was pretty smooth, maybe because I didn't have any check-in baggage. I just have my backpack, camera and tripod. Arrived in Taipei at around 5:40 AM and went straight to Immigration. The queue was surprisingly long, it literally took about an hour to get past the immigration officer. Went straight to the bus ticket counter just outside the arrival area. Few minutes before 8AM I reached our hotel, inHouse Hotel in Ximending. For this trip I am with Rick, Ashlee and Victor. 

Taipei Taoyuan International Airport arrival area

Danshui Fisherman's Wharf

Located about 35 minutes by train from the Taipei Main Station, the Danshui Fisherman's Wharf is our first destination the day I arrived. From the Danshui Pier, we took a 15-minute ferry to reach this place. Alternatively, you may take a bus (red bus, number 26) from Danshui MRT station. That's what I did the first time I was there. This is a good place to relax and just walk around.

Taipei 101

Towering at 101 stories above the ground and 5 stories underground, this structure was the tallest building in the world until the opening of Burj Khalifa in Dubai in 2010. Because this building is so tall, you can't miss it, you'd probably see it from afar at one point when you're in Taipei. This is one of Taiwan's iconic landmarks so we made sure we had a closer look. We skipped going to the top as we were told that the view is not as spectacular (and to go up is a bit pricey too, I heard it's about 15 USD). But we did check some of the stores located at the ground floor.

Considered by many as the 'Shibuya of Taipei', Ximending is one great place to chill. 

Our hotel is just a stone's throw away from Ximending. Because of this, we are able to roam around the place everyday. This is one of the places where locals go for shopping and dining. You can find a lot of stuff here ranging from shopping malls, restaurants, coffee shops and even street food! Perfect location for pretty much everything!

Jiufen Old Street

We decided to go to Jiufen as it is recommended by Ashlee's friends. Since there are 4 of us, we took a cab instead as the bus may take longer. On our way the cab driver tried to convince us to go to all the places around Jiufen for 3600 NTD (around 113 SGD), he even showed us all the pictures including a book with all of his customers' testimonials on how awesome the tour is. Because of limited time, we politely declined the offer and went ahead with the original plan, that he'll drop us off in Jiufen and we'll go from there. We ended up calling him to pick us up again on our way back to Taipei.

Jiufen Old Street

Jiufen is a charming small town located in the mountainous area about an hour away from Taipei. Walking along Jiufen old street (or sometimes called Jishan Street) is definitely one of the things I enjoyed during this trip. It is a long narrow street with shops on your left and on your right, literally. Known for their tea houses, it also a place where you can find specialty snacks and souvenir shops. You would probably spend about 2-3 hours minimum if you are going to check majority of the shops.

Tip. Based on what I've read, if you really want to feel the atmosphere of this place, avoid going on a weekend as it's definitely going to be packed with tourists. We were there on a weekday afternoon and as you can see in the pictures, there's a lot of people already, imagine what it's going to be like on a weekend.

Tip. As most of the shops sell the same things, it would be best not to buy on the first few shops and check the other ones further up. This is just a single lane shopping street so you will definitely pass by the same shops on your way back. 

Experiencing Taipei's night markets

Another highlight of this trip is visiting the major night markets almost every night! The food is just awesome! As soon as we arrive, we would try the first food that we see. I have tried the popular stinky tofu, it tastes really good I must say. You would know you are near a shop that sell it when you start to smell that strong stinky odor. Another popular food is their own version of meat sausages. We also tried the different variety of milk teas, including passion fruit drinks. Overall our night market experience is close to gluttony :)

Tip. If you plan to try majority of the food in the night market, you might want to purposely skip your regular dinner. You'd definitely enjoy the food especially when you're hungry. 

Tip. Among the few night markets we visited, Raohe Street night market is probably the best. The whole stretch is about 600 meters long and is located near Songshan Station.

Taiwan in pictures.

In Danshui, people line up to buy the popular Jumbo Ice Cream. 

Another shot of the busy Ximending

The massive Taipei City Hall MRT station

Taipei 101

Stunning view of the Pacific Ocean from Jiufen Old Street

Expenses (in Singapore Dollars)

Return Airfare via Scoot Airlines : 329

Visa Application Fee: 65

Hotel Accommodation: 200

Pocket Money: 400

Visa

Filipinos are required to get a visa before entry to Taiwan. In Singapore, you may apply for the visa by going to the Taipei Representative Office. Visa collection is on the following business day.

Taipei Representative Office in Singapore
460 Alexandra Road, #23-00 
PSA Building, Singapore 119963 

Nearest MRT: CC 27 Labrador Park

Tel.: +65 6500-0100
E-mail: tperep@gmail.com
Office: 09:00-17:00 (Mondays to Fridays)

Requirements:

• A copy of duly filled form
• 2 recent passport photos
• A photocopy of your passport (with a minimum valid period of 6 months)
• An invitation letter
• An employment letter
• Business documents like Letter of Credit, airway bills etc
• Other relevant documents
• Visa fee of S$65

Source: Taiwan Embassy website