If you are planning for long holidays at the end of the year, Taiwan is one of our recommended destinations for traveling. Not only the weather during that period of time is not quite cold, the destination is also a great place for combining modern city with traditional cultures from over hundreds years in perfect harmony. Moreover, there are several tourist attractions for everyone in one destination, whether you are an eater, an explorer, or a city walker, with public transportations across the country making commuting, alone or with your companions, a breeze. At this point, you might be interested in traveling to Taiwan, and you might want to know more about it. This blog entry will let you explore it with our curated highlight locations in one place. Strap right in, and let’s take a look inside this fascinating destination! The legacy of Taiwan dates back to over hundreds of years. As a result, there are several locations, recommended by us, for you to learn about her history. Let start with the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei dedicated to commemorate Mr. Chiang Kai-shek, founder and former president of the Republic of China. Not only that, the hall is also telling the establishment of Taiwan, including the civil wars in Mainland China and biography of Chiang Kai-shek himself. Moreover, in several moments, you can see guarding soldiers show in front of the statue of Chiang Kai-shek. As you can see, it is a complete experience for diving into the history of Taiwan from beginning to today. Moreover, there is no entrance fee at all. If you like to experience the history of Taiwan, you can visit the location easily by using MRT Green Line or Red Line at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall station. The hall opens everyday from 9AM to 6PM at local time. Longshan Temple We are still in Taipei. But, this time, we are moving to the Longshan Temple. This temple has been established since the establishment of the country, making it the oldest temple in Taiwan’s history. As a result, this temple is the home of the traditional religious culture in Taiwan, from Buddhist to Taoism. Additionally, it is the place for praying and blessing to the Chinese Gods around the temple. For those of you who are currently single and would like to predict your fortune about your soulmate, this temple gets you covered. Using love’s fortune sticks to predict your love’s fate. Just pray in front of the God of love, and drop the sticks. If both of them are facing the same way 2 times out of 3, you have a high chance of meeting your soulmate. If not, don’t be sad, just pick a red hank packet with you (same goes to the person getting a success result). If this is not enough for those of you who like to read their fortunes, this temple is a must pick destination for you. Because this temple also sells the talismans and lucky charms for increasing your luck based on the types you are choosing. Please be reminded that after you purchase them, do not forget to “activate” them by circling around the large incense pot at the center of the temple, otherwise the luck will not be effective. Sounds interesting to you, doesn’t it? And the way you are transiting to the temple is a breeze as well. Just use the MRT Blue Line to the Longshan Temple station. But, please make sure you deposit your luggage in other stations, since the station does not have one, and you cannot carry them to the temple! Do not make the same mistake as the writer! If you like to learn about Chinese and Taiwanese culture, especially in terms of artifacts, the National Palace Museum is the best place to go. While it is in Taipei, as the previous 2 locations we mentioned earlier, this one is in the outskirts of the city for a bit, but we can ensure that it is not hard to travel to. This museum is the place for collecting and displaying historical arts and artifacts from Mainland China and Taiwan, some of which are over 8,000 years old! What is more is that there is a park and several photo spots for capturing the moments at the museum. As you can see, this museum has something for everyone, from kids to adults, from nature lovers to architectural spotters, to art viewers, and to historic learners, at one place. One thing to keep in mind is that this museum has an entrance fee of 300 NTD per person. Also, there are several steps for commuting to the museum, but it is not that complicated to follow. If you are using the MRT Red Line, you have to take an interchange to the bus stop at Shilin station. Then, take the bus ride number 300, S18, S19, or R30 to the National Palace Museum bus stop. Or, if you want to use the MRT Gold Line, you have to take a bus, number BR20, BL7, or 957, from Jiannan Rd. station to the National Palace Museum bus stop. Otherwise, you could also rent a bike with YouBike service to the location. It is worth mentioning that the YouBike service is free for the first 30 minutes, and it requires prior registration with your EasyCard and local phone number. Are you an eater or shopper? Taiwan is another great destination for exploring something to eat amazing foods or shop something back home until your legs are sore. There are several eating and shopping destinations to choose from. These are some of our favorites. Ximen is the first destination that comes to mind when it comes to shopping and eating, and it is the first location that we strongly recommend for you to experience by yourself. Compared to Thailand, Ximen is quite similar to the Siam area in Bangkok. There are several activities that bring this location to life, whether at daytime or nightlife, this location is perfect for tasting or shopping. One of our top picks for eating spots is the Mala Hot Pot, a well-regarded mala hot pot restaurant in the country with a great selection of ingredients, including American Wagyu beef or Angus beef imported from the United States. If you have sweet teeth, do not miss the milk fried donut, which is always freshly made, and we highly recommend you to give it a try. Please keep in mind that this shop only accepts cash, no credit cards. For those of you who would like to experience the sleepless city, just take the MRT Green Line or Blue Line to Ximen. We promise you that you will not be disappointed! Another great location for eaters, who want to experience some exquisite seafood, the Taipei Fish Market is a perfect place to do so. Not only is the place packed with high quality seafood, but you can also fish them to cook and eat inside the place as well! Furthermore, the Taipei Fish Market also has department stores for you to shop several ingredients, from fresh produce to ready-to-eat foods. Most importantly, after purchasing items, you can eat it inside their restaurant, which serves high quality seafood meals, as well as great beverages and alcoholic drinks. Whether you are wine drinkers or seafood lovers, this place will not let you down for sure. For commuting to the location, you can take the MRT Yellow Line to the Xingtian Temple station, walk to the north, and cross the crosswalks to the Taipei Fish Market. The transit route is a bit complicated, but it is well worth it. Experiencing Unique Nightlife at Night Markets Across Taiwan Taiwan has one of the well-regarded nightlife experiences in the night markets across the island. They are placed everywhere, whether you are in the metropolitan area, or suburban area. If you are already in Taipei, there are several night markets to choose from, including well-known ones from Ningxia Night Market, Raohe Street Night Market, or Linjiang Night Market. Or, if you are staying in Taoyuan, New Taipei city, or else, there are several night markets to choose from. Inside the markets, there are traditional foods and goods, one of which is infamous stinky tofu, which you may love or absolutely disgust. Like several locations in Taiwan, at night markets, physical cash is really important for enjoying the experience. So, we would like to take this opportunity to recommend you to exchange the money beforehand. For sightseers, there are several spots to experience 360 degrees of Taiwan views, from natural places to skyscrapers. These are some of our favorite places. If you are arriving in Taiwan, do not forget to experience the highest skyscraper in Taiwan, the Taipei 101. The building is one of the most impressive engineering buildings in the world with 101 floors to experience breathtaking views of Taipei city. To experience the spectacular view in 360 degrees, you must buy an entrance ticket for the Taipei 101 Observatory, of which there are several options from viewing at 89th floor up to experiencing the 101st floor at the building. If you are already in Taipei, do not miss your lifetime opportunity to reach the highest spot of Taipei 101. It is an eye-opening experience for you. To visit the location, be sure to take the MRT Red Line to the World Trade Center station, which will have the direct path to the Taipei 101 Shopping Center, another great place for purchasing souvenirs back to home country, as well as the first Apple Store in Taiwan, Apple Taipei 101. Another place for the breathtaking landscape of Taipei that we strongly recommend is Qingtiangang Grassland. This location is a natural-made grassland place alongside dense forest in the outskirts of Taipei, which is perfect for sightseeing Taipei’s spectacular skyline, and a nice view of Taipei 101. Moreover, there is a lengthy circular trail for exploring the natural beauty of mountain, terrain, forest, and wildlife in the calm and peaceful atmosphere along the route. This route is also perfect for step counters by walking in a complete loop. Please bear in mind that there might be wildlife coming directly to you! But, fear not, there are several wooden barriers that can protect you from danger, which you can learn how to protect yourself via the instruction signs along the trail. For commuting to the grassland, you can take the S15 bus from the MRT Red Line at Shilin station, which will take you directly to the location without hassle. At this point, you might be tempted to visit Taiwan already. But before packing your luggages, there are several things you need to know that will make this trip a breeze. First of all, if it is the first time you travel to Taiwan, be sure to purchase an EasyCard at the airport. The Easy Card is one of the most versatile cashcard in the country. You can use EasyCard for almost any form of public transportation, renting YouBike, purchasing goods in the store, or even using a luggage locker in the majority of MRT stations. Only downside is that it cannot be used in the Taiwan High-Speed Rail (THSR), which is only accepting the credit card version of EasyCard. But the most important thing of all, do not forget to exchange some money. As we mentioned several times across the article, there are several places where you need to use physical currency. Meaning that exchanging the money beforehand is the best way to experience Taiwan. Do keep in mind that Taiwan uses the New Dollar Taiwan (NTD) as their currency. And if you are looking to exchange such currency at the best exchange rate without lining up in the currency exchange booth, be sure to check out X-One Delivery service, the most convenient and effortless way for exchanging money in the market. If you are interested in the service, you can learn more about that with this blog post. For those of you who interested in exchange currency at the great rate, with our money delivery service, for the best value and the most convenience, be sure to check out our exchange rate at X-One Currency Exchange Center.
Diving into the History of Taiwan
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
National Palace Museum
Taiwan, the Perfect Destination for Eaters and Shoppers
Ximen, the Sleepless City
Taipei Fish Market
From Natural Places to Skyscrapers
Taipei 101
Qingtiangang Grassland
What You Need to Know Before Traveling to Taiwan
