My Taipei Itinerary

1st time going to Taiwan.. I'm so excited!

Have been searching the webs/forums on Taipei all the "must go" places/ "must try" food and have come out with the itinerary + abit of info below.


1St Day (Thursday) 23/4/2009

- Arrive Taipei airport at 6.30pm

- Apply for YTC card (turn right after exit arrival hall).

- Take Guoguang bus at the left hand side upon exiting the arrival hall
(230NT for return trip/pax) Alight at TMS interchange.

- Check in hotel – City Inn near TMS

- Collect railway train tickets (2 ways) to Hualien for the 5th day (Mon) at TMS train station
**Need to book online for the tickets before going to Taipei.
**Buy CHUKUANG (1st choice) 6plus7AM tickets and 7plus8PM for return tickets @ NT343 x 2 x 90% = NT618/ pax.
If don’t have, then buy Taroko Express (2nd choice) / TZE CHIANG (3rd choice) tickets @ NT445 x 2 x 90% = NT801/ pax

- Buy easycard (NT500/pax) at TMS MRT station

- Take MRT to XMD

- Dinner at XMD

Food to try:-
Taoyuan Street Beef Noodles (Lao Wang Ji Beef Noodle King) @ No. 15 Taoyuan St, XMD, Taipei City (From MRT Ximen Exit 4, walk eastward on Hengyang Rd. and turn right onto Taoyuan St. The 2-storey noodle shop will be on the left hand side.)
Ah Zhong Mian Xian, Bubble milk tea, 黑橋牌sausage , Yang pork chop crisp(楊記排骨酥),
Fen Yuan Dou Hua with Red Bean at San Xiong Mei (3 brothers & Sisters)
Nice coffee at Fong Da Coffee Shop (very near Ximending at 42 Chengdu Road)
3G BBQ 三吉外賣 (BBQ chicken in XMD) Yummy!
No. 85-7 Wuchang St. Sec. 2 武昌街二段 85-7 號 (Next to the Sun 日新 Theater on "Movie St."、northwest XMD Pedestrian Area) 10am~11pm
XMD JSP Jia Shang Bao xiao chi dian – Ximen MRT exit 1 walk abt 3mins along Hanzhong St.

- Explore XMD till 11.45pm. Catch last train to TMS at 12.20am

- Explore 24 hours family mart/ 7-11

- Back to hotel


2nd day (Friday) 24/4/2009

- 7.30am Wake up & prepare for the day

- 8am Out of hotel

- 8.30am to 10.30am Longshan & DiZangWang Temples, Shopping mall & wholesale market
Alight at LongShan Temple Station and Exit 1. Go to the temple, pray 1st.
** Famous “Wan Gao” located opposite Longshan Temple.
Wanhua Clothing Wholesale Area for children clothes at Exit 2.
Explore & eat for about 2hour.
Leave at about 10.30am


- 11.30am to 12.30noon Xindian - Bitan Scenic Spot.
Alight at Xindian Station and take the left hand side exit. Walk about 5mins to Bitan. Explore around for about 1hours.
Leave at about 12.30noon


- 1.30pm to 6.30pm Wulai (hotspring & waterfalls)
On the right side of XinDian Station, join the queue for the XinDian Bus heading WuLai. Less than NT50/pax fare by cash and about 40mins up winding roads to WuLai. (No need to cross any streets to reach the bus stop; just exit the MRT, turn right.)
Stay on right hand side of the bus for best views.
Alight at the last stop (terminal) and walk to Wulai old street, where the hotsprings/ spa and tram depot for the waterfalls are located. Tram Ride - brings you up to the Waterfalls stop at NT50/pax.
Explore around for about 4 or 5hours.
Leave at about 6.30pm.
Take bus back to XinDian Station.


More detail on Wulai public hotspring area:
On the banks of Nanshi river with mountain views.
Walk to the end of Wulai old street. Cross the road bridge, turn right and continue walking along river bank to reach pool. The view is fantastic. There was also man-made Sauna shade too. The hotspring is right beside a heavy flowing river. It's cool surrounding there. Open all day. Free of charge. Common outdoor pools for both genders. Swimsuits required.


- 8pm to 9.30pm Gongguan Night Market
Alight at GongGuan Station which the night market is just outside the station, exit 4.
Explore for about 1.5hours.
Leave at about 9.30pm
Food/ drink to try: 青蛙撞奶 – milk tea.


- 10pm to 11.40pm ShiDa Night Market
Alight at Taipower Building Station Exit 3. Need to walk for about 5-10mins before reaching the night market. Need to catch last train at 12.13am.


** Buy breakfast for next morning.


- 11.30pm Back to hotel


3rd day (Saturday) 25/4/2009 Confirmed!

- 7.30am Woke up & Prepare

- 8am out of Hotel
Look for breakfast

1 day Trip @ 8.30am, NT3000
Mr. Meeky Yang
Cell Phone: 018-886-9-2191-5586
Email: meeky589@yahoo.com.tw OR meeky-yang@hotmail.com

- Yehliu (野柳地質公園) Admission fee: NT50/pax

-Shifen (十分瀑布) Admission fee: NT188/ pax (Still close??)

-Northeast Coast: Nanya (東北海岸:Nanya) - Photos taking stop

-Yingyang Hai (陰陽海) ** Want to see the best view - Photos taking stop

-Bitoucape

-Longdong Bay

-Jiufen (九份)

Food to try: - Yu Yuan (Taro balls), sweet potato balls, Hong Zhao Ba Wan (pork marinated in red wine), beef noodles, fish stew etc.
Zhang Shi Fu Bing Dian and Lee Yi Bing Dian sell very nice pineapple tarts, sun biscuits and Mua-chi

-Temple of the earth god (with the largest bronze statue of Guan Gong in Asia.)
-Jinguashih (金瓜石)
**Go 金瓜石 to see the 黃金瀑布 (must see!) - Photos taking stop

-Zhong Zheng Gong Yuan (Have huge size 观音) - Photos taking stop

-Keelung (基隆) Night Market (**if got time then go)

LEE HU Pastry Shop 李鵠餅店, Keelung
**Very, very famous traditional Taiwanese pastry shop in Keelung in business since 1882.
Address: No. 90、RenSan Rd.、Keelung City 基隆市(仁愛區)仁三路90號
Tel: (02)2422-3007
It's located near the Miaokou area.



4th day (Sunday) 26/4/2009

- 8.30am woke up & prepare

- 9am out of hotel

- 9.30am to 10.30am Breakfast at Zhong Xiao Fuxing Mrt Station Exit 1
AnDong Street, 3rd stall from the front. The shop is on the 1st lane when you come out from Exit 1. (Dan Bing and Dou Jiang)
Explore around for about 1hours.
Leave at about 10.30am.

- 11am to 12noon SYS
Alight at Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall Station, Exit 4.
Explore around for about 1hour
Leave at about 12noom

- 12.30noon to 4.30pm Taipei City Hall
Alight at Taipei City Hall Station and take shuttle bus at Exit 2 to Taipei 101.
Explore nearby shopping malls eg. Warner’s Village, Shinkong Mitsukoshi (新光三越), NYNY and Living Mall.
Explore & eat around for about 4hours.
Leave at 4.30pm

- 5pm to 8.30pm Wufenpu
Alight at HouPiShan Station Exit 1.
Walk to the corner of Zhongpo (Jhongpo) N. Rd
Food to try:- Lu Rou Fan @ Hu Xu Zhang
At HouPiShan Station, Exit 1, make a right U-turn (don’t cross the road) and walk straight all the way to the road junction and it’s just on your right side.
Explore for about 4hours
Leave at about 8.30pm

- 9pm to 11pm Raohe Night Market
After Wufenpu, walk 10mins across Songshan Station to Raohe night market.
Explore around for about 2hours
Leave at about 11pm

***After Raohe night market, can catch the last railway train from SongShan railway Station @ about 11.30pm to TMS.
Please note, though, that the ticketing machines are on the second level, you've got to get on the overhead bridge to get to the platform, and there are two platforms. So ask someone where exactly you're supposed to go if you're taking the railway.


5th day (Monday) 27/4/2009

- 6am woke up & prepare

- 6.30am out of hotel & to TMS

- Take 6pluse7am railway train

-9pluse10am reach Hualien (花蓮) 1 day Trip for NT2700
Food to try:- Bento Pai Gu Fan, Cong You Bing,
Taroko Gorge (太魯閣)
Eternal Spring Shrine (長春祠)
The Bridge of the Kind Mother (慈母橋)
Swallow’s Grottos (燕子口)
Tunnel of Nine Turns (九曲洞)
Tienhsiang (天祥)
Mystery Valley (神秘谷)
Baiyang Trail (白楊步道)
Cingshuei Cliff (清水)
Seven-Star Lake (七星潭)
Shui Lian Dong (水连洞)

David @ 0911-896900,03-8230652(H)

Food to try/buy:- NOUGAT (前山手工牛軋糖)
花蓮市軒轅路 15 號一樓 Tel: 03-8321237
Cong You Bing and Pai Gu Bian Dang Must try!

- Take 7plus8pm railway train back to Taipei

- 10pluse11pm reach TMS
Back to hotel.
REST!


6th day (Tueday) 28/4/2009

- 7.30am woke up & prepare

- 8am Out of Hotel

- 9am to 1pm Xinbeitou
Alight at XinBeiTou Station. Go to the hot spring museum (3mins walk from the station), hell valley, lunch and of couse hotspring.
Explore around for about 4hours
Leave at about 2pm


More details on Beitou Public hotspring

(1) Xin Beitou area:
No 6 Chungshan Rd, Xin Beitou, Taipei (near to hot spring museum)
Tel: (02) 28937014
Walk 15 mins along Chungshan Rd from Xin Beitou MRT station.
Opening hours: 0530 to 0745hrs, 0830 to 1115hrs, 1200 to 1445hrs, 1530 to 1815hrs, 1900 to 2145 hrs
Admission Charge: NT$40 (adult) NT$20 (child)
Common outdoor pools for both genders.


(2) Xin Beitou area:
Longnaitang Public Bath (Beside Beitou Park)
Opening hours: 0630 to 2030 hrs
Admission: NT$90


- 1.30pm to 5.30pm Danshui & Lover’s Bridge
Alight at Danshui Station Danshui old street The old street is located just opposite Danshui MRT station. About 5mins walk.
To see sunset at lover’s bridge @ Fisherman Wharf is at about 4pluse 5.
Explore & eat around for about 4hours.
Leave at about 5.30pm

Look out for the 50NT bag Shop!
Food must try/ buy:- 阿给 (Fried beancurd with tanghoon), fried pork chop with cheese, 阿婆铁蛋 and fish crackers (鱼酥) @ this shop 登峰
Keko Fish Ball Soup & Bao-tze (pork-filled bun) 淡水可口魚丸
No. 232 Zhongzheng Rd.、Danshui

TRADITIONAL TAIWANESE PASTRIES in Danshui
San Xie Cheng (三協成)
No. 81 Zhongzheng Rd.、Danshui 台北縣淡水鎮中正路81號
Tel: (02)2621-2177
Near the northern end of Danshui old street is a very famous traditional Taiwanese pastry shop. One side of the shop faces Danshui old street and the other、the "museum" side、faces the riverside promenade.


- 6.30pm to 8.30pm Miramar Complex/ Ferris Wheel
Alight at Jiantan Station, exit 1 to take the Miramar shuttle bus

- 9pm to 11.45pm Shilin Night Market
Take shuttle bus back to Jiantan Station and Exit 2.
Need to catch last train back at 12.26am


7th day (Wednesday) 29/4/2009

- 7.30am Woke up and prepare

- 8am pack and get ready to go home

- 9am to 10am CKS
Alight at Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall station and Exit 5.
Explore around for about 1hour.
Leave at about 10am.

- 10am to 11am YongKang St
Jin Ji Yuan in Yongkang street.
***Dim sum was yummy. Tasted much better than Din Tai Fung.
Board bus 22 from CKS to Yongkang Street. Fare: NT$15 Alight at “Yongkang St” stop Explore & eat around for 1hour
Leave at about 11am

- 12noon Check out hotel
Leave luggage at the reception

- 12.30noon to 4.30pm TMS underground
Last explore for about 4hours
**Remember to return easycard

- Home sweet home
Flight at 7.10pm, thus need to take Guoguang bus at abt 5pm.