Taipei

台北

Taipei

Taipei is the Capital of Taiwan and it is a densely-populated modern city that is the center of Taiwan’s economy. Taipei is well-known for the Taipei 101 skyscraper and its diverse, lively nightlife. To those unfamiliar with the country, Taipei can be considered the New York of Taiwan.

Accomodation

Taipei 101

Located in the heart of the city, Xinyi District, the skyscraper with 101 floors stands at 508m (1667ft) tall and is an unmissable location. It was the tallest building in the world until the Burj Khalifa was built. The skyscraper was constructed in 2003 with state-of-the-art engineering. Due to its geographical location, Taiwan is prone to strong earthquakes and typhoons that are capable of causing tremendous damage; to withstand such harsh conditions in case of emergency, there is a 660-ton mass damper in the form of a pendulum suspended inside the building. During New Year, the city celebrates on the streets of Taipei as 101 puts on an incredible firework show (see top of page). The base of the skyscraper is an upscale mall that has storefronts of luxury international brands, and there are fine-dining restaurants on the 80th floor of the building with a 360-degree view of the city.

A Private table in Ding Xian, a restaurant on the 86th Floor

The Nightscape of Taipei as viewed from behind Chinese Culture University

YangMingShan 陽明山

Located in the Shilin District, YangMingShan is a national park and a mountain range that surrounds the basin where central Taipei City is located. It is known for its astonishing views, whether that be the Cherry Blossoms, Calla Lily, Hot Springs, or Hiking Trails. The Mountain is popular at night when many people drive up to sit atop the mountain and enjoy the sight of the city. If you are lucky enough, you may be able to catch a glimpse of the national bird, the Formosan Blue Magpie, which is considered sacred to the Indigenous Peoples.

It doesn’t get much better than a nice Hot Spring bath during the cold winter

Calla Lily Fields that you can pick Lilies from

National Palace Museum 故宮

The National Palace Museum is located in Shilin District of Taipei, and is home to one of the largest collections of Chinese artifacts and artworks. Priceless, high-quality pieces once possessed by Emperors of Chinese Dynasties are exhibited at the museum, most famous of which are the Jadeite Cabbage and the Meat-Shaped Stone. The National Palace Museum in Taipei can be considered an extension of the National Palace Museum in the Forbidden City, China. During war, many artifacts were evacuated from China and shipped to Taiwan. The Museum offers tours and explanations in numerous languages and it is a great place to learn about the cultural history of the island; some of the exhibits there are simply just awe-inspiring. At 10USD a ticket, I think the experience is worth every penny.

Meat-Shaped Stone (Resembling a traditional dish of DongPo Pork)

A very large gold bar displayed in the museum

Remains of a Mineral Processing Factory at JinGuaShi

JinGuaShi 金瓜石 & JiuFen 九份

JinGuaShi and JiuFen are towns located close to the shoreline, in the northeast of Taipei around an hour away from the center of the city. The area was rich in mineral resources such as Copper and Gold; it was a mining ground and POW camp during Japan’s rule. Prisoners of War were forced to work at these mining camps that produced Japan’s main source of supply of Gold. Today, it is a historical heritage site with beautiful landscapes and museums that display its history. Jiufen is known for its “Old Street” that inspired Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away and a delicious dessert similar to boba, made of Taro and Sweet Potato. As many others would agree, this area of Taipei is 100% a must-visit.

YehLiu 野柳

YehLiu is a Geopark located in WanLi district on the northeast coast of Taiwan, around an hour away from the city, and is very close to JiuFen. YehLiu is famous for its beautiful and unique rock formations that have resulted from millenniums of erosion. The most iconic rock formation is the Queen’s head, a natural rock formation that bears great resemblance to a woman wearing a crown. Due to constant erosion, the neck of the rock formation wears thinner by the year and many expect it to break soon, so visit the Geopark while you still can!