Taipei City Guide

Taipei, Taiwan

Taipei is famous in the Philippines because of the Taiwanese series Meteor Shower, but it was only these last three years that this city blew up on our social media timeline. It is because three years ago, the Taiwanese government lifted their visa requirement for us Filipinos, and instantly, almost everyone knew someone who flew and visited Taipei.

With Taipei’s cheap food and its beautiful nature trails, Taipei is now every Filipino’s first option for an easy and affordable international trip.

TAIPEI Facts

Taipei is the capital of Taiwan or the Republic of China (ROC), a separated island in the east of mainland China. There’s still a big grey area regarding if Taiwan is an independent country away from China or the People’s Republic of China (PRC). After World War II ended, the Chinese civil war resumed full mode resulting in the ROC (the nationalist) relocating to Taiwan while the PRC (the communist) took over mainland China. Up to this day, both ROC and PRC claim sovereignty over “China.”

Geography:

Taipei City is the northern tip of Taiwan island, an island off the coast of China and in the north and south of the Philippines and Japan, respectively. Taipei is covered in hills in the southeast, volcanoes, and basins in the northern part.

Climate:

Taipei’s climate is mainly affected by the East Asian Monsoon. Cold months are from November to March, while summer is from May to October. While typhoons usually strike during July to October.

TAIPEI CITY GUIDE

Exchange your money here in the Philippines before flying out. You can order in your banks 1 month before your trip. This is because money changers are not evident in Taipei. There is only a certain banks in the city that fo foreign exchange. It is quite a hassle too.

Try to stay in Ximending area. It is livelier at night and there are many restaurants around.

There are numerous artsy Airbnb apartments in Taipei that is good for groups. Hotels here are also cheaper compared to HK.

SIM Card with data is also cheaper here. I got a 5 days unlimited data for only P456 in Klook. Click this link for it!

Food is cheap as well so food trip is a must when in you’re in this city. There so much Taiwanese (street) food and milkteas to try!!

In terms of shopping, clothes, shoes and bags are not that cheap (and pretty) compared to Bangkok. Medicines are cheaper here.

How to go to TAIPEI

FROM MANILA:

Numerous airlines offer direct flights every day from Manila to Taipei – Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Eva Air, and AirAsia. And the travel time only takes 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Regular airfare to Taipei can cost almost 7k to 10k PHP. But like Hong Kong, its proximity to Manila is the main reason it is always on the seat sale. You can get a Taipei flight for as low as P2,000 round trip during the sale season.

*All prices here are when booked six months before the travel dates. Seat sales are usually based on promotional posters.

AirAsia

6,000 PHProundtrip

Seat Sale:
3,000 PHP

Cebu Pacific

5,000 PHProundtrip

Seat Sale:
2,500 PHP

Philippine Airlines

11,000 PHProundtrip (w/ 20kg bag)

Seat Sale:
4,000 PHP

Eva Air

10,000 PHProundtrip

Seat Sale:
4,500 PHP

GOINg Around TAIPEI

Getting around Taipei is easy, for they have a metro system that almost connects the whole city. Nearly all tourist attractions are accessible via the Taipei metro. Some of the provinces of Taiwan are accessible by bus and high-speed trains (HSRs) too.

If you’re commuting around Taipei, I advised you to avail of their EasyCard to avoid lining up every time for single journey tickets or creating an unnecessary line on the bus entrance while counting money. The fare using EasyCard is also 20% lower than the single-ride ticket. It costs 100NTD (~170 PHP), which is consumable.

Taipei Metro/MRT

Taipei Metro is the easiest way to go around Taipei. It is convenient, fast, easy, and cheap. The basic ride starts with 20NTD (around 35Php).

The Airport MRT is also one of the best ways to get to Taipei from the airport. It costs 160NTD one way. Make sure to ride the express service, which is only a 35 minutes train ride from Taipei Main Station, compared to the commuter service, which stops at all stations before the airport. It is also just available from 6 AM to 11 PM.

PRIVATE CARS

If you want convenience and comfort, then it is advisable to rent a private car. Some travelers prefer to rent a private vehicle when going to the northern cities of Taiwan because travel time is a lot faster than the commute. Klook offers some Private Car Charter.

U BIKE

I didn’t know about this at first until I was in Taipei. It is a bike-sharing system, and it is all over the city! U-bike is the best if you want to save time and energy from long walks. All you need is an EasyCard and a local mobile number to register in the kiosk terminal. One mobile number can register up to 5 EasyCards. When already registered, you need to tap your EasyCard on the bike terminal you want to use and return it to the next kiosk you see by taping your EasyCard again. The first 30 minutes of each trip is free, and then the following 30 minutes will cost 10NTD.

BUS

If you are going to New Taipei City or any other northern province, it is better to ride the bus. I usually use Google Maps to know where the bus stops and what bus number should I ride. EasyCard can also be used here.

ACCOMMODATION

XIMENDING AIRBNB

There are a lot of condominium Airbnbs in the Ximending area, but my parents wanted a cheap one. I saw this room for four right in the middle of the Ximending night market, and it was only 18,000 PHP for five nights. So that’s like 900 PHP per night per person. The room is really for travelers who will be out all day. It can be a little crowded with your luggage, and the building is already old. It’s pretty sketchy, but it seems like the other rooms in the building are registered in Airbnb as well. Anyway, the host is very responsive to all our requests and questions.

If you have enough budget, there are other Airbnbs that are better.

Taipei has an efficient transportation system, so it’s okay to stay anywhere in the city as long as it is near a train station. But I recommend getting accommodation near Taipei Main Station or Ximending. Taipei Main Station is the center of all buses and trains, while Ximending is the shopping center. My family chose to stay in a tenement building in Ximending via Airbnb for P18,000 for five nights.

*All hotel prices below are in Philippine peso.

Hostel

P700 - P1500per night

Here There Hostel Taipei - P831
Ximen Wow Hostel - P804
Taipei Backpacker Hostel - P784
I Play Inn - P801
Work Inn TPE -P871

Book Now

Budget Hotels

P1,500 - P4,000per night

Hotel Puri Ximen - P3,179
East Dragon Hotel - P3,184
Cho Hotel - P3,262
Green World Zhonghua - P3,641
Tomorrow Hotel -P2,979

Book Now

Luxury Hotels

P4,500 -P9,000per night

Hotel Papa Whale - P4,524
Hotel Midtown Richardson - P6,524
Via Hotel Ximen - P5,373
Palais de Chine Hotel - P6,806
Citizen M Taipei - P4,045

Book Now

TOURISTS ATTRACTIONS

READ A FIRST TIMER’S TAIPEI DIY ITINERARY AND TRAVEL GUIDE FOR FILIPINO FAMILIES

Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall

It is a famous landmark erected in memory of their first president General Chiang Kai-Shek.
Open Hours: Mon-Sun, 9 AM – 6 PM
Entrance Fee: free

National Palace Museum

National Palace Museum of Taiwan holds one of the largest Chinese antiquities in history.
Open Hours: every day, 8:30 AM – 6:30 PM
Entrance Fee: 350 NTD | P578 in Klook

Beitou Thermal Valley

Beitou is a district in the northern part of Taipei which is famous for its hot springs. The small town is a nice place to walk around as well.
Open Hours: Tues.- Sun., 9 AM – 5 PM
Entrance Fee: free

Maokong Gondola

Maokong is a village that sits in the mountain in the southern part of Taipei. Riding the gondola, especially the crystal cabin, gives you a scenic view above and below.
Open Hours: Tues – Sun, 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Entrance Fee: 120NTD (one way) | P409 (RT) via Klook

Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall

Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall is a memorial for the father of Taiwan. Sun Yat Sen. Tho it is not as famous as Chiang Kai-Shek, this place has a great view of Taipei 101.
Open Hours: every day, 9 AM – 6 PM
Entrance Fee: free

Longshan Temple

Longshan Temple is a well-known temple in Taiwan with a mixture of Buddhist, Taoist, and deities like Mazu.
Open Hours: Mon-Sun, 6 AM – 10 PM
Entrance Fee: free

Taipei 101

Once the tallest building in the world, you can’t miss Taipei 101 when you go Taipei. You can go to the Observatory to have a bird’s eye view of the city.
Open Hours: everyday, 9AM – 10PM
Entrance Fee: P511 via Klook

Bopilao Old Street

It is a preserved street near Longshan Temple that showcases different architectural styles of Taiwan as it is passed from one colonial to another. It is a cultural and historical district for tourists.
Open Hours: Mon-Sun, 8 AM – 9 PM, museums close at 5 PM
Entrance Fee: free

Elephant Moutain

Elephant Mountain or also known as Xiangshan is a mountain in Taipei near Taipei 101. It has a 1.5 km hiking trail that will give you a better view of Taipei 101.
Open Hours: 24 hours
Entrance Fee: free

Huashan 1914 Creative Park

Taipei City Guide — From lonelyplanet.com

A winery turned into a creative park that is famous to the young. It has coffee cafes, specialty shops, art exhibits, and art or musical events.
Open Hours: 24 hours
Entrance Fee: free

DAY TRIPS

Yehliu Geopark

Taipei DIY Itinerary — photo credits to www.guidetotaipei.com

Along the north coast of Taiwan is the Yehliu Geopark. It is famous for its rock formations with overlooking ocean views.
OPEN HOUR: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Entrance fee: 80 NTD

SHIFEN TOWN

Shifen is a small town with 2 hours (by commute) in the north of Taipei. It is famous for its flying lanterns and scenic views like Shifen Falls.
Open Hours: 24 hours but most of the attractions here closed at 5 PM

JIUFEN OLD STREET

Jiufen is a mountain town that is most famous for its Old Street. The Jiufen Old Street is known for its narrow alleyways with teahouses, holes in the walls, and shops.
Open Hours: 8:00 AM – 10 PM

It is nice to spend an overnight stay in each of these towns to explore it more, but if your time is limited, you can avail a day tour for these three places with Klook.

NIGHT MARKETS

Ximending Night Market

Ximending is my favorite night market among all. It is also because this is where we stayed so I have more time to explore this place. There are numerous cute cafes, shopping stores, and famous food stalls to try here. At night, street food vendors dominate the streets.
Famous buys: Ay Chung Flour Rice Noodles, Hot Star Fried Chicken, Modern Toilet Restaurant, Dream Cool, Castella Cake

Ningxia Night Market

Ningxia Night Market is a small night market compared to others but it has numerous street food carts.
Famous buys: Check Howshewander.com blog about it!

SHILIN NIGHT MARKET

One of the most famous night markets in Taipei is the Shilin night market. The streets are narrow compared to Ximending, so it tends to be crowded. There are more clothing shops here, but the food is almost the same in Ximending.
Famous buys: Omelet Oyster

Raohe Night Market

Raohe Night Market is one of the oldest night markets in Taipei and shares the same situation and foods with the others.
Famous buys: Check iamaileen’s blog about it!