Taiwan wasn’t on our radar, but it was an offer we couldn’t resist, and it ended up being a great trip.
How We Got There
The offer we couldn’t resist was an incredible Delta SkyMiles deal. At 25,000 SkyMiles round trip from Salt Lake, we would’ve been crazy to not jump on the chance to see somewhere new.
There’s a lot of hate out there for SkyPesos, as they’re called, but with a little patience, they can be incredibly valuable. Don’t be sleeping on Delta SkyMiles.
What We Did
Day 1
We were there for 6 days. Sunday late to Saturday early. We weren’t quite sure if that would be too long or too short to be in one place, but it was a good amount of time. It was our 3-year-old and us, and we stayed in one place the whole time.
We spent the first full day exploring some of the popular tourist sites, like Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. It was our first stop and our first realization that it was going to be hot. The average daytime temp while we were there in late September was in the mid-90s. It was hot. But we enjoyed the morning at the cultural landmark. It’s a pretty fascinating site, especially considering the controversy around Chiang Kai-shek.
We checked out the LDS temple, got some food, let the 3yr old take a nap, got more food, checked out Lungshan Temple, and took the first day easy. The jet lag hit us hard, and we needed the rest. In typical fashion, we fell asleep around 8 pm and woke up around 3 am.
Day 2
Tuesday was the day we branched out a little further to the touristy sites. It started with the Zoo. We’ve taken the 3-year-old to a zoo twice now, and every time we really enjoy it. The zoo in Taipei costs $3, and they have pandas. What more could you want? The zoo is nice and big, much bigger than we expected. If you ever find yourself there, take the shuttle to the top and walk down. It’s a pretty decent climb otherwise. We enjoyed the zoo and then took the nearby Maokong Gondola. It cost $9 and takes you up to the top of the nearby mountain. It’s a decent, long ride and is a cool way to see the greenery and steepness of the surrounding terrain. It makes a few stops. One is the top of the zoo, so it’s actually a good way to get to the zoo if you’re interested in both. It also makes a stop where you can get out and see some temples and views.
After our gondola ride, we caught a bus to Taipei 101. People hate on the tourist sites, but in our opinion, this is 100% worth it. It’s incredible and so tall. The base houses a massive luxury, AC-filled mall. Not what we needed, but cool to see and worth a walk through. Every high-end brand you can think of can be found there. From there, you can take an elevator up to the 88th floor, the observation deck. The elevator goes about 23 mph, and you can feel it. It’s impressive how fast it shoots you up to the top. From there, the view is pretty incredible and well worth the experience.
We crashed pretty hard back at the Airbnb, but I did go out and check out the nearest night market, Shida Night Market. This is a smaller market and definitely more local-focused, but it was cool and a great first taste of Taiwan’s night markets. I got some dumplings for the walk and enjoyed the late-night city vibes.
Day 3
Day 3 took us on a long train ride to the east to see the mountains and some smaller towns. Our first stop was a place called Houtong Cat Village. Don’t do it. Maybe it was too hot, maybe it was too early, but there were like 6 cats and half as many people. It’s an old mining town that’s converted itself into a bit of an Instagram hotspot. Really, there wasn’t much to see or do unless we wanted to hike or bike a little bit, but it was 90 degrees by 10 a.m., and nothing was open. It is worth noting that most things in Taiwan don’t open until about 11 am. It’s a late-rising culture.
Anyway, our real destination was Shifen, another town further up the mountains on the Pingxi line. The Pingxi Line is a slow train that follows the old mining railway. It’s actually a really cool ride. The tracks weave up the forested river valley where the miners used to travel each day. In Shifen, the train actually goes right through the town and market. It’s a bit touristy, but it is a cool town, and there are a lot of local booths and food. As well as a hike/walk to a waterfall and bridge. We spent a few hours exploring, then made our way down the mountain.
It is quite the journey from Taipei, so we made our way back via direct bus and grabbed some food before crashing again. But I went and checked out another market, the Nanjichang Night Market. A bit more lively than the Shida Market, but still very local. Picked up some pork dumplings. Tasty as always.
Day 4
We took the 4th day a little slower. Kind of. We started the day by heading out to Songshan Fengtian Temple on the east side of Taipei. It’s a pretty incredible temple, completely covered in detailed and ornate wood carvings. We got there mid-morning, at the same time as an extremely large service. There were people everywhere lighting incense and chanting and worshipping. It was quite the sight. The temple is up a bit of a hill, surrounded by local markets selling all kinds of stuff. It was a bit chaotic but in a good cultural way.
From there we went a little further up the hill to Songshan Ci Hui Temple. Similar in extravagance, but had fewer people. We did ourselves a disservice by pushing up the hill while it was so hot. We were absolutely soaked and exhausted by the time we got up there. So be prepared if you head that direction. We must have been quite the sight.
We made our way back to the Airbnb just in time for a massive deluge of rain. It rains hard in Taiwan. Very hard.
That night we headed out to the Songshan Raohe Night Market. If you look up Taipei night markets, this one will likely be the first or most common to pop up. It’s large and busy and more put together than some of the other markets. It caters a little bit more to the tourists, so it’s easier to walk through and understand. We got ourselves some snacks and enjoyed the vibe. The night markets are very Taiwanese and absolutely worth the visit. Crowds and all. Though we felt the crowds were easily manageable, even with our three-year-old.
Day 5
Today was more relaxing. We slowly made our way to a gluten-free onigiri spot called 近藤日式飯糰-西門店. Yeah, sorry. I don’t know the English name, if there is one. It had lots of options, and it made for a good stop. We also made a stop at Yong He Soy Milk. A popular breakfast spot where we picked up some soy milk, fried bread, as well as some egg crepe-style wraps. This is all within the Ximending district. It’s a very popular spot for locals and tourists. It has lots of restaurants and shops and things to see and do. It’s quieter in the morning but quite the happening place in the evening. We also made a stop at a gluten-free bakery called Succulent Cafe & Food Lab. Food was good but a bit pricey.
That afternoon/evening we went to hike Elephant Mountain to catch the city and Taipei 101 at sunset. We wildly underestimated what kind of hike this was. Google said it was short but steep, and that it was. It was fairly short, but it was stairs straight up and around the mountain. With a 3 yr old it was a bit rough. I thought the view was worth it; Laynie did not. If it wasn’t 100 degrees and we were a little more mentally prepared, it would’ve been better. It also didn’t help that there were a lot of people and the popular viewing area was closed off. All that said, certainly something to consider.
From there we walked over to the Linjiang Night Market. This one felt more similar to Roahe market but a little less tourist-focused. As with all of them, there’s so much to see and experience. The rain caught us on the way back, and as usual it came with a vengeance.
Day 6
We hit the road/skies and made our way home.
Where We Stayed
In a rare travel style, we stayed in one Airbnb the entire time. It was actually really nice to have one home base with minimal logistics. The location was good; we were just off the Green Line in the Guting area. My only complaint would be the proximity to the metro. It was about a 5 min walk, which wouldn’t normally be an issue, but we almost always had to connect to a different metro line. Very small inconvenience but worth noting.
The Airbnb itself was great. It had great AC, a nice interior, a good kitchen/family room, and 3 bedrooms. Really couldn’t have asked for a better space for the price. Would likely even consider it if we were to ever go back with more people.
Transportation
Train, feet, and bus. As with most places, the public transportation is really good. We didn’t utilize the bus system very well, but we did use the metro and trains for everything. It’s extremely cheap. 3 yr old is free, but the two of us really only spent about $50 for all the back-and-forth riding we did, and we did a lot.
To get to and from the airport, we actually booked a transfer via Klook. The more we travel, the more I’m liking this kind of stuff. Sure, we could’ve taken the train, but it’s so much quicker and with way less hassle. It was $35 each way from door to door and about half the time. No navigating the transit system after a long flight with luggage; just walk out the door to the waiting car. Obviously you can do this with a taxi or Uber equivalent, but prebooking and knowing the cost is pretty handy. With Klook, or other similar services, it’s super easy to book ahead. We will likely keep doing this. Even when traveling without the kids.
What we learned
The Taiwanese people are very nice. They were always trying to give up their seats on the metro if they saw one of us holding Hadley. Speaking of which, everyone also stared at her/us. Her blonde hair and blue eyes stand out like a sore thumb, and people were very intrigued. She was told she was beautiful more times than we can count.
Most things are cash unless you’re in the night markets or go to specific grocery stores like PX Mart. So, bring an atm card. Every 7/11 or Family Mart has an atm. They’re everywhere.
As with Japan, the bathrooms are all so well taken care of, and there’s never any hesitation about using a public bathroom.
Speaking of Japan. Taiwan is obviously not Japan but has many similar features. Such as the structure in the metros and other public areas. Stand right, walk left. Don’t be loud and obnoxious. Eating is allowed in public areas, but garbage cans are limited.