My Trip to Taipei on 1-5 March 2007

View from the Hotel window

Just had a memorable eating, shopping and fun holiday with wife in Taipei. Here is my Trip write up to Taipei on 1-5 March 2007

1/3/2007 Departed from Pg/HK/Taipei CX flight, arrived at Taipei 3.15pm. Took Kuo Kuang Airport bus to Taipei Main Station (NT125 each) the bus ticket booth is on the left side as you come out from custom check point... From Taipei Main Station just as the bus stop there are taxis waiting. Got a taxi to Neijiang Hotel (NT110). Check in hotel, room was alright clean (NT1280Thurs, NT1480Fri, Sat, Sun). By then it was 4.30pm. Made a call to visit TSA in Taipei, quickly grab a cab to TSA. Took a bus No 260 back to Taipei Station. Went to the TRA to collect and pay for the train ticket to Hualien (booked the train ticket online) so just gave the ticket counter the reference ID number ( NT1604 for 2 tickets found trip) then took MRT to Shihlin NM. (Alight at MRT station Jiantan) Had dinner there fried oyster, bread will beef filling, Taiwan sausage plus walked the NM Street shopping. Back to the hotel around 11pm.

Taroko National Park-Hualien

2/3/2007 Woke up early 5.30am, depart from hotel 6am to Taipei Main Station for Hualien 7.10 am train. Grab a bit e at 7 Eleven shop. Train ride was comfortable and the journey was 3 hours, arrived at Hualien 10am. Quickly went to the taxi stand and got a cab for 1 day use NT1900 (2persons) to tour Taroko National Park. Bought some local fruits and lunch at Buluowan Park also had some local food at the beach. We cover all the tourist site (Shakadang Trail, Eternity Spring, Buluowan Park, Swallow Grotto, Tunnel of Nine Turns, Tiansiang, BiaYang Trail) and end the tour around 5pm back to the Hualien train station as our train is 6.00pm arriving at Taipei 9.00pm. MRT to Ximen where the hotel is located use EXIT 1 as you come out turn left then right the hotel is at the corner of the junction traffic lights. Went walking around Ximen pedestrian mall plus had some local food and snow ice with mango and strawberry. Slept at 12 midnight.

Taroko National Park-Hualien

3/3/2007 Woke up 8.00 am, Left hotel for Martyrs Shrine to see changing of the guards( A MUST To See) arrived at Martyrs Shrine at 9.30 am missed the first changing of the guards had to wait for the next one at 10.00 am. Bought 1 day pass for MRT (NT150each) Ximen MRT toYuangshan Exit 1, took bus No21 to Martyrs Shrine but we miss the bus stop so have to walk back for quite a distance. Going back to MRT Yuangsan from Martyrs was a breeze. Then proceed to MRT Shihlin Exit 1 walk straight board bus No255 to National Palace Museum, spent around 2 hours there, (Ticket NT160 each). Return to MRT Shihlin after the tour at the museum had lunch at one of the local shop (again local food). Frankly the Taiwanese food is not as tasty as Penang food; no hard feelings. What the heck; need to try the local food to feel how it taste.

Changing of the Guards- Martyrs Shrine

Depart for Xin Beitou reaching there at 3.00 pm. Went for the hot spring at Spa Spring Resort (private room costing NT1080 for 1.5 hours) It was nice after the hot spring bath and walk to the Hot Spring museum and around the town for a while before heading to Danshui. Manage to see the sunset which was beautiful and had street food and shop for local food to bring back home. Things here are cheaper then downtown. Depart from Danshui for Ximen, and from Ximen to MRT Houshanpi (Wufenpu-ladies shopping) Shopped until around 11.00 pm before heading back to hotel.

4/3/2007 Woke up 8.00am. Depart for CKS Memorial Hall Exit 5, Took lots of photos, spend about 1 hour then to Taipei City Hall. Took a walk to Taipei 101 about 15 minute’s slow walk. Got the tickets to go to the 89 storey viewing gallery (NT360 each). By the end of the viewing it was around 12 noon so head downstairs and had a good Japanese buffet @ Wasabi Taipei 101 (NT800 each). Good and variety of food and nice environment. After lunch went back to Ximen area for shopping until 6pm before going back to Wufenpu for another last minute ladies shopping until 11.00pm.

5/3/2007 Depart hotel at 8am took cab to Taipei Main Station (NT80) got the Kuo Kuang airport bus ticket reaching airport terminal 1 at 9.20am.(traffic in the morning is heavy so better be early than miss the flight) Flight was 11.20am CX Taipei/HK/Penang. Arrived at my home sweet home around 7pm.