Taipei is a diverse city. There are lots of things to do and lots of places to go. However, there are three things that you must check out: the National Palace Museum, food, and shops.
It does not take a culture buff to be totally amazed by the exhibit at the National Palace Museum. If it's your first time in Taipei especially, you should definitely check out the breathtaking treasures in the National Palace Museum. This world-famous museum has the finest, and perhaps most complete, collection of Chinese artifacts and arts. In 1949, when the Communists took over in China, the KMT government took all the treasures from Beijing with them and moved to Taiwan. Eventually they all became
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It does not take a culture buff to be totally amazed by the exhibit at the National Palace Museum. If it's your first time in Taipei especially, you should definitely check out the breathtaking treasures in the National Palace Museum. This world-famous museum has the finest, and perhaps most complete, collection of Chinese artifacts and arts. In 1949, when the Communists took over in China, the KMT government took all the treasures from Beijing with them and moved to Taiwan. Eventually they all became exhibit items at the National Palace Museum in Taipei. Their collection is so huge that, at any given time, only 10% of the items are on display inside the museum. One trip to the museum would give you a great overview of the Chinese culture and art. It is the number-one destination I would definitely recommend.
Another thing that you can never miss is the food in Taipei. Taipei is known for its diversity, and that reflects in the restaurants as well. You can find almost all different types of Chinese cuisine and restaurants serving different flavors of fusion food in Taipei. You might also want to check out the night markets, which are very popular amongst the local crowds. There you'd be able to find some very authentic Taiwanese snacks and food you will not find anywhere else in the world.
If you're into shopping, then you'd find your paradise in Taipei. There are countless of shops, and lots of them are clothing stores, everywhere in Taipei. The trendiest ones are located in the eastern side of the city along Chung Hsiao East Road. If you'd like to check out the tallest building in the world, Taipei 101, there are many nice shops nearby as well.
Taipei is a city full of energy. Many of the restaurants and some of the shopping malls are open 24 hours a day, so you don’t need to worry about jet lag, because you'd always find things to do throughout the day and the night. I hope you'll get a chance to enjoy and explore this interesting city.
Quick Tips:
Most of the residents in Taipei do not speak English, so learning a few useful Chinese phrases or carrying a phrase book with you could be handy at times. Best Way To Get Around:
The best way to get around is through TRTS (Taipei Rapid Transit System), and the route map can be found at TRTS' official site. The stations are clean and the routes are well labeled in both Chinese and English. At each stop, the broadcast system in the train also broadcasts in English. Taking the TRTS is definitely the most efficient and convenient way to get around.
In case TRTS does not reach where you'd like to go, you can always get a cab. There are millions of taxis driving around in Taipei, so there's no need to call ahead. The fare is very reasonable compared with the rate in most of the US cities. Also, since most people do not speak English in Taipei, in case you want to take a cab, make sure that you have someone translate it for you or have the destination written down in Chinese on a card beforehand.
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