Taiwan has a very special place in my heart. The last time I was here was 12 years ago...but I don't remember much except that it was extremely muggy and humid in mid-July and we were hit by a typhoon. Coming back to the motherland is pretty special because I get to see where my parents grew up and all my relatives who still live in Taiwan. I don't come back too often, so this was also a pretty special trip for me since I got to celebrate Chinese New Year here and it was also the year of the dog (which is my Chinese zodiac).
This time around I thought this was the perfect season to visit Taiwan because it's not humid at all, it was a nice 70s for most of my stay. It would get chilly during the evenings but I was able to dress in light layers and short sleeves.
Since I have relatives all over in Taipei and Taichung, everyday was essentially meeting a different family and having a big family meal. The amount of food that we ate at each of these meals was like having a Thanksgiving meal.
In Taiwan, they celebrate Chinese New Year differently than how Americans celebrate it. There's no big fireworks shooting off from Taipei 101 or huge parade going on the day of Chinese New Year. In fact, everything is closed for the first couple days of this week-long holiday. Everyone goes home to their families or parents' house and spends time with family. Temples are open to the public so on the first day we went to the 'Dragon Temple' to pray for good health, good fortune, good prosperity, etc. for the new year.
Taiwanese staple food include the following: bubble tea, xiao long bao (soup dumplings), braised pork rice, beef noodle soup, oyster omelet, stinky tofu, gua bao (pork belly burger), pan-fried buns, and pretty much anything at a night market.
We stayed in Taiwan for about 11 days, splitting our time between Taipei and Taichung. Here are the highlights of my trip in both cities:
GRAND HOTEL
The Grand Hotel is a landmark located in Zhongshan District in Taipei. We did not stay here but I recommend staying at this hotel for a night or two for the experience! It has views over the Keelung River.
JIUFEN
Jiufen is a gold mining mountain town, a popular tourist attraction. You can go hiking in Mt. Keelung, drink tea at the shops, visit the Gold Museum, and indulge in the beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean.
The unique architecture of Jiufen's downtown area is similar to the Japanese animated film Spirited Away.
Since it's far from Taipei, you will need to get there either by car or shuttle bus from Ximen. Jiufen is located in Ruifang District of New Taipei City.
NATIONAL PALACE MUSEUM
The National Palace Museum houses the world's largest collection of priceless Chinese art treasures, one which spans China's nearly 5,000-year history. It is located in Shilin, Taipei. The palace is a must-see in Taiwan and I recommend walking outside to enjoy the view.
SUN MOON LAKE
Taiwan's largest lake, Sun Moon Lake, is located in the mountains of Nantou at the geographic centre of the island. The name of the lake is inspired by the beauty of the area. The east side of the lake is round, like the sun, while the west side is long and narrow, like a crescent moon.
I recommend visiting in the morning, as it's about an hour and half drive from Taichung City. We got there by car and first stopped at the newly built Visitor's Center and walked around. Then we drove around the lake and stopped by the shops and boats and ate at one of the small restaurants along the lake. We visited Wenwu Temple and Xuan Zan Temple. We didn't have enough time to do more, but I recommend taking a boat tour around the lake, cycling around one of the best bikepaths in the world, take the cable car overlooking the lake, paragliding, or hiking!
XINMENDING
Xinmending is the young popular district in Taipei. We stopped by Ice Galaxy to get bubble milk tea snow ice.
Also, if your stomach is in the mood for it, there is a popular restaurant that is themed around toilets called Modern Toliet. We did not eat there but we walked inside to check it out and had some fun with their outdoor toilets.
DONGMEN
Ate at the original Din Tai Fung restaurant and surprisingly only waited half an hour for our table! They have exclusive dishes that you won't find anywhere else and it was, of course, the best xiao long bao I've ever had.
NATIONAL TAICHUNG THEATER (OPERA HOUSE)
This opera house recently opened in 2016 and let me tell you, this is world class architecture. We spent a bit of time exploring the multiple floors inside the building and in the evening, the Sky Garden is absolutely beautiful.
MIYAHARA
Miyahara is a very touristy place as it's one of the most popular dessert places in Taichung. It's also an ice cream shop that is so much more than an ice cream shop!
RADIO STATION FM 106
Not a very touristy spot but this was a cool place to check out. One of my relatives works at a local radio station in Taichung so I got to check out what goes on behind-the-scenes in the studio!
NIGHT MARKETS
One of my favorite things to do in Taiwan is go to the night markets. Go there on an empty stomach because there's endless snacks and delicacies that you will want to try. During my stay in Taipei and Taichung, I went to Xinmending, Shilin, Yi Zhong, Dingxi, and Shi Da night markets multiple times.
RAINBOW VILLAGE
Beautiful place to take photos! This village used to be a veterans village and was painted by an old veteran soldier when he retired from the army. Rainbow Village is actually a tiny dwelling with lots of color.
SUSHIRAKU SEAFOOD
Couldn't resist trying Japanese food in Taichung! Our relatives took us here and it's one of their favorite Japanese spots in the area so if you're craving Japanese food I recommend coming here!
