Taipei Smart Travel Guide

Taiwan is a unique country. It has a 200 history of Japanese colonization, and the influx of Chinese capitalism from KMT during the 1940s, along with 1/3 of the best imperial treasures combined with an acceptance of the indigenous people of the land.

Understanding Taiwan

Taiwan is a strange country, the moment you think you understand it, it seems to slip away from your fingers, just like its famous Taiwanese Cuisine – Fried Oyster Omelette. Its slimy texture, made with a combination of flour and beaten eggs, set your tongue into a gastronomic journey through the senses, when you seem to understand it, it slips down into your throat, and it is gone.

Traveling Around in Taiwan

A great way to understand this country is to speak Mandarin. The Taiwanese are not fluent in English. Hence it is a hindrance to international visitors if they can’t communicate in Mandarin or have a local guide. It is recommended to hire a local driver, which can be arranged with the hotel’s concierge in most 4 to 5 star hotels. In 3 star hotels, some do provide this service, but you will not go wrong with international hotels.

Taiwan Food and Transport Cost

The main modes of transport are by Taxi and MRT. Taxis are every where in the cities, and you can flag them easily along the street. The average fare is about US$5 for each trip. A meal in a road side stall is about US$1 – $2, a family owned restaurant for about US$3 – 10, a Din Tai Fung meal at US$20 per person.

Taiwan Hotel Grades and Cost

You can go for 3 star local hotels starting from US$65 – US$100, and 4 star hotels from US$100 – US$200, and US$200 onwards for 5 star hotels. From experience, local 4 star hotels are quite comparable to 5 star hotels without the facilities or fancy bell boys or restaurants for a decent clean room. 3 star hotels are very basic, and are decent for budget conscious travelers.

Taipei Hotel Recommendations

This guide is complied from our experience, to save you all the trouble from reading on trip advisor where to book the best hotel rooms that are nearest to the action. These recommendations guarantee you are right in the middle of where you should be in each unique district, without walking too far from the main action.

Royal Palace Hotel

3 1/2 Stars
Da’an District opposite SOGO Departmental Store
Recommended for the Trendy & Upscale Traveler

A hip and trendy district for 20 – 50 age group. It is SOHO inspired from New York, with a vibe of Holland Village from Singapore combined with the affluence and sophistication of Tokyo. It is a great shopping area with many independent designer stores, and branded goods with little alley way cafes hidden at every niche and corner. The hotel is located near the famous celebrity lane, which has upscale shops with unusual designs and designs of one of a kind.

inHouse Hotel

4 Stars
Ximending, Taipei
Recommended for Teenagers, Young Adults and Young Couples
For the budget conscious traveler who want to stretch their dollar

If you like Harajuku in Tokyo, this is the Taiwan’s version of Harajuku. Rows of little shops selling small items from hand phone covers to handbags, this is a girl’s paradise, for those who like to stretch their dollar for more. There is nothing fancy about the streets of Ximending, just plain haggling with street store owners, and a little alley way of night market stores to fuel the hunger with tons of shopping bags after a great scoop on a sale.

The men can head for 24 hour massage parlous, one just located below the hotel. Or unlimited milk tea stores to clench the summer thirst, hot pot or sukiyaki to beat the winter blues. It is a eating paradise, as stores open till late and the action mostly kicks off when night falls.