timT's blog.: Taiwan!
Friday, November 24, 2006
& put your footprints on // 6:42 AM &


For the benefit of those TIPers who come here (dunno how many).


台湾
Taiwan

The main areas I got to visit were Taipei(台北), Hualien(花蓮), Taitung(台東), Kenting(墾丁), & Kaohsiung(高雄). Also Nantou(南投), but only its Sun Moon Lake.

Stuff to look out for:
  1. Photo spots. Taiwan has some great scenery around the more sub-urban places, so do take lots and lots and lots of pics. I mean LOTS.

    Here are some shots I took.

    Great stuff eh? That's called perfectionisim. :P

  2. Shopping. Ok this needs some coverage.
    Taiwan does have alot of stuff to shop, especially if you're planning on doing the window version. But if it comes to cold hard cash, consider first.

    The exchange rate from SG$ to NT$ (New Taiwan Dollar) is about 1:21, meaning one buck in sunny Singapore is worth 21 in Taiwan. Sounds good? Not exactly, because the stuff in Taiwan isn't exactly cheap. Most would go for clothing (Taiwanese fashion is hot!), and the price of one shirt in the night market ranges from NT$200-300 (SG$10-20).

    Another thing would be the food, which is really cheap. (I'll talk more later)

    One thing to note though; deciding to get anything special (like Royal Jelly or the infamous SK-I) will most undoubtably burn holes in your pocket. Prices are...crap. High.

    Ximenting in Taipei is good for trendy clothes and the latest fashion, but prices aren't very cheap.

    The various night markets, on the other hand, sell at cheap prices while having reasonably good quality. They're quite easy to find; almost every urban city will have one somewhere. The best ones are all listed in Wiki.
  3. Food. Oh, my favourite part.
    Taiwanese cuisine is really a must-try! Stalls in the night market will spoil for choice, but do note that hygiene is important. A few dishes to note:
    1. Taiwanese meatball soup.

      Looks like ordinary meatball soup, but the meatballs are stuffed with a second layer of meat. Sometimes with soup inside.
    2. Xiaolongbao & Xiaolongtangbao. Definitely worth it, although hard to find on the streets. Make sure to suck it dry before eating.
    3. Dou Kou Beef Noodles. Didn't try this, but heard the beef is good.
    4. Fried Ice Cream.

       This one was recommended by my tour guide, but so far I've seen only one stall. (Leo Ho Night Market in 高雄)


    5. Muah Chee. Like a dessert, but these have jam inside. Bought 4 packets home. :)
    6. Grandma's Iron Egg (铁蛋). Tastes like a tea egg, said to be one of Taiwan's unique eats. Not fantastic, but try anyway.

      Last but not least...
    7. Chou Tofu.
      The stink is incredible. I smelled it from 4 or 5 shops away. The way they make this is...i'm not saying. It really isn't worth mentioning. Just...free your mind and eat. While holding your nose shut. I didn't dare try this, but it's supposed to be really tasty. If anyone finds out, tell me about it ok??

      With all that smell, it has to be. Very easy to find because of the smell.


      I would have added Peking Duck to the list, but it's too pricey. NT$1000 at its cheapest.

  4. Locals. It's a real asset to be fluent in Mandarin if you wanna get around. Knowing Hokkien helps, too. But most of the people seem quite friendly. What's better, they get even friendlier when you give them money. In the night market, in particular.
  5. Transport. Easiest way to get around in Taipei is by Metro, so make sure to get a full-day pass. Works exactly like our EZ-Link system, down to the NT$50 deposit. (Hmm might be wrong about the amount)
    Roads, on the other hand, are long and winding. I sat a bus throughout my tour and was duly rewarded with a splitting migrane. Ow.


That's my 101 guide to Taiwan.
Speaking of which, don't forget to take a pic of Taipei 101, the world's tallest building.

And light some fireworks before you get back! :)

-timT
Taiwanese survivor.