Day 5 (cont):
We left Hanoi and flew to Taipei to end our day! The flight is around 3 hours, but we got delayed an hour before our departure. Upon arriving at TPE, we went through customs and made our way to the train. The MRT (train line) is very easy to catch in Taipei. From the airport, you can catch the Airport express for 150 NT or around $5 USD.
We checked in to Beimen Wow Poshtel, a cute hostel which Nina found online, located only 10 minutes walking from Taipei Main Station. To our surprise, the hostel was super clean, upscale, and as the name suggests, “posh”. We booked a private room for around $25 a night, but you could also book a bed in the dormitories for a bit cheaper. To be completely honest, we were shook at how amazing the place was. The location was central and very close to the station. Our room came with bunk beds, bath towels, amenities, and they replenished our water and towels everyday. They also have a lounge area in the basement where you can play games, eat, drink, etc. If you’re looking for a budget accommodation in Taipei, I would highly recommend booking this place. It’s a “poshtel” so definitely upscale from a typical hostel for basically the same price.
After dropping off our bags, we walked 10 minutes to the nearby Ningxia Night Market. Taiwan is known for night markets so we had to go to at least a few during our time there. One thing we love to do is EAT. So naturally we had to try many different dishes at the market. We stopped to eat spicy kimchi noodles wrapped in a tortilla with cheese and topped with sauce, taiwanese pork bowls, mango, fried taro balls, and ended the night with some sesame and peanut shave ice. Everything was so delicious and cheap! It was a great end to the day.
Day 6:
The next day, we met up with my friend Haley and her boyfriend, Johan, who ended up being in Taipei at the same time! For breakfast, we got taiwanese soy milk, tofu peanut soup, and fried taro cakes. Since the weather was sunny, we decided to make our way to Shifen and Jiufen for a day trip. I followed this blog for some travel advice: https://eternalarrival.com/travel-blog/asia/taiwan/shifen-to-jiufen/
From Taipei main station, you can catch the train to Ruifang and transfer to another train towards Shifen. The train lines are a bit confusing and infrequent when heading out that far. We had to wait an hour in between Ruifan and Shifen so we grabbed a quick bite at a noodle shop nearby the station. From there, we finally arrived in Shifen around 3 PM. The main road right outside the station was VERY crowded. Shifen is known for lantern lighting along the railroad tracks. Along the tracks, there are also many shops selling food, snacks, and lanterns for purchase. While that is one of the most popular spots of the city, I also recommend visiting Shifen waterfall, a hidden gem only a short walk away from the crazy train station. If you’re on a budget, you can walk to the waterfall in under 30 minutes to same some money on transportation. Once you reach the waterfall, the entrance is very crowded, but as you walk further, you will see some incredible views of a massive waterfall within a calm forest. The town of Shifen is surrounded by beautiful green mountains, and is a great getaway from the city.
As with all Spirited Away fans, naturally we had to visit Jiufen as well. This is the town that inspired the spirited away movie. While it is known for being a symbol of the famous film, Jiufen in reality also offers spectacular views of the ocean and geography of the country. Jiufen is located up a windy mountain which is accessible by bus from Ruifang station. As you go higher up the mountain, you see stunning views of the landscape. The bus drops you off at the bottom of the town where you can start your adventure up the hill! We arrived before sunset, so the sky was a beautiful blue/orange color. You can enjoy a slightly different view from each vantage point as you make your way up the mountain. On your way up, you can also try some delicious taiwanese street foods at basically every corner. My favorite was the peanut ice cream roll which is a delicious peanut ice cream topped with shaved peanuts, wrapped in a thin wrapper and sometimes topped with cilantro. The flavor is mild but refreshing! We also tried some taiwanese sausage, dumplings, fried squid and warm taro mochi soup. At this point, we were basically eating our way up the street. As a main tourist destination, the streets were crowded with tourists but the view and city were enjoyable. As the sky gets darker, the orange lanterns illuminate the walkway and give a true spirited away vibe!
The town starting closing up around 7 PM, so we made our way back to the bus shuttle area where we caught a bus directly to Beimen Station, nearby our hotel. For the distance, transportation was incredibly cheap. Although I don’t remember the exact price, I would say it was less than $10 total for all transport for the whole day. On our way home, we stopped for some boba store, 50 Lan. Compared to Hawaii, LA, and Tokyo, the boba here was equivalent to $1. An absolute STEAL. If I lived in Taipei, I could drink boba everyday :)
Day 7:
To start off our morning, Nina and I met Haley and Johan at Taipei Main Station around 10. At the main station, there are many different shops and restaurants. We each got our own breakfast from different stands. I decided to try Ji Pai, a huge, thick, flat taiwanese fried chicken. Seriously, it was big enough to feed a family. I love fried chicken, so I would highly recommend (but maybe not for breakfast). From there, we headed to the Huashan Creative Park. The area was formerly a winery but now turned into a cute warehouse with local brands and art installations.
After the park, we caught the train a few stops to Longshan Temple, one of the main ones in Taipei. Although we didnt research much into the history, it was interesting to walk around the grounds. The locals were praying and leaving offerings such as fruits, cookies, and various snacks. Near the entrance, some people would ask the gods a question with these stones similar to what a magic eight ball would do. Once we were done, we grabbed a drink at 85 degrees and some pineapple cake, a taiwanese specialty! From the temple, we got beef noodles for lunch close by. It reminded me a lot like Ox-tail soup but with a stronger broth.
From there, we walked towards Xinmending district, a “Shibuya” like area filled of local and American shops. It was a bit underwhelming as Nina and I were looking for cheaper, local shops. The area was also filled with some game centers where we spent a majority of our coins trying to get useless keychains.
After shopping, we stopped at the Museum of Contemporary Art. A majority of the museum was closed for renovations and new installations so we were done in around 20 minutes. After the museum, we were exhausted so we went back to the hotel and took a long break in the common area. After sitting for a while, we researched and decided to get all you can eat taiwanese hot pot since we were in Taiwan. The hostel staff gave some suggestions on where to go, but the top recommended ones were fully booked and around a 3 ~ 4 hour wait for walk ins. We decided on Mala Hot Pot, a popular chain around 15 minutes from our hotel. We got seated pretty quickly and were excited for our ayce dinner. Although it was around $26 each (a bit pricey compared to the street food we were eating), the buffet offered quality shabu shabu meats, shrimp, fish, scallops, other seafood, veggies, and other toppings. On top of that, they had unlimited drinks including a beer tap, milk tea boba dispenser, canned juices, and an amazing hagen daz ice cream bar. We stuffed our faces and ordered meats on meats on meats to get our moneys worth! We had an hour and a half so we literally sat stuffing our faces with food, drinks, basically anything we could find. With ten minutes left, Nina, Haley, and I grabbed some ice cream to go.
After dinner, we stopped to get drinks at So Show Bar. If you’re nearby Zhongshan Station, I would highly recommend this place! it’s a trendy bar that offers crafted cocktails with local Taiwanese fruits and flavors. We each got a carefully crafted cocktail. We sat around and talked for a few hours. And shared a Taiwanese shot tasting to end our night.
Day 8:
Our last day was lazy but filled with great food and better company. We woke up late and grabbed some bread at a nearby bakery. After that, we headed to Fujin Street, which is known for some small, creative cafes and shops. The street itself was small and pretty empty. But if you do end up going to the area, you should stop by Sunny Hills for a free pineapple cake tasting. I was getting a bit sick from traveling around, so I lost my appetite this day. I had a small bite of the pineapple cake which tasted really authentic. Sunny Hills uses its own brand of pineapples. And while the price for the cakes are a bit higher than others, the branding and packaging are worth the price!
It was getting really hot during this day so we made our way to Taipei 101. To be completely honest, I think we were all a bit exhausted and tired from all the traveling we’ve been doing. We got a mango shave ice to share at the food court, sat around, and then made our way back to the hotel to rest.
To end the night and our trip, we stopped at Raohe Night Market, a popular (but touristy) night market in the city! We tried all kinds of Taiwanese food, from Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings), steak, fried dumplings, more peanut ice cream rolls, oyster omelettes, pork bowls, glass noodles, and lastly some stinky tofu. Along the way, I picked up some peanut cookies and stopped by some shops as well! Towards the end of the night, we got caught in some heavy rain. We ended up going back towards our hotel to grab some boba at Ninxia Night Market. I was also craving the kimchi fried noodles we had on the first night. Despite being so full from a combo of different street foods, and a full cup of boba, I stuffed my face with the delicious noodles. We spent the last hours talking until 1 AM about life, jobs, friends, and everything in between.
Day 9:
We left the city around 11 to get to the airport and fly back to Tokyo. The day was mostly filled of flying and traveling back home from Narita. Exhausted from a full day of sitting on trains and airplanes, we did a nice hydrating face mask and fell asleep.
Day 10:
For our last two nights, we spent more time exploring Tokyo. We were exhausted and had a very late start to the morning. We headed out around 12 PM to Asakusa. I took Nina around Sensoji and Nakamise Street. For lunch, we tried Daikokuya, a tempura shop which specialized its darker batter. Asakusa is known for great tempura and unagi, so you should definitely try some if you’re there! After wandering around, we made our way to the Sky Tree, and headed home so I could work remotely. After eating unhealthy foods for the past ten days, we decided to make some healthy and refreshing vegetable shabu shabu for dinner.
Day 11:
Our time together was slowly coming to an end. We started our morning by heading to Ueno. We walked around Ueno Park, and got lunch at one of my favorite shops, Gyukatsu Motomura. This chain serves AMAZING beef katsu which you finish grilling at your table. I would recommend this to anyone coming to Tokyo.
To end our day, we chased the sakura by going to Shinjuku Gyoen. The park was beautiful in the spring. While most of the sakura had ended, a beautiful pink flower that looked similar to sakura illuminated the park. We lucked out with sunny weather for our last day together! After the park, we went back home and then grabbed some ramen on my street.
I truly had the best time exploring three cities with one of my closest friends. While I got slightly sick and was definitely lacking energy towards the end of the trip, I still had the best time eating nonstop and seeing new sights around the world!
Trip Costs Taipei:
Taipei -> Tokyo - $105 (Tiger Air Taiwan)
Taipei Hotel (4 nights) - $108 each : https://bit.ly/2GEuHaI
Wifi - $8 : https://www.klook.com/activity/1511-wifi-device-taiwan-taipei/
Spending - $200
Total - $421 USD
Total Costs:
Hanoi - $533
Taipei - $421
Total - $954 USD
