Visiting Taiwan THREAD II

[wuvshoe]

^There are money changers in the airport. But if they're closed na, you can go to banks... they will post naman if they offer currency exchanges. Okay for me ang rate ng Bank of Taiwan, wala pang fee - just bring your passport. 

[vhanya]

question about the visa-free entry. they included japan visa holders kasi. pano if my tourist visa with japan is already expired. 15days lang kasi yung validity nun. so di na pwede yun ipakita for visa-free entry?

[jade23]

^i think di na pwede sis.    dapat valid pa or hindi expired yung visa mo from the other countries na ini-specify nila.

[vhanya]

ahhh ok thanks sis. i guess i really have to renew my US visa hayyyy

[kissmyhappiness]

Hello!  I'll be visiting Taipei this month and I was wondering kung magkano yung usual budget na dapat dalhin for shopping (my target places are Ximending and Wufenpu). This will be my first time going out of the country without my parents so I really need to plan my expenses well and make sure I bring the right amount of money. Anyway, thanks in advance! Looking forward to your replies

[janeblaze,project]

any  advices what  to  see in Taiwan mga sis? A friend of mine are planning to  travel  there after our vacation in Pinas

[wuvshoe]

kissmyhappiness - Clothes that are made in Taiwan, although good quality, are a bit expensive. Standard price for a stylish blouse/skirt/shorts would be NT390... And for clothes imported from BKK/Korea, may patong na rin so more expensive. But shopping around this time, may mga sale because we're transitioning to winter clothes na! Good timing.. you can find stores selling clearance stuff for 50~100nt. Kung all-out shopping spree, I'd say 10K~15K siguro.

^janeblaze,project, I posted this before:

Jiufen - inspired the movie "Spirited Away"
Yehliu - Queen's head rock formation
Taipei 101 - 2nd tallest building in the world
National Palace Museum
Sun Yat Sen memorial hall
Chiang Kai memorial hall
Taipei zoo
Maokong Gondola - cable car
Danshui
Martyr's shrine
Beitou hot springs
Night markets (Shilin, Raohe, Ximending, Shida)
Temples (Longshan, Match-maker)
Wulai - trekking
Bitan - cycling/boat cycling
(Outside of Taipei:)
Sun Moon Lake
Taroko Gorge
Alishan mountain railway
Kending
Kaohsiung spots (there's a lot but I'm not too familiar because it's in the south na)

[kissmyhappiness]

Wow, good to know. Thank you so much wuvshoe! 

[step_ira]

sisses, need po ba talaga ng hotel reservation para ma-approve ang visa? bukas na ako mag-aaply for visa pero wala pa kami hotel reservation. complete na requirements ko, hotel reservation lang talaga kulang. do you think possible ako na maapprove kahit wala hotel reservation? please help me mga sisses!!!

[ms.rain]

ok lang sis. i didn't have my hotel reservation when i applied for visa. just got back yesterday from taiwan.

[step_ira]

thanks ms.rain, kauuwi ko lang..galing TECO...tinanong ako ng for "VISA TELLER", if what hotel daw ako nakareserved...sabi ko wala pa kasi puro fully booked ng mga inquiries ko...sabi sa akin "SEP 30 na flight mo wala pa rin hotel?" after that i proceed na sa cashier...paid 2,400...will release on sep 24-monday....kapag nakapagbayad na ba for sure na approved na ako? or di pa sure? help mga sisses...first international flight ko kasi taiwan...sayang naman if hindi ako matutuloy...huhuhu 

[jade23]

^Hindi guarantee ang payment sa approval ng visa.  Meron talagang fee whether ma-approve or not.

[step_ira]

hay sad naman, ibig sabihin sis..di na rin maibabalik yung 2,400? complete requirements naman ako...except sa hotel reservation...heto mga nasubmit ko

application form
2pcs pic
passport (new and old)
nso birth cert
bank statement
DTI (business under my name)
SS ID
roundtrip ticket

maapprove kaya? kinakabahan talaga ako!!!

[smoothie]

Buti na lang may U.S visa na ako at ayaw ko pakita yung bank statement ko. baka maiyak yung consul. haha.

Hopefully matuloy trip namin, will be there on Dec 27-31. Can't wait

[tabbru]

Wow, di ko na pala kelangan kumuha ng visa kasi may Canadian visa na ako. Makapag-book na nga hehe!

[fabulosity]

Ladies, planning to stop by taipei before going to PH next month and still figuring out my IT, need advice!
Best shopping in terms of choices and price: ximending vs shilin vs wufenpu (btw, is wufenpu for wholesale only, and by wholesale you mean more than 2?)
Must buy souvenirs? food, beauty product, etc
Must eat/try food/resto? I eat anything and everything, and price doesn't matter
Other themed restos beside the toilet one, the kitty one, the airplane, and the hospital? 
What's the cost of Japanese products in Taipei (clothes,magazines, makeup, etc.)?

Btw,are taiwanese people as courteous/friendly as the japanese? just curious...

Just planning this trip makes me so excited!!! Once I reach Taipei, there's only two things I would do: eat and shop!

[esor]

^Taiwanese - good peeps    friendly & helpful

[wuvshoe]

fabulosity - Wufenpu has clothes lang... a lot of it. I think wholesale is 6 pieces up... this is where night market sellers buy their goods. Shilin vs Ximending... hmmm --- Shilin is bigger and targets tourists; lot's of shops to buy souvenir shirts/keychains, food pasalubongs, etc. apart from the usual (clothes, cosmetics, food). Ximending has a younger crowd (high school to uni students) and more for "uso" stuff like you can find the Korean cosmetics shops tabi-tabi.

Must buy ---  hmmm, Taiwan makes good Pineapple cakes. I've also seen people lining up for Wang Shifu mooncakes. Oolong tea. Mochi (esp. from Jiufen). Pork floss.
Must eat/try food/resto -- Stinky tofu, esp. the deep fried one (臭豆腐), Beef noodle soup (牛肉麵), Spring onion pancake (蔥油餅) or any breakfast item, lumpia ice cream (don't know what it's called). Most famous resto is probably Ding Tai Fung (www.dintaifung.com.tw) and check out the 'strongly recommends' in this famous blog: http://hungryintaipei.blogspot.tw/ (maybe you can find themed restos there... I'm not very familiar with those...)

Japanese products --- expensive... converted plus patong usually. But maraming fake na mura

Haven't been to Japan so can't compare... but Taiwanese people are very nice and helpful in general.

[fabulosity]

Thanks guys for the input! After I come back, will surely post my trip report 

[beachpatrol]

Booked for Aug 2013 for 3k RT. Looking forward to an awesome food trip!!!

Ma-aapprove naman siguro ang visa kahit first time traveller abroad? May 2 friends kasi akong first international trip ito if ever.