Re: Visiting Taiwan THREAD III

[b3autyandthebeach]

^ I felt the same way you did when I went to Taiwan din. Parang ayaw ko na talaga umalis doon haha. Even now, I can't wait to go back! Though, next time I really want to go when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, especially in Alishan Mountain 

[longing]

Sharing our IT, we were in Taiwan last Feb 17 to 20. We were expecting to have HK cold Feb weather but natapat kami sa week na Tagaytay feels lang, kaya mas tiring ang tour.

Day 1. Arrived at Taiwan past 9PM. Booked airport transfer via Klook. Roamed around Sanchong District. Not recommended to stay in this District kasi malayo, we booked AirBnB as we needed 3 rooms - 3 couples, 1 senior, 2 kids, and this is the area na cost efficient for us.  The rest of my family arrived past 1AM, their airport transfer was booked c/o of our host.

Day 2. Chiang Kai Shek, Taipei 101, Beitou Thermal Valley, Ximending - sarap ng chicken dito and had dinner at Modern Toilet to complete the Taiwan experience. We bought Taipei 1 day Pass for TWD180, sobrang nasulit namin to with our IT.

Day 3. We were supposed to go to Taipei Zoo and Maokong Gondola, when we're about to buy na the Taipei Pass plus Gondola (TWD350), we were informed that the Gondola was closed due to strong winds. No Option B so we just went to Taipei Main Station, had lunch there konting shopping sa underground mall then went to Elephant Mountain.  Super tiring hike, only a few of us made it sa top. Went to Carrefour for our pasalubong.

Day 4.  We got transport services c/o our AirBnB host at TWD5,500 for the whole day. IT: Yehliu Geopark, had breakfast sa Shark's Toast;  Golden Waterfalls, Yin Yang Sea, Nanya Rock Formation, and Jiufen Old Street;  Shifen Waterfalls and Old Street for the releasing of lanterns. Ang sarap ng Xia Long Bao dito, mas preferred ko taste than DTF. Then went straight to the airport for our 8PM flight. 

[ayami]

I just got back from our trip and I think okay na one time visit sa Taiwan. To be honest, di naman ako talaga fan ng food/culture nila F4 and TW drama lang lol nagpunta lang ako just because walang visa requirement and mura pasahe. Baka rin, our trip wasn't so good rin kasi as it was rainy and super lamig. Hindi uso ang heaters sa normal homes in Taiwan perhaps dahil ilang months lang naman na ganun weather dun and baka tolerable sa locals. So sa Airbnb namin sakto yung comforter lang tas di ka gagalaw to make yourself warm haha.

I didn't like the food, kahit raved by most friends na pumunta. Factor kasi sa akin ang aroma so bagsak na kagad sa preference ko (or kahit siguro HK or Chinese food). Mura lang nagastos ko sa trip around 32K for 7 days. Airport nila, sakto lang di ganun ka-posh and walang gaanong magagawa unlike sa Narita/Changi/Incheon na may cultural something. Ang wifi decent rin but pag congested na ang area madidisconnect ka na lagi. Hindi ganon ka-tourist friendly yung local train lines nila sa provinces, mahirap pa rin makipag communicate sa locals although very nice sila.

We had a taxi tour sa Taroko National Park, stayed overnight sa Hualien-- puro lakad galore which was great kasi naglalaro ako ng Pokemon Go (was able to hatch lots of eggs haha!). Nakisama ang panahon samin during that day and on our way to the airport. Sa transpo pala, ok na rin yung train system nila we used Easy Card as suggested by my friends. Naempty naman namin yung card before leaving but unlike Japan naibabalik yung card with deposit sa Easy yata walang ganun. Souvenir na lang yung card. Other places we visited yung Jiufen (na kilala dahil sa Spirited Away)-- isa o dalwang kalye lang pala na puro pagkaing di ko gusto amoy and souvenirs. Haha may issue talaga ako sa amoy, no? Lol.

Sentro nga Airbnb namin tanaw na tanaw si Taipei 101 kaya di hassle commute. Mabait pa si host kahit bonggang delayed flight namin and madaling araw na dating, wala syang sinabi or anything nagrereply rin sya sa mga questions namin while on our way. Oh, we joined Tour Me Away tours pala you can check them out sa FB or their website ok naman sila. Magagaling pa mag English tour guides. I learned a lot about their history and parang parallel rin satin kaya nakakarelate ako hehe.
 

[rasee16]

Following this thread for our April trip. Honestly, medyo mababa ang expectations ko sa Taiwan. Although I like to keep it that way para pagdating ko dun, di ako masyado madisappoint kung wala halos pinagkaiba sa Japan and Korea (or worse, kung hindi sya at par with those two countries).

Just like sis ayami, napabook lang din ako dito since mura and qualified kami sa visa exemption 
Hopefully ma-enjoy naman namin. 1:20am ang arrival namin huhu then 5 full days of blank itinerary pa tapos 1:45am ang flight pabalik dito. 

[runbarbierun]

^ Go there with an open mind, but don't compare it siguro to Japan/Korea baka madisappoint ka. Compare it siguro to Hong Kong nalang haha but it's less crowded/cleaner. It's a fun place for me, mas better if medyo mga bata bata kayo. Go there for the street food!

Check out Mala Yuanyang Hot Pot!

[huit]

We went in Taiwan last February to witness the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival. Malamig pa when we went there and we stayed sa Ximending area. Yung Ximen Walker talaga so center of shopping and food tripping. So far okay naman ang Taiwan pero hindi kasi ako foodie so sakto lang food for me. If you want Cherry Blossom and cold weather kapag winter season, okay na ang Taiwan kasi mura sya unlike Japan and Korea. Wala nga lang snow pero at least may Sakura. Hahaha.

[rasee16]

Haha sige I'll lower my expectations pa, lesser than Japan and Korea pala hehe. Worth it ba lumayo sa Taipei? Like khaosiung and Taichung area? We only have 5 full days

[huit]

^

Wala naman kasi n amasyado makikita sa Taipei aside sa Ximending Shops and mga night markets, Taipei 101 and yung ibang temples and Chiang Kai Shek. Worth it lumabas ng Taipei, kahit sa Shifen area, release kayo Sky Lantern, visit Jiufen din. Yung Old Jiufen Street. =)

[momlory]

anong months yung hindi naulan sa taipei? best time to visit yung hindi sobrang init at hindi naulan?

[rasee16]

^sis nabasa ko April and November ang best months to visit Taiwan.

^^Sis so dapat ba 1 or 2 days lang kami stay sa taipei then 3 days sa suburbs? How did you go about your itineraries?

[huit]

^^

Last February we went  sa Taiwan, hindi naman maulan, gloomy lang talaga.

^

Actually nag day tour lang kami sa Jiufen pero okay din mag stay dun. 3 days in Taipei and 2 days  in Jiufen is okay. Maganda rin naman sa Taipei kahit papaano. Last February kasi, there was a Sky Lantern Festival, dinayo talaga namin yun. At first dapat matutulog kami sa Pingxi area, kaso nag cancel yung AirBnB namin. 

Anyway, itinerary below:

1st Day:

Taipei Zoo, Ximen Walker (where we are staying)

2nd day:

Jiufen Old Street
Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival in Shifen

3rd day:

Checked out  again the streets of Ximending Night Market or Ximen Walker
Taipei 101
Elephant Mountain for a better view of the Taipei 101 at night
Raohe Night Market


4th and last day:

Last minute shopping in Ximending because our flight was still in the evening.

Our friend was left behind so sa last 2 days niya, nag temple visit lang sya and Chiang Kai Shek.

[silveronfire]

hello girls... does anyone know if may cherry blossoms na and saan ? hubby and i will be in taiwan this saturday, 4 nights lang naman, biglaan na trip lang so i am still doing my research... super last minute.. appreciate your feedback sisses. thanks!

[huit]

Yup may Cherry Blossom na sa Taiwan. Nag start na actually sa Taipei last February. =) Sa Alishan yata meron

[ooh-la-la]

sino ng nakapag apply ng E-Visa(Online Visa) ?
Ano pa bang documents ang kailangan nila? Thanks!

[huit]

^

Online visa? hindi ROC visa exemption?

[cupcakejane]

oohlala check this out http://www.boca.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=6464&ctNode=868&mp=2

[SnowBall]

Akala ko pa naman visa free ang Taiwan for Filipinos, gusto ko pa naman sana pumunta with the family, kaso need pa pala kumuha kami ng visa 

[mdj10]

Just got back from our 5 day trip... super fun pa rin.. we hired pinoy driver for our tours.. we really had a great time in taiwan!

[Lilacs]

^sis mdj10, may contact number ka ng pinoy driver mo?  and mind sharing how much did he charge for day tour?   Thanks.

[mdj10]

^sis mdj10, may contact number ka ng pinoy driver mo?  and mind sharing how much did he charge for day tour?   Thanks.

Yes sis... harton tours sa fb... mga 4k taiwan dollar /day depends kasi sa itinerary nio sis pero sobra sulit and kahit gabihin kami okay lang wala additional charge.