Last month I attempted to show D around Taipei. The main things I wanted to show off were a) how convenient everything is b) the food, but in terms of actual tourism these were my favourite parts…
Ximending arcades
If you come to Taipei as a tourist you’ll probably stay in Ximending. If you are jet lagged and wake up super early there is nothing to do in Ximen except going to the 24 hour arcades.
D and I both like rhythm games so we checked out Taiko no Tatsujin and Maimai. It was so exciting to hunt through the song lists and find my favourite J-pop/Vocaloid/etc songs. Taiko is more fun because you get to hit a big drum with a stick, but Maimai is more exciting and complex, even if it feels like you are using your bare hands to exorcise a washing machine.
There are loads of the Maimai machines in different locations in Ximen and they seem to have a community of serious fans. At one place we went there were about 12 machines and by ~8am they were all filled up with gamers.
CKS Memorial Hall
Of course we had to go here because it’s the biggest national monument and the buildings are so huge and beautiful. But it’s also quite boring. Another low effort thing to do while jetlagged. I posted my photos of it here.
Beitou hot springs
Taiwan has a lot of preserved Japanese colonial era architecture open for visitors. Most of the info at these places is in Chinese but even while illiterate I still like to walk around the pretty buildings with no shoes on (this is mandatory), feel the wooden and tatami floors, and relax.
Anyway, Beitou is surely the most attractive of Japanese era stuff. Hot springs! I made a full post about our day trip here.
Karaoke
Of course. Conveniently I know a place (Starlight KTV) which has a lot of English songs.
Temples
It’s not like you could avoid temples if you come to Taipei (laughs) but it’s definitely worth taking some trips or detours to visit big ones. Apart from Puji Temple in Beitou, this time we went to…
Tianhou Temple hidden away in Ximen
Ciyou Temple at Songshan (my favourite one)
Outside Zhinan Temple on the way to Maokong
Zhinan is definitely the most photogenic with all the red and gold prayers hanging from trees. As well as being huge. And hardly anyone comes here, so I could walk around inside without feeling like I was getting in the way of people praying.
A back room of Zhinan Temple which had tens of different ancestors in cabinets
Temple ad outside the station at Zhinan
More to come in part 2!!