Taipei

Having travelled much of China over the past few years, it came as a surprise to many that I had never visited Taiwan, and so earlier this year I took a week long trip there to see what it had to offer. Safe to say I was completely blown away, particularly with Taipei. The city reminded me of the high-tech metropolis of Tokyo mixed with the backstreets of Chongqing, and there was so much to see and do that we could have easily spent a week in the city alone. Unfortunately, we only had 3 days, so tried to fit as much in as we possibly could, and here are my recommendations for your next trip to Taipei.

See

Perhaps my favourite place to shoot early morning in Taipei was the aptly named ‘motorbike waterfall’ just outside of the 9ine hotel. Get here during rush hour with a zoom lens and you can shoot hundreds of motorbikes queueing down a hill in one dense photo.

Motorbike Waterfall

Another great spot to shoot in the morning is the National Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall. Beat the crowds and head here in the morning for the best experience, and enjoy watching the locals walk the gardens to get their exercise, which is very common throughout many Asian countries. The Memorial Hall itself is an example of beautiful architecture, and if you are lucky, you’ll be able to witness the Changing of the Guards inside.

Chiang Kao-Shek Memorial Hall

One of the lesser-known spots (amongst foreigners, at least) is the Shende Temple. Stand on the other side of the road to the temple, and every 20-30 minutes from 10.00 - 14.00, a plane will land right behind the temple, making for a great photo with a zoom lens.

A plane landing behind Shende Temple

Do

I would highly recommend hiring a YouBike for an afternoon in Taipei and cycle around the city. These bikes can be hired from any of the parking kiosks for as little as NT$10 per 30 minutes, and I would recommend buying an Easycard from a corner shop beforehand as you get 30 minutes free if you pay with one of these. We got our bikes from outside Taipei 101 and cycled the area surrounding it to find the best bubble tea in the city!

Having your fortune told by a bird is one of the more bizarre things to do in Taipei, but good fun nonetheless. Head to Long San Temple MTR station and for the price of NT$300, you will know all about your fortune thanks to a feathered friend. The Temple outside is a good place for a stroll afterwards, too.

Head up to the top of Taipei 101 for unparalleled views over the city. I’d recommend buying your tickets online beforehand, so that you can avoid the queues, and get there in the morning as it (understandably) gets pretty busy, but well worth it for the views. Afterwards, head down to the ground floor to Din Tai Fung for the best Xiao Long Bao you’ll ever eat. Din Tai Fung was founded in Taiwan, so is a great choice for trying the world famous restaurant. If you want some different views for sunset, hike up Elephant Hill to see the Taipei 101 in a whole new light, and appreciate just how big the building is.

Views from Taipei 101