Post date:2020-03-12
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TAIPEI #19 (2020 Spring)
Spring into Action: Five Diversified Tours to Explore Taipei
WORDS BY Adam Hopkins
PHOTOS BY
Gao Zanxian, Taiwan Scene, Yenping Yang, Department of Economic Development,
Taipei City Government, MyTaiwanTour, Francesca Chang, Mashal Zen Garden,
Longtail, bhakpong, Mudan, Xu Yirong, Department of Information and
Tourism,Taipei City Government, Liu Jiawen, Baoan Temple
▲Spring is the best time to explore Taipei and find out what this wonderful city has to offer. (Photo / Gao Zanxian)
Not too hot, not too cold and not too wet; spring is truly the best time to visit Taipei. Winter is behinds us and the sweltering summer has yet to arrive, resulting in the perfect conditions for getting out and exploring what this wonderful city has to offer. A bustling capital with a diverse range of options on offer for tourists: whether its food, culture or outdoor activities you’re looking for, Taipei has it all, and spring is an ideal season to be here. Want to see everything Taipei has to provide but don’t know where to start? We’ve hand-selected five tours for visitors to Taipei that show different sides of the city and give a true representation of what’s going on in the Taiwanese capital.
★ Taste of Taipei Tour
ROUTE:
A traditional Taiwanese breakfast youtiao, shaobing & doujiang ➔ Sample authentic Taiwanese xiaolongbao & beef noodles ➔ Try DIY bubble tea in the afternoon ➔ A night market tour at night
▲Traditional Taiwanese breakfast:youtiao (left) and shaobing (right). (Photo / Taiwan Scene)
Taipei is famous for its food, and you can’t come here without trying the local delicacies and dishes. Hop on this food tour and start your spring trip by filling your belly. The first stop must be a traditional Taiwanese breakfast of youtiao ( 油條), a sort of Chinese churro, a type of flatbread known as shaobing ( 燒餅), and a big bowl or glass of warm soy milk, referred to as doujiang ( 豆漿), for dipping. This is a breakfast that’s been enjoyed across Taiwan and is the perfect way to start your Taipei culinary journey on a beautiful spring day. Take a walk through a classic Taipei market, and then for lunch sample a couple of the country’s most famous dishes: xiaolongbao ( 小籠包), delicious world-famous soup dumplings, and beef noodles. And it doesn’t stop there! In the afternoon, it’ll be all about bubble tea as you take part in your own DIY class where you’ll learn how to make Taiwan’s most famous drink. Round off your day as a Taipei foodie by getting dinner at one of the city’s many brilliant night markets — if you still have room, that is!▲Bubble tea DIY. (Photo / Taiwan Scene)
Traditional Taiwanese Breakfast Ho’s Soy Milk 和記豆漿 🕑 7:00am - 11:30am (Closed on Wed. & Thu.) Miss Chin’s 秦小姐豆漿店 |
Xiaolongbao
Shengyuan Luffa Xiao Long Bao 盛園絲瓜小籠湯包 Hang Zhou Xiao Long Bao 杭州小籠湯包 🕑 11:00am - 10:00pm (Sun. to Thu.), 11:00am - 11:00pm (Fri. & Sat.) |
Beef Noodles
Yong-Kong Beef Noodle 永康牛肉麵 Lin Dong Fang Beef Noodle 林東芳牛肉麵 |
Bubble Tea DIY
Chun Shui Tang Zhongzheng Branch 春水堂中正店 CookInn Taiwan |
Night Market
Raohe Street Night Market 饒河街觀光夜市 Ningxia Night Market 寧夏觀光夜市 |
★ Taipei Great Outdoors Tour
ROUTE
Hiking in Yangmingshan ➔ Flower viewing during the Calla Lily and Hydrangea season ➔
Bike to explore the city
Following your flower field frolicking, it’s time to explore Taipei by bike. Hop on a YouBike, one of the many yellow share bikes accessible to the public around the city, and find out just how cyclist-friendly Taipei can be. Designated cycle lanes all across the city make navigating Taipei by bike a piece of cake, while the riverside cycle routes such as park near Dadaocheng ( 大稻埕) is not to be missed.
(Photo / MyTaiwanTour)
Hiking Trail in Yangmingshan Juansi Waterfall Trail 涓絲瀑布步道 Zhuzihu Circular Trail 竹子湖環狀步道
|
2020 Zhuzihu Calla Lily & Hydrangea Festival
🕑 March 27 – June 21 |
Biking Site
Dadaocheng Wharf (Yengping Riverside Park) 大稻埕碼頭 Shezi Daotou Park 社子島島頭公園 |
★ Taipei Chill-Out Tour
ROUTE
Visit the top of Taipei 101 ➔ Soak in the hot spring in Beitou to relax on a spring day ➔
Enjoy a great meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant ➔ End the day with a relaxing foot massage
Get a taste of Taipei affluence this spring with a tour of the city’s most posh hotspots. Literally experience the high life with a trip up the iconic Taipei 101 skyscraper, formerly the world’s tallest building and to this day the most recognizable landmark in Taipei. Head next to the hot springs of Beitou ( 北投) for a healing soak in the city’s world-renowned hot spring water before going for some fine dining at one of the Taipei’s many Michelin-starred restaurants. Then end your day with a relaxing foot massage at one of the capital’s premier spas. A day of luxury definitely worth treating yourself to. You deserve it.
(Photo / Marshal Zen Garden)
Taipei 101 Observatory Deck at 89th floor 🕑 9:00am - 10:00pm Skyline 460 (Out-door deck at 101th floor) |
Hot Spring in Beitou
Marshal Zen Garden 少帥禪園 Radium Kagaya International Hotel 日勝生加賀屋 |
Michelin-Starred Restaurant
Longtail Mingfu Taiwan Seafood Dishes 明福台菜海產 |
Foot Massage
Six Star Foot massage (Taipei Nanjing Branch) 六星級足體養生館南京店 Sasyunkan 再春館 |
★ LGBTaipei Tour
ROUTE
Visit Treasure Hill Artist Village in Gongguan ➔ The Witch House ➔ Ximending area ➔
Bar Hopping to experience the night life
(Photo / Xu Yirong)
This May will mark one year since Taiwan legalized same-sex marriage, and once you visit some of the city’s various LGBTQ-friendly venues, you’ll see why we became the first country in Asia to pass the law. Your first stop will be Treasure Hill Artist Village ( 寶藏巖國際藝術村), a small community on the banks of the Xindian River ( 新店溪) in Gongguan ( 公館) housing resident artists from all over the world who frequently curate exhibitions or create artworks to voice for LGBTQ rights. Peruse the installations, stores and houses of the charming area that has stood in its present from since the 1970s. A visit to The Witch House ( 女巫店), a multipurpose venue known for its live music, will give you a further taste of Taipei’s LGBTQ culture before you hit the streets of the city’s famous Ximending ( 西門町) area and have an unforgettable bar hopping tour to experience the local nightlife in well-known LGBTQ-friendly bars such as Commander D, Karen Bar and Mudan.
(Photo / Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government)
Treasure Hill Artist Village |
LGBTQ-Friendly Bar in Ximending
Commander D |
★ Taipei Culture Vulture Tour
ROUTE
A historical tour in Dadaocheng ➔ Tea tasting & tea ceremony ➔ Visit Baoan Temple
(Photo / Liu Jiawen)
Taipei is a city loaded with culture, and no visit here is complete without a tour in Dadaocheng. As the area was the biggest center to trade Taiwanese tea in the 1800s, you can find various tea houses there to patriciate an authentic tea ceremony and sample a few of the country’s best tea. Spring time also coincides with the Baosheng Cultural Festival ( 保生文化季). As part of your tour, you’ll also visit the historic Baoan Temple ( 保安宮) and join the festival to both celebrate the birthday of Baosheng Emperor ( 保生大帝) and experience the local cultural traditions. The structure was also recognized by the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Culture Heritage Conservation back in 2003. The festival is a symbol of Taiwan’s folk religious celebrations as well as architectural legacy, and has inspired similar festivities in places such as Singapore and China.
(Photo / Baoan Temple)
Tea Houses in Dadaocheng |
2020 Baosheng Cultural Festival
🕑 March 28 — June 28 |
How to prepare to visit Taipei in the spring
As previously mentioned, springtime, in terms of weather, is pretty pleasant in Taipei. In terms of other clothing, you’ll be comfortable in long pants, but shorts, skirts and dresses etc. may be more comfortable, especially during the daytime. During the night, however, might be a little chilly but a light jacket will do. The average temperature during spring in Taipei is around 25 degrees Celsius. The energy-sapping humidity of summer won’t have arrived, yet rainy season might start at the end of May, so prepare for rain just in case by packing some waterproof clothing (you can pick up a cheap umbrella at any convenience store). It’s also highly recommended that you bring adequate sun protection, such as sun cream, as even in the springtime, the sun in Taipei can be intense.
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