TAIWAN - TAIPEI - DAY1
Hello everyone! First of all, let me introduce myself. I am an Indonesian, currently residing in Malaysia. I do not normally share my travel experience in details, but after going through 6 months of getting the information about Taiwan (and mostly i get from another blogger, thanks so much for your sharing!) . Hence i decided to share my own experience. Hopefully it can be informative enough for those in needs! So, here we go!
My flight was on 10AM, Sunday 26th March in the early morning with AirAsia. So, i went to KLIA2 to check-in our luggage, etc, etc. Then, i finally reach Taoyuan International Airport around 3PM (Malaysia has the same timezone with Taiwan).
So, the first thing i need to prepare is my ROC letter as Indonesian needs either Taiwan Visa or ROC letter (together with the travel visa you have applied before). Indonesian (and several South East Asian countries) could obtain ROC visa with several requirement. Kindly refer to BOCA Taiwan website .
After immigration, it's time to purchase the SIM card. As my trip is 10 days, i opted the 10days offer (unlimited wi-fi and call (for 10 minutes only)). Basically, there are 3 mobile phone operator in the airport. I decided to purchase the SIM card from "myfone (Taiwan Mobile)" which costs me 500NT$. You can refer to their website .
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Forgot to remind you since the beginning, Taiwanese people are very friendly and helpful if you ask for the direction, especially if you can speak their language (most of them do not speak english). As for me, i am Indonesian Chinese who can not speak and read chinese properly. So, i found is a bit challenging to walk around, as me and my parent mostly speaking in our language and people will slightly staring at us without any reason. But most of all, Taiwan is a safe place for tourist to stroll around and of course, a food and milk tea heaven!
In Taiwan, eventhough i came in spring time, i also experienced all the seasons in once! If you are in the city, you will be prepared with rain and hot sun whose temperature between 10 to 26 degrees celcius. You will feel like today is very windy and cold, while tomorrow or 2 days after suddenly become summer. Prepare your sun block eventhough the temperature might be 10 degrees only...
If you went to the mountain, you will feel the winter still exists. The temperature of every mountain might be different. The lowest i experienced is 2 degrees celcius and this totally out of my weather expectation. I was unprepared with 1 layer of t-shirt, long jeans, and 1 jacket and can not afford to stay too long in this kind of temperature. I found some frozen ice during the journey to the mountain. Unfortunately, i was unable to snap it.
And while i were going to the forest in the middle of mountain, i spotted all the orange-yellowish tree leaves like autumn! and of course, several bamboo forest around. I was totally amazed with their nature. This is so natural and beautiful. You should consider Taiwan for their beautiful nature.
As for spring, lets see another chapter of my Taiwan diaries.
---
Okay, so lets go to my DAY 1 itinerary -->
Taoyuan Airport - Ximen - Zhongshan (Shin Kong Mitsukoshi & surrounding) - Jiantan MRT (Shilin Night Market)
Since Taoyuan Airport MRT, direction to Taipei Main Station had just been opened, so i took train to TMS (Taipei Main Station), it only costs me 80NT$ each since they have 50% discount until early of April 2017. Original price is 160NT$. So, i used their transport card named EASY CARD, typical Touch n' Go (Malaysia) or EZlink (Singapore).
You can take bus too, bus is cheaper, but train will be faster and convenient, also less confusing.
Then, journey begins with Taoyuan MRT. It takes approx. 35 minutes to reach TMS. The train interior is like KLIA express in KL. Only the fare is cheaper in Taipei.
After reach TMS, we strolled around and manage to come out from Beimen Station.
Then, our next destination is Ximending area as i booked 1day stay around that area. We try to walk around, lost and google maps does not seem help that much. So, i start to practice my "broken" chinese language by asking the surrounding. We finally reached our hostel with GPS helps (in the end). Then we went out and straightly go to Zhongshan MRT area.
Zhongshan is a shopping district with lots of choice to shop. My main purpose is to buy BAKE cheese tart , where you can find if you take exit 4 from the station. Moreover, there is Din Tai Fung and Chun Shui Tang bubble milk tea as well. I tried their pearl milk tea for 160NT$. It tastes nice, but i am not a pearl fans. So, next time i would just try back their milk tea.
As for BAKE cheese tart, the taste is really succulent with only 70NT$ each, and their soft serve cream cheese ice cream for 120NT$. These are totally worth to try! Seriously no regret.
My flight was on 10AM, Sunday 26th March in the early morning with AirAsia. So, i went to KLIA2 to check-in our luggage, etc, etc. Then, i finally reach Taoyuan International Airport around 3PM (Malaysia has the same timezone with Taiwan).
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| Taiwan mountain behind? |
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| Hello Taiwan Taoyuan Airport! |
After immigration, it's time to purchase the SIM card. As my trip is 10 days, i opted the 10days offer (unlimited wi-fi and call (for 10 minutes only)). Basically, there are 3 mobile phone operator in the airport. I decided to purchase the SIM card from "myfone (Taiwan Mobile)" which costs me 500NT$. You can refer to their website .
---
Forgot to remind you since the beginning, Taiwanese people are very friendly and helpful if you ask for the direction, especially if you can speak their language (most of them do not speak english). As for me, i am Indonesian Chinese who can not speak and read chinese properly. So, i found is a bit challenging to walk around, as me and my parent mostly speaking in our language and people will slightly staring at us without any reason. But most of all, Taiwan is a safe place for tourist to stroll around and of course, a food and milk tea heaven!
In Taiwan, eventhough i came in spring time, i also experienced all the seasons in once! If you are in the city, you will be prepared with rain and hot sun whose temperature between 10 to 26 degrees celcius. You will feel like today is very windy and cold, while tomorrow or 2 days after suddenly become summer. Prepare your sun block eventhough the temperature might be 10 degrees only...
If you went to the mountain, you will feel the winter still exists. The temperature of every mountain might be different. The lowest i experienced is 2 degrees celcius and this totally out of my weather expectation. I was unprepared with 1 layer of t-shirt, long jeans, and 1 jacket and can not afford to stay too long in this kind of temperature. I found some frozen ice during the journey to the mountain. Unfortunately, i was unable to snap it.
And while i were going to the forest in the middle of mountain, i spotted all the orange-yellowish tree leaves like autumn! and of course, several bamboo forest around. I was totally amazed with their nature. This is so natural and beautiful. You should consider Taiwan for their beautiful nature.
As for spring, lets see another chapter of my Taiwan diaries.
---
Okay, so lets go to my DAY 1 itinerary -->
Taoyuan Airport - Ximen - Zhongshan (Shin Kong Mitsukoshi & surrounding) - Jiantan MRT (Shilin Night Market)
Since Taoyuan Airport MRT, direction to Taipei Main Station had just been opened, so i took train to TMS (Taipei Main Station), it only costs me 80NT$ each since they have 50% discount until early of April 2017. Original price is 160NT$. So, i used their transport card named EASY CARD, typical Touch n' Go (Malaysia) or EZlink (Singapore).
You can take bus too, bus is cheaper, but train will be faster and convenient, also less confusing.
Then, journey begins with Taoyuan MRT. It takes approx. 35 minutes to reach TMS. The train interior is like KLIA express in KL. Only the fare is cheaper in Taipei.
After reach TMS, we strolled around and manage to come out from Beimen Station.
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| Somewhere outside Beimen Station |
Then, our next destination is Ximending area as i booked 1day stay around that area. We try to walk around, lost and google maps does not seem help that much. So, i start to practice my "broken" chinese language by asking the surrounding. We finally reached our hostel with GPS helps (in the end). Then we went out and straightly go to Zhongshan MRT area.
 |
| Zhongshan area |
Zhongshan is a shopping district with lots of choice to shop. My main purpose is to buy BAKE cheese tart , where you can find if you take exit 4 from the station. Moreover, there is Din Tai Fung and Chun Shui Tang bubble milk tea as well. I tried their pearl milk tea for 160NT$. It tastes nice, but i am not a pearl fans. So, next time i would just try back their milk tea.
As for BAKE cheese tart, the taste is really succulent with only 70NT$ each, and their soft serve cream cheese ice cream for 120NT$. These are totally worth to try! Seriously no regret.
You could get tax refund if shopping in Shin Kong Mitsukoshi for 2000NT$ and above.
Then, we were heading to Shilin Night Market via Jiantan MRT. Basically, just follow the sign board and follow the crowd, then you will find Shilin night market.
There are lots of snack and food! Starting from their famous hot-star chicken for 70NT$!
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| Spot the long queue, then they are! |
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| The famous mashed potato in Shilin Night Market for 80NT$ |
I forgot the name of this stall, but it is easily spotted because of their long queue. Also, several fried chicken has long queue. There are another stalls selling lots of various food. Too bad my tummy can not afford to try all their food snack...
You also can do a window shopping as the surrounding have ABC Mart, Adidas, Nike, and sort of happening brands shop as well as looking out for some souvenirs.
Then, we came back to the hostel by train around 9.30PM.
Here is the end of my DAY 1 for shopping and buy souvenirs , see you in DAY 2! -->
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