Night Markets and Temples
Taiwan’s history is visible dotting the streets, including in an abundant selection and variety of temples. Notable and frequently visited is the Longshan Temple, located on the western edge of the city. The Confucius Temple is also popular, honoring the great teacher of Chinese thought. Belonging to another philosophy is the Chungshui Zen Temple set in remote, thoughtful surroundings. The Chih Nan Temple honors all three religions of the Chinese tradition, Buddhism, Daoism and Confucianism. Considered by many to be Taiwan’s greatest temple is Tsu Shih Temple on the San Xia Old Shop Street.
Just a few minutes walk away from Lungshan Temple is Snake Alley. Some of the fascinating things to see include well-trained handlers cajoling the snakes. The ultimate purpose of the snake handling is to extract a snake’s blood and bile, you can drink the end result if you want.
Taiwan’s temples are usually surrounded by night markets in the evening. The markets provide visitors a true sense of the tastes, smells and nature of this thriving city. One of the larger markets is the sprawling Shi Lin Night Market in the north of the city and can be reached easily by MRT (Shilin station). Night Markets come to life in the early evening and continue into the early hours of the morning. There are endless choices of fake designer clothes, music, shoes and cheap jewelry, among other things. Another market worth visiting is the much smaller Tong Hua Street Night Market in the southeast section of the city. Night markets are also a great place to eat, especially on a warm summer evening with a breeze in the air. Whether you’re after fresh seafood, Japanese teppanyaki, noodles, dumplings, barbecued snacks, fresh fruit, or just a street side table where you can enjoy a couple of beers and watch the world go by, a night market is the place to go.
Is the city too crowded?
Taipei can be a crowded and stifling city, so from time to time it makes sense to escape into the breathtakingly beautiful countryside and mountains that surround Taipei. The hot-spring resort area of Bei Tou is only 13 kilometers (8 miles) northwest of central Taipei, but it seems a world removed. A legacy of the Japanese colonial occupation period, Bei Tou’s natural hot spring resorts are among the finest island-wide. Within Beitou places like Hell Valley, a nature reserve renowned for its boiling sulfurous spring water (not for bathing), are easy to find. Also worth a visit is the Beitou Hot Spring Museum in its Japanese colonial setting, and the Beitou Folk Art Museum with its broad collection of indigenous crafts and art. Still within Taipei City limits is Yang Ming Shan area.
Yangmingshan is a favorite destination for its beautiful flowers, cherry blossoms, abundant hiking trails and hot springs similar to those in nearby Beitou. Also, the many teahouses are another attraction where you can enjoy a beautiful night view of the city. A short drive out of Taipei will take visitors to Guandu Nature Park or Da Guan Shan Forestry Reserve, each offer a variety of outdoor activities and great hiking trails. East of the city the Museum of Drinking Water sports a museum and fun water park.Da An Park. For history buffs, Taipei has its fair share of museums and assorted historical sights. Perhaps the most notable example is the National Palace Museum, voted one of the top four museums in the world. With over 700,000 items (easily the world’s biggest collection of Chinese artifacts) but display space for only 15,000, the items are rotated every three months.
Alternatively, visit the much smaller Taipei Fine Arts Museum which regularly hosts displays of foreign and local artists. The cliffside Zhuming Museum celebrates a legendary artist and has rotating exhibits of up and coming artists. The Taipei City Zoo recently acquired a pair of pandas from the Mainland.Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall on Xin Yi Road. It’s a stunning piece of architecture surrounded by beautiful gardens. The National Theater and National Concert Hall, Taipei’s cultural heart, are also located at the same site. More understated but equally impressive is the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall on Ren Ai Road. It is home to an interesting selection of historical artifacts, mostly related to the much revered Dr. Sun Yat-Sen. The Memorial is a favorite venue for numerous cultural events.
Taipei has a handful of city parks that are worthy of a mention. The largest is Da An Park. For history buffs, Taipei has its fair share of museums and assorted historical sights. Perhaps the most notable example is the National Palace Museum, voted one of the top four museums in the world. With over 700,000 items (easily the world’s biggest collection of Chinese artifacts) but display space for only 15,000, the items are rotated every three months. It would take a dedicated visitor a whopping 12 years to see everything! Alternatively, visit the much smaller Taipei Fine Arts Museum which regularly hosts displays of foreign and local artists. The cliffside Zhuming Museum celebrates a legendary artist and has rotating exhibits of up and coming artists. The Taipei City Zoo recently acquired a pair of pandas from the Mainland.
One of the most significant landmarks in Taipei is undoubtedly the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall on Xin Yi Road. It’s a stunning piece of architecture surrounded by beautiful gardens. The National Theater and National Concert Hall, Taipei’s cultural heart, are also located at the same site. More understated but equally impressive is the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall on Ren Ai Road. It is home to an interesting selection of historical artifacts, mostly related to the much revered Dr. Sun Yat-Sen. The Memorial is a favorite venue for numerous cultural events.
MIRAMAR
Located near the JianNan Rd. Station on the brown line of MRT, Miramar Entertainment Park is a complex shopping mall. With a unique styled building designed by well-known local and foreign architects, the shopping mall is a popular place for leisure and gatherings. The mall possessed beautiful ferries wheels, movie theatres, refined cuisines, fashionable clothing, supermarket, and carousel.Miramar Entertainment Park became a landmark of Taipei since they were established. Ferris wheels display three themes of neon lightshows during evenings, sparkling in darkness. It is capable to carry maximum of six passengers in a cabinet. With forty-eight cabinets, total of two hundred and eighty-eight passengers can enjoy the ride at the same time; the ride takes approximately seventeen minutes.Miramar Entertainment Park is one of the most popular places to visit for your Taipei travel.
