TAIPEI, TAIWAN FOR FIRST TIMERS: Itinerary, Helpful Tips, and Budget for Filipinos

Taipei is the capital of Taiwan. With only a few days stay in this city, this blog shows the hows, whats and wheres in our itinerary.

Taipei: Capital of Taiwan
Country: Taiwan
Coordinates: 25.0330° N, 121.5654° E
What to eat: Bubble Tea, Taiwanese Sausage, Taiwanese Beef Noodles, Pineapple Cakes, etc.
What to do: city and nature exploration
Ideal time to visit: Ideal time to visit is from February (nearing end of Winter) to May (Spring). Weather is cool and Sakura flowers are blooming.
Language: Chinese/English
Currency: Taiwanese Dollars: 53PHP = 1USD = 31TWD ; 1PHP = 0.59TWD (rough estimate)




It was only a four-day trip and we wanted to maximize it. So we decided to visit nearby tourists spots and join tours.

DAY 1: HALF DAY EXPLORATION


We arrived at Taoyuan Airport around noon. We headed straight to the MRT and dropped our luggage at the hotel. We started out half day exploration at MRT Taipei Main Station.

POINTS OF INTERESTS
🚩 Wuji Tianyuan Temple
🚩 Taipei 101





DAY 1 ITINERARY:
🚩Arrival at Airport & Immigration
🚩Wifi Pick Up: Pre-booked with Klook | 4 Days: 50TWD/340PHP; 12.5TWD/22PHP
🚩Purchase Easy Card: 500TWD/848PHP
🚩Load 400TWD on Easy Card: 400TWD/678 (800TWD in total)
🚩Taipei Airport 1 to Taipei Main Station (Use Easycard): via Airport Train | 150TWD/255php
🚩Check in at Accommodation: Cheapest accommodation at: Angels Hostel Taipei Ximen (199TWD per night) 597TWD/1012PHP for 4 days 3 nights.
↠ Lunch: 150-200TWD/225-339PHP for a good meal
🚩Taipei Main Station to Tamsui Station (Use Easycard): via MRT | 40TWD/68PHP
🚩Tamsui Station to Tian Yuan Gong (Use Easycard): via bus | 15TWD/25PHP
🚩Wuji Tianyuan Temple: no entrance fee
🚩Temple to Tamsui Station (Use Easycard): via bus | 15TWD/25PHP
🚩Tamsui Station to Taipei 101 Station (Use Easycard): via MRT | 44TWD/75PHP
🚩Taipei 101: 510TWD/862PHP
↠ Dinner at Taipei 101: 150-200TWD/225-339PHP for a good meal
🚩Taipei 101 to Taipei Main Station (Use Easycard): 20TWD/39PHP
🚩Accommodation

SUMMARY: 2345TWD/3977PHP PER PERSON FOR A GROUP OF 4
*Summary excludes MRT fares since bought Easy Card (284TWD)
*MRT fares are based on Easy Card rates.

DAY 2: YEHLIU, SHIFEN, JIFEN



Klook made it easy for tourists to visit the north coast of Taiwan. Within a day, we got to see 7 scenic places.

POINTS OF INTERESTS:
🚩Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall
🚩Yehliu Geopark
🚩Yin Yang Sea
🚩13 Layer Remains
🚩Golden Waterfall
🚩Jiufen
🚩Shifen Old Street
🚩Shifen Waterfall
🚩Night Market







DAY 2 ITINERARY:
↠ Breakfast: included in the hotel
🚩Taipei Main Station to Chiang Kai Station: via MRT | 16TWD/27PHP
🚩Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall: no entrance fee
🚩Chiang Kai-Shek Station to Ximen Station: via MRT | 16TWD/27PHP
🚩Yehliu Geopark, Jiufen and Shifen Shuttle Bus from Ximen tour: Pre-booked with Klook | 648TWD/1060PHP
🚩Yehliu Geopark: 80TWD/135PHP entrance fee
🚩Yin Yang Sea: no entrance fee
🚩13 Layer Remains: no entrance fee
🚩Golden Waterfall: no entrance fee
🚩Jiufen: no entrance fee
↠ Lunch: 150-200TWD/225-339PHP for a good meal
🚩Shifen Old Street: no entrance fee
🚩Shifen Waterfall: no entrance fee
🚩Ximen Station to Taipei Main Station: via MRT | 16TWD/27PHP
↠ Dinner: 100-150TWD/170-225PHP for a good meal at night market
🚩Accommodation

SUMMARY: 978TWD/1658PHP PER PERSON FOR A GROUP OF 4
*Summary excludes MRT fares since bought Easy Card (48TWD)
*MRT fares are based on Easy Card rates.

DAY 3: TAICHUNG OR TAIPEI ZOO
We went to Taichung. If you plan on staying in Taipei. See the Day 3 Itinerary below.

POINTS OF INTEREST:
Taipei Zoo
Maokong Gondola




DAY 3 ITINERARY
↠ Breakfast: included in the hotel
Taipei Main Station to Taipei Zoo: 28TWD/48PHP
Taipei Zoo to Maokong Gondola: with Klook Gondola Promo.
Maokong District
Maokong to Taipei Zoo
Taipei Zoo: 60TWD/102PHP
↠ Lunch: 150-200TWD/225-339PHP for a good meal
Taipei Zoo to Taipei Main Station: 28TWD/48PHP
↠ Dinner: 100-150TWD/170-225PHP for a good meal at night market

DAY 4 ITINERARY:
↠ Breakfast: included in the hotel
🚩Taipei Main Station to Taoyuan Airport: via Airport Train | 150TWD/255PHP
🚩TPE to MNL

SUMMARY: 0PHP
*Summary excludes MRT fares since bought Easy Card (150TWD)
*MRT fares are based on Easy Card rates.


TIPS WHEN EXPLORING TAIPEI

A. ACCOMMODATIONS, TOURS AND PRE-TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
↠ ACCOMMODATIONS

Book your hotels through Booking or Agoda. These sites offer pay at the hotel or credit card payments. I highly suggest booking hotels near the city center or metro rail, specifically, Taipei Main Station or Ximending. The second concern would be the amenities and overall aesthetics of the place. I prefer hotels with air-conditioning, own toilet and bath, WIFI and breakfast included. Pools, gardens and other amenities would be a plus. I look for cheap hotels since I only stay there for sleeping.

↠ TOURS
Book your tours with Klook or KKDay. What we booked:
Taipei 101 Observatory E-Ticket with KLOOK
Is it worth it? Yes. Booking through Klook is cheaper and lessens the waiting time. Don't worry if you didn't make it on your scheduled time, just go to the ticket counter to reschedule.
Yehliu Geopark, Jiufen and Shifen Shuttle Bus from Ximen with KLOOK
Is it worth it? Yes. It is cheaper and there are a lot of places to visit within the time frame. the tour was convenient but a little rushed.


↠ INTERNET AND COMMUNICATION

Pre-book it with Klook or KKDay. You may pick either a 4G WIFI or Sim Card. I always choose the sim card to be able to contact tours or hotel. I just use internet data and mobile hot spot for internet sharing.
4G WiFi (TW Airport Pick Up) for Taiwan with KLOOK
Cheaper and price is for day.
4G SIM Card (TW Airport Pick Up) for Taiwan from Chunghwa Telecom
You may pick 3, 5, 7, or 10-day with calls, texts and unlimited internet.

↠ TRANSFERS AND TRANSPORTATION
Easycard
This would be the first thing you need to buy. The easycard costs 500TWD with 400TWD consumable and 100TWD deposit for the card. Take the Airport Train from Taoyuan Airport to Taipei Main Station which costs 150TWD. You can use this card on the bus, metro rail and even on vending machines.
Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) from Taiwan to Taichung with KKDay
If you plan to visit Taichung, book it with KKDay. KKDay and the Taiwan Tourism Bureau has a limited time promotion for a Buy One Get Two train tickets to different parts of Taiwan.

↠ PH TRAVEL TAX
1620PHP

↠ Download applications you need for navigation as well as contacting drivers and hotels. Applications like Whatsapp are widely use in the area.

B. GETTING AROUND
↠ Metro Rail
The best mode of transportation is through renting a motorbike since it costs less, the petrol cost less and you get to choose which places you want to go.
↠ Bus
↠ Taxi
↠ Airport Train



C. WHAT TO EAT
↠ Boba/Bubble Tea
↠ Xiao Long Bao
↠ Taiwanese Sausage
↠ Taiwanese Beef Noodles
↠ Visit the night market to discover more!





D. TIPS
↠ The weather is very unpredictable. One day it's scorching hot, the next day it's raining hard. Borrow umbrellas at the hotel.
↠ Have dinner at night markets. There are lot of food choices and cheaper than in restaurants.
↠ Bring your water bottle. They don't have service water.
↠ Know the places where you want to go and build your itinerary around it. Then cross off places that are too far away (unless you really want to go).

PIN IT FOR LATER


FOOTNOTES:
Photos shot by Rae Argallon and Cheloi Marasigan | Taipei, Taiwan | March 2019

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