Turns out I am bad at writing one article per week. So from here on out, Wanderlust will be published every OTHER week. Which means this week! I’m in the midst of applying to get internships abroad, and one of the locations I’m considering is Taiwan. So I did a little research… totally for y’all’s sake, not me of course.
Taiwan, or the Republic of China, may be a controversial international topic (think Chinese imperialism), but it is also an industrialized commercial hub with the 21st largest economy in the world, which is amazing considering it’s only slightly larger than the state of Maryland. I’m not gonna try to explain the independence debate. Instead, I’ll just talk about four things to do in and around the capital city, Taipei.
1. Taiwan 101 Observatory
This 1,667 foot, 2 billion dollar building was the world’s tallest skyscraper from 2004 until 2010. It has 101 floors (shocker) and took five years to build. There’s a fee to enter, but it’s worth it to pay for the advanced ticket. With an advanced ticket, you can cut all the lines to the elevator to the top. Definitely take the elevator, not only because that many flights of stairs would suck, but also because the elevator is fast. Like, so fast. Like, some reviews online say you blackout for a few seconds fast.You do have to buy a ticket to enter, but shell out a little extra and get yourself a VIP ticket to jump the elevator line. You will thank yourself, as the Taipei 101 is not just a tourism destination for foreigners, but also other Taiwanese people. At the top, there are some shops and bars, where you can souvenirs and a mango beer float (what?) that are both overpriced and worth it.
2. Taipei Zoo
As a student in Memphis, Tennessee, I am aware that it is a rarity that zoos have pandas. So, here is a rarity. For a super cheap entrance fee (think $2) you can spend all day in the park, which I’ve heard beats Tokyo’s to a pulp. The star attractions are three giant pandas (Yuan Zai, Yuan Yuan, and Tuan Tuan) and a hoard of penguins. There is tons to see, with the zoo featuring typical animals like an orangutan and a tiger and also some that are abnormal to zoos such as Malayan tapirs and Mandarin ducks. Tripadvisor (please sponsor me!) advises allocating at least half a day, if not a full day here, and taking a leisurely gondola ride afterwards. Because apparently gondola rides can be found outside the zoo. Huh.
3. Elephant Mountain, or the Nangang District Hiking Trail
Short hikes do not equal easy hikes, and this is a prime example. It only takes about a half hour to reach the top, but the feat includes more than one thousand (1,000!) stairs. Bring your water bottle, your walking shoes, and your long pants (mosquitos run free) and get ready for leg day. There are at least two resting checkpoints, each with photo ops. The views from the checkpoints and the top are gorgeous and feature the bustling city of Taipei with a foreground of forestry. Visible and picturesque, the Taipei 101 building stands out even from a birds eye view and makes a very obvious focal point to any landscape picture. There may be a lot of tourists during peak seasons, so take the hike early or during monsoon season to avoid other foreigners (because nothing is worse than OTHER foreigners. Kidding. Sort of).
4. Like It Formosa
I’m detailing four things! Because I can! Like It Formosa is a tour company that gives English walking tours of downtown Taipei FOR FREE. Given by young locals or university students, these tours last two to three hours and hit up both historical and contemporary hot spots. Anecdotes and first-hand accounts abound as you fall in love with the city through the testimony of those who love it already. The tours go out twice a week (Thursdays and Sundays) so schedule around it, but this will be something you would regret missing. There are cute bios of the tour guides on their website (http://likeitformosa.com) so go check it out ahead of time.
Photo cred:
Mark Kao @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/67415843@N05/
Yu-Chan Chen @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/spongebabyalwaysfull/
Mike Linksvayer @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/mlinksva/
Like It Formosa website