"Keeweechic's Taipei" a Taipei Travel Page by keeweechic

Taipei is not one of the most attractive cities you will find in Asia but it has a certain character about it that I liked. It was not as easy to get around in as say Singapore or Hong Kong, but if you take the time to walk around a bit, there are all kinds of discoveries to be found.

There are plenty of tours you can take around Taipei City and outlying areas and the tour guides speak English fairly well. The people are friendly even if they don't understand you. Having your destination written down in Chinese as well as the Hotel you are staying at is a great help. One Saturday I was out wandering in the morning, I got disorientated and thought I was heading back to my hotel for an afternoon tour, when I started to run out of shops I realised I had been walking in the opposite direction to where I needed to be. I headed for a hotel reception to get my bearings. The receptionist clarified where I was, wrote down my hotel address on paper and pointed me in the direction of a taxi. Saturday, midday in Taipei, is a nightmare traffic-wise. Some people work half days. I fortunately made it back for my afternoon tour - just!

If you manage to get out of the city, you will find Taiwan is a land of beautiful mountains, deep gorges, white sandy beaches, lush forests and national parks, not to mention ornate temples and offshore islands.

(Any comments made, are made at the time of my trip there)