If you tried reading my previous article
about Taipei’s DIY travel guide, you can sense that almost all attractions I
mentioned have historical significance that molds what Taiwan is now. But this
time, the itinerary I made will bring you to another level of adventure, a
little bit farther from the city center of Taipei.
Taking advantage of MRT service gives
travellers less hassle even the proximity of most attractions are near to each
other. Besides, touring around the city is not costly anymore because of MRT’s
brilliant idea – Taipei Fun Pass. It has 5 different cards: 1 DAY, 2 DAY, 3
DAY, 5 DAY, and 7 DAY. Imagine, availing 1 DAY pass allows you to visit most
sites I stated on the first itinerary for only 180 NTD compared to using one-time
regular ticket or token which ranges from 20 to 40 NTD per ride. It’s very
convenient and fast. It doesn’t only include the unlimited rides in MRT but
also the buses (not including the bus with digits more than 4), and shuttles to
selected tourist spots.
Once more, the cost of this one-day tour is
very affordable. You just need to be patient of using the service of MRT and a
lot of walking.
Sample Itinerary:
08:00 am -
Start your tour
08:45 am – Arrive in Maokong Gondola. Have
fun at the site.
11:30 am – Back to MRT – Taipei Zoo Station
Then visit Tamsui Old Street.
Have lunch there.
Give your time for a stroll.
02:00 pm – Back to MRT to visit Sun Yat Sen
Memorial Hall
02:30 pm – Stay at the site for 30 minutes.
03:00 pm – Back to MRT for Taipei 101
03:30 pm – Arrive in Taipei 101
05:30 pm – Walk to Elephant Mountain
07:00 pm – Visit Shilin Night Market
Free time
Attractions:
Time:
Taipei Fun Pass card
This market doesn’t only fill your stomach with delectable food but also amuses you with some fun activities and exhilarating games. I’m sure, a night visit is not enough to entirely explore the place.
Free time
Attractions:
1. Maokong Gondola
2. Tamsui Old Street
3. Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall
4. Taipei 101
5. Elephant Mountain
6. Shilin Night Market
6. Shilin Night Market
01. Maokong Gondola
Maokong Gondola is an automated mono cable system running in counter clockwise direction in a span of 4.3 kilometers. It operates on a speed of 3.5 miles per second and takes 20-30 minutes in one-way journey from Taipei Zoo all the way up to Maokong mountain ranges passing through the 6 stations (4 passenger stations and 2 angle stations), 47 towers, and 25 piers. Maokong Gondola has 2 types of cabin or cable car. The first one is the regular cabin which can accommodate 8 passengers or a total weight of 640 kg. If you want some thrill and a more adventure ride, another cabin that fits you is the Crystal cabin or as what they consider it as the eye of the Gondala. This type is good for only 5 passengers or a total weight of 400 kg.
The construction of this attraction started in November of 2005 and was launched on July 04, 2007. Since then, it has become another useful mode of transportation among locals and tourists.
To fully enjoy our ride in Maokong Gondola, we chose the Crystal cabin. We were in great awe to have a vivid view of Maokong and thrilled to see a few endemic birds flying over the thick lush trees of the mountain ranges and the landscape in different forms including the buildings from a far and vegetation. What stands out the most was the presence of the towering Taipei 101 that surprisingly showed up behind the mountains giving a picturesque background of the horizon. It was such an amazing and once-in-a-lifetime experience to have a glimpse of the entire city while up there. In addition to cable car ride, you can visit other attractions along the way such as the telescopic deck, Zhanghu walkway, Zhinan and Zhangshan temples, the potholes, the apricot grove, Camphor tree trail, and Tianliao Bridge.
Meanwhile, I suggest you to read the following important pointers before engaging to this tour.
* Passengers who have claustrophobia (fear of enclosed areas), acrophobia (fear of heights),and suffer from any cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, or any medical conditions are not advisable to ride the gondola.
* Give priority to elderly or people with disability.
* Young children, senior citizen, or anyone who need to be accompanied should ride with at least 1 person to assist.
* Passengers with wheelchair (the size must not exceed to 140 cm x 70 cm x 170 cm) are allowed to ride but with extra caution. Remember to lock it to avoid accident caused by swaying of the cabin. Please follow the staff’s instruction when exiting. Furthermore, the gondola may slow down or stop to assist the boarding of passengers with wheelchair or disability.
* Smoking, drinking (except water), chewing gum or betel nut as well as littering and throwing anything out of the windows are not allowed at all times.
* Do not lean against or obstruct the door and interfere with the natural swaying when getting on and off the cabin.
* Passengers should queue accordingly as instructed by the staff. Anyone violating the laws or showing improper social conduct at the site will be handled by the authority.
* The service will be suspended temporarily due to the following circumstances: if wind gust reaches 16-18 miles per second and continues for more than 3 seconds; if there’s presence of lightning strike in any section of the route; and in the event of natural calamities like earthquake with Ritcher magnitude scale of 4 and typhoon. Certainly, passengers must follow instructions from the staff to disembark and may wait when the operation will resume.
Tue – Thur / 1st Mon of the month: 09:00 am - 09:00 pm
Fri / the day before national holidays: 09:00 am – 10:00 pm
Sat / National holidays: 08:30 am – 10:00 pm
Sun / last day of national holidays: 08:30 am – 09:00 pm
Admission Fee: 120 NTD per person per way
How to visit:
1. Take MRT – RED line
2. Alight at R11 – Zhongshan Station
3. Transfer to GREEN line via Zhongshan Route
4. Then get on at G14 – Zhongshan Station
5. Get off at G16 – Nanjiang E. Road Station
6. Transfer to BROWN line via Taipei Zoo Route
7. Ride on BR11 – Nanjiang E. Road Station
8. Alight at Taipei Zoo Station (the last station)
9. Then walk few meters from MRT – Taipei Zoo Station to reach Maokong Gondola’s 1st station – Taipei Zoo Station.
Or
1. Take MRT – RED line
2. Alight at R10 – Taipei Main Station
3. Transfer to BLUE line via Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center Route
4. Then get on at B12 – Taipei Main Station
5. Get off at BL15 – Zhongxiao Station
6. Transfer to BROWN line via Taipei Zoo Route
7. Ride on BR11 – Nanjiang E. Road Station
8. Alight at Taipei Zoo Station (the last station)
9. Then walk few meters from MRT – Taipei Zoo Station to reach Maokong Gondola’s 1st station – Taipei Zoo Station.
Tips:
- Maokong Gondola only accepts payment for single journey. You have to alight when it reaches a terminal station such as Taipei Zoo Station or Maokong Station or vise versa. Then purchase another ticket if you wish to ride back to the station where you started your journey.
- You have to check the opening time during festival events or any unpleasant weather conditions.
- You can borrow an audio guide free of charge available at the Taipei Zoo Station. You just need to give a deposit amounting to 500 NTD. After, return the audio guide at any Gondola Station before the end of the service and receive the full refund.
The following are the options where you can enjoy this particular tour and avail some discounts. But whichever of these suits you, I’m pretty sure that you’ll enjoy the ride.
1. Use your Easycard to receive a discount worth 20 NTD when purchasing single-journey ticket. But this privilege is not available on holidays.
2. You can receive 10% discount if you avail their group ticket with 10 or more passengers or 20% discount for more than 40 passengers.
3. If you’ll ride on the cable car in Maokong Gondola, I suggest you to buy 1 DAY Taipei Fun Pass with Maokong Gondola for only 250 NTD instead of the regular 1 DAY pass. Actually, a regular 1 DAY Taipei Fun Pass is 180 NTD plus the round-trip Maokong Gondola’s ticket which is 240 NTD (120 NTD per person per way). You’ll save 170 NTD.
4. Or for a different experience, you can just buy the regular 1 DAY Taipei Fun Pass and a single-journey ticket for Maokong cable car. Then take a taxi down and back to MRT station and share the total fare of 420 NTD for 6 passengers (70 NTD per person).
02. Tamsui Old Street
Tamsui Old Street is a long area full of restaurants, coffee shops, stores, and food stalls. It is located along the riverfront of Tamsui, a perfect spot for a sunset view. Majority of the establishments usually start at noon until midnight where MRT is still open. You can, as well, stroll around the town and visit some attractions.
Photo courtesy of Tripadvisor
Time: Noon – midnight, daily
Admission fee: Free
How to visit:
1. Take MRT – RED line via Tamsui Route
2. Get off at R – Tamsui Station
Tips:
- Please visit the Tourism Center on the ground floor of MRT to ask for the map of the area. They frequently give it for free.
03. Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park
Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall was built in 1972 in memory of the founder of Modern China, Dr. Sun Yat Sen. The hall exhibits his life and accomplishments from Xinhai revolution during and after the fall of the Qing Dynasty. This structure is also used for many educational and social activities. Within the perimeter, you can enjoy the park which is named after him, a huge garden, and a lake or pond. Compared to Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Park, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall is quite fancy.
Photo courtesy of Dreamstime
Time: 09:00 am – 05:00 pm, daily
Admission fee: Free
How to visit:
1. Take MRT – BLUE line
2. Get off at BL17 – Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall Station
04. Taipei 101
Taipei 101, formerly known as Taipei World Financial Center, was constructed in 1999 and used to be the world’s tallest building from 2004 to 2010 until Burj Khalifa surpassed its height. It’s still considered, however, the tallest green building in the world up to this date.
05. Elephant Mountain
Elephant Mountain, also known as Nangang District Hiking Trail and Nangshan, is located near Xinyi Shopping District and Taipei 101. For a greater view of the city and the towering building of Taipei 101, you can have a 20-min hike or a distance of 650 meters all the way to the summit.
Photo courtesy of English in Taiwan
Time:
Admission fee: Free
How to visit:
1. From Taipei 101, walk east on Xinyi Road for about 15 minutes to reach MRT – Xiangshan Station.
2. A few meters from Xiangshan Station, you can see the entrance of the park.
Or
1. Take MRT – RED line via Xiangshan Route
2. Get off at R02 -Xiangshan Station
3. Use Exit #2
4. From there, walk a few meters and you can see the entrance of the park.
Tips:
- The best time to hike the mountain is at late noon. By this time, you can witness the captivating view from daylight until sunset and night time, unless it’s somewhat cloudy.
- Avoid weekends. The trail will be relatively over-crowded during this time.
- Wear comfortable footwear for a less tiring hike.
- Bring your best camera with better night mode to capture clearer photos especially at night.
06. Shilin Night Market
One attraction you shouldn’t miss is the night markets in Taipei, and one of those is Shilin Night Market. It is considered the largest and famous among locals and tourists for street food and spectacular night life. This market is located in Shilin District, a few meters from MRT – Jiantan Station.
Be ready to fill your palate with different tastes of gastronomically appetizing local food using authentic Taiwanese flavors. Among the popular ones are the 1-foot long fried chicken steak, the mouth-watering fried oyster omelet, dumplings either steamed or fried, some grilled snacks with great choices like the cheesy oyster or prawn, giant squid, snail, and even sausages. And don’t forget to try the thirst-quenchers like the very popular bubble milk tea and healthy juices using freshly-squeezed tropical fruits such as watermelon, mango, melon, banana, and many more. After a stroll of extraordinary food adventure, let your feet lead you to the alleyways of great finds. You’ll never go home empty handed.
Time: 04:00 pm – midnight
Admission fee: Free
How to visit:
1. Take MRT – RED line
2. Get off at R15 – Jiantan Station
3. Use Exit #1
4. You can see the traffic light on the left side of the exit and some small food stalls are just right next to it.
Tips:
- Remember, alight at Jiantan Station, not at Shilin Station. It takes half a kilometer from Shilin station to the market.
- Allot some budget if you wish to visit this night market. The price of the snacks starts from 80-120 NTD while the beverages range from 40-70 NTD depending on the flavor and the size of the cup.
- You’d better buy souvenirs here like ref magnet made of ceramic, rubber, or wood, key chain, cute bag tags, bottle opener, just to name a few. The trinkets here are less inexpensive than in any other night markets. To be honest, although most products in Taipei have high quality, but they are a bit pricey.
- Unfortunately, the vendors almost never give discounts; hence, your haggling skills are ineffective here.
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