Sightseeing OverviewChinese culture is very much alive and celebrated beneath the modern veneer of this vibrant city. Treasure is held in Taipei’s National Palace Museum, which contains the world’s largest collection of Chinese artifacts. The city’s most celebrated monument is the museum dedicated to the former Chinese president, the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall which is the coolest place to be when the humidity gets too much. Lungshan Temple, south west of the city center, is the place to be in the early evening. Next door, to complete the picture of Taiwan’s
Chinese style, you can gawp at jars of pickled snakes and demonstrations with live pythons at the Huahsi Night Market, known locally as Snake Alley. For the Taiwanese, hell is being hungry and Taipei is a gourmet’s paradise, boasting cuisine from every region of China. When the eating is done, there’s karaoke, live music, dancing and festivals throughout the year. Since its opening at the end of 2004, the towering Taipei 101 (it stands 508m) has cemented its position as one of the city’s leading tourist attractions.
Tourist InformationTaipei Tourism Bureau
9F, 290 Jungshiau E Road
Sec. 4
Tel: (02) 2349 1635.
Website:
www.taiwan.net.tw Key Attractions:National Palace Museum The National Palace Museum is considered one of the three top museums in the world and is home to over 650,000 priceless Chinese artifacts - the world’s largest collection.
221 Chih-shan Road, Section 2, Wai-shuang-hsi
Tel: (02) 2881 2021.
Website:
www.npm.gov.tw Chiang Kai-
Shek Memorial Hall Chiang Kai-
Shek Memorial Hall is an imposing tomb and shrine to Taipei’s most famous leader which also houses Taipei’s main venues for the performing arts, the
National Theater and
National Opera House in its large grounds.
21, Zhongshan S. Road
Tel: (02) 2343 1100.
Website:
www.cksmh.gov.tw Taipei 101 The tallest tower in the world,
Taipei 101 offers 101 floors of entertainment and consumption - the Taiwanese idea of heaven. Everything is here - bars and restaurants, a health club, cinema and designer boutiques. While you’re there, take the fastest lift in the world up to
The Observatory for the ultimate city view.
45 ShihFu Road, Hsin Yi District
Tel: (02) 8181 7777.
Website:
www.tfc101.com.tw Lungshan Temple This, by contrast, is the cities most atmospheric Taoist temple, curling with dragons, wafting with incense and burning paper ‘ghost money’.
211 Guangzhou Street
Tel: (02) 2302 5162.
Night markets As shopping and eating are the top entertainments in Taiwan, a good place to experience these are at the many night markets dotted throughout the city, many open until midnight.
ShihLin night market (Wenlin Road, Datung Road and Pingan Road, ShihLin District) is the largest and favorite, while
Huashi Street Night Market (Snake Alley, between Siyuan Road and Huanhe South Road) a few paces from Lungshan Temple, is the most famed. It sells everything from snake soup to painted umbrellas to a shoulder massage.
Further Distractions:The Wisteria Tea House Visit an authentic Chinese tea house.
The Wisteria Tea House, where Ang Lee shot
Eat,
Drink,
Man,
Woman is Taipei’s most historic - with wisteria in its garden.
No 1, Lane 16, Sinsheng South Road, Section 3
Tel: (02) 2363 7375.
Landis Pause Resort Taiwan has the second highest number of hot springs outside Japan. Bathe in sulphurous ones in the forested mountains at the
Landis Pause Resort. At Wulai, visitors can also experience aboriginal traditional dancing and cuisine, and cherry blossoms in Spring.
61 Yanti Road, Wulai, Taipei County 233
Tel: (02) 2661 8000.
Website:
www.pauselandis.com.tw
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
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Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
Related Taiwan Content
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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