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Taipei Highlights
| City Charm Whether it’s hilltop retreats, historical treasures or high-rise skyscrapers, Taipei’s magical menagerie of sights, sounds and scenes will leave many spellbound |
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Taipei 101 Hailed one of the Seven New Wonders of the World, the 509.2-metre Taipei 101 – the world’s tallest building until Dubai’s upcoming Burj Dubai surpassed it in August – has attracted travellers from the world over. Designed based on the principle of axis mundi, it represents a meeting point for the sky and earth and the four compass directions. Its height of 101 floors symbolises ideals by going one better than 100, the traditional number of perfection. |
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Taiwan Storyland 台灣故事館 Travel back to the 1950s at this museum, which features the cherished collectibles of owner Wu Chuan Zhi. From the staff’s uniform to the candy sold at the sweet shops and the red-brick and wooden roof homes, this nostalgic enclave provides plenty of photo opportunities for shutterbugs. |
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| Among the sets include a police post, a cinema, a dental clinic, a puppet theatre and a classroom, all embellished with items such as a street lamp dating back to the Japanese Occupation, handdrawn movie posters and a vintage Mitsubish Colt 1000 sports car. Sprinkled throughout the ‘neighbourhood’ are a string of souvenir shops, restaurants and cafes and food stalls. |
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Jiou Fen 九份 Jiou Fen, which means ‘nine portions’ in Chinese, was named after the nine families that stayed here when it was first established. It experienced an influx of settlers when gold was discovered in the area during the late 1800s. During World War II, however, it was used to hold prisoners-of-war, who were made to work in the gold mines. In 1971, the town retreated into obscurity after its mines were shut down. |
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| In recent years, Jiou Fen successfully regained its popularity. Start with Ji Shan Lu 基山路, as you manoeuvre through the string of souvenir shops, teahouses and food stalls for a memorable multi-sensory experience. Stop by for bites of desserts such as taro balls (topped with azuki beans, mung beans and kidney beans), caramel haw candy (seasonal fruits coated with a layer of caramel), mochi (glutinous rice balls) and spring roll ice cream wrapped in a popiah pastry. | ||
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Xi Men Ding 西門町 Taipei’s mecca for the hip and trendy, Xi Men Ding is also popular as a venue for street performances, small-scale open-air concerts and music album promotional events such as autograph and meet-and-greet sessions. A mostly pedestrian-only district, its vast expanse stretches across Han Zhong Jie 漢中街, Xi Ning Nan Lu 西寧南路 and Wu Chang Jie 武昌街. The streets spill over with stores and shops filled with a diverseassortment of super-cool fashion, accessories, books and gadgets. |
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Wu Fen Pu Wholesale Street 五分埔批發街 If you have a good nose for bargains, sniff them out at Taipei’s biggest fashion wholesale market, crammed with over 1,000 shops, some of whom supply to the department stores. |
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| Women’s apparel dominates the range of merchandise available here, mostly manufactured locally as well as China and Korea. Those who bother to haggle will be rewarded with savings of up to one-third of initial retail price. But save the trip for late afternoons, as most shops open only after lunch | ||
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Shih Lin Night Market 士林夜市 Taiwan’s largest night market packs in more than 600 stalls and stores. The amazing array of street snacks, however, is only part of the allure at Shih Lin. Many also fl ock here for cheap fashion apparel and accessories, as well as to have a bit of fun at the numerous games stalls. |
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Rao He Night Market 饒河夜市 At 600 metres and comprising only 150 stalls, what Rao He lacks in size, it more than makes up with variety. Shih Lin’s famous pepper biscuit originated here, and there are stalls that sell a galore of mouth-watering eats such as brewed pork rib 藥燉排骨, mango ice dessert, spring-roll ice cream, red bean pastry, and traditional breads and confectionery. |
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| For the full story, check out escape! Oct/Nov 08 | ||