Okay, so here’s an unpopular opinion, Elephant Mountain, it gives you a good view of Taipei, is not the best hike around Taipei city.
The Jiantan hiking trail gives you some of the most amazing views of Taipei you’ll get, and at a fraction of the effort, in comparison to getting to the top of elephant mountain.
Since this trail is not as popular as its peer at the end of the red line on the Taipei metro, you won’t see that many tourists/foreigners, it’s mostly visited by local Taiwanese who enjoy hiking.
You will get a good view of one of the most iconic buildings in Taipei, I’m talking about the Grand hotel, that red Chinese looking building in the pic below.
You will also get a perfect view of Taipei city. You’ll be able to see what Taipei is really like, a concrete jungle surrounded by mountains that are green all year long.
But, can You see 101 from here? The answer is YES!!!!!
You’ll see 101 in all of its splendor and more. Right in front of it you’ll see Songshan airport.
If you’re a good photographer you can get a pic of an airplane landing or taking off with the 101 as the background.
I wasn’t able to get that shot, but it was still an amazing view.
How Do You Get to Jiantan Hiking Trail?
It’s actually very simple, just head over to Jiantan station on the red line, this is the same station people get off at when they’re going to visit Shilin Night Market.
Instead of taking the exit towards Shilin Night market, take the opposite one. Get to the corner on your left and cross towards the left, once on the other side of the road make a right and walk until you reach the trailhead.
There’s a big sign that marks the beginning of the Jiantan hiking trail, you won’t miss it.
As usual, the best thing to do is follow Google maps, that’s how I get anywhere.
If you’re looking for a more challenging climb then you might be interested in reading about the Highest mountain in Taipei, Qixing Mountain!!
From Taipei city, there are different ways to get to Jiufen. The most convenient one would be to take a bus.
First, go to Songshan metro station at the end of the green line, get out of the station and take bus number 1062.
From Songshan station to Jiufen old street takes approximately 50 minutes.
Heres Jiufen on the map, just click on it and follow Google map’s directions on how to get there.
About Jiufen, Taiwan.
Jiufen is a seaside mountain area in Ruifang District, New Taipei city. During the times of the Qing dynasty, it used to be an isolated village consisting of only nine families.
In 1893 a rich concentration of gold was discovered sending the small village into full town development as everybody wanted to be there to get some of the gold.
Gold mining activities started declining around in the late ’60s and the mine was finally shut off in 1971 and for a while became a forgotten town.
In 1989 a City of Sadness -filmed in Jiufen- put Jiufen back in the spotlight as the film was acclaimed around the world.
Year 2001, spirited away by Ghibli Studio was released, its downtown scenery resembles a lot that of Jiufen, making the old gold mining town a must-visit for Japanese tourists.
At Jiufen you’ll find countless stores selling all sorts of souvenirs, drinks, traditional food, gift boxes, clothes, tea and also many hotels and restaurants.
You’ll also get to see one of the most beautiful sea views in Taiwan. Also many beautiful lanterns all over the place.
Here are some photos that for sure will make you want to visit Jiufen ASAP.
Is Visiting Jiufen Expensive?
Doing a one day trip to Jiufen is not expensive at all. By taking public transportation you’ll spend around 130 NTD going there and 130 NTD coming back to town.
Having something like a mango smoothy will cost around 100 NTD. Having lunch, something like fried rice will cost you between 150 NTD to 300 NTD depending on the restaurant you decide to go into.
As for souvenirs and other products, well, there are so many that it all depends on how much you want to spend. You can spend 50 NTD on a simple fridge magnet or 2,000 NTD on a piece of Jade.
Can I Book a Hotel in Jiufen?
Definitely, and I think is something worth doing. During the day you don’t get to see all the lanterns lit up.
If you ask me which is the best hotel to stay at, I’d say that’s Chiu Chu Dint B&B. The location is perfect, you’ll be right at the center of the old street and you’ll have an amazing view.
Hope you enjoyed this post, below I’ll leave some links that might be of interest to you.
In the video above, you’ll find 10 minutes of Shilin Night Market footage that will give you a good sense of what this market is all about, food, drinks, fruits, clothes, souvenirs, games and a lot more.
Even though some stores and cafes in this market open as early as 7 a.m to serve breakfast to people going to the office, the best time to visit Shilin Night Market is after 5:30 p.m.
After 5:30 p.m is when all stores open and people flock the streets to eat and shop with friends or family.
Some Information About Shilin Night Market
The Night Market is composed of many street food vendors and small restaurants and clothes stores
There are also many adjacent businesses such as Samsung stores or massage places.
There is an underground food court. It’s located under the Shilin Night Market neon sign, minute 9:42 in the video B1美食區
The market is the most crowded from 8 to 9 p.m.
Many stores and restaurants close past midnight
There are many fair like games, if you score many points you’ll get a prize.
The origin of the market goes as far back as 1909 when agricultural products from nearby farms were sold here.
The night market was officially opened in 1913 and many food vendors decided to settle here to take advantage of the affluence f people.
Is It Easy to Get Here?
It’s super easy. This is a very popular area in Taipei city, there are many buses that stop nearby and Jiantan metro station is the closest to the market.
Jiantan metro station on the red line is located right across the street, just take exit 1.
Interestingly Shilin metro station, which is the next station after Jiantan (Going from Xiangshan to Tamsui) is not the closest station to Shilin night market.
Some tourists make the mistake to get off at that station and then have to walk 15 minutes to reach the market.
Something I believe people should talk more about when talking about this amazing night market is the temple in it.
Right in the middle of the market, you’ll find Shilin Cixian temple. If you visit the market during the day, you can take some really nice pictures as it will be quite empty.
Once the market starts working at full capacity, this place of apparent peace and tranquility becomes one with the market and its people.
After 4 p.m. food vendors start setting up outside. They also set up chairs and tables for people to eat, and people also use the stairs in the front of the temple to sit down, eat and drink.
Conclusion
Shilin Night market is a must-see place in Taipei. It’s very easy and convenient to get there as there is a metro station right in front of it.
The choices of food and drinks are endless. There is also a really nice temple right in the middle of the market that will add to the cultural experience of visiting one of the healthiest cities in Asia.
If you’re in Taipei and you’re thinking about going for a Hike, then what’s better than Qixing mountain, the highest mountain in Taipei. In a sunny day, you’ll have an amazing view of the city from the top of the mountain.
There are different ways to get to Qixing mountain and do the mt. qixing hike from the center of Taipei city, I’ll talk a little bit about each one and I’ll focus on the way how I did it, which I recommend.
I first made a one hour long walk through Yangminghshan Park before getting to the entrance of the Qixing Mountain trail, from there it took me another hour to get to the top of the mountain.
This is perfect for a half day trip, if you get up early enough you can be done with all of it before noon. If you still have the energy you could go to the hot springs.
First let me show you a gallery of photos of Yangmingshan and then one of Qixing Mountain, just to completely convince you that you have to go.
Photos of Yangmingshan
Swipe left or right
Photos of Qixing Mountain, Taipei, Taiwan
How to Go to Go to Qixing Mountain?
There are a couple of ways, I’ll give you 3 options
From Jiantan Station to Qixing Mountain
You can make your way to Jiantan station and take bus S15.
In Jiantan station take exit 1 and walk to the bus stop on the left side
Go to Jiantan station and take exit 1 ( You can get here from Taipei Main Station)
Get on the right side and walk straight, cross the street and keep on walking straight on the right side until you find a zebra line to get to the other side, the one on your right.
Cross, you’ll be in front of Ming Chuan Univerity
The bus stops will be on your right-hand side, walk to the furthest one
Take bus Express 223
Get off at Yangmingshan Bus Terminal
The ride from Mingchuan University to Yangmingshan bus terminal will take 30 minutes
From Yangmingshan bus terminal to the main peak of mount Qixing it’ll take you 2 hours.
Crossing over to Mingchuan University
Which is the Best Way to Go?
If you take the short bus ride then you’ll have to walk for almost 2 hours or a little bit less depending on how fast you move. To me, this option was perfect as I like to walk among woods and really anywhere with a lot of green and flowers around.
If you go to Qixing mountain following the same route I did then you’ll have a good time walking for an hour in Yangmingshan park, take a look at the Yangmingshan clock and rejoice on mountain views.
You’ll eventually hit the entrance of the Qixing mountain trail.
If you’re worried about getting lost don’t worry, just follow Google maps, that’s what I did, the minute I got off the bus I followed Google map’s instructions all the way to the top of Qixing main peak, the cellphone reception is great.
Going to Yangmingshan and Qixing mountain are great half-day activities for anyone who loves outdoor activities. There are different ways to get here, some of them require long bus rides and short walks and others the opposite.
There’s no entry fee for Yangmingshan nor Qixing mountain. Don’t forget to take some water with you and some fruits.
If you’re in Taipei and you’re looking for a fun hike near the city then look no further, just make your way towards Elephant Mountain, one of Taipei’s most visited mountains.
Take a look at the 6 minutes video I put together for you.
How to get to Elephant Mountain, Taipei?
Well that’s super easy, just get on the MRT and go to Xiangshan station, is the last stop on the red line opposite to Tamsui station.
Take exit number 2 and as soon as you walk out of it you’ll see signs directing you towards Elephant mountain.
As you can see in the video, the iconic 101 building of Taipei is super close to Elephant Mountain, so if you happen to be staying somewhere near the 101 area then this is perfect, it will take you no time to get there.
No matter in which part of Taipei city you are, if you take the metro it won’t cost you more than 45 NTD.
How Much Do I Have to Pay?
You don’t have to pay a single penny, that’s good right, no one likes to pay to go sweat their heart out, because ….that’s right you’re gonna sweat a lot.
The climb is very steep at points and Taiwan’s weather is usually hot and humid, so yeah you’ll sweat.
You can go up and down as many times as you want and no one will stop you. You can even take your pet with you if you want to, and as you saw in the video, you can even climb in a reverse four legs position and no one will say a word.
Make sure you take a bottle of water with you as water fountains are not present as often as you’ll need them in case you forget to take water with you.
What is the Best Time to Go to Elephant Mountain?
If you want to stay away from the crowds then try going on a day from Monday to Friday. If you want to see the sunset and the city lights coming to life then go on an evening from Monday to Friday.
Why avoid Saturday and Sunday? well because that’s when all the families and rest of people who are not working decide to go to Elephant Mountain, and it can get really crowded.
Once you make it to the top of Elephant mountain, you’ll see some other trails, the longest one is the one leading to Jiuwu peak, it would take you around 2 hours to get there.
Most people just climb to the top of Elephant mountain, they stay at one of the viewing platforms and that’s it. If you decide to do the Jiuwu trail then it will definitely be more of a peaceful hike as there won’t be many people around.
Conclusion
Elephant Mountain is perfect for a half-day trip from anywhere in the city. The mountain is easy to get to by metro and there is no entry fee of any kind.
If you want to avoid the crowds is best to go on a day from Monday to Friday when most people are working.
Once you make it to the top of elephant mountain you can just chill there and then head back down, or you can continue on one the connecting hiking trails such as Jiuwu.
Best Buddha Temples in Asia. There is something quite mystical about Asia. I guess it’s got to do with how religious people are on this side of the world.
It’s almost impossible to visit an East Asian country without seeing some display of religion on the streets from time to time.
And just like churches on the west side of the world, people here have temples.
Some of them are modest, some of them are big and some have beautiful and impressive Buddha statues.
Here’s a list of the – according to me – Best Buddha Temples in Asia
1 Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum.
Location: Kaosiung, Taiwan
The southern city of Kaohsiung on the beautiful island of Formosa, is home to one of the most amazing Buddha monasteries you’ll see in your life, I can guarantee that.
The monastery belongs to Fo Guang Shan. This is an international Chinese Buddhist monastic group based in Taiwan. This organization is also one of the biggest charities in the country.
The monastery was founded in 1967. The order of this monastery promotes Humanistic Buddhism, which aims to put more emphasis on the living rather than the dead.
They integrate traditional Buddhism into modern everyday life.
There was a time when this monastery was closed to public access. Only monks living in the monastery were allowed in. At the end of 2000, it reopened its doors.
The Fo Guang Shan order is also known for making use of the latest technology and keeping temples well furnished.
Oh and if you’re lucky enough be in Taiwan during Chinese new year celebrations, you might want to go down south to the temple and see the fireworks.
It’s still too early to know exactly when the next celebration will be.
But I’ll try to update the information right here in this post as the date approaches.
How to get to Fo Guang Shan?
Well, chances are that you’ll land in Taipei -as the international airport is located in near the capital- from Taipei Main Station you can either
Take a bus – 4 hours ride- to Kaohsiung, or take the high-Speed rail which will take around one hour and a half.
If you take the high-speed rail you have to get off at Xin Zuoying station. From there take bus E02, it’ll take you other 30 minutes to finally get to the monastery.
Entry fee: No entry fee, you’re welcome to donate and you also have the choice to buy souvenirs if you wish.
2 Buddha Park, Xieng Khuan
Location: Vientiane, Laos.
This is an open air sculpture park. Don’t forget your sunscreen, this place has an ancient look and feel, and it might also feel a little bit scary.
The main statue or at least one of the statues that stands out the most is a 120 meters reclining Buddha. You’ll also find other statues belonging to Hindu gods and demons.
The park is not as old as it may look. Bunleua Sulila founded it in 1958. He was a monk who practiced both religions.
There is a spot in the park where you can catch a good look of the whole area. All you have to do is enter the Pumpkin of HELL!!!!
Near the entrance of the park, you’ll find a pumpkin like structure. You can go inside through the mouth of a demon on one of the sides of the pumpkin. Once inside you can climb your way up to the top.
Inside the Pumpkin, there are 3 levels which represent hell, earth, and heaven.
Xieng Khuan means spirit city.
How to get to the Buddha Park of Vientiane?
It’s very simple, take a tuk-tuk. The place is not that far from the center of Vientiane. It’s very convenient and affordable, and it’ll give you the chance to see more of Vientiane.
The park is located near the border with Thailand, is perfect for those travelers who are making their way to the beautiful country of Thailand.
You can also take public transportation. If you’d like to read more about Vientiane and other ways to get to this park please click here Old Gods in Vientiane
Entry fee: To enter the park you must pay 5000 KIP, which is around 0.58 USD. To have the right to use a professional camera inside the park you’ll have to pay extra 3000 KIP
3 Temple of the Emerald Buddha | Grand Palace
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
The bustling city of Bangkok is more recognized by its vibrant nightlife, nightclub, street food, night markets, and floating markets.
But something some people don’t realize is that this city is house to some really beautiful temples.
The official name is Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram. It’s regarded as the most sacred temple of all in Thailand. When you visit this place you must wear long pants and cover your shoulders or they won’t let you in.
In this temple you’ll find the statue of the Emerald Buddha.
Thais believe that the safety of the nation relies on this Emerald statue. The 66 centimeters tall statue supposedly made its way to Bangkok all the way from India.
It was placed in its current location in 1782, the year in which the Chakri Dynasty of Thailand, which still holds the Kingdom, came into power.
from wikipedia.org
The Emerald Buddha temple is actually a complex with many buildings, statues, pagoda-like structures, halls, and paintings. The Emerald Buddha is located in the main building of course.
When you enter the building where the Emerald Buddha is you have to take off your shoes.
Sit in a crossed leg position -feet must NOT face the statue- and you can not take pictures of the statue.
This statue is so sacred that only the king can touch it 3 times a year to change the cloak around it.
Oh, and one more thing, they call it Emerald Buddha because but, for Thais, Emerald simply means deep green color. In reality, the statue is made out of Jade.
How to get to The Emerald Buddha?
From the center of the city, you can take a tuk-tuk or grab (Kind of like Uber). This is really the easiest and most convenient way to get there.
If you’re feeling adventurous you could take a bus. Buses number 508, 2 and 25 will drop you off really close. Just check your Google maps and find which one is more convenient for you.
It’s also possible to reach the temple by boat. You could take the BTS Silom line, get off at Saphan Taksin station, walk towards Sathorn Pier and get on a boat. It’ll drop you off 4 minutes away from the temple.
Entry Fee: 500 Bahts, this also includes access to the grand palace area.
Let’s continue with this list of Best Buddha Temples in Asia
4 Wat Pho, Reclining Buddha
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Yet another Buddha temple in Bangkok. This temple was founded even before Bangkok became the capital of the Kingdom. People believe this temple came into existence around 1688-1703.
Wat Pho is considered to be one of the six royal temples of Thailand. Its close proximity to the Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha temple helped it gain the status of Royal monastery.
In this complex there are approximately 100 Buddha images, the biggest statue is the golden reclining Buddha.
The Reclining Buddha statue in Bangkok and the chapel that houses it were both built in 1832, it’s one of the largest Buddha statues in Thailand.
The reclining position means the passing of Buddha to nirvana.
A state of total liberation and happiness, the moment when we’ll no longer reincarnate, live, suffer, die again, reincarnate again and repeat.
How to get to Wat Pho?
If you’re already at the Emeral Buddha location you can just walk, Wat Pho will be just 6 minutes away.
Otherwise, you can follow the same instructions I gave you to reach the Emerald Buddha temple.
Take a tuk-tuk, a grab, or take the long and more scenic route through the river.
Entry Fee: 100 bahts, and it includes free water.
If you go during summertime you’ll need that water, last time I was there my skin was burning.
I had to take out an umbrella, just like a Korean girl taking care of her skin ha!
5 Tian Tan Buddha
Location: Lantau Island, Hong Kong
The mountains around it, the fresh air and the cable car ride above blue waters. This is one of my favorite Buddha temples.
The Buddha statue in this temple was completed in 1993. It symbolizes the harmonious relationship between man and nature, people and faith. This is one of the largest sitting Buddha statues in the world.
Once you make it to the top of the hill, which is a little bit challenging, you’ll see all the beautiful details. The statue of Buddha is sitting on top of a huge bronze lotus flower.
All around it, there are 6 smaller statues known as the offerings of the six devas that symbolize the 6 perfections, Generosity, Morality, Patience, Zeal, Meditation and Wisdom.
In this area- near the statue of Buddha- you’ll also find a little village full of restaurants and many souvenir shops. You’ll also find the Po Lin monastery.
How to get to Tian Tan Buddha?
It’s quite simple, take the metro to Tung Chung station, get off and walk towards the cable car station and get a ticket to Ngong Ping Village.
Once you’re there you’ll only have to walk for around 10 minutes to reach the statue of Tian Tan Buddha.
Entry Fee: The area around the Buddha, walking upstairs and take a close look is free of charge.
But if you want to go inside the Buddha statue you have to pay a fee of 78 HKD
6 Leshan Giant Buddha
Location: Sichuan, China
The Dad of all Buddha statues. This is the biggest Buddha statue in the world, at least among the ones that are carved out of stone.
This is definitely my favorite one in this Best Buddha Temples in Asia list.
This statue is 71 meters tall and was built between 713 and 803. The construction was started by a Chinese monk named Hai Tong. It was finished 70 years later by his disciples.
Why carve a huge Buddha out of a cliff? Well, as you can see the Leshan Giant Buddha is sitting facing a river, which back then was very difficult to navigate due to strong currents and many ships were sunk.
Building the Buddha statue was the solution the monk thought of at the time. It was supposed to calm the turbulent waters, and even though he did not live to see his masterpiece done.
The purpose was accomplished.
Apparently, due to all the rocks and stones being carved out of the cliff and falling into the river, the waters did become calm.
The statue was originally covered by a 13 floors wooden structure to protect it from the rain and the sun.
Unfortunately, such a structure was destroyed by the Mongols when they invaded China.
How to get to the Leshan Giant Buddha?
China is huge, so the first thing you have to do is take a flight to Chengdu Shuangliu international airport. This is the major airport serving Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province.
Directly at the airport, you can take the high-speed train to Leshan. It will take you only around 50 minutes to get there.
Once you’re there take bus number 3 and you’ll reach the entrance of the scenic Leshan Giant Buddha area in around 40 minutes.
Entry fee: 90 yuan.
7 Chin Prathanporn Buddha
Location: Kanchanaburi, Thailand
This majestic statue is located in Wat Tham Sua Kanchanaburi , is one of the most famous temples of Kanchanaburi.
Kanchanaburi is a rural area close to the border with Myanmar. Tourists usually visit this place to do activities like hiking, caving, and rafting.
2 major tourist attractions are the Death Railways and the Allied War Cemetery.
The temple is located about 12 kilometers away from Kanchanaburi town and to visit it you’ll have to pay a tuk-tuk or visit on your own if you’re driving. There is no public transportation.
The first thing you’ll notice when you’re approaching the area is the 18 meters tall Golden Buddha statue.
To see it up close you’ll have to climb some steps or pay for a short cable car ride.
The Buddha statue was built in 1973. The temple and the statue were built with the purpose of locals having a place to pay their respects to Buddha.
How to get to Wat Tham Sua Kanchanaburi?
It’s easy to get here from Bangkok. There are many tour companies offering day tours to Kanchanaburi.
But if that’s not how you roll then you can just simply take the train.
You can catch the train from Thonburi station in Bangkok. It’ll take you 2 hours and a half or 3 hours to get there. It’s really the best way to see the countryside of Thailand.
This temple is a mix of traditional Chinese Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism. It also goes by the name of Yonghe Temple or Yonghe Lamasery.
The construction of this temple began in 1694 during the Qing Dynasty. It was when prince Yong took the throne that half of the building was turned into a Tibetan monastery.
Eventually, the monastery became the home of many Tibetan Buddhist monks from Mongolia and Tibet.
After 1949 the temple was declared a national monument and access was closed for 32 years.
It reopened its doors to the public in 1981, now it works as a temple and tourist attraction.
Inside one the buildings, you’ll find a huge statue of Buddha Maitreya. This is the biggest wooden Buddha statue in the world, it was carved out of a single white sandalwood log.
The body of the statue is 26 meters tall and 8 meters wide. It was gifted to emperor Qianglong by the seventh Dalai Lam in 1750.
You’ll be glad to know that is very simple and convenient. There are 2 metro lines – Subway Line 2 and Line 5 – in the Beijing metro system that stop at Yonghe Temple Station.
Take exit c and walk south for around 400 meters, you’ll find the temple on the east side of the road.
Entry fee: 25 Yuan, you can also rent an audio guide.
9 Bongeunsa Temple
Location: Seoul, South Korea
The last one on this Best Buddha Temples in Asia list.
During Winter Months
This is another temple that has been around for a while. Its origins can be traced back to 794 when all there was around in Seoul were open fields, trees, and villages.
Just like Korean people, this temple, unfortunately, has had to withstand the horrors of war. During the Korean war, many of its buildings were destroyed by fire.
The current temple we see today is actually a product of many renovations that took place between 1941 and 1982.
The main attraction of the temple is a 28 meter tall standing Buddha statue. It’s the representation of the future Buddha named Maitreya.
What is the future Buddha?
According to Buddhist traditions, the Maitreya or future Buddha is someone who will appear in this world sometime in the future.
This entity will be a Buddhist who is on his/her way to full enlightenment and will teach the pure Dharma.
Dharma is a concept that refers to behaviors that are in full accordance with the natural order of things and the “right way of living”
The future Buddha is supposed to appear once humankind has lost its way.
What I really like about this temple is that is close to the city, but in an interesting way is very calm and peaceful.
You can walk uphill behind the statue and see the back of it with buildings in the background, is quite a nice view.
During Summer Months
How to get to Bongeunsa Temple?
Getting here is simple, cheap and convenient, all you have to do is get in the subway and make your way towards it.
You can get off at Samseong Station on the green line and from there you’ll walk for around 13 minutes.
Entry fee: Free of Charge
Conclusion, Best Buddha Temples in Asia
East Asia is full of beautiful countries with a lot to offer, one of those things being the many Buddha temples that attract and surprise with their beauty and history.
Hope you guys have the chance to visit some of these spots.
If there is any other Buddha temple you want me to add to the Best Buddha Temples in Asia list please let me know in the comments.
Okay, let’s go now, getting there is super simple and honestly, it doesn’t take that long.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYgKayWI2cA
What is the National Palace Museum?
Is one of the museums with the largest collections of Chinese imperial artifacts, almost 700,000. Why are these relics in Taiwan and not in Mainland China?
In 1949 when the national government fell to communism, they decided to flee to Taiwan. They took with them a huge cargo of Chinese antiques that were in the National Museum of Beijing.
Step Number 1 – Get to the closest MRT station
In order to reach the National Palace Museum from the center of the city -Taipei- you’ll have to first get to Shilin MRT Station. This station is on the red line.
Since I live in Zhongshan area, I simply went to Zhongshan station and took the subway towards Tamsui.
Shilin station is on the way.
Depending on where you’re staying you’ll have to transfer lines to get to Shilin station.
Or who knows maybe you are already near this station and can just walk over there, or maybe for you is more convenient to take a bus.
Here’s the exact location of Shilin station, simply click on it and check -using Google maps- how to get there.
Step Number 2- Get off at Shilin Station
Assuming you’re using the metro, once you reach Shilin Station, take exit 1, zhongzhen Road.
Go down and you’ll see some signs directing you to the bus stop you need to go to.
Luckily for you, I took some pictures, but to be honest you won’t even need them.
All you gotta do is go downstairs -Exit 1- pay your fare and out of the station and walk straight until you reach the road.
Once you’re there just turn to your right and you’ll see the bus stop
Step Number 3 – Switch to a Bus
There are a couple of buses that will take you to the National Palace Museum. I took R30 (the same as 紅30) and it took around 15 minutes to get there.
The bus stop you’ll get off at is The National Palace museum stop, so it’s really difficult to get lost.
Step Number 4 Get off the bus and walk into the Museum
The bus R30 will drop you off inside the premises of the National Palace Museum.
As you’re riding the bus, if you take a look at your left side you’ll see when you’re reaching the palace.
The bus will turn and enter the palace premises and drop you off in front of a souvenir store, in a basement area, not in front of all the steps you’re seeing in the picture.
All you gotta do now is enter the building and go upstairs to pay for your tickets.
You can go to the right or left and line up to buy the ticket. Then you have to line up to pay for the audio tour device (optional), and finally, there is a lockers area where you have to put your bags.
Right after that, you’re ready to go through security and enter the gallery area.
How much is the ticket?
NTD 350, regular entrance for adults, after you enter the gallery and they tear your ticket, you can still go out and enter again.
Just make sure they put a stamp on your hand so they know you already paid for the ticket.
They have different collections showing on different days. You can check more details here the official website of the National Palace Museum in Taiwan.
Here are some pictures I took of what caught my attention the most
Are there restaurants inside the National Palace Museum?
Yes, there are, there is a cafe near the area where you pay for your tickets, and there are other 2 outside, still inside the premises of the museum but on a different building.
For lunch, I and my friend went to a restaurant in the basement, you can see it in the video.
I must say the food was okay, not really good but not bad either, I do think is overpriced, for some spring rolls, a lunch set menu, noodles bowl, a Tainan toast and two can drinks it was almost 2,000 NTD.
Here’s an image with the map of the National Palace Museum, it might be useful.
Conclusion
If you care about art and history you’ll like this place. Getting there on your own is no problem at all, the staff overall is very helpful.
There are restaurant options inside the National Palace Museum, at least the one restaurant I went to was okay in terms of food quality, a bit overpriced though.
Are you in the mood for something other than Chinese food while in Taipei? Do you fancy some really good Indian food? Then let me tell you where the best Indian Restaurants in Taipei are
After 3 years in Taipei, and because I really really like Indian food, I think I can make a decent blog entry about this, and I know you can always turn to Google for restaurants recommendations, but who knows maybe someone will take my recommendations into account.
Let’s get to what you want to hear, THE BEST INDIAN RESTAURANT IS
Safron 46
Safron has two branches, one in Tianmu and another one in Xinyi.
The new Saffron branch-Saffron 46- is in the new Nanshan Plaza building on the 46th floor, the food is amazing, and to top it all off is one of the restaurants with the best view of the city.
The incredible view and bar of this restaurant is what, in my opinion, set it apart from the rest.
Perfect for lunch and dinner
Let’s take a look at some pictures
Dessert in Safron 46
Something I really recommend everyone to order is their ice cream
Please believe me on this one, you won’t regret it.
The exact address is : 110, Taipei City, Xinyi District, Songzhi Road, 17號
Or simply look for this building -very close to 101- and go to the 46th floor.
Is it expensive?
I would say yes, a full meal with drinks and/or wine included will be around $2,500 NTD per person.
The food at the other Saffron restaurant in Tianmu is also very good, they also serve their magnificent ice cream, the location is not really central but is worth going there.
In terms of price, is not as expensive as Saffron 46 near 101 but I wouldn’t call it cheap either.
My second recommendation for Indian food is
Mayur Indian Kitchen Restaurant Bar and MIK 6 live music bar
Well that’s a long name right?
I love this place because the food is very tasty -make sure you order their butter chicken curry and the chilli garlic naan- and the restaurant itself is very lively, the decoration is a bit over the top but it doesn’t bother me at all.
Take a look at some photos
The staff is very helpful and responsive, there are buzzers on the tables which you can use to call for service, or to get the bill.
The Indian staff speaks fluent English so no worries if you don’t speak Chinese.
A very interesting characteristic of this restaurant is that it closes at 3 am in the morning, which is awesome since many restaurants in Taipei have their last orders at 9 pm.
You can also smoke Hookahs here.
This restaurant belongs to a big group of Indian restaurants in Taipei, altogether they have 7 branches, some of them focus on specific markets like vegetarians.
The specific address of the restaurant I just showed you in the pictures is No. 1, Songjiang Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City
If you’re planning on going there on a Friday night around 8 pm please make a reservation as the place gets crowded when they have the performances, for details on the menu, prices, and performances please click here
My third choice for Indian food in Taipei is
Ali BaBa’s Indian Kitchen
In this restaurant you will not have an amazing view of the city, neither a full performance taking place as you eat your dinner, but what you’ll get for sure is a very nice Indian meal at a more affordable price.
They have an all you can eat buffet lunch on Saturdays and Sundays , the price is 600 NTD, and you can also order a la carte, in my opinion, the best aspect of this restaurant is its location.
The restaurant is near Sonjiang Nanjing station, this station is in an interception of the green and orange line of the subway system of Taipei, is also walking distance from zhongshan station on the red line, the walk is a bit longer though.
The exact address is No. 56號, Section 2, Nanjing East Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City.
Conclusion
So those are my three picks for Indian food in Taipei, one is very luxurious and targets a high-end crowd, the second one is very lively and festive and the third one is convenient and a more affordable option.
Let me know in the comments if you agree with me. Thank you for reading.
