Basic Taipei - Day 1

The goal for our first day in Taipei was to visit some of the main attractions in the city. 

Since our hotel is in the Bannan Line (also know as the blue line), I opted to visit the sites near that line. 

We first visited the Longshan Temple. 

Longshan Temple is one of the oldest and famous temples in Taipei. It's a worship place for the locals where they pray and bring their offerings. You can also get an incense and pray. Be mindful when taking pictures especially selfies though, because a lot of people are praying here so it's best to be respectful. 

HOW TO GET THERE: Take the train from the blue line and get off at Longshan Temple station. The temple is near the exit 1 and it's a short walk from there. Entrance is free.

After the Longshan Temple, we went to Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall.

Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall is Taipei's national monument and main landmark. Walk further and you will see that it is surrounded by parks and a lake. You will also find the National Concert Hall and the National Theatre which are both situated in the square. 

If it's your first time in Taipei, Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall is a must-see place. It's so vast we spent almost 2 hours touring and relaxing at this place, especially because we were lucky to see the Cherry Blossoms and Apricot trees in full bloom. 🌸

We were also delighted when we saw squirrels and different kinds of birds. I wished I had a better camera. There's also a spot where trees are lined up (looks a bit similar to Nami Island in Korea 😉) it's a cool spot for a picnic or if you just want to relax. 

Photo above was taken from hall when I went up to witness the changing of guards. 

HOW TO GET THERE: Since we're on the blue line from the Longshan Station, we took the train again to Ximen, got off and transfer to the green line going to Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall Station. Again, there's no entrance fee. 😊

Our last stop for the day was the Taipei 101. A trip to Taipei won't be complete without seeing this famous skyscraper.

My photo doesn't give justice on how tall the building is. Taipei 101 is a symbol of technology in Asia and has been an icon of Taiwan. With 101 stories, the building has a shopping mall, a lot of shops, food court, restaurants, and an observation deck at the 89th floor. Entrance is not free though. Tickets for the observation deck are sold in the 5th floor and costs NT$600. 😅

HOW TO GET THERE: From the green line at CKS Memorial Hall, transfer and take the red line and hop off at Taipei 101 / World Trade Center.

To give you an idea on how much budget you need for your upcoming Taipei Trip, click HERE.