Detailed Itinerary For Taipei Trip - 2012

people have been asking me for my taipei trip itinerary... had sent it to at least 4 ppl liao.... so to make it easier for everyone and myself....i'm just gonna post it here....and yes, my itinerary has pictures and maps so that we dun get lost and ended up walking extra (hate it especially when weather is not in our favour).... 

Day 1 - 12 June, Tuesday

- Arrive at Taipei Airport at 1.35pm

- Apply for Youth Travel Card (for those below 30 - Mr Ang) at the tourism passenger service centers to enjoy Youth Travel Special Discount to jinguashi, Taipei 101, yehliu etc.

- Buy easycard (Singapore version of EZlink card) 

- Picked up by cabby (NT$2000 – arranged by jiufen hotel) 

- Staying at http://www.travel-jiufen.com/en/en_room.htm , 0925-533-168, NT$2000 (S$87) per room per night, S$100 deposit required into a DBS account, balance to be paid in NT$ upon checked in

Mediterranean Room 

Japanese Zen Room

- exploration around jiufen (buy 太阳饼) till 6pm when the shops starts to close

- board a Keelung bus (1063) with its destination “基隆” from Old Street stop (across the road from 7-11) at the road bend. 

Fare: NT$42 (Can use Easycard) 

Travel time: About 40 mins. 

Alight one bus stop before reaching Keelung Railway Station at “獅子橋 (Lions Bridge)” stop on 忠一路 (Chung Yi Rd). It’s a shorter walk to Keelung Miaokou than from Keelung Railway Station.

- last bus back to jiufen is at 930pm. Cannot miss the last bus else have to cab back or take train to Ruifang then cab back

Day 2 - 13 June, Wednesday

- Get to main road of jiufen for the keelung transit bus (10 minutes) to Gold Ecological Park (930am – 5pm, guided tour at 10am, 2pm and 3pm), entrance NT$110 (S$4.80) discount with youth travel card, gold panning NT$100, tunnel NT$50 (S$2.10), teapot mountain, coalmine museum, prince’s museum,

- Take bus to ruifang station to take the pingxi line PingXi line (9 stations) – JingTong, PingXi, Shifen, one day pass (NT$54) of unlimited rides 

Places of interest around Shifen:

1. Shifen old street – Once can see a unique scene of trains passing through the resident area, right in front of their doors here. releasing sky lanterns at NT$150 (S$6.40), NT$250 per box of fire crackers to indulge further in the festive vibe. Set them off at a deserted railway spot.

2. Shifen recreational area – The power of the rushing water has modified layers of rock formations in the area, creating beautiful “kettle holes” along the stream.

3. waterfall - To get to the waterfall, turn right from the train station and walk 15 minutes past the visitors' centre. The waterfall path is behind the centre. You'll reach it after crossing the bronze Guan Pu Suspension Bridge.

4. Jing An Suspension Bridge - The 128m-long picturesque bridge is one of Shifen's iconic symbols. Originally used to transport coal, it is now a pedestrian bridge. Standing on the bridge - Pingxi district's longest - one can see the pretty Keelung River coiling through the surrounding mountains.

Places of interest around JingTong:

1. JingTong Train Station.

2. JingTong Train Story Museum.

3. JingTong Old Street.

4. JingTong Pit Museum.

Places of interest around PingXi:

1. Fang Kong Dong. During the Japanese Occupation era, the villagers would seek refuge here if there is any bombing.

2. Antique Mailbox. The mailbox has been here since the Japanese Occupation era, and it is continuing to serve the PingXi community until now.

Day 3 – 14 June, Thursday 

- Cabby (NT$3300 – meeky yang) from jiufen minsu

- Yehliu Geopark - http://www.ylgeopark.org.tw/ENG/landscape/Sight_en.aspx , NT$50 (S$2.20), 8am – 6pm, wear hairclip and a jacket as wind can be very strong,

 - Hot spring at 金山洗溫泉~香草花園 - (NT$800 per room) for 3 hours http://www.herbgarden.com.tw/18.htm

    - Print 2x http://www.herbgarden.com.tw/20-1.html (discount coupon of NT$100 each)

- private hotspring room with bed and TV will be NT$700 (S$30.50) after discount... =)

-  Check into taipeiyork (+886913613870 / 0987766607)

-  Address: 台北市昆明街79號, 樓下是7-11便利店, 走路到 "西門捷運站" 約3~5分鐘

-  Paid S$185 (NT$4080) as deposit into HSBC account, balance of NT$8160 to be paid upon check in... average price is NT$1530 (S$66.50) per room per night

- dinner at 蘇杭點心店 (臺北市羅斯福路二段14號) – Guting station exit 7 – 8am to 8pm

- Shida night market (Guting station) 

Day 4 – 15 June, Friday

- Taipei zoo NT$60 (S$2.60)
- maokong godola from taipei zoo to Zhinan temple

- late lunch at kiki restaurant (02)27220388 – 27220559 - in the same building as Eslite Bookstore (誠品書店) located in a tall grey building outside city hall station 

- Taipei 101, NT$400 viewing deck at 89 floor, Taipei City Hall station, free shuttle bus to go to Taipei 101.

- Wufenpu – exit 1 of houshanpi station, walk north along jhongpo N Rd to the intersection of Jhongpo N Rd and Yongji Rd. Opens from noon to midnight

-  Raohe night market, 15 minutes walk away from wufenpu

Day 5 – 16 June, Saturday

-  Yangmingshan – take bus 230 @ beitou station , leisure bus 108 (NY$60 for unlimited rides, 15 to 20 minutes interval) that stops at all the scenic spots

-  Bus 230 will take us to Xin Beitou station (pretty trains), Hot Spring Museum (free), Geothermal Valley (free)

-  淡水old street + 15 minutes ferry to渔人码头NT$100 (2 ways) + lovers’ bridge – take bus R26 at tanshui station

-  lava club @ City Hall station, walk towards Taipei 101then walk to shinkon mitsukoshi deparment stores ....台北市信義區 松壽路22號B1樓 (NEO 19 building)… entry before 11pm, NT$600 - $700 each with 2 free drinks,

-  room 18 (recommended by zhuan) is @ NEO 19 building, B1 too… NT$700 with 2 few drinks

-  洪爸爸 and 洪妈妈 to EZ5 (安和路二段211号) to listen to live band from 945pm onwards. Take cab as it’s inaccessible by train. NT$600 with 2 tickets for snacks or drinks. 

Day 6 – 17 June, Sunday 

- Ximending – go for a hair wash with head massage at 小林 salon

- Longsanshi  

- Chiang kai shek memorial hall, 9am to 6pm, hourly guard changing ceremony,

- National Palace - Shilin station, bus R30, entrance fee NT$160 for adult and NT$80 for student

- Shilin night market (jiantan station)  

18 June, Monday

-   Take cab at 12nn, +886935-247-935 (Mr. Chan Jun Ting 陈俊廷), he charges NT$888 one way (airport-taipei city centre)

Updated note:
din follow the itinerary to a T due to the endless rain.... =S.... but still managed to covered at least 80% ... can check out the actual route of travel in the June 2012 posts... a total of 14 posts with plentiful of photos... =) 


(1) Gold Ecological Park 
(2) Shifen Waterfall
(3) Sky Lantern @ Shifen
(4) Keelung Night Market + Jiufen Tea House
(5) Yeliu 
(6) Yang Ming Shan +Hotspring 
(7) Mao Kong Gondola + Zoo + Kiki
(8) Taipei 101 
(9) C.K.S Memorial Hall
(10) Clubbing in Lava
(11) Lover's Bridge @ Danshui
(12) steamboat @ Ximending + EZ5