Hi everyone! I've lurked on this subreddit for a while, but this is my first time posting.
I took my first international solo trip ever in November and it was an amazing, life-changing experience. I decided to go to Taiwan. One of the primary reasons I became interested in Taiwan was its culture - the interesting blend of native Taiwanese, Chinese, and Japanese culture - the architecture at the temples, the night markets, etc. All the research I did indicated that it was safe for a solo female traveler as well. I am Indian-American, 26, and I had never left the US on my own before, though I have visited India and a few other countries with family.
I took a short trip, with only four full days in Taiwan, since this was my first ever foray into solo international travel and I was nervous - and also, I didn't have a ton of time off left at work.
I wanted to make this post because the posts on Taiwan in this community were SO helpful to me in my planning process and while I was in Taiwan! I hope to pay it forward to anyone interested in visiting Taiwan in the future. I can't recommend it enough.
Basics: I stayed in Taipei within walking distance of Taipei Main Station in the Ximen area and absolutely loved the Ximen area. Tons of places to eat and shop, and close to a night market. It was a very vibrant and lively environment. Also, being close to the buses and metro at Taipei Main Station made day trips out of Taipei easy.
Day 1: Exploring Yehliu Geopark and Keelung, in the northeastern coast of Taiwan. I got there by bus. Yehliu was great - lovely walking paths with stunning views of the ocean. I enjoyed snacking on one-bite fried crab and fresh tender coconut water sold in the front of the park. The coast town of Keelung was fairly close by. I explored the temples at Zhongzeng Park, including the huge Zhuputan Temple, the main venue for the midsummer ghost festival (also a museum with interesting info about the midsummer ghost festival). I enjoyed climbing up the levels of Zhongzeng Park, passing small empty temples along the way and enjoying the view, befor reaching the impressive Grand Buddha Temple with its towering statue at the top of the park. The view of the harbor and Keelung was magnificent.
The Keelung Night Market was a short walk away. I live in a landlocked state with not much good, fresh seafood available, so the fresh stir-fried crab, the thick crab soup, and the glutinous oil rice, and the oyster omelets, were much appreciated. The night market was super crowded, but it was fascinating to watch the food preparation taking place at every stall around me.
Day 2: Taipei & Jiufen - I walked through the city to Tianhou Temple, Lungshan Temple, and Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall. I love the art and architecture of temples, so I was endlessly fascinated by Tianhou Temple and Lungshan Temple. Lungshan was especially stunning. I am not a religious person, but I was taken aback by the sense of peace and spirituality I felt at the temples. Especially among the crowds at Lungshan, surrounded by people praying and lighting incense.
Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall and Liberty Square was such an impressive sight in the middle of the city!
I also took a bus to Jiufen, a mountain town, on Day 2. Jiufen had an interesting Old Street like the Taipei night markets, but I mostly appreciated it for its stunning mountain views and nighttime lantern views. My image attached to this post was taken in Jiufen.
Day 3: Day trip to Taroko Gorge near Hualien, about 2.5 hours away from Taipei by train. I shouldn't have done this as a day trip, but I didn't want to miss out on Taroko because I've heard it was a must-see. The train ride was incredibly scenic, taking me through lush green areas and along the coastline. Taroko Gorge was lovely, with its limestone cliffs, thick jungle, and bright blue river. I just wish I had planned my trip in a way that would have let me spent 2 days hiking in Taroko Gorge rather than a few hours.
I got back to Taipei and spent the night at Ximen Night Market, where I had delicious seafood dumpling laksa.
Day 4: Exploration in Taipei. I walked to the Dalongdong Boan Temple, which is one of my favorite places I've ever been. Art and architecture were striking. It was as great as Lungshan, but MUCH less crowded and more quiet/peaceful. The Confucious Temple nearby was also very peaceful and relaxing.
Lunch at Din Tai Fung was great, I strongly recommend it to anyone who enjoys dumplings!
I walked to the Huashan 1914 Creative Park, which was an interesting and fun stop, and then to the Raohe Night Market. I preferred the Keelung and Ximen night markets in terms of their larger size and better food offerings, but Raohe was worth visiting because of its proximity to the lovely Songshan Temple. I definitely recommend Songshan at night, if you can. It's all lit up and looks beautiful.
I finished Day 4 with mango gelato at the Ximen night market, followed by a leg and foot massage at a Ximen massage place. I needed it - I walked about 30,000 steps a day every day that I was in Taiwan!
I was so sad to leave. Taiwan was one of the best experiences of my life. It helped me build confidence and was a huge adventure. A little backstory about me - I have issues with anxiety, even when leaving my house to go to work, so making an international trip by myself was a big step for me. I was totally unprepared for how not just safe, but at home, I felt walking the streets of Taipei.
Some other stuff:
- I got by just fine with knowing minimal Mandarin, just hello, please, and thank you.
- The people I met in Taiwan were very nice and helpful! Especially employees at Taipei Main Station, and bus drivers, and restaraunt staff.
- Google Maps directions for walking was great. I enjoyed walking around Taipei, it helped me get a feel of the city.
- Public transit is A+++ in Taipei. Uber was also nice during those couple of times I was in a time crunch to get somewhere.
- I wondered how I would fit in in Taiwan, since I am/look Indian, and to be honest I've run into quite a few people even in my own country that have treated me differently due to my skin color. I didn't run into any negative incidents in Taiwan.
I'd love to go back someday for a longer trip!
Submitted December 22, 2019 at 10:18PM by lyanna_martell https://ift.tt/2ELQkUA
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