#TaiwanAndOnlyMe | How I Spent 3 Days in Taiwan
It's not my first time in Taiwan, but since the reason I went there the first time was work, I felt the need to come back and experience what more it has to offer.
For Philippine Passport Holders, an e-visa requested thru this website is a must. The application fee for an e-visa is NT$ 1,632.00 including the NT$ 32.00 processing fee for online credit card payment.
However, Philippine Passport Holders with valid US, UK, Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and/or Schengen visas can apply for a travel certificate for free thru this website.
(NEWS: The implementation of visa-free entry to Taiwan for Filipinos has been re-scheduled to September 2017.)
Travel Date: August 19-21, 2017
DAY 1: ARRIVAL | KEELUNG TOUR
03:00 AM Arrival at Taoyuan International Airport
Since I am a cheapskate, I did not book a hotel for my arrival.
Based on my research(?), Taoyuan Airport has resting areas and shower areas where you can stay for the night (and yes, they really have them. For reference: click here).
The shower area opens at 06:00AM and both the resting and shower areas are located BEFORE IMMIGRATION - for arriving passengers. For departing passengers, It's located AFTER IMMIGRATION - this one is open 24 hours.
07:00AM Taoyuan Airport to Taipei City
There are two types of trains heading to Taipei Main Station from the Airport - Commuter and Express. Both are worth NT$160.00 per way. You can buy an Easy Card at the metro for NT$ 100.00 (this is just for the card itself), top it up and you're ready to go! If you run out of load, you can always top-up at the nearest convenience store or the metro.
Afterwards I went to my hotel in Ximen, checked-in and went straight to Taipei Main Station to catch the bus going to Keelung.
10:00AM: Off to Shen'ao!
Taipei Main Station → Keelung
Take the (sorry I forgot the bus number >.<) Kuo Kuang Bus heading to Keelung. It takes an hour to get there from Taipei.
Keelung → Shen'ao Fish Port
Go to the Tourist Information Center (get maps and ask for bus schedules. Just so you'd know what else to do and where else to go.)
Ride another bus (Bus no.: T99) going to Shen'ao Fishing Port (another 45-min. bus ride).
Shen'ao Fish Port → Elephant Trunk Rock
From the bus station the Elephant Trunk Rock is an 800m-walk away.
It's quite difficult to find 'coz there are no signs so I made a map!
It's a long walk, especially if you do not know where to go. But the scenery is worth it!
By the way, if you're traveling solo (like me) I suggest you bring a tall tripod. I brought my small gorilla pod thinking it would suffice, but there are no trees or big rocks to clamp it to. I could have taken better selfies but... oh well! Lesson learned.
You can also go to the other side to see this...
After the Rock Formations I headed back to Keelung, I was planning to go around Keelung City 'coz I had plenty of time, but I felt quite tired because I didn't have enough sleep so I just went back to my hotel in Ximen, did a little shopping and slept.
DAY 2: Yehliu, Jiufen, Shifen and Pingxi
06:30 AM Start Coastal Tour
Taipei Main Station → Yehliu Geopark
Took the 1815 Kuo Kuang bus at the Taipei Main Station, the ride takes about an hour. And again, when you get to Yehliu Bus Station, there are no signs where to go so... check the map below! The park is a 10-15min. walk away from the station.
Entrance to Yehliu costs NT$ 80.00
If you're able to get there early morning you'd be one of the first people to enter and you'd have the park for yourself - awesomesauce!
So after my walk in the park, I went straight to Jiufen.
Yehliu Geopark → Jiufen
Ride a bus going to Keelung and transfer to a bus going to Ruifang, the whole ride takes 2 hours, could be more but lucky for me, I was just in time for the bus to Ruifang.
Jiufen → Shifen
Ride a bus going to Ruifang and take the train going to Pingxi. Alight at Shifen Station.
Shifen Station → Shifen Waterfall (v.v)
Walk to the highway (mapee mapee!) and ride a bus from Shiufenliao going to Shifen Waterfall. The ride takes less than 5 minutes. (going back, it's all the same)
Shifen → Pingxi
Go back to the train station and ride the train going to Pingxi.
Pingxi → Taipei City
Take the train going back to Ruifang, at the bus station in front of Ruifang Train Station take the 1815 bus going to Taipei and tadaaaaa! You're back in the city. You can do whatever you want now.
As for me I chose to be pooped on by a mysterious bird in Ximen. >.< (be extra careful in walking under trees; you've been warned!😁)
23:00 PM Lights out.
DAY 3: Taipei City Tour
09:00 AM Start City Tour
Afterwards I went to my hotel in Ximen, checked-in and went straight to Taipei Main Station to catch the bus going to Keelung.
10:00AM: Off to Shen'ao!
Taipei Main Station → Keelung
Take the (sorry I forgot the bus number >.<) Kuo Kuang Bus heading to Keelung. It takes an hour to get there from Taipei.
Keelung → Shen'ao Fish Port
Go to the Tourist Information Center (get maps and ask for bus schedules. Just so you'd know what else to do and where else to go.)
Ride another bus (Bus no.: T99) going to Shen'ao Fishing Port (another 45-min. bus ride).
Shen'ao Fish Port → Elephant Trunk Rock
From the bus station the Elephant Trunk Rock is an 800m-walk away.
It's quite difficult to find 'coz there are no signs so I made a map!
It's a long walk, especially if you do not know where to go. But the scenery is worth it!
By the way, if you're traveling solo (like me) I suggest you bring a tall tripod. I brought my small gorilla pod thinking it would suffice, but there are no trees or big rocks to clamp it to. I could have taken better selfies but... oh well! Lesson learned.
You can also go to the other side to see this...
After the Rock Formations I headed back to Keelung, I was planning to go around Keelung City 'coz I had plenty of time, but I felt quite tired because I didn't have enough sleep so I just went back to my hotel in Ximen, did a little shopping and slept.
DAY 2: Yehliu, Jiufen, Shifen and Pingxi
06:30 AM Start Coastal Tour
Taipei Main Station → Yehliu Geopark
Took the 1815 Kuo Kuang bus at the Taipei Main Station, the ride takes about an hour. And again, when you get to Yehliu Bus Station, there are no signs where to go so... check the map below! The park is a 10-15min. walk away from the station.
If you're able to get there early morning you'd be one of the first people to enter and you'd have the park for yourself - awesomesauce!
So after my walk in the park, I went straight to Jiufen.
Yehliu Geopark → Jiufen
Ride a bus going to Keelung and transfer to a bus going to Ruifang, the whole ride takes 2 hours, could be more but lucky for me, I was just in time for the bus to Ruifang.
Jiufen → Shifen
Ride a bus going to Ruifang and take the train going to Pingxi. Alight at Shifen Station.
Shifen Station → Shifen Waterfall (v.v)
Walk to the highway (mapee mapee!) and ride a bus from Shiufenliao going to Shifen Waterfall. The ride takes less than 5 minutes. (going back, it's all the same)
Shifen → Pingxi
Go back to the train station and ride the train going to Pingxi.
Pingxi → Taipei City
Take the train going back to Ruifang, at the bus station in front of Ruifang Train Station take the 1815 bus going to Taipei and tadaaaaa! You're back in the city. You can do whatever you want now.
As for me I chose to be pooped on by a mysterious bird in Ximen. >.< (be extra careful in walking under trees; you've been warned!😁)
23:00 PM Lights out.
DAY 3: Taipei City Tour
09:00 AM Start City Tour
I bought a 1-day Taipei Pass at the metro. There are two types of 1-day Taipei Pass and the one posted on their website is the 24HR Pass that costs NT$ 180.00 (PHP 300.00); the other one (the one I availed) is the Full Day Pass (same date expiration) worth NT$ 150.00 (PHP 250.00).
What I did:
Ximen → Taipei Main → Longshan Temple → Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall → Taipei 101 → Dahu Park → Dr. Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park → Xingtian Temple → Tamsui Station → Ximen (Modern Toilet Restaurant)
Tamsui station → Tamsui Fish Wharf
Took bus R26 (Red 26) towards the wharf but there are alternatives: Bus 836 or 857 onwards.
The ride will take about 15-20 minutes. Yes, it's quite far.
And... PICSPAAAAAAM!!!
Modern Toilet
I do not suggest doing Dahu Park and Tamsui Fisherman's Wharf in one day; both locations take time to get to, and if you wish to see the sunset in Tamsui - forget about Dahu! But if it's okay with you to go around the Fisherman's Wharf at night, then... why not? haha! Just make sure that you won't miss your flight. Take note of the bus schedules.
09:00 PM Travel to Airport - Bye bye Taiwan!
Bring snack on your way to the airport. Shops in Taoyuan Airport close at night, but there are beverage vendos accepting coins (only) everywhere!
SUMMARY
Day 1:
03:00 Arrival at TPE
07:00 Airport to Taipei City
10:00 Departure Taipei Main Station to Keelung (Start tour)
** Shen'ao Fishing Port
** Elephant Trunk Rock
17:30 Arrival at Ximen Walk (End tour)
Day 2:
06:30 Departure Taipei Main Station to Yehliu
07:44 Arrival at Yehliu Bus Station (Start tour)
** Yehliu Geopark
** Jiufen Old Street
** Daitian Temple
** Shifen Waterfalls
** Shifenliao Bridge
** Pingxi
19:30 Arrival at Ximen Station (End tour)
Day 3:
09:00 Start City Tour (Ximen Station)
** Longshan Temple
** Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall
** Dahu Park
** Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park
** Xingtian Temple
** Tamsui Wharf
** Ximen Walk (Modern Toilet)
21:00 End Tour (Depart to Airport)
Rates / Expenses
(1 TWD = 1.67 PHP)
(1 TWD = 1.67 PHP)
| Easy Card | TWD 100.00 |
| Easy Card Top-up (3 days) | TWD 800.00 |
| 1-Day Taipei Pass (24 Hrs) | TWD 150.00 |
| Yehliu Entrance Fee | TWD 80.00 |
| Bottled Water | TWD 20.00 - 40.00 |
| Meals | TWD 30.00 - 300.00 |
| Souvenir | TWD 70.00 - up |
Budget Breakdown
Travel Tax - PHP 1,620Pocket Money - PHP 6,000
Airfare - PHP 7,100 (regular fare)
Accommodation - PHP 3,000
TOTAL: PHP 17,720🎊
P.S. I booked an expensive flight. Yes, I'm that impulsive. Anyway, a friend of mine booked her flight for PHP 3.5k; some people I know even booked it for less - promo fares. So keep yourself updated and grab those deals!!! Also, going solo, there are other hotels you can book, again, for less, starting at PHP 600.00 per night. The whole trip was awesome, but it was scorching hot! If you wanna visit Taiwan, the best month would be November - dry and a bit cold (because WINTER IS COMING) hahaha!!!
HAPPY TRIP!!!
