Taipei is one of the more developed cities in Asia. It sits on an island off of mainland China. No, not that island. You’re thinking of Japan. The island is much more south and called Taiwan. Maybe you’ve heard of it?
In addition, it’s probably one of the cheapest industrialized Asian cities to grab a drink and a bite to eat.
First and foremost, Taipei probably one of the cheapest industrialized Asian cities to grab a drink and a bite to eat. There are a gazillion night markets to visit and a good size serving of food doesn’t cost more than $3 USD on average. It really stretches your budget or saves you a ton of money. There are local night markets and tourist night markets. The local night markets tend to be filled with… well… locals. The tourist night markets are filled with… yup, you guess it…tourists.
Furthermore, there are clubs if you’re into raging. If you’re into something more mellow and intimate, Taipei offers an assortment of Speakeasies. Please note Taipei’s legal drinking age is 18. Don’t be shocked if the girl next to you at the bar just graduated high school.
It’s extremely easy to get around Taipei. Its MTA system is modern, efficient, simple and tourist friendly. The signs are in Chinese and English. There are no more than 6 trains running all through Taipei. Taipei’s streets are filled with taxis. It’s fairly easy to hail a cab. You just got to know how to speak Chinese.
If you’re into cultural things, there are an assortment of landmarks, temples, museums, and national monuments to visit. I’m not into boring stuff so I veer clear of those things. I personally like to stuff my face with delicious food versus visiting a museum trying to interpret what the painting is trying to convey. That’s just me though.
Lastly, the people are a lot friendlier than mainland China. When I say “a lot”, I mean A LOT. They’re willing to help you if you have a question or point you in the right direction. There are a good number of expats living in Taipei and they’ll tell you about the kindness of Taiwanese folks.
Check out our other Taiwan articles here.
