Taiwan 2015: Taipei

Day 7 / 24-Sept-2015 : Jiufen to Taipei
Today we will travel back to Taipei and stay for two more nights. We have not prepared any itinerary for this part of our trip so basically we will just hang out around the area of our hostels and buy souvenir items to bring back to Singapore.

We took again a bus from the bus stop near our homestay in Jiufen and alighted at the bus stop near Ruifang Station (daytime view of the new bus stop for passengers going to Jiufen)

We found another small but cute-ly designed coffee shop near Ruifang Station so we had coffee for breaky.

After our coffee, we finally head to Ruifang Station, we bought our ticket a day ahead (yesterday when we went to Shifen and Pingxi) so we know our train schedule.

Facing Ruifang Train Station, to the left side is a baggage store area (If your coming out of the station and standing on the main entrance/exit, it will be on your right side) where you can deposit your things before you head to Jiufen, Shifen or Pingxi. Since most tourist who are staying in Taipei tend to visit this area as a day trip only, and Ruifang Station is the transfer station coming from Taipei, having a baggage storage area in this station is very convenient for travelers.

The baggage storage area opens from 8:00am until 8:00pm.

So we finally left Ruifang Station for Taipei Main Station

We decided to have our lunch at the basement of Taipei Main Station, there are lots of restaurant to choose from in this area.

After lunch, we took the subway from Taipei Main Station to Ximen Station

We alighted at Ximen Station and walk to our Hostel, on the 10th floor of this commercial/residential building is ECFA Hotel

Just accross the street is Starbucks coffee

Starting this trip, I have decided to collect Starbucks card from the cities that I will visit. So here is my first official Starbucks Card collection from Taipei.

We check in at ECFA Hotel Kunming, there are quite a lot of ECFA Hotels around this area so be very attentive in finding your right ECFA Hotel. For our “review” regarding our stay at this hotel, please click HERE

After depositing our thins in our room, we went out to check the area around our hotel.

This is the scene outside Ximen Station

The heart of Ximending, where lotsa lots of shops for shopping.

Aside from shopping, food card selling different street foods are available around Ximending

We initially bought the prok rib for dinner back at the hotel but it didn’t last long ;-p very nice for 100 NTD price

Another popular food in area

It’s like prata but with additional ingredients, 25 NTD each

We bought sun biscuits to give away to our friends back in SIngapore

And nougat too 😉

Day 8 / 25-Sept-2015 : Taipei
Today we just roam around Taipei Main Station for more shopping of souvenirs

The Red House, just outside Ximen Station is a two storey western-style red-brick octagonal structure in Taipei’s Ximen (west gate) district was built in 1908, was one of Taiwan’s first new-style markets of the early Japanese colonial period. It has currently been restored to its original appearance, the first floor serves as a venue for arts, and the second floor serves as a theater, giving this historic landmark a new, elegant aura of culture.

So many places to shop

So little time ;-p

Taipei Main Station, Originally opened as Taipei Railway Station in 1891, the complex is one of the most popular meeting places in Taipei. The area surrounding the station is primarily a commercial district very popular with tourists, students, and commuters as Taipei Main Station is the primary interchange station for the city.

Taipei Main Station is home to the following transportation services:

Metro Subway – Taipei MRT
Train – Taiwan Railways
Taiwan High Speed Rail
Local Bus – multiple stops around the station exterior
Long-distance, intercity bus from Q-Square Long-Distance Bus Station or Kuo-Kuang West Bus Station outside exit M5 or Z3
Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Access MRT System (under construction)

711 stuff for our last dinner in Taipei 😉

Day 9 / 26-Sept-2015 : Taipei to Taoyuan
Our flight back to Singapore on tomorrow will be 9:25 am, which means we need to be at Taoyuan Airport by 7:25am, so we decided to stay at a hotel near the airport the night before our flight. So today we will be traveling from Taipei to Taoyuan and stay for the night.

We decided to take the HSR Train from Banqiao Station rather than Taipei Station because it’s “nearer” to Taoyuan.

Outside Banqiao HSR Station

At Taoyuan HSR Station, we decided to try the bento box they are selling for 100 NTD, definitely miles better than the one we tried at Taipei Station. They only sell the bento box at at limited times during lunch and dinner time.

We will be staying again at City Suites Gateway Hotel, the same hotel we stayed on our first night upon arriving from Singapore. Cab fare from Taoyuan HSR Station to this hotel is 250 NTD

We got “upgraded” to a corner room with bigger space.

Day 10 / 27-Sept-2015 : Taoyuan to Singapore
Today morning is our flight back to Singapore, we asked the hotel staff to help arranged for a cab to pick us up and bring to airport. From this hotel to Taoyuan Airport cab fare is fixed at 200 NTD

Arrived at Taoyuan 2 hours before our flight