Buzz
I visited Taiwan in spring - the most beautiful season of the year in this charming island country. It was my first time traveling abroad, so I was excited and had high expectations. Taiwan did not disappoint me at all; on the contrary, it brought me many interesting and wonderful experiences.
The first city I explored was Taipei - the most modern and bustling city in Taiwan. It impressed me with its beautiful nature, pleasant weather, friendly people, modern yet peaceful lifestyle, and rich cultural heritage. With its rich cultural and natural resources, Taipei has countless fascinating destinations that you must visit to enjoy this beautiful land. I hope the destinations and experiences I share in this article will be one of your choices when you visit Taipei.
National Palace Museum Taipei
Address: No. 221, Sec 2, Zhi Shan Road, Shilin District, Taipei.
Ticket price: 350 New Taiwan Dollars.
Opening hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Closed on Mondays).
Transportation: Taxi, Uber, or MRT to Shilin station then take a bus or Uber to the National Palace Museum to save costs.
When visiting any new destination, I always seek to explore its history, culture, and people, so a must-visit spot is always a museum. Stepping through the gates of the National Palace Museum, my initial impression is one of grandeur and majesty, situated in what's considered the 'dragon's throat' of the Taiwan island. Established in 1965, it was once the retreat for emperors to enjoy the life of reclusion.
National Palace Museum
According to historical records, the National Palace Museum in Taiwan shares the same origin as the Palace Museum in Beijing within the Forbidden City. In fact, both museums were originally one, but due to the Chinese Civil War, they were divided into two, with one part remaining in mainland China and the other in Taiwan. Therefore, many of the artifacts here were brought from mainland China, including numerous valuable items from the cultural revolution period. The museum showcases over 696,000 artifacts and artworks, predominantly inherited from the four dynasties of Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing, illustrating the rich history of China. Furthermore, the museum is constantly preserved, renovated, and supplemented with new exhibits, establishing many new thematic tours to attract tourists from all over the world.
Main exhibition building
The symmetrical palace architecture stands in harmony with the majestic city walls, intricately carved tiled roofs, and the characteristic bracket sets of traditional architecture. This is considered the '2 towers 3 floors' architectural style with its distinctive curved roof. The National Palace Museum is the pride and joy of the people of Taiwan.
The pedestrian bridge leading up to the National Palace Museum is shaded by lush green trees.
The motorway below provides access to the museum's foyer.
The National Palace Museum is located at the foot of the mountain, nestled in a valley, so the air is refreshingly cool, shaded by lush greenery. In the middle is a spacious central square stretching from the main gate to the buildings.
Space displaying Buddhist sculptures
In contrast to the ancient palace architecture on the outside, inside the National Palace Museum are spaces designed with modernity and adorned with beautiful, elegant furnishings. The museum has 3 functional display floors as follows:
Floor 1: Special exhibitions, Buddhism, rare books, and furniture.
Floor 2: Interactive projection area, paintings, and ceramics.
Floor 3: Bronze items, weapons, ceremonial objects, carvings, jade collections, and perfumes.
Check-in with interactive display space
I'm drawn and mesmerized by the first exhibitions here. Each display space has its own color, its own essence of artifacts, arranged delicately and artistically. The modern museum is also equipped with projection techniques, magical lighting allowing interaction with visitors so I also take the opportunity to check in and capture even better photos than expected.
Exhibited items
For someone passionate about exploring Chinese history as well as historical dramas like me, it truly feels like wandering into a maze of collections of artifacts, jewelry, perfumes, etc., from ancient emperors and palace maids. You'll be immersed in spaces recreating the rooms, furnishings of the ancient upper class. Exquisitely carved jewelry, jade gems, armors, give the feeling of reversing time and transforming into a mistress in the Imperial Palace. The exhibited items here are always preserved and restored in the best conditions to retain the traces of time through the ages.
Displaying remarkable paintings
One exhibition that left a strong impression and captivated my soul inside is painting. Taiwan is known for its outstanding artists, craftsmen. Ancient paintings not only showcase the talents of the master painters of the time but also depict landscapes, daily life scenes, vibrant life of ancient residents.
Rose Garden at the National Palace Museum
After finishing the tour itinerary, you can dine or rest and enjoy tea at the eateries on the ground floor. Moreover, you can stroll around the National Palace Museum and explore many stylish photo spots.
Majestic and powerful fortress walls
Taipei Rose Garden
Address: No. 105, Section 3, Xinsheng N Rd, Zhongshan District, Taipei.
Free admission
How to get there: Take the MRT to Yuan Shan Station and walk to the entrance of the Rose Garden.
Talented artists painting on-site at the Rose Garden
I visited Taipei during springtime, so I couldn't miss the Taipei Rose Garden. The Taipei Rose Festival usually starts from March 1st and lasts until March 31st.
Artist performing a trumpet solo at the entrance gate
Not only did I admire the beautiful flowers, but I also stumbled upon talented artists showcasing their skills at the Rose Garden. What could be better than enjoying the flowers while listening to melodious tunes and watching artists paint vibrant roses on their spring-themed canvases?
Clusters of vibrant blooming roses
Countless rare varieties of roses that I saw for the first time
Here boasts over 5,000 rose bushes featuring more than 800 varieties from around the world. Renowned as the most diverse rose garden in Taiwan, it showcases splendid and exquisite blooms, including rare and specially bred species. The Rose Garden also features contemporary sculptures amidst the rose bushes for visitors to admire.
Fragrant Rose Garden
And, of course, one cannot miss capturing moments with the beautiful blooms. The Rose Garden offers countless picturesque spots for visitors to flaunt amidst the spring scenery of Taipei.
Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan) - A Must-Visit
Location: Xinyi District, Taipei.
Admission Fee: Free of charge
Getting There: Take the MRT to Xiangshan Station and walk approximately 25-30 minutes to the foot of Elephant Mountain.
Standing at 183 meters tall, Elephant Mountain requires climbing over 1,000 steps to reach the summit. It offers an ideal vantage point to admire the Taipei 101 skyscraper from above.
View of Taipei 101 and the city of Taipei from the top of Elephant Mountain
Wake up early, have a hearty breakfast, catch a train, and embark on the journey to conquer the mountain. The temperature on the mountain can be quite chilly, and there are many insects, so make sure you have equipped yourself with comfortable and safe hiking attire, or at least wear long pants and specialized sports shoes.
Conquering over 1000 steps to reach the summit
The base of the mountain is quite crowded as people prepare to start their journey. I was quite surprised to see not only tourists but also many locals, mostly elderly individuals, hiking for exercise.
At the halfway point of the mountain, there are many stopping points where you can see the cityscape below.
After climbing a short distance, we were able to see Taipei 101 Tower and part of Xinyi District. You can admire the skyscrapers, luxurious apartments with views of the city and mountains.
We challenged ourselves with various different routes.
Elephant Mountain is designed and built with very convenient and safe pathways, with sturdy steps and handrails. While the mountain is not extremely high, there are several relatively steep sections that require effort to conquer. The hiking trail is just wide enough for two people, passing by large rocks horizontally, and occasionally encountering resting spots for tourists to rest and enjoy the scenery.
A stopping point near the summit of Elephant Mountain.
We took a short detour and stumbled upon deep trails in the forest.
You can stop anywhere to take souvenir photos with the lush green scenery of Elephant Mountain. Along the hiking trails, you'll easily come across numerous benches, rocks, swings, etc., for tourists to rest. Additionally, the mountain management also provides convenient drinking fountains and handwashing facilities.
Be sure to check in with Taipei 101 Tower when you're here.
Upon reaching the summit of Elephant Mountain, you must check in with a direct view of Taipei 101 Tower – the 10th tallest building globally. I sat, rested, and admired the panoramic view of Taipei City, the majestic scenery, and the dreamy landscape, making all the difficulties and fatigue of the climb vanish.
Instead of descending the mountain using the same old path, you can entirely opt for alternative routes to explore this peak.
Jiufen Village – The Ancient Village
Address: Jishan Street, Ruifang District, New Taipei City.
Admission Fee: Free of charge.
How to Get There: Take the MRT or bus to Zhongxiao Fuxing station, then walk to the bus stop for bus number 1062 or take a taxi if you're prone to motion sickness because the road to Jiufen is mostly winding.
If you don't have much spare time to spend a whole day in Jiufen Village, you can choose to visit in the afternoon for tea and explore the culinary scene in the evening. The name Jiufen originates from the mountain village that once housed only nine households. It began to flourish towards the end of the Qing Dynasty when gold mining became popular in Taiwan.
The red lanterns lit up create a scene that is both ancient and eerie.
I arrived at Jiufen in the late evening, with mist descending, a chilly atmosphere, and light rain gently falling, creating an ambiance that was both ancient and romantic. However, as I ventured deeper, the atmosphere became livelier and more bustling.
Standing on the hillside, observing the continuous stream of people passing by.
Food stalls, souvenir shops, clothing stores, traditional tea houses, and more are lined along the narrow and steep pedestrian streets. The aromatic smells of food, the smoke lingering in the misty night, the golden lights intermingled with the inviting calls of shop owners, and the lively chatter of visitors all blended together to create the vibrant life of the old town.
The scene of the culinary street in Jiufen.
I leisurely stroll along the rustic stone-paved streets, stand on high slopes gazing down, the red lanterns shining brightly in the night, swaying one after another, creating a scene steeped in traditional cultural charm. If you've wandered through the dull streets, you can pause to enjoy some tea, savoring a hot cup of Taiwanese tea.
Tea houses veiled in the misty night amidst the falling rain.
Jiufen at night exudes its own unique beauty.
Conclusion
Taipei
Indeed, the beauty of Taipei is no different from the idol dramas of Taiwan I've watched. I don't know how many days it would take to fully explore the city, perhaps even that would not be enough once you've fallen in love with this beautiful land. Impressions of a gentle, nostalgic yet modern city will surely make me and travelers from all over the world want to return to Taipei again, to explore, to feel, and to immerse themselves.
Posted by: Nguyễn Thụy Tường Vân
Keywords: Taipei Travel - Fascinating Destinations
