Trip Advisory

I'm sure after our trip to Taipei, many of us must have mixed opinions about the places we visited. This is what my group thinks in regards to all those interesting places~

OELP TRIP ADVISORY 

Hotel

Throughout our entire visit to Taipei, our accommodation was a hotel in Taipei called RF Pretty Hotel. After staying there for seven days, here are our opinions on the hotel.

Pros

• The room was spacious and large enough for two people, which was the number of people allocated to one room. 

• The beds were very comfortable, which allowed us to have a good night's rest in preparation for the long day.

• The staff were friendly and provided good service, e.g helping us keep our key cards, clearing up our rooms for us, etc.

Cons

• The food served during breakfast the same everyday. It was rather dull having to eat the same food everyday.

• The wifi was slow - only a few of us could connect to it at once. This was a hassle for us as we were instructed to post daily reflections on our blog.

• The walls of the hotel rooms were thin - noise from the corridors could easily be heard from inside the room.

• The lobby of the hotel was very small and the limited space made it inconvenient moving around.

Overall, we would give the hotel a rating of 3/5.

Taipei 101

We visited Taipei 101 on the first day of our trip at night, primarily visiting the 89th floor. It was certainly a unique experience on the fastest lift in the world. We also got to see a Gemstone Coral collection, where we saw the world's tallest Gemstone Coral. Here are our opinions on Taipei 101.

Pros

• The device which the guide gave us was unique and useful - it provided us with information of different landmarks.

• We were granted a magnificent bird's-eye view of the brightly lit city.

• The souvenirs sold at the gift shop were very unique.

Cons

• There was only one lift for the huge number of visitors. We had to queue for quite a long time to get up to the 89th floor.

Overall, we would give Taipei 101 a rating of 4/5.

National Palace Museum 

We were rather stunned by the huge collection that the museum hosted. A must-visit for connoisseurs interested in the rich and fascinating history of Chinese art. Here are our opinions on the National Palace Museum.

Pros

• The museum is filled with interesting artefacts that were able to portray the ancient way of living in greater detail. 

• The museum was also able to flawlessly capture the Chinese's love for art and literature. 

Cons

• Due to its fame, the museum is constantly packed with people. It takes a long time to get from one place to another due to the throngs of people, and the long queue to view the 翠玉白菜 (Jadeite Cabbage) gets easily on one's nerves. 

Overall, we would give the National Palace Museum a rating of 4/5.

Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines 

A museum about the many aborigines in Taiwan. It was an enriching trip it It gave us a deeper understanding about the aborigines in Taiwan. The well-maintained exhibitions caught our attentions, as well as the rich culture of the aborigines that it displayed. Here are our opinions on the Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines.

Pros

• It is complete with many detailed descriptions and painstakingly collected artefacts

• The snippets of information found beside each display was able to help us further understand the interesting and intricate lives of the aborigines in Taiwan.

Cons

• Some of the exhibits had information that overlapped and should have been placed together.

Overall, we would give the Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines a rating of 4/5.

Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall & Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall

Both these places were built in remembrance of two of Taiwan's greatest leaders, Chiang Kai Shek and Sun Yat Sen. At the memorial halls, we got to learn about the contribution for the two leaders that made Taiwan what it is today. Here are our opinions on the two Memorial Halls.

Pros

• We got to see the change of guards at both memorial halls, which were breath-taking.

• We learnt much about the two leaders and their history though both the artefacts in the museum and the through explanation of the guides.

Cons

• The tour led by the guide was rather boring as there was very little hands-on activity we could do, which made the tour seem rather dull.

Overall, we would give the two Memorial Halls a rating of 3.5/5.

Ximending

A popular shopping district bustling with life even at night. There were many different shops selling all sorts of different things, catering to many different people of all ages. Here are our opinions on Ximending.

Pros

• This shopping district had many different shops which sold so many different things, some of which we would never find in Singapore. Etc. Manga shop~

Cons

• The place was really huge, which made it really easy to get lost, especially since there were no maps or anything similar provided.

Overall, we would give Ximending a rating of 4/5.

Taipei Municipal Jianguo High School

We visited Jianguo for two days for an immersion programme. On the first day, we got to explore the school and watch performances by the students. On the second day, we were attached to a buddy and attended their classes. Here are our opinions on Taipei Municipal Jianguo High School.

Pros

• The students and teachers were very welcoming and warm. They always made sure that we were comfortable in their school.

• The classes which we attended were interesting. All their classes except English class was taught in Chinese, which was a whole new experience for me. Also, unlike our school, they had compulsory third language.

Cons

• During lessons, some of the students weren't paying attention, which affected our impressions on the school.

Overall, we would give Taipei Municipal Jianguo High School a rating of 4.5/5.

National Revolution Martyr Shrine

A place built in remembrance of the soldiers who died in war. Here is our opinions on the National Revolution Martyr Shrine.

Pros

• The changing of guards was breathtaking and was made better by the fact that is held at a longer path than the memorials and is located outdoors, providing a better view. 

Cons

• There was no guide to explain to us about the up history of the shrine.

• There was nothing interesting to see or learn and it was rather boring.

Overall, we would give the National Revolution Martyr Shrine a rating of 2.5/5.

Eslite Bookstore

A bookstore which is a tourist attraction in Taipei. It is a huge bookstore selling a variety of books. It is one of the best places which we have visited in Taipei. Certainly a must-visit, especially for those interested in novels and books. Here are our opinions on the Eslite Bookstore.

Pros

• It sells a huge variety of books, ranging from classic literature to manga, catering to the likes of many different people.

• The books sold there are relatively cheap compared to other bookstores.

Overall, we would give the Eslite Bookstore a rating of 5/5.

School in Wulai

It was a different and unique experience, visiting a school for aborigines. We got to learn some of their language and participate in their lessons. Here are our opinions on the school in Wulai.

Pros

• The students were very friendly and helpful, making us feel welcomed. They welcomed us with a performance and helped us when we're encountering difficulties during lesson.

• The lessons were very different from the lessons we had - they were very hands-on and interesting. One of their lessons involved going out of the classroom, which was extremely fun.

• The students were very bonded. This can be seen in the way they waited for everybody to be ready before eating meals together.

Cons

• The toilets were really small and not very well maintained.

Overall, we would give the school in Wulai a rating of 3.5/5. 

Wulai Old Street

We visited a street in Wulai which sold mainly food. Here are our opinions on the Wulai Old Street.

Pros

• The stallholders were extremely friendly and had conversations with us when we bought their food.

Cons

• There were very little number of stalls on that street. There also wasn't much to see.

Overall, we would give the Wulai Old Street a rating of 3/5.

Raohe Night Market

A night market mainly for teenagers, selling food, clothes, toys and many more. It is a long, broad road with many stalls in the center, shoppers walking at the left or right of the road. It is a must-visit for teenagers and tourists as the items sold there would certainly appeal to them. Here are our opinions on the Raohe Night Market. 

Pros

• There was a huge variety of food for us to try, which were all very affordable and delicious. 

• There were many different things sold there which were all very appealing, especially to youngsters.

Cons

• There was no nearby toilets for us to use - the nearest one was a small cubicle across the road which was extremely dirty.

• There was insufficient preparation for when it rained. There was not enough shelter for us to walk under.

Overall, we would give the Raohe Night Market a rating of 3/5.

Confucius Temple 

The temple adds on to our knowledge of Chinese culture. It was immensely educational and the history behind the temple interested many of us. Also, we learnt more about Confucius himself. Here are our opinions on the Confucius Temple.

Pros

• The temple is decorated with many significant wood carvings that depict many aspects of the Chinese culture. Each carving has its own meaning and it was interesting to learn them all. 

• The video that was shown was educative, and it further explained the temple and gave us further insight on its history.

Cons

• The huge temple can be a hassle to explore. It takes a long time to view each carving, and other aspects of the temple. 

Overall, we would give the Confucius Temple a 3.5/5.

Gold Museum

Located in Jinguashi, it was able to capture our interest, not only because of its history, but also because of the multiple exhibits that showcased it in its former mining glory. Recommended to those who are fairly interested in the many famous landmarks in Taiwan.

Pros:

• We learnt about the rich history behind the Jingguashi itself. The many information provided beside the exhibitions informed us about the little details in the heritage of the location. 

• There were interactive exhibits that were extremely fascinating, such as an exhibit that allowed us to view our weight in gold. Needless to say, those exhibitions were extremely amusing.

• Train tracks ran around the building itself, partially serving as a decoration, and the overall look of the museum was pleasing to the eye.

Cons:

• Most of the exhibits were about gold or mining. Although they were fairly interesting, some exhibits were quite repetitive, and wore off our initial enthusiasm and interest.

Overall, we would give the Gold Museum a rating of 4/5.

Jiufen 

The lack of hygiene in Jiufen is made up for by the wide array of items up for sale. The souvenirs beckon to the tourists, and the food sold are delicious as well as unique to Taiwan, which makes it even more special. Here are our opinions on Jiufen.

Pros:

• Jiufen is yet another old street that is home to many unique souvenir shops and food stalls. What makes it slightly unique is the history that the town has. The numerous shops were fun to explore, and there are many food items unique to Taiwan available for purchase.

Cons:

• Many of the alleys were in a state of disrepair, the stairs were not well-maintained, and it was difficult to locate the toilets and bins. 

Overall, we would give Jiufen a rating of 3.5/5.

All in all, we did not dislike any of places we visited a lot. Although some places might not have appealed to everyone, they had their advantages and learnings points. >.> I'm sure all of us enjoyed the trip, even if we did not particularly enjoy some of the places. XD

And there you have it~

'Tis pretty late now >.>