10 Places to Visit If You Only Have 2 Days in Taiwan

Contributed by Iamlexandra

My friends and I took a quick vacation in Taiwan last October. It was our first time there and we didn’t know what to expect. But honestly, I fell in love with the country and I think my friends felt the same way, too. What I really liked about it is the people’s hospitality. They were nice and kind that even if there was a language barrier, they were willing to help us.

Visiting Taiwan can be expensive and used to be a hassle due to its visa requirement for Filipinos. But Filipinos can now enter this amazing country without any visa. This visa-free trial started last November 2017 and will only last for less than a year. So what are you waiting for? Go here now while the visa-policy is still effective!

If you are planning to go here, below are some important notes that might be helpful to you, as well as our actual itinerary and breakdown of expenses.

Also read: 13 Bagay na Pwede Mo Palang Gawin sa Taiwan Para sa Bukod-Tanging Bakasyon

Getting from Taoyuan Airport to Taipei

Bus 1819 will take you to Taipei City via Taipei Main Station. The ride takes around 30 minutes.

Budget accommodation

We stayed at Space Inn Hengyang Branch which is very nice and accessible to restaurants, attractions and the MTR.

Places we went to (outside Taipei)

1. Yehliu Geopark

This is so much like the Kapurpurawan Rock Formation in Ilocos. Since the weather in Taiwan, like in most places, is unpredictable, check the forecast first before coming here. Bring umbrella or raincoat if you don’t want to get wet from the rain, in case you still decide to push through.Bus 1815 from Kuo Kuang Terminal (a one-minute walk from Taipei Main Station) will take you to Yehliu. It took us more than one and a half hours to go here. Also, consider drinking bonamine or just sleep in the bus to avoid dizziness since roads going here are formed in a zigzag. Advise the driver to tell you if you are already in Yehliu. The entrance fee is NT$80 (₱151.20).

2. Shifen

We decided not to fly a sky lantern as this will not be good for our mother Earth. Tickets going here can be bought at Taipei Main Station for NT$49 (₱92.61).

3. Jingan Suspension Bridge

This bridge is just a minute walk from Shifen Station.

4. Jiufen

This is such a nice place to visit. Don’t miss it when you go to Taiwan. #BaguioFeels

Places we went to (within Taipei)

For these spots, we used the MTR Day Pass. One day pass costs NT$150 (₱283.50).

5. Taipei 101

It’s free to go inside the Taipei 101 Mall but going up to the observatory is a different story. The entrance fee is around ₱800. If it is rainy/gloomy, I suggest that you skip going to the observatory as it will not be worth it. There’s also a Din Tai Fung here, which is a must-try.

6. Raohe Night Market

Going to Taiwan for food and shopping? Raohe Night Market is the perfect place for you. Stinky tofu is everywhere, so wear a face mask if you don’t like the stinky smell.

7. Shilin Night Market

If you are a food lover then this place is for you. It’s perfect for food crawling!

8. Peace Memorial Park

9. Xiangyang Road

We accidentally found this #RomeFeels alley near Taipei Station. The streets are beautiful and Instgrammable. For millennials, you know what I mean.

10. Ximending Youth Shopping District

Obviously, this is shopping heaven for someone who is a shopaholic. Some of the shops you can find here are Forever 21, H&M and Uniqlo.

Getting from Taipei to Taoyuan Airport

Going back to Taoyuan Airport is easy. Just go to Kuo Kuang Bus Terminal and purchase the bus ticket. Again, Bus 1819 will take you there in about 30 minutes. The fare is NT$125 (₱236.25).

As promised, here’s our itinerary as well as a breakdown of expenses for this trip. Airfare is not included as this varies.

Accommodation: ₱1,103.75
Food: ₱1,100
Transportation (excluding airfare): ₱1,303
Yehliu entrance fee: ₱151.20
Total: ₱3,957.95

Most of the photos were taken by my little bro @igonzalesneil.

Also read: Our Barkada Travelled 3 Days in Taiwan & Spent Only ₱10,800 Each