Taipei, Taiwan

Here I am in Taipei, Taiwan, in front of the famous Taipei 101 or otherwise called, The Taipei International Financial Center.  Taipei 101 is not the king of the sky anymore.  That is it was ranked officially as the world's tallest until the opening of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai in 2010.

You should plan at least half a day to visit the Taipei 101 building, so you get enough time to shop in the 101 mall, eat some of the food at the food courts and restaurants, and climb up to the observatory to enjoy spectacular views over the capital.  The Taipei 101 tower is home to two observation decks on its 89th and 91th floors. The views from the top are breathtaking !

The Taipei 101 mall is a true shoppers’ paradise!  There you will find some of the top brand names in the world, a Starbucks, lots of food options, with really decent food.  I really enjoyed the food in Taipei, it was very fresh, tasty and interesting.  Getting to the 101 is easy. Take the MRT (Taipei Metro) all the way to Sun Yat Sen Memorial Station, or City Hall Station in Xinyi District, from there, it’s a short 10-minute walk to the building.

I love Taipei, it was safe, friendly, and so easy to get around.  Even if you are partially brain dead you can figure it out.  The metro is super-easy friendly to use.  I did not even have to ask questions or think about it, well, not really :P so I had no worries about getting lost in the city.  Taipei is extremely hot and humid.  Once I walked outside my hotel, within 2 minutes I was sweating like a pig.  Don't let this fret you, Taipei is a beautiful place to visit, you don't want to miss out.  Just pack some light clothes. 

Another good thing to see in Taipei is the famous National Palace Museum.  Even if you are not into museums or history, you can’t really visit Taipei and not go to the National Palace Museum. Renowned as one of the best museums in the world.  The pre-eminent museum contains a vast collection of ancient art and relics that span over 8,000 years of history in China. From the Neolithic Age to the Qing Dynasty, the collection is comprehensive.

Another stop is The Taipei Zoo. I love animals so I had to visit the Zoo.  If you visit Taipei with kids, you don’t want to miss this attraction. I am a kid at heart so I fitted right in.  It is located right next to an MRT station, has two giant pandas, and tons of other cool animals and sights !