Continue from: https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/421884

Interesting Itineraries, blogs & photos sharing

Taipei & surroundings (By JYS)- http://jy-s.com/category/travel/taiwan/
Taipei/ Kaushiung/ bullet train (By Jasz_24) - http://www.mytripbloggies.com/taiwan.htm
Taipei/Hualien/Chin sui bay/Taroko Gorge (by stimix): https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=30641516
Taipei..Emphasize on Jiufen/Yilan (By kampungboycitygal): http://kampungboycitygal.com/2009/07/execu...i-yilan-taiwan/
By Zstan: https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=53036884


Hotel recommendations:

Current Popular 3* Hotels: Best to call them directly for booking. All Taiwan 3* Hotels have a 30~40% discount, so ask for it if the discount is not already mentioned on their website.
Won Star Hotel : http://www.wonstar.com.tw
Ta Shun: http://www.tshotel.com.tw
Go City Inn: http://www.gocityinn.com
Neijiang : http://www.neijiang-hotel.com.tw/
(Lowest price Quad room )
See You Hotel: http://www.taipeionestarhotel.com.tw
明日大飯店 [台北] - NT$980 [very very good location, but rate will differ on weekend, first nite $1180 but they give $200 disc voucher which can be used for ur following day stay]
高山青[阿里山] - RM260.87 [april quite peak season, best i can find]
Laurel Villa[日月潭] - NT$1800 [cheapest hotel i can find on the lake - other places with cheap rate need around 30mins bus ride to reach sun moon lake]
五號小築 [花蓮] - NT$999 [nice ming su - but the driver charge is very expensive]

Others:
http://www.agoda.com/asia/taiwan/taipei.html
http://www.asiarooms.com/taiwan/taipei.html
http://www.hotelclub.com/SearchResults.asp?id=5645

Hostel Recommendations

http://www.taipeihostel.com/ - Basic, clean & the cheapest - RM60/nite for 2. But expect to share toilet (Clean). Best - Free WIFI & also chatting & making friends from all over the world

Boon's recommendation: http://www.taiwanmex.com/

Others: http://www.hostelworld.com/findabed.php?Se...y67emDKPJCqqd61
http://www.couchsurfing.org/

Taipei Hotels Review:
https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=33107851

Shoppings, Food & Nightlife recommendations

The Best place for Electronics is Guanghua http://www.freewebs.com/crazyazn/guanghuae...ronicmarket.htm

Nightlife: http://www.taiwannights.com/

Halal Food: http://www.taipeimosque.org.tw/mosque/pages/halalfood.html

Shihlin Nite Market: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shilin_Night_Market

Ximending: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ximending


Transport

MRT Line

For more info: http://english.trtc.com.tw/ct.asp?xItem=10...27496&mp=122032

Taiwan High speed train (only west coast to Kaoshiung):
http://www.thsrc.com.tw/en/

Taiwan Rail Authority (Inc of Tilted's Taroko Express to Hualien)
http://www.railway.gov.tw/en/ticket/ticket-1.aspx

MUST Visit attractions in Taiwan:

-Taroko Gorge (Day trip sufficient)
- Yehliu Geopark
- Dansui old street
- Taipei 101
- Chiang kai Shek Memorial
- Jiufen
- Alisan
- Sun Moon Lake
- Hehuan Shan & Chinjing farm
- Beitou Hot spring (Taipei)
- Yang Ming shan ( Volcano & hiking)
- Wulai Hot spring
- Taipei Zoo

Nice Info about Taiwan:

http://www.taiwanese-secrets.com/facts-about-taiwan.html

Discounted Youth travel Card: http://youthtravel.tw/youthtrekker/

Easy Card for MRT, Buses & train: http://www.easycard.com.tw/english/index.asp

Currency Exchange /Money changing

At the time of this write-up (Dec'09), The Taiwan Dollar is not trading at a good rate in Malaysia & RM is also not well traded in Taiwan.
Thus, To get better rate, it is advisable that you change to US$ first in Malaysia..check the rate here: http://www.moneymaster.com.my/cc.php

However, on certain occasion, US$ might not be well traded as well in Taiwan & pls do & comparion 1st before deciding to convert 1st or otherwise

Thereafter, once u reach Taipei Airport, just changte the US$ to Taiwan $ at any currency exchangers in the airport (All the same rate + NT$30 commission). Check the rate here:
http://rate.bot.com.tw/Pages/Static/UIP003.en-US.htm

Old US currency



Taiwan Electric socket type:


Taipei Weather:



More free guides & brochures about Taiwan:

Taiwan Visitors Association, Kuala Lumpur Office
Address： WISMA GOLDHILL Suite 25-01, Level 25, Wisma Goldhill, 67 Jalan Raja Chulan, 50200 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
Tel： +60-3-2070-6789
FaTx： +60-3-2072-3559
E-mail： tva@streamyx.com

This post has been edited by stimix: Aug 28 2012, 08:08 PM

Pls give me the link to replace the outdated one

Hmnn the shabu-shabu very familiar...Don't tell the same one I went near Shihlin MRT station?

OK Tnx. I probably use other than imageshack bcos of their pathetic rules of requiring login & those using IE cab't really view it

Single person room meaning you pay for the whole room that fit 2-lah. I don't think anywahere in the world ppl qouting 1 room for 1 person. except you stay on hostel style like 8-20 sharing double decker beds.

For me taiwan food is over-rated lor..Even Ah Chun mee sua , the long que fried chicken, Ocien all so-so nia

If you're in group of 2 or 3, booking via hostelworld sometime more expensive than booking a room via other booking website such as agoda & etc

haha working & Holiday kenot mix wan. When working, you can only Holiday at nite..no shiok wan.

Shiok bcos of short-short minis no wonder I can't really see those Pinang girl during winter..all covered up liao

taipei region no sexy pinang girls. All banned for years. I was joking earlier. Only in taoyuan area u can see. Btw i spent only rm2000 for 4 pax inc of hostel stay for 5days

Should be OK. but pls activate your atm for oversea withdrawal 1st. Otherwise you will be crying. Also bring xtra US$ incase of emmergency

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Added on June 19, 2011, 7:16 amShould be OK. but pls activate your atm for oversea withdrawal 1st. Otherwise you will be crying. Also bring xtra US$ incase of emmergency

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Added on June 19, 2011, 7:18 amIf you're on budget, not buying lotsa souvenirs, staying in a RM60/nite room and only spent on food (which is almost similar to KL pricing) & transport, for sure can. Total per pax only RM500. haha
This post has been edited by stimix: Jun 19 2011, 07:18 AM

Depending on Bank, If Maybank, just t=goto any Maybank ATM and activate it..There is an option on other services and thereafter to foreign witdrawal or something like dat & thereafter they will ask you to permanently activate it or temporary wth expiry date.. just follow the screen options

Should be the same kua..just goto CIMB & try out

Unless you really heavy user on voice services, I think it will be a waste. Instead of buying those card, easier to use Skype to call back. Much cheaper and I still having more than US$6 credit even after 3 yrs. haha..You can use the credit everywhere in the world rather than buying diff card in diff countries

Yes it's is not dropping but actually already increased from last year & only dropped marginally since last week..I think late last year it was ~ 10.4

No. Standard of living almost similar to KL.

Hostel you can even get RM30/nite and hawker food start from RM4/plate/bowl but avg RM5

Not really.. Jan -Fen colder. I went during Mid Dec 2009 temp ~ 15-22C and even on the day I arrived temp touching 25C

During Jan-Feb, temp can be as cold as 5C at nite till 12 C during day timeThis post has been edited by stimix: Jun 27 2011, 09:15 AM

Use Skype-lah. I dunno why ppl like to buy foreign SIM card but I feel it's a waste. unless you realy wanna call each other very often. Imagine you buy RM50 worth of SIM there..but ended up only use RM2..such a waste.

By using Skype wth US$10 initial top-up, your balance will remain like no ending..Mine still having US$6 from the 1st time since I bought in 2007. To contact each other in oversea, follow some Singaporean style. Buy walkie Talkie haha

Taiwan rail only can use up to Keelung only. Kenot use for train to hualian. Bus.Should be OK kua..I think I swipe b4..haha can't remember liao

If kenot speak mandarin, Hokkien is the nxt option bcos almost all ppl in Taipei can speak hokkien. Otheriwse i think Hakka should be OK too bcos their MRT also got hakka announcement wan although I haven't see ppl speak hakka there