A trip to Taipei

CEBU, Philippines - Going to Taiwan is easier now that the Taiwan government has eased its visa rules for Philippine passport holders. Filipino travellers may apply for either an e-visa or the visa-free Taiwan Travel Authorization Certificate, which both can be obtained online and allow multiple entries to Taiwan with 30-day allowable stay and validity up to three months.

Air Asia recently had its inaugural Cebu-to-Taipei flight, all the more making it convenient and enticing for Cebuanos to travel to the Land of Milk and Bubble Tea. At the crack of dawn on November 25, Air Asia’s 180-seater Airbus A320-200 jetted off from the newly renovated Mactan-Cebu International Airport. The three-hour flight started a bit bumpy, due probably to Typhoon Marce that was looming over Cebu at the time.

The rest of the way was smooth. And, to the passengers delight, touchdown at the Taoyuan International Airport, in Taipei, was 25 minutes ahead of schedule. It was a good sign of what’s to come for our small group that was all excited to explore this country for the weekend.

The time of our visit was ideal, since November is the time of the year in Taiwan with cool breeze and light rain. The weather makes for good sightseeing and exploring around the city.

From the airport we were whisked straight to the Presidential Office building – a famous historical landmark and one of the best-known masterpieces of Japanese rule in Taipei which was restored back to its original Renaissance Baroque design after it was severely damaged in World War II. The building had public and restricted sections, and only visitors with prior arrangements may tour inside the designated public area. 

A few blocks from the Presidential Palace was the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, a national monument erected in memory of Taiwan’s founder who ruled the country for almost 50 years. A must-see attraction inside this monument would be the Changing of the Guards ceremony that occurs every hour at the main chamber of the memorial hall in front of the massive bronze statue of the founder. I pored through the memorabilia display inside and, admittedly, was especially interested to know more about the political life of Chang Kai-shek’s fourth and arguably his most famous wife Soong Mei-Ling, one of the three influential Soong Sisters.

Shopaholics will find the Ximending Commercial District a good destination. It is similar to Shibuya in Japan with its distinct pedestrian lanes, crisscrossing locals, and hosts of clothing and electronic gadget shops. A methane-like smell of stinky tofu from mobile food carts that dot every street corner pervades the place. The Taiwanese prefer their tofu deep-fried or barbecued, and the cooking emits the smell. Tofu is often paired with pickled vegetable to give it some taste.

On our second day, the group headed to the north-eastern part of Taiwan, an hour’s drive from Taipei City. Along the scenic coastal route, one could see the Pacific Ocean on one side and the mountains on the other. Just before arriving at Jiufen Village, our destination, we stopped briefly by the roadside to take photos of the amazing Nanya Natural Rock Formations.

All along during the drive, I was connected to the internet using my mobile wi-fi router Flytpack, so convenient since it spared me from having to buy a local SIM card in Taiwan. It is user-friendly and is really handy for travellers, especially those – like me – who need to keep track of things back home even when away.

The long, narrow and winding road and steep incline to the former mining district of Jiufen Village, accessible by both public transportation and private cars, is reminiscent of the Transcentral Highway in Cebu. The place is now a haven for bargain shopping for ‘pasalubongs’, and where one may get a distinct Japanese feel because of its iconic teahouse. Food stalls selling tasty desserts also abound. One dessert to try is crepe made of salty lumpia wrapper, taro ice cream, crushed peanuts and coriander leaves.

After lunch, we started heading back to the city. The return trip gave us a view of the Golden Waterfalls from the roadside.

A visit at the highest and environmentally-conscious building in Taipei, dubbed Taipei 101 after its 101 floors, capped our Taiwan trip. The open observatory was closed during our visit due to windy weather conditions. Thus, we had to settle with viewing the city from the glass-encased observation deck that gave a 360-degree view.

This Greenest Skyscraper in the World features a unique exposed wind damper that tourists can view from the 87th floor. This iconic feature of the building keeps Taipei 101 safe and secure from typhoon winds and earthquakes.

AirAsia now flies direct from Cebu to Taipei three times weekly. One may book a flight online or call a local agent for a guided tour of Taiwan.  (FREEMAN)