13 tips for traveling in Taiwan this Chinese New Year
TAIPEI, Taiwan - If you're planning a trip to Taiwan to celebrate to celebrate the Chinese New Year, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind if you're first-time traveler. Knowing the local customs will help you arrange your trip more efficiently and help you avoid unpleasant surprises.
To help you with this, we have gathered these 13 tips for a hassle-free travel. Enjoy your trip!
You must know what the Chinese New Year is all about before you arrive.
The Chinese New Year holidays in Taiwan this year will be held from February 9 to February 17.
February 9 is New Year's Eve, which will see throngs of people head back home to join their families for huge reunion feasts. After dinner, elderly family members will hand out red envelopes with money inside to children as a New Year Gift and will wish them luck for the coming year.
It's also very common to see adults give red envelopes to elderly members of the family. This tradition is very common in Taiwan, but it's not only for families; lots of companies and businesses give out red envelopes as promotional campaigns during Chinese New year as well.
From the beginning of the holiday until around February 10, people tend to stay at home to enjoy quality time with their families. On the second day of the holiday – February 11 – many married women will travel back to their original homes to spend time with their own families, so it’s normal to see a lot of people traveling to various points around the country.
Where did all the shopkeepers go?
Because of the family reunion dinners on New Year's Eve, most shops close quite early on February 9 and some even shut down completely for the holidays on this day.
Many businesses start their holiday on February 9 as well, so it pays to know that many shops and stores will be closing early between February 9 and February 11.
Find traditional Chinese snacks for Chinese New Year
People always have a lot of traditional snacks and sweets in the house during Chinese New Year so that they have something to offer visiting friends and family. As expected, there will be lots of shopping going on before the holidays as people search for delicious snacks to stock up on. If you want to take part in this traditional celebration, head to Dihua Street in Taipei City.
Utilize hotel booking services to save your budget
Before you come to Taiwan during the Chinese New Year holiday, try to book a hotel as early as you can. Rooms will be very difficult to find during this time of year. There are more than 1,200 hotels in Taiwan you can book on Agoda.com, so carefully plan the length of your trip and where in Taiwan you want to visit. It is very easy to get around the country by taking trains, buses or high speed rail, so if you can start by planning your trip within the country, it will help you decide where to book your hotels. Philstar and Agoda's Places page provides a lot of promotions, so the earlier you book, the more you’re likely to save!
You can still find hotels at the last minute
Don’t forget to download the Agoda.com app on your mobile device! For travelers who tend to change their schedule a lot or do not have time to prepare an itinerary beforehand, don’t worry – with the Agoda.com app you can easily search for available hotels nearby or simply find ones near the destinations you plan to visit. Booking on mobile devices can often turn up some pretty amazing last minute deals, and Agoda.com’s immediate hotel confirmation will save time and give you valuable peace of mind.
The MRT service helps you get around Taipei with ease
The MRT (Mass Rapid Transportation) is the subway system in Taipei and the most popular way for people to get around. The network covers almost all of the hot tourist spots and shopping/business districts in the city, and runs until 12:30 am. It’s also highly recommended to choose a hotel near to the MRT to ensure easy traveling.
Travel fast by THSR
For travelers seeking to visit a lot of places in Taiwan, the THSR (Taiwan High Speed Rail) is a good choice. It only takes 1.5 hours from Taipei to Kaohsiung, and 45 minutes from Taipei to Taichung. Visitors looking to explore the southern part of Taiwan for some more authentic Taiwanese culture can save a lot of time by taking the THSR. You can also go to the middle part of the island to visit Sun Moon Lake, a mountainous area with beautiful forests.
Where to stay in Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung?
In Taipei, if you are looking for lower price hotels, you can focus on the western part of the city which includes Xiamen, Taipei Railway Station or the Datong area. If you are looking for more urban, fancy or high-end hotels, you can try the eastern part of the city such as Daan or Xinyi, where the famous Taipei 101 skyscraper is located.
As for Taichung, you can try to find hotels close to major markets such as Feng Chia Night Market, where you can enjoy a large selection of Taiwanese snack food and shopping in the same area.
As for Kaohsiung, there is also a subway system called KRT (Kaohsiung Rapid Transit) that makes getting around the city easy. Focusing on hotels close to KRT will save you a lot of time on transportation.
Night markets are a must
If you don’t go to the night market, you won’t really experience the best of local culture and lifestyle. In Taipei, there are a lot of famous night markets for you to choose from, with the most well-known and biggest being Shihlin Night Market. Here, you can find famous local snacks such as oyster omelets, pan-fried stuffed buns, stinky tofu and pearl milk tea. If you are looking for exotic foods and cheap clothes, you should definitely go to Shihda Night Market.
Shopping in the city? Don’t miss these spots
If you are looking for hip street fashion and locally-designed clothes, Ximending is definitely the best choice. The district is very easy to get to and there are many cool, chic hotels scattered around. Tons of shops and restaurants can be found in Ximending as well, so it is a good idea to book a hotel in the neighborhood if you want some fun.
If you like boutique and designer clothes, East District is a good place to go. For shopping malls, Xinyi District is a good choice where you can also visit Taipei 101.
Flying in and out
There are many ways to get to and from the airport. The most common choice is to take a public bus which is cheap and fast, around 45 minutes from the airport to Taipei City. You can also take a meter taxi to/from the airport, which costs around TW$1,000 (US$35). If you are not going to Taipei City, you can take the shuttle bus to THSR and then transfer to another city.
Where to have fun at night?
According to an Agoda.com survey, Taipei was voted the number 9 city for nightlife by customers. The stores close relatively late when compared with other countries – department stores close around 9:30 to 10 pm. In shopping areas such as Ximen, stores close around 11 pm. There are also a lot of night markets which stay open until 3:00 am.
For people looking for clubbing, there are numerous famous clubs in the Xinyi District, and for those looking for bars you can definitely find what you’re looking for in the Shida area where a lot of foreigners go throughout the week. If you are not looking for crowded and noisy places, you can also go to the biggest bookstore chain in the country called “Eslite†which is open 24 hours. When you’re traveling in Taiwan, you will never need to be worried about what to do at night.
Have you tried a hot spring?
There are also many hot spring areas in Taiwan. In Taipei, you can go to Beitou, Wulai or Yangming mountains, but you can also find hot springs in most mountainous areas that provide a great place for travelers to really enjoy quality time away from the city. Be ready though – Taiwanese love to go to the hot springs during the cool winter months, so get ready for some crowds!
