Why we went…
There is a direct flight from LAX to Taipei on Starluxe. We have always wanted to visit Taiwan and it is a great launching point for South East Asia.
How we got there…
Starluxe premium economy was fantastic.
Where we stayed…
We stayed at the Grand Hyatt Taipei which has a fantastic location next to the Taipei 101 building. We had a large suite which was spacious and had great city views. We were also in town for Chinese New Year so it was nice to be in a large hotel with restaurants that were open during the holiday.
What we did…
Longshan Temple – The largest and most iconic temple in Taipei is worth visiting. The kids loved the bright colors, and were fascinated by the offerings left.
Food Tour – We were lucky to be able to sneak this food tour into our schedule before the markets closed for the Chinese New Year. Our fantastic guide took us through the Dogmen wet market located in central Taipei. We stopped at many stalls and tried fresh fruits and local street foods. It was a fantastic overview of Taiwanese food, and a great way to explore a local neighborhood. Everything was fantastic, and we were very full by the end of the tour.
Jiufen – The mountain town of Juifen is a must visit when in Taipei. It is an hour outside of town, and there are several interesting spots to stop along the way. You can easily take a bus, but we arranged for a private car to make a few stops along the way. We stopped at the Golden Falls, a beautiful temple to learn about the Taiwanese religious customs, and a World War II memorial.
Juifen is a beautiful little town with narrow shopping streets lined with lanterns. The kids loved trying the food and looking at all the cute shops. Unfortunately, given the holiday, the tea houses were not open for lunch, but this would have been a wonderful addition to the day if so. We still enjoyed the atmosphere and the beautiful views.
Shifen – We did Shifen and Juifen in the same day. Shifen is home to the Taiwanese sky lanterns. This charming little town has a railway that runs through it. On either side of the tracks are vendors of sky lanterns. We painted our wishes for the new year on our lanterns and released them into the sky. It was a magical day!
