10 things about fun Taiwan!

By Annalyn S. Jusay

November 13, 2010, 5:40pm

A busy intersection in Taipei

 I can’t believe our plane trip to Taipei was almost the same as going to Davao City! We had barely finished our fabulous airline meal when the Eva Air pilot announced that we were approaching Taipei Tao Yuan International Airport. It was only one hour thirty minutes on the clock!

I was quite excited. Taiwan has been on my bucket list for some time and with a little will power, I was finally going there on a food trip slash sightseeing vacation. Considering its proximity to our beautiful Batanes islands in the north, Taiwan is considered our friendly neighbor. But I can very well understand if it’s not as popular a tourist destination as nearby Hong Kong. Taiwan requires a visa and completing the visa requirements can put off anybody who wants the easy way in. But I’d advise you to have patience. With its sights, shopping, and culinary surprises, a memorable journey to Taiwan awaits.

Filipino-owned airlines fly to Taipei, but we were quite happy trying out the services of the Taiwanese carrier Eva Air this time. I was most impressed with their spacious Boeing 747 planes and their unique deluxe economy section which had almost the same perks as a business class, minus the expensive price. A round-trip ticket to Taipei can be had for as low as $160 via seasoned operators like Jeron Travel. Rather than doing it on your own, it pays to have a travel agency you can trust, especially with visa questions and suggesting to your itinerary.

Having said so, here are 10 things about my recent trip to Fun Taiwan. Consider putting these on your calendar when you visit:

1. Taipei 101 - this iconic landmark is the symbol of Taipei’s architectural greatness. Until 2004, it was the tallest building in the world. Now, I profess to a fear of heights but with Taipei 101, my fear seems to have dissolved. That’s because their elevators were really high-speed. We climbed 89 floors in 89 seconds, or one second per floor! Amazing, isn’t it? Even though the building had 101 floors, we were only able to climb up to 89 floors and climbed two more floors to reach the outdoor observatory on the 91st. From my vantage point, it felt great to have a sweeping view of Taipei at night including the ground below. At once, I felt like I was in my own powerful place in the world, even though I was just one among hundreds of visitors that night. There are actually many things to do while you’re in that top spot on Taipei 101... sit down to have coffee, star gaze, use the telescope, buy souvenirs or view an historical exhibit.

2. Din Tai Fung — It’s sad that there’s no DTF yet in Manila,