Getting There
We took the complimentary Chaiyi BRT to the Chaiyi HSR (High Speed Railway) station. From there, it was a short ride to Taipei.
General Impressions
You can read more about my general impression of Taiwan in this article.
Eating
There are many things to eat in Taipei. I can easily dedicate an entire website just for that. Instead of doing that, I would just highlight a few restaurants less frequented by tourists but are still excellent in their own rights. Hope you can try them out when you are in Taipei.
Guān Chén Shí Guǎn (冠宸食館)
Guān Chén Shí Guǎn (冠宸食館) is located up in the Yangming mountain and is famous for its chicken and stir fry vegetables.
Top One Pot Jilin Restaurant
Top One Pot Jilin Restaurant is a famous hotpot eatery. The food is fresh and amazing. If you dare to eat duck blood, you can also order a duck blood soup base and get free refill. We had duck blood in Chongqing and we fell in love with it and this restaurant let us re-experience it.
A Měi Fàn Diàn (阿美飯店)
A Měi Fàn Diàn (阿美飯店) (Official website in Chinese) offers traditional Taiwanese food for a very reasonable price.
Hai Longzhu Seafood Restaurant (海龍珠海鮮餐廳)
Hai Longzhu Seafood Restaurant (海龍珠海鮮餐廳) is an amazing seafood restaurant to try if you are around the area.
The Grand Hotel
Finally, don't forget the Grand Hotel. It restaurant offers excellent buffet that is suitable for the entire family for a very reasonable price. The place was full of history and had served multiple high officials from different countries. There is a free shuttle service from Yuanshan MTR Station. You can check its schedule on its webiste.
Staying
We stayed at Taipei Triple Tiger Inn in Taipei. It was a simple hotel at an excellent location. Being the largest city in Taiwan, Taipei's cost of accomodation is also the most expensive. Airbnb is illegal in Taiwan and therefore your choices are limited.
Our stay was also not without issue. The bathroom sink was leaking for a few days and was finally fixed on the last day. The owner had been very friendly and apologized the whole time. We, however, had a less than ideal experience.