I am desperate to get away from Taipei without necessarily leaving Taiwan. Does anyone know a beautiful (quiet at least) place where I can rent a house or apartment on a weekly or monthly basis? It doesn’t need to be too fancy but not a bursting at the seems weekend hotel style thing. Just somewhere where I can cook for myself if I wish and see something green.
Sure. Try the Qingquan area in Hsinchu Co. It takes a couple hours to get there on Friday evening but you could be back in town in time for work if you left very early on Monday AM. Please note that I said the area, not the town, which has been hit pretty hard by typhoon-induced flooding.
Lots of people rent weekend places on the North Coast or out at Fulong/Dasi if the ocean is your thing. Or get off randomly at the towns on the Pingsi train line heading ot to Fulong. Or go to Pinglin south of the city. Or try Wulai.