We might need to delay our return to our home in central Taipei by one day. So I’m just trying to consider if there are any cool places to check out for one day that are convenient for a traveler landing at TPE and eventually making their way to central Taipei.
I’m thinking Bali/Danshui might be the best option? It’s relatively easy to get to from the airport and then an easy MRT ride into central Taipei the next day. Only negative is that we’ve been to Danshui a number of times (never Bali though)
If you are open to going south a bit (but need a car), there’s Dongyanshan or Wufeng. There’s many recreational farms to stay at. The weather is cool since it’s high elevation and those farms provides activities for the family.
Bali is OK but boring. I’ve been staying in Bali for many weeks so can tell you a bit about this area. It is completely empty on weekdays and most shops are closed. But I like less crowded places so it works for me. You could ride the easy bike across Guandu bridge, or take the ferry from Bali to Tamsui.
Tamsui - Maybe the fisherman’s wharf? There’s some hotels there
Thanks. Dongyanshan might work, I just need a one-way rental. Wufeng doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense since you’d travel through central Taipei to get there? In any case we visit Jiaoxi often.
Are you staying at the Four Points hotel? I don’t see anything else in Bali.
Bali ok if just want to chill. The walking/bike path is there and they have electric bikes with four wheels if wanted and can take the ferry over the Danshui easily back and forth
Taoyuan HSR station if like shopping and there’s a movie theater and aquarium and a couple activities like that but few hotel
It’s a new hotel that opened a year ago. It doesn’t have a lounge but gym is nice and new. Hotel is mostly empty on weekdays. Good elite status recognition. Has in room hot spring. The breakfast is a bit expensive if paying out of pocket, but included based on status. Their lunch and dinner buffets are quite pricey so I never went, and reviews seem to say it’s not worth the price. There is a dim sum restaurant that was running an all you can eat dim sum promo a while ago that was quite cheap.
I think some companies use it for company meetings and retreats. I saw Omega and Chanel employees and some of them flew in from outside Taiwan.
I would probably avoid the hotel on weekends though because it is super packed, as is rest of Bali and Tamsui since the Taipei people seem to go there for a quick weekend vacation.
There are quite a few gay couples during weekdays in Bali. I think it’s their secret spot. I quite like the environment and people watching while sitting in a cafe here.
I used to live around the corner from there… So I’m a bit surprised to read something positive about that area sure it’s very local. But I didn’t see anything around there worth visiting.
“Worth visiting” is relative. It all depends on one’s interest. There are temples, markets, food stalls that are not geared to tourists and for an outsider this can be interesting. At least for me that is. When I travel, that is what I look for. I couldn’t care less about Taipei 101, some bullshit hotel, or just about any place all Taiwanese go to visit because those places tend to be very uninteresting and the experiences I’ve had at those places have always been miserable.
sure it’s very local. But I didn’t see anything around there worth visiting.