Taipei City, Taiwan
Our first time staying at Caesar Metro Hotel in Taipei recently, near Longshan Temple and Huaxi Night Market in Wanhua District.
Given we paid £50 / NT$2,110 / $66 USD a night, we weren't expecting much - but Caesar Metro Taipei 台北凱撒大飯店 turned out to be a great find!
We should say that we booked this room quite far in advance for a 12 -14 February stay and that the room rates can vary quite considerably.
We stayed in a 'Superior Room' with a double bed on the 26th floor which had great views of the city and mountains in the distance.
Once the tallest building in Taiwan, this opened originally as a Hilton in the 1970s and became Caesar Metro Taipei in 2017.
For the money we paid and the age of the building, we were expecting a very average stay but this hotel was really good - our room was very clean and quite modern (as were the corridors) so it must have been refurbished recently - although the reception area was a little dated.
Our room had a little lounge area and separate toilet cubicle from the shower / bathroom plus a large storage space for luggage.
The area around the hotel has lots of local foodie spots and night markets plus Longshan temple and the Bopiliao Historical Block are nearby.
The area has a lot going on (especially during our Lunar New Year stay) plus it is located next door to Wanhua Station and close to Longshan Temple MRT station.
The hotel has a popular buffet restaurant on-site plus a pool - sadly we couldn't swim as it was closed for the whole of January and February for annual maintenance (now reopen).
We would definitely stay at Caesar Metro Taipei again especially if we can book it for £50 a night.
We didn't include breakfast as there were so many cafes and restaurants on our doorstep.
Check out Caesar Metro rates and availability on Booking com here https://booking.stay22.com/destinationeverywhereltd/0sEPscxTJG - this is an affiliate link at no extra cost to you which helps support our website costs.
You might also like our Taiwanderers hotels hub with hotel guides for areas like Ximen, Taipei Main Station, Kaohsiung, Alishan and more https://taiwanderers.com/taiwan-hotels/
Hotel: Palais de Chine near Taipei Main Station (The main metro is across the street. You can walk to a night market, the contemp art museum...and a great Din Tai Fung (among other places)
We stayed at Sparkle Hotel which is located across the street from Taipei 101. We had a good experience there..
Waterworld by Taipei station
Solaria Nishitetsu so clean and comfortable.
Brother Hotel is very nice and even has it's own exit from the MRT. Slightly higher on price, but with it IMO.
Eastern beauty hotel near nanjing stn
Hanns house
Please see my guide to the different central neighborhoods and my hotel recommendations for each: https://www.nickkembel.com/where-to-stay-in-taipei/
Please see my guide to the different central neighborhoods and my hotel recommendations for each: https://www.nickkembel.com/where-to-stay-in-taipei/
Check out this gorgeous new boutique hotel in Taipei called Oani!
On Booking: https://booking.tpx.lu/HrFIdugP
On Agoda: https://agoda.tpx.lu/3nXpk81a
It's in a super convenient location right across from the main entrance to Ximending Pedestrian Area and right next to an entrance to Ximen MRT.
They've got private rooms plus dormitory capsules. Facilities include laundry, free draught beer and snacks, luggage storage, and 24 hours desk.
The reviews so far sound amazing. I'll definitely be trying out this one next time!
Swimming with capybaras, Pingtung
Today we did this capybara experience for the 2nd time and interacted with the children of the original capybaras we swam with 2 years ago. They are quite well looked after here - lifespan being 12 years vs 4 years in the wild. They retire the original capybaras from the swim program when their children can take over and they fly in Capybara Vet specialists from Thailand or Japan if their capys have medical problems.
The sessions are at 11am, 1pm, 3pm daily. Probably best to reserve beforehand in summer. We went today, in the middle of winter and the kids said the water was cold but they got used to it. We were the only ones doing the swim experience.
Entrance fee for anyone over 12 = 220NT (slightly less for younger children)
Capybara Swim is extra on top of entrance fee = 800NT
If your child is under 110cm, they need an adult to go in with them. You need to bring your own swimsuits. They have showers in the toilets. You're not really swimming, just going into the water with them. You can get super close and they put their front paws on your knees and munch and drool into the water. Their capacity for food is endless - they just poop it out. They are herbivores and eat all the weeds growing around this place. Perfect animals to have for these small petting zoos.
Paradise of Capybara, Hengchun
https://maps.app.goo.gl/pRYV1D3RDMvH4v3t9
https://www.taiwanobsessed.com/best-breakfast-taipei/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2q8Py5HE6SSeNOID45PpNx8_tU3gNEs1azhal4fgnS51o_YqVA1A-Hvts_aem_sn5-VFEsxnx3B0KsMb6rzw
Loved Kaohsiung, Alishan, Tainan and also Hehuanshan
If you are asking how to divide up 11 nights in Taiwan, I would do 4 nights in Taipei, 2 nights in Tainan, 3 nights in Kaohsiung, and the other 2 nights in either a mountain destination (Taipingshan, Alishan, or Sun Moon Lake) or a hot springs location (also Taipingshan, Guanziling, or Zhiben near Taitung)
Driver and great photographer
••••••••••••• , I usually contact Wilson by WhatsApp and messenger
www.Taiwanderers.com
taking the airport metro from Taoyuan airport to Taipei main station (40mins express or 65 minutes commuter train). Costing NT150 per person per way. Upon reaching Taipei main station, you can make your way by taking the Taipei Metro (downlaod Go! Taipei metro app for your journey planning).
the Park City Hotel Central Taichung hotel. The location was fantastic - a short walk to Taichung TRA station, and multiple bus stops nearby.
Plenty of convenience stores and restaurants in the local area. Plus Miyahara was just a few minutes walk away
Alishan was magical indeed! We took the train to watch the sunrise, just like everybody else. It was crowded, so be careful as you might be low on oxygen. After catching the sunrise, we went back for breakfast using the vouchers from the hotel. Then took a shuttle bus to Zhaoping Station. We started the hiking trails from there, pausing to admire the giant trees. It was so cooling under these trees.
Day trip to Beitou & Yangmingshan & Juifen/ Shefan
4 nights Taipei
1 night Taitung
2 nights Kaohsiung
2 nights Tainan
2 nights Chiayi
1 night Alishan
2 nights Sun Moon Lake
2 nights Taichung
Return to Taipei.
Our Route:
📍 4 days in Taipei
📍 4 days in Little Liuqiu
📍 3 days in Tainan
📍 3 days in Taichung
📍 1 day in Taoyuan
Taipei – A Warm Welcome ❤️
Arriving in Taipei felt a bit like arriving in Bangkok – lively, vibrant, but with a unique atmosphere. One thing that stood out immediately was how much friendlier, more respectful, and open the people were. I felt at home right away.
We stayed at the Roaders Hotel near Ximending, which was a fantastic choice! The lobby had free snacks, drinks, games, a movie corner, and even a playroom – a dream, especially when traveling with kids! We often ordered food via Uber Eats and ate in the lobby. Every evening, our little one quickly made new friends, which meant bedtime was regularly pushed to 10 PM. 😄
The location was perfect for exploring. We mostly walked or took Uber (yes, Uber offers car seats for kids!), but we also tried the Hop-on-Hop-off bus for a sightseeing day. It was a nice idea in theory, but not very practical with a small child – well, at least we tried! At least we made it to the top of Taipei 101 (the food court downstairs is great, by the way!). The rest of our days were spent strolling around, eating, and hanging out at playgrounds – and we loved every minute of it. The people were incredibly kind, which made our time even more special.
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Little Liuqiu – Pure Island Vibes 🏝️
From Taipei, we went to the main train station to buy high-speed rail tickets to Kaohsiung – €100 for the three of us. From there, we took a bus to the pier and then a boat to the island. Our B&B (Hongkong House) arranged the ferry tickets, which was really convenient.
The accommodation was simple but great: a four-bed room with free snacks and drinks. They also arranged scooters for us, which we used to explore the entire island.
Since it was off-season, it was quiet – some places were closed or had strange opening hours. But that only added to the charm. We spent our days relaxing on the beach, enjoying great food, and exploring. The absolute highlight: a glass-bottom boat tour, where we saw countless sea turtles! 🐢
Little Liuqiu is perfect for slowing down and unwinding. No hectic sightseeing – just enjoying the island life.
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Tainan – The Most Relaxed City
We stayed at Taipung Suites, which I can highly recommend. Tainan was our most peaceful stop – no tourist crowds, just walking around, enjoying food, and taking in the atmosphere. The people here were incredibly friendly, probably the nicest we met on our trip!
There weren’t many big attractions, but that didn’t bother us. Our little one had a blast at the indoor playgrounds, and we always found great food. It was a perfect place to just slow down and enjoy.
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Taichung – Surprisingly Diverse
Here, too, we spent a lot of time just walking around and exploring. One day, we took a trip to Sun Moon Lake, a popular tourist spot. Honestly, it wasn’t that impressive for us – just another crowded sightseeing location. But we made up for it by visiting an amusement park, which was a lot of fun! 🎢
We also hired a private driver through our hotel for a day, which made exploring much easier.
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Final Thoughts: Taiwan – We’ll Be Back!
We didn’t plan to go from tourist spot to tourist spot – we wanted to experience the country and its people. And in these 2.5 weeks, that’s exactly what we did.
Taiwan truly surprised and impressed us. The people were warm, open, and incredibly kind. As big Thailand fans, we found Taiwan to be a fantastic alternative. One thing is for sure: we’ll definitely be back! ❤️
Hot spring
2-3, Chu Gao Wu, Da Liao Village, Da Hu Township, Miao Li County, Taiwan