Day Trip: Houtong and Jiufen

Cats, tunnels, trains, cute shops and ginger tea are just some of the amazing things to experience on this day trip from Taipei. It is, also, very cheap. The train tickets cost next to nothing and visiting Houtong is absolutely free. The main thing you’ll need money for is shopping at Jiufen.

It’s all right to get a later start to the day, but try to be at Taipei Main Station by eleven in the morning. Also, do not attempt this trip on a weekend. Everything, including the train, will be far too crowded. This trip is best done on a lazy week day. At Taipei Main Station simply get in line for a regular rail ticket to Houtong. The trains run often and will not be crowded on a weekday so there’s no need to book tickets in advance. Try to get window seats if you can. Once the train gets into the mountains, it's a beautiful ride.

Very shortly, you’ll arrive at Houtong station. It doesn’t look like much, but don’t let that fool you. You should be able to see pictures of cats on the buildings below. Hop off the train and kill about an hour in the little town. Houtong is an old mining town that was abandoned when the industry went under. In order to attract a new tourist market and do the world some good, the town has become a safe haven for stray cats. Caregivers feed, fix and keep the local cats in general good health. Essentially, it’s a great place for some kitty cuddles.

After exploring Houtong, head back to the station and purchase a ticket to Ruifang station. It’s a very short trip away, one or two stops. Disembark here and take a few minutes of personal time. Ruifang is a sizable town. Take advantage of that to freshen up and grab something to eat. Once your refreshed, grab a taxi up to Jiufen. There’s a taxi cue right outside the train station with recommended prices listed so you know you are not getting over charged.

Like the train ride, the ride up to Jiufen is beautiful. You’ll see fantastic views of the Taiwanese northern coast as well as some mountain temples. It’s a relatively short ride up to Jiufen and the taxi driver will drop you off at the bottom of the town next to a giant, stunning and colorful temple. From here, just walk up.

Jiufen means nine families. In it’s early days, Jiufen was a gold mining town made up of nine original households. Now, it’s a tourist hot spot and for good reason. It’s adorable. Built into the mountain, the shops and storefronts meander up and down in a very picturesque setting. The town is one of the few remaining examples of Japanese architecture that wasn’t destroyed and then rebuilt by Chiang Kai-shek. Personally, I think it feels like the movie Spirited Away. Supposedly, Jiufen provided the idea behind the setting for the movie and you’ll understand why when you see all the shops, tunnels, lanterns and food.

As you walk up and down the paths be sure to try the local food. There’s beef noodle soup, stinky tofu, steam buns, pork kebabs, ice cream rolls and much more. The best beef noodle place is right at the entrance to the old street. It’s very cheap and full of healing Chinese medicine. Jiufen is, also, a great place buy plum wine and ginger tea. Be sure to try some samples as you pass by. If you decide that you like it, pretend that you don’t and haggle a little bit with price. I’m sure they’ll give you a special discount. Like other touristy places, Jiufen is an excellent place to find cute postcards, luggage tags and other trinkets that you may want to send home to family members or keep for yourself.

Keep walking up the main path, at the top of the hill there’s an excellent view of the coast and a tea house that’s worth trying. The tea house has an outside balcony with an incredible view of the lanterns. There are even a few tunnels along the path to the top. Check them out and explore. They’re neat and often lead to some unexpected surprise, such as a tea house or view of the coast line.

After two or so hours of exploring, your feet will be ready to head back to Taipei. There are two main ways back to Taipei from Jiufen: bus and taxi. I personally recommend the taxi. A good driver will stop to let you take pictures on the way down and give you the ride of your life on the mountain roads. They may even stop and get you something to eat in Ruifang. Also, split between five or six people, it doesn’t cost that much. To line up for either the taxi or the bus, walk back to the bottom of the hill. The line is one street above the temple where were you first dropped off. Don’t worry, it’s easy to find.

In fact, if you just want to visit Jiufen, skip the train completely and just take bus 1062 from Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT station at exit one. There’s no need to buy a ticket. You can use your EZ pass to hop on and off whenever you like. The ride is much shorter and more comfortable than the train. It might cost a bit more up front, but you’ll actually save some money since you won’t need to get a taxi from the station. The bus will take you straight to Jiufen.

If you decide to just do a day trip to Jiufen, spice it up by hiking the short path beside the town. The entrance to the path is at the bottom of the hill, a short walk up from the entrance to Jiufen Old Street. There are two ways up the path. The first goes straight up as a serious of never-ending steps. The second is a bit longer as it winds around the hill on its way to the top. Take that one. It’ll save you time since you won’t have to stop and catch you breadth as often. The view from the top is amazing. It’s about an hour up the hill. Time things appropriately and see if you can catch the sunset.

Getting Around

If you're looking to fit in as many attractions as possible in one day, Jiufen is an excellent place to start. It's a great jump off point for other destinations, such as The Golden Waterfall, Longdong Bay, Shifen, and Yehliu. To hit all of these in one day, you'll either need to do some taxing or join up with a tour: https://www.rtaiwanr.com/jiufen/jiufen-custom-shared-tour

Round Taiwan Round, a Lonely Planet partner, offers regular customizable day trips to the area, letting travelers visit up to six destinations in one day. It's definitely an affordable touring option for internationals looking to make the most of their time in Taiwan. When you book a tour, enter: KiddAsia for a five percent discount. #Tripool #WeRoamLikeThis #RoundTaiwanRound

Day Trip: Danshui and XinBeitou

Hot Sulfur baths, river walks, a beautiful sunset, history and excellent shopping, these are the highlights of this day trip. The best part is that it’s all super convenient to access. No train tickets needed and it’s all on one MRT line (the red line). You will have to transfer from the red line to the XinBeitou line, but it’s really easy and fast.

Start your morning at XinBeitou, try to make it there by ten or eleven. Take the red line to Beitou station. There, transfer to the XinBeitou line and take it to XinBeitou station. At the exit walk up the hill. It’s a very short walk. Soon, you’ll find yourself at the Geothermal hot springs area. You’ll know you’re close when you start to smell rotten eggs. This is a really cool experience for anyone who has never lived near an active volcano before. Watching the steam rise up off the water, I understood why Dragons are so popular in Asian mythology.

After taking a couple pictures and admiring the steam, walk back down the hill. You’ll see that bathhouses and spas line the street. Try one! A hot sulfur bath is amazing for your muscles and is supposed to help clear away toxins. After half an hour in the bath, your muscles will fill like the inside of a steamed dumpling. Most of the baths have both a communal and private option.

If you enter a communal bath and are surrounded by naked people, don’t panic and play it cool. This is completely normal in Taiwan. (It appears the culture here has fewer taboos when it comes to nudity.) However, with an increase in tourism, many bath houses are now politely asking visitors to bring a bathing suit. I, personally, enjoy being naked when in hot water and prefer the private baths.

The private baths usually require an appointment and there are baths to accommodate up to ten people (if you’re into that sort of thing). I can personally recommend Beitou Hot Springs Resort. It is one of the few establishments that does private baths on a first come, first serve basis. On a weekday, there’s usually little to no wait for a private bath. Also, it’s very affordable. Around $1,500 NT ($50 USD) will buy you an hour in the baths as well as a free desert. The bath house will provide towels, shampoo, conditioner, etc. Just remember to bring deodorant. Also, each private bath comes with two different pools: a hot one with natural sulfur spring water and a cold bath for cooling off. There’s also a shower in the room for getting the sulfur off when you’re finished.

After soaking for an hour, you’ll be ready for some food. Most of the spas have a cafe or bakery on the premises. I recommend grabbing a quick lunch there before heading back to the MRT. After lunch, make your way back to Beitou Station and continue on to Danshui . Once you get to Danshui station, exit the MRT and walk down toward the water. Danshui has two main streets. One borders the water and the other is right next to it. You’ll see the entrances to both, but I recommend walking along the water first. One great thing about Danshui is that even when it’s crowded, you still have room to spread out. (It’s not at all like the suffocating streets of Jiufen on a weekend night.)

While you’re walking down the strip, get yourself a two feet tall ice cream cone and a cold sweet milk tea. There’s an assortment of excellent food and drink to choose from. Don’t forget to check out the shops as well. Some of the best souvenirs are at this market. You’ll be able to find bamboo steamers, chopsticks, luggage tags, etc.

Walk all the way until you get to Starbucks. There, stop for coffee obviously. Then head up from the water toward the street and check out the art gallery. It’s a cute little place with some neat pieces. It also has excellent bathrooms. After browsing for a few minutes, leave and continue down the street to Fort San Domingo. Just keep in the same direction as you have been. Keep your eye out while walking toward the fort and check out the local shops. Danshui has a really cool artsy and geeky vibe.

After a few minutes, you’ll be at the entrance to the fort, which is at a stop light. Also, entering and exploring the fort is free! It’s definitely worth a visit. To reach the fort, walk up the hill from the stoplight. Approaching the structure, you’ll see the flags of every country that’s ever owned Taiwan. Some countries of note are America, Japan and China. Originally, it was a Dutch fort. Walk around, explore, check out the buildings and canons. There’s even a cool old school complete with an elegant courtyard for you to walk around in right next to the fort.

Exploring the fort shouldn’t take that long and you’ll be ready for dinner by the time you’re finished. Danshui has several waterfront restaurants with outside seating. I recommend eating at one of these. To access them, simply make your way back to the Starbucks and continue walking along the water. After dinner, make your way  back to the MRT station, but this time walk along the street instead of down by the water. Again, be sure to try the street food and check out the local stores. Danshui really is one of the best places to visit in Taipei. It’s also one of the best places to catch a beautiful sunset. Try to be near the water when it starts going down.

Taiwanese Tea Ceremony

Making and drinking Taiwanese Tea is considered an art form. There are proper ways to hold the teapot, tea cups, etc. There is, also, a proper order in which to pour the tea. (The tea master’s cup is always the last to be filled.) Oh, almost forgot, there is even a proper way to present the dry tea leaves before actually steeping them. This way guests can smell and inspect the leaves (in case there are bugs). Most of this is just for show, but it is an interesting thing to learn how to do and will give you some insight into how seriously the Taiwanese take their tea preparation.

Setting Up

To have a proper traditional tea set, you need more than just a teapot and teacups. You, also, need a tea scoop or hollowed out piece of bamboo. This instrument is used when handling the dry tea leaves. It is used to remove the tea leaves from the bag and measure the appropriate amount of dry leaves needed. Then, the tea master will present the tea leaves to his or her guests before using the scoop to pour the leaves into the teapot. Along with a scoop, you will also need a tea spoon (also known as a nose picker), a pot for dumping used leaves, a pot to hold the teapot (this catches any spillage that accidentally leaks out), and a small ceramic pitcher, which is used to distribute the tea into the cups.

Pouring

The first step to drinking the tea is to warm the teapot and tea cups. For this, the tea master will simply pour hot water into the teapot. From there, he or she will pour it into the pitcher, and from there, into the cups. After pouring into the cups, the tea master will simply dump the water from the cups into the pot designated for such things. This is the basic pouring order cycle the tea master will use throughout the experience. Remember to be patient. The mark of a good tea master is to do everything very slowly.

After warming the tea pot and cups, it is time to retrieve, present and place the tea leaves into the pot. Once the tea leaves have been added, the tea master will allow the leaves to breath, stretch and wake up. This is done by covering them with warm water (not enough to fill the pot, just enough to cover the leaves) and letting them set for maybe five seconds before dumping the water. Yes, before dumping the water, it must go through the entire pouring cycle.

Finally, it’s time to steep the tea. With the freshly relaxed leaves still inside, fill the tea pot with water and let it sit for 30 seconds. (That’s right, all you English people used to just letting your tea bags set for half the day: 30 seconds.) After 30 seconds, pour the tea and your guests can finally drink it this time. In your haste, do not dump the tea leaves after the first pour. The same leaves can be used for four consecutive pours. The trick is to lengthen the amount of time the leaves steep by 10 seconds. On the first pour, let them steep for 30 seconds, then 40, 50 and finally 60 seconds. After the fourth pour, the leaves are ready to be dumped. Use the crooked end of the “nose picker” to dump the leaves into designated waste pot. Before doing this, however, you should use the pointy end to un-stick any leaves that may have gotten caught in the spout of the tea pot.

Congratulations, you’ve just completed your first tradition tea tasting, but you’re not finished yet. It’s not uncommon to try four of five different teas in one sitting. To speed things along, you can skip the fourth pour and just do three for each different type of tea. After dumping the leaves from the first batch, you will need to rinse the equipment (teacups, etc.). This is very easy. Just run hot water through the pouring cycle before getting started with your next batch of leaves.

The Tea

Most Taiwanese tea seems to be Oolong Tea. However, there are several different types and flavors of Oolong Tea. Similar to wine, some Oolong teas have more earthy tones while others are more flowery. For example, “After Winter” Oolong tea is a more earthy and grassy tasting variety of tea. It is, also, a special tea because it can only be harvested for about one month after winter and not every year, but only when the weather has been suitable. Along with Oolong tea, Taiwan does have some black tea to offer. (Interesting fact: When black tea is exported from Taiwan to the United States, sugar is often added to the leaves.) The local population thinks it tastes just fine the way it is. Don’t ask for sugar. It’s not worth the glares and questionable expressions. By the third pour, it will have grown on you so don’t be afraid to try it.

Where to Go

There are a number of fine tea houses located at Dongmen Station. There are, also, some famous tea houses at the top of the Maokong Gondola. However, according to local advice, the shops at Dongmen are the best. I can personally recommend Stop By Tea House, which is located behind the Din Tai Fung at Dongmen station.

Visiting a tea house with friends is a laid back and relaxing way to spend an afternoon. I highly recommend it. It’s an experience that proves the Taiwanese have a few things to teach us about properly relaxing. They, also, have more than a few things to teach us about making a proper cup of tea.

Taiwanese Beauty Secrets

Lets talk about South East Asia beauty standards. Everyone seems to have perfect skin, which of course should be impossible. There are far too many pollutants in the air to not have clogged pores. On a daily basis, everyone is walking around in face masks to protect their lungs. The humidity doesn't help either. It might be 80 outside, but it feels like 105 degrees. Honestly, the climate conditions of Taiwan should be a cosmetologists worse nightmare. The secret sauce: sun screen, coupled with knock out cleansing and facial products.

Unlike western cultures, getting a tan in South East Asia is considered a big no-no. Women seen walking around without protection from the sun are viewed as careless. This is mostly because pale skin is viewed as ideal beauty stereotype, but at least there are some benefits that come with this. Simply, put your skin won’t age as fast. So keep wearing sunscreen and carrying umbrellas (like Wednesday Adams). It seems to be the number one beauty secret in Taiwan.

After protecting their face from the sun. The second secret to beautiful skin is using high quality cleansers, toners, masks and moisturizers. Before getting started, let me explain. I’m one of the lucky ones, I’ve never had bad acne nor have I ever needed to wear make-up (unless trying to impress a certain guy or outshine another girl). However, after a few months in Taiwan, it was obvious my skin needed some help if it was going to keep up.

Introducing face masks: a Taiwanese company called My Beauty Dairy makes some pf the best sheet masks available in the world and they’re dirt cheap. Models and regular girls from neighboring countries visit Taiwan regularly to stock up. (According to reviews, Black Pearl is the most popular choice.) These masks can be found conveniently at any Cosmed store in Taiwan or maybe even at your local 7-11. For about ten dollars US, you can get a box of ten masks.

However, don’t buy one and consider yourself finished. There are also outstanding masks offered by Innisfree (a South Korean Company) and another Japanese brand. I personally favor the Innisfree masks, which are more expensive, but worth the buy. They’re about two dollars US per mask. The total care mask is my personal favorite. The Japanese brand is a close second. It’s a little cheaper and can be found at any Japanese Medical Store.

Other products you need are cleansers, toners and a moisturizer. For the toner, just walk into a Cosmed and ask a salesperson to recommend their most popular one, which is exactly what I did. They gave me a toner from Japan and I couldn’t be happier with it. However, you may want to consider one of the toners offered by Innisfree. All of their products seem to be very legitimate, free of chemicals and healthy as possible. I’m slowly falling in love with the brand.

In fact, the South Korean company offers the most amazing facial cleanser, which you have to try. I basically gave up on cleansers in the states. I didn’t wear makeup or have acne so they all seemed pretty pointless. The Innisfree Volcanic Ash Foaming cleanser has changed my mind forever. It cleans and shrinks your pores without being chemically harsh to your skin. It leaves your skin feeling better (not dry) and looking awesome.

Sorry, but I haven’t found a moisturizer that I like better than Hempz, which isn’t made in South East Asia, so I’ll have to save that for another time. The final verdict: South East Asia has accidentally taught me a great deal about skin care. It’s amazing. You can have beautiful healthy skin without the makeup, which is a plus for me, cause I still can’t bring myself to wear it.

Sun Moon Lake

Taipei is great and all, but sometimes you need some fresh air. Sun Moon Lake is one of the best three or four day vacations you can take from the big city. It’s got everything: night markets, shopping, bike trails, hiking paths, temples, great food, etc. Best of all, it’s beautiful and way up in the mountains away from the busy streets of the city.

To get to Sun Moon Lake, take the high speed rail to Taichung station. From there, go downstairs to the Nantou bus counter. The buses are frequent, which is good because passengers are unable to reserve tickets ahead of time. Just show up. The only thing you need to schedule is the high speed rail ticket. Sun Moon Lake is a short ride from the train station. It doesn’t feel very long and there are some interesting things to see along the way.

Before you leave the bus station make sure to purchase a Sun Moon Lake pass. This sheet of paper contains discounted tickets to everything you’ll need to do at Sun Moon Lake. It also includes your bus fair to and from the train station. Here’s a list of some other things that it includes: ropeway, theme park, bus, bike rental and a day of boat travel around the lake. This pass will reduce the cost of your whole trip significantly.

There are two main towns at Sun Moon Lake: Ita Thao and Shuishe. Stay in Ita Thao. It has way better food and scenery than the other town. It’s also closer to the ropeway and a few other main attractions. (That said, the bike trails start in Shuishe.) Your first night in Sun Moon Lake, be sure to check out the Ita Thao night market for food. You’ll find delicious drinks, stinky tofu, steamed buns and other delicious things to consume. Honestly, this is one of my favorite night markets. You can eat your finds down by the lake on the pier and listen to the waves. Other things to consider purchasing at he Night Market include plum wine, post cards and hand made aboriginal souvenirs from various stalls.

The next morning, you will want to do some exploring. There are two main ways to travel around Sun Moon Lake: boat and bus. Both are extremely timely and convenient. DO NOT SET YOURSELF UP TO NEED A TAXI. I repeat, DO NOT TAKE A TAXI. Unlike Taipei, they are extremely expensive and will shamelessly up-charge you. Honestly, up on those mountain roads, they are not even much faster than the buses. Back to the point, the two most convenient modes of transportation are bus and boat. I recommend both. Also, your adventure pass includes discounted day passes for both. So, use it accordingly. Spend one day traveling the lake by bus and one day traveling around on the water.

On the first day, I recommend using the bus pass to check out the ropeway, theme park and maybe the pagoda. After an early breakfast, hop the bus from Ita Thao to the ropeway. Take the ropeway to the island in the middle of the lake. Once there, you’ll be at the entranced to the theme park. Go ahead and walk through. It’s all downhill and once at the bottom, you can take a second ropeway back to the top in order to catch your ride off the island.

The aboriginal theme park is beautiful and educational. As you walk along the path, you’ll wonder into village after village. All of which are constructed to represent the many different aboriginal tribes of Taiwan. If you’re from the United States, think of it as a bigger and better James Town. Everything is evenly paced and spread out along the walkway, which is shaded and cool. The best thing is that there is very little supervision and all the buildings are open so you can just walk right in. Get there early enough and you may have the entire place to yourself (even on a holiday weekend).

Once you get to the bottom of the hill, you’ll leave behind the aboriginal village and be face to face with some Taiwanese roller coasters. Ride them. They are thrilling and feel a little scarier than the ones back home. After a few rides on the coasters, it’ll be time for some food. You can eat at the theme park or back at the ropeway pavilion.

After you’ve had a good meal and have made it off the island. It’ll be time to spend the afternoon at the Confucius temple and the pagoda. The pagoda is my personal favorite. Like the ropeway, it is a must see while you’re at the lake. Make sure you have enough time to hike to the top. There’s a bell you need to ring for good luck. After this, more than likely it will be time head back to Ita Thao for some dinner.

On day two, use the boat pass to get around. From Ita Thao pier, take a boat across the lake to Shuishe. Once there, use the adventure pass to get a discounted bike rental and take a morning ride down the bike trail. It’s easy going and hugs the lake, making it very beautiful and scenic. Bike as far as you want, but remember, you have to bike the whole way back as well.

I recommend heading back to have lunch in Shuishe. Return your bike and then settle in for some good food and refreshment. After lunch, spend some time exploring Shuishe before taking the boat to see the other temple on the lake and heading back to Ita Thao for dinner. There’s a great place to chill with drinks by the lake in Shuishe.

Of course, on your last day catch a bus back to the train station. You’ll have to pay for a ticket between Ita Thao and Shuishe in order to catch the Nantou bus back to the high speed rail station. Again, the buses are timely and convenient. As a side note, I recommend staying at this place in Ita Thao. It’s Airbnb, but the space is lovely, quiet and our hostess made us a delicious breakfast every morning. It’s, also, a convenient walk to the night market and bus stop.

Best Night Markets in Taipei

This is what put Taiwan on the international radar for travelers. The night markets, some of which have been around for 40 or 50 years. There are basically two types of night markets. The first type are specifically aimed at tourists. These are the big night markets like Shilin and Raohe, which are arguably the two best night markets in Taipei. The second type of night market is the one the locals know about, but most tourists don’t. Each neighborhood or section of the city tends to have its own personal night market. In fact, my local night market is just a fifteen minute walk away. Everything is cheaper than at the big markets and (in my personal opinion) the food is better. The moral of this paragraph is not to dismiss the value of smaller markets.

1. Raohe

Perhaps my favorite, Raohe is the second largest night market in Taipei. It’s not quite as crowded as Shilin and you can find amazing pepper buns, stinky tofu kebabs and anything else you may be interested in. Like Shilin, it has a few Taiwanese brand clothing stores as well as an assortment of electronics, jewelry and other things for sale. It, also, is a great place for souvenirs and the temple at the market’s entrance is pretty cool. Overall, this market is a must see. It’s located at the end of the Green Line and, of course, it will be more crowded on weekends.

If you’re in the market for some cheap street clothes, this market is right next to Wufenpu. The best place to find cheap, unique and fashionable clothes from Korea and Japan. Try visiting the two places together. You can go clothes shopping and then head over to Raohe for dinner.

2. Shilin

This is Taiwan’s most famous night market. It is also the most touristy and largest. That said, I did buy souvenirs for my friends and family from here. It’s also a great place to eat. There’s an abundance of fresh fruit (don’t be fooled, some vendors add a little extra sugar to the samples), seaweed snacks, pineapple cake as well as the usual fair of squid, stinky tofu, pepper buns and scallion pancakes. Don’t forget to try the quail eggs! A large portion of the food stalls are located underground. As you’re walking through the market you’ll see some suspicious looking stairs leading down, take them. It’s worth a look around. However, be warned it is a fire hazard down there.

Like Raohe, Shilin has it’s own temple, but it’s basically located in the middle of the market. Shilin is located on the Red line. The most convenient way to access it is to get off one stop down from the actual Shilin station. You can reach the market from either stop, but getting off at Jiantan is the most direct way and it will take you straight to the Shilin pavilion. The Shilin stop will put you at the back of the market and you’ll have to walk around. Try starting at Jiantan and then walk down and leave through Shilin Station. That way you don’t have to back track.

3. Shida

Supposedly the third and second biggest market night market, Shida was a total let down. It’s mostly clothing stores. The same ones you can find at Raohe and Shilin plus a few others. You wont find much food in the night market itself, but the surrounding area has some great international eats.

Shida night market is located at the Taipei Power Building Stop, exit two. Since you won’t find much food at the market. Check out KGB Burger joint, which is at the same exit. The mango-jalapeno burger and ginger beer are heavenly. If you feel like walking there’s also a great Greek place called Sababa. Plus, right next to Sababa is an amazing cookie and cupcake stall. Take one of everything. It’s all delicious and will probably be the highlight of your night.

4. Lehua 

This is a shout out to my local market that I love. It has better food than any of the other markets (I might be biased). It’s not very touristy and you wont find many cliche souvenirs, but if you want the feel of something local, this market is the best. This market is located on the yellow line, at Dingxi Station. Use the second exit.

Other Markets

There are dozens of other markets in Taipei. Shilin and Raohe are the biggest and most popular, so the other markets may seem quite small by comparison. If you have some free extra time, they may be worth a visit though. Here are a few: Snake Alley, Jingmei, Liaoning, Linjiang, Ningxia and Tunghua. Again, all of these are smaller, more traditional night markets. Also, Snake Alley is mostly for those who want to eat crawly things and check out porn stores. Not my thing, but it may provide for some interesting people watching.

One last thing, these markets (big and small) provide a huge source of income to the residents in Taipei. For this reason many locals have mixed feelings about the markets. Essentially, they are good for commerce, but noisy. Many locals would keep the cash and leave the noise if they could. Despite the noise, all of these markets are very safe. It’s not unusual to see older kids wondering around unsupervised and, as a female, I’ve had no trouble either.