As promised, I will be sharing my itinerary in Taipei, Taiwan so here goes. Compared to the previous travel guide posts I have done, I will make this one a bit shorter and more simplified by just including the places I went to. 

Taipei Itinerary

Day 1. Arrival

I arrived in Taiwan in the afternoon, past 2 pm. I had no plans for this day so I just ended up exploring the nearby stores. 

Day 2. City Tour

My second day in Taipei gave me an insight into the city. For the first half of the day, I went on a free walking tour that I booked via Klook. For the second half, I did some exploring on my own and went to one of the popular night markets.

2/28 Peace Park

Morning: Free Walking Tour via Klook
  • Mengxia Park
  • Longshan Temple
  • Bopiliao Historical Block
  • Ximen Red House
  • Presidential Office Building
  • 2/28 Peace Memorial
  • The East Gate
  • Liberty Square Arch
  • Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
  • National Concert Hall
Afternoon: Shopping
  • 2/28 Peace Park
  • Shilin Night Market

Day 3. North Coast

For my third day, I joined an organized group tour to explore the north coast of Taipei. I booked the tour via Klook. My original plan was to DIY it but it was a good thing that I didn't. Booking this tour was more convenient since doing it myself involved taking different buses that only ran on specific schedules. 

Jiufen old town

  • Yehliu Geopark
  • Jiufen
  • Shifen Waterfall
  • Shifen Old Street

Day 4. More City Tour + Some Hiking

I didn't plan much for this entire trip so I was creating my itinerary spontaneously. For this day, I decided to explore more of the city just by Googling some interesting spots to visit. Here's how it went.

View of Taipei 101 from Elephant Mountain Trail

Morning: DIY City Tour
  • Confucius Temple
  • Dalongdong Bao'an Temple
  • Yuanshan Park
Afternoon: More City Tour
  • Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall
  • Eslite Bookstore
  • Taipei City Hall
  • Taipei 101
  • Xiangshan Park
  • Elephant Mountain Trail
After a busy day, I still had more energy to check out the shopping district at Ximending, which is just 10 minutes away from my hostel.

Day 5. Tamsui

During this trip, I learned that Taiwan was hugely influenced by Spain as it was the first country to colonize Taiwan. So my plan for my last day in Taipei was to explore Tamsui, which is a district with lots of Spanish influence as seen in the architecture.

Tamsui Presbyterian Church

Morning: DIY Tamsui Walking Tour
  • Tamsui Old Street
  • Tamsui Ferry Boat Wharf
  • Douglas Lapraik & Co.
  • Fort San Domingo
  • Tamsui Customs Officer's Residence
  • Former Residence of Tada Eikichi
  • Tamsui Presbyterian Church
  • Statue De Mackay
  • Fuyou Temple
I spent half the day exploring Tamsui and it was early in the afternoon when I got back to my hostel. From there, I checked out and left my luggage to do some last-minute shopping before taking the train to the airport for my evening flight back to Manila.

How Much I Spent in Taipei

Here is the breakdown of expenses for the whole trip. I will also indicate the price in NTD.

  • Roundtrip flight MNL-TPE via Cebu Pacific - P4,611
  • 5D4N at Backpackers Inn Taipei booked via Agoda - P3,064 (NTD 1,863)
  • EasyCard - FREE (my aunt gave me hers that she used a week before)
  • EasyCard top-up worth 500 NTD - P820
  • Taipei Walking Tour via Klook - FREE + P165 gratuity for the tour guide
  • North Coast Tour via Klook - P875
  • Yehliu Geopark Admission Ticket - P132
  • Jiufen Local Bus - P50 PHP (NTD 30)
  • Sky Lantern - P230 PHP (NTD 140) 
  • Fort San Domingo Ticket - P133 (NTD 80)
  • Pocket wifi for 5 days via Klook - P410
  • Food and drinks - P3,057 (NTD 1,863)
  • Shopping - P1441 (NTD 878)
  • Philippine Travel Tax - P1620
GRAND TOTAL: P16,608

Overall, Taiwan is a very affordable country for travelers, especially when you know where to look for great deals on hotels, airfare, and tours.

When it comes to booking my accommodations, I always get discounts through Agoda. Before finalizing a booking, I always make sure to read reviews so I'll know what to expect.

Take note that my trip was in 2019 so some prices of tours and activities may have changed due to some increase or due to the exchange rate.


Travel Tips

Here are some tips if ever you are planning to go to Taiwan.
  • Trains are the primary mode of transportation in Taipei. They're also the cheapest. So always ride trains if you want to save money. Google maps can help you navigate so you'll know which trains to take from one location to another.
  • Google Maps and Google Translate are your best friends.
  • Skip pricey restaurants and go for local food places or food stalls. This is so you can get a taste of authentic local cuisine. 
  • Stay at a hostel if you are traveling solo or with a small group. Hostels are fun and cheap. I stayed at Backpackers Inn Taipei through Agoda. I got a nice spacious bunk bed with thick curtains for privacy. Each bed also has its own outlet for charging and night light. This particular hostel also has free breakfast, which meant I get to save money on food.
That's about it for this itinerary and travel guide. I hope you'll find this helpful when you're planning your trip to Taipei. Happy travels!