MY SPONTANEOUS WEEKEND ADVENTURE IN TAIWAN (LESS THAN 20K—ALL IN!)

by - August 04, 2017



Unplanned trips can be a bit pricey so unless you are on a business trip or you are a luxury traveler, you mind every single peso spent when you travel, especially when it is out of the country. 

 As a frequent flyer and as the official travel planner of the family, I constantly check on seat sales and find the most cost-efficient ways for our whole family to travel. So you can imagine the mixed emotions I had when I was told that we were leaving in a week. Although this sudden trip was only for three people, I immediately booked the cheapest flight to Taiwan, cheapest (yet accessible) accommodation via Airbnb, and created our itinerary for our weekend escapade in the Heart of Asia. 

Expenses
Combining both pre- and in-trip expenses, we spent roughly PHP 20,000.00 each. These expenses include (but not limited to): airfare, travel tax, accommodation, Klook's city tour, entrance fees, food, etc. 
Note: This computation is good for 3 pax only. The total amount will depend on the number of people joining you and the expenses you will incur during your trip. As for my pasalubongs, I spent around PHP 1,500 to 2,000.00 only. Another thing that you should consider is that If you are going to apply for an e-visa, this will also affect the total amount of your expenses. Also, depending on the season and forex rate, it can affect the prices. When we went to Taiwan, the forex rate was at PHP 1.00 = NT$ 1.66. I deducted PHP 2,800.00 because that is the security deposit from Flytpack which we will get back after we return the pocket wifi.

Tourist Visa/Immigration Inspection Certificate
As of the moment, we (Filipinos) will still need a visa or a travel certificate to travel to Taiwan. Both can be easily applied online but they are also very different from one another. 

If you are a frequent flyer or you have valid or expired (must be less than 10 years) visa in the following countries: United States of America, Canada, United Kingdom, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and/or any of the Schengen countries, then you are qualified to apply for an Immigration Inspection Certificate which grants you multiple-entry visits to Taiwan. In addition to that, there are other requirements needed such as: your passport should be valid at least six months starting from the arrival date, you have an onward/return plane/ferry ticket, and you have never been employed as a blue-collar worker in Taiwan. All you have to do is to fill out the form, print it, then show it to immigration. No need to pay for anything.

However, if this is your very first time to travel or you are not eligible to acquire a travel certificate, you will need to apply for an e-visa. The e-visa costs around NT$ 1,632.00 (PHP 2,726.24) and it will take three (3) working days to process. You can also opt to apply for a regular visa through the TECO office. Here is a helpful article on how to apply for the e-visa/regular visa for Taiwan for your perusal: How to Apply for a Taiwan Tourist Visa for Filipinos

Accommodation (Taoyuan Airport & Airbnb)
Finding a cheap accommodation can be pretty tedious especially when you only have a few days left before the trip. Despite reading blogs about cheap hotels/hostels that people stayed in, once you check it online, the prices go up so I opted to book via Airbnb. Thankfully, I was able to book a place which is in a great location too. Public transits, convenience stores, mini grocery/department store, restaurants, etc. can easily be accessed with just a few minutes walk. The host was very nice and prompt as well. The only problem we encountered was, if you have seen our itinerary for the trip, that there was someone staying before us so we could not check in as soon as we arrived and so we had to sleep at the airport then check in around 3:00 PM.
If this happens to you, do not worry. There are hotels/hostels near the airport that you can stay in for just a night and there was even a hostel near our place that costs around NT$ 60-80 per hour, we just decided to sleep at the airport to save money. 
Taoyuan International Airport, as I have seen in many blogs, has over thirty lounges. The only problem that you will encounter, if you opt to sleep there upon arriving, is that the lounges are all located in the Departures area so you will not be able to access them unless you are getting ready to board a flight back home. The arrivals terminal, however, has plenty of seats wherein you can take a nap for a few hours. They also have charging stations that you can take advantage of and the Wi-Fi was pretty fast and it is free.


Extra bedding, pillows and blankets are under the bed. Even the mini staircase has a comparment for slippers or other stuff. 
The apartment we stayed in was very nice and quiet and I loved its space-saving design. There were only three of us but the place was really spacious that a group of five or six can fit in easily. Our host, Miss Piepie Ashley, was really nice and very prompt to answer all my inquiries (even during our trip). The magazine rack you see on the side actually has different types of guide books from the nearest night markets down to festivals/events the country is having that you might be interested to experience. 

 Note: Specify what type of towels you need during your trip. We had a misunderstanding and so the towels we had were very small (see the box below the chick pillow under the television) but it was still manageable.
Where to go
To maximize our three days, we decided to join a tour for one day so we can see most of the top destinations in Taiwan. We took the Hop on, Hop off Sightseeing Tour Bus that we purchased from Klook. In this tour, we got to see Chiang Kai Shek Memorial, Taipei 101, Shilin Night Market and many more.
Other than the tour, we went foodtripping in themed cafes and restaurants such as Modern Toilet and Alice is Coming, then went to Shuangcheng Night Market (see 'Where to eat' section below for more details). 
On our last day, we travelled for two hours to get to Jiufen Old Street. The place was swamped with tourists but you will not regret coming here after all the food and traditional goodies you will encounter! The view is also refreshing to see after being surrounded with buildings for two days.

Where to eat
Here is a list of places that we ate in that you might be interested in during your visit:
A. Modern Toilet Restaurant, Ximending
I ordered their Beef Curry. This meal comes with a choice of Green or Black tea, soup, side dish (under the poop cover hehe), and a chocolate sundae (shown below). This meal costs NT$290.00. The bread you see on the side is a separate order which is around NT$120-130.

Modern Toilet Restaurant is very famous in Taiwan and also has three branches. It is known for having seats and plates that look like a toilet bowl. You might think that it is gross but it is worth the experience! Each person is required to order at least NT$120 but a meal costs around NT$290 (almost PHP 500!) which includes a drink, chocolate sundae, soup and another side dish. They also have other dishes worth NT$120 and above. The restaurant can be packed during the day so make sure to be there when it opens or book a reservation through their website. Just make sure that you are booking in the right area. Their branch in Ximen/Ximending opens at 11:30 AM. 

 B. Wheel Pies, Ximending
Wheel Pies is a kiosk that sells sweet and savory pies and has a wide array of flavors such as custard, chocolate, sweet potato, kimchi, etc. You might think the menu is weird but I encourage you to try some. We chose the red bean-mochi filled pie and it was delicious! It only costs around NT$20 (PHP 33.00) per piece. They also have traditional flavors which costs around NT$15. What makes these pies so interesting is that they look similar to the japanese pancakes but it will surprise you when you bite into it because the outer layer is crunchy like an ice cream cone and it is not too sweet as well. 
Wheel Pies is just near Modern Toilet so if you are planning to eat there or if you are just going around Ximending, definitely add this to your stop. It will not disappoint you and it is the perfect food to carry around while walking. 

 C. Alice is Coming Cafe

This cafe will really make you feel like are in the whimsical world of Wonderland from the moment you open its purple doors. They offer a few meals but since we were already full from eating at Modern Toilet, we decided to order some drinks and a marshmallow toast. Mine is the Chesire Cat! It is a mystery drink but the server said it is a mix of berries or something (also, see how my drink changed from pink and purple to a strawberry shake-like appearance!). Similar to Modern Toilet, each person is required to order something. Also, this might be just me but you have to see the faucet in their washroom! The knob is in the shape of a bunny!!!
We took the cab going here because it was in the middle of the afternoon. At first we did not see it because it was covered by a wall so we went around a couple of times but fortunately I saw the painting outside of the second floor windows. If you plan to go here, the nearest and easily-spotted landmark is Family Mart.

 D. Shuangcheng Night Market
This small night market (just one block) sells delicious and authentic Taiwanese street food! Try out their Zhu Xie Tang - also known as Pig's Blood Soup - or the Luwei, a rich noodle soup where you get to choose different meats or, in our case,  animal (beef/pork/chicken/fish) organs such as kidneys, intestines, etc. to put in. We tried the Luwei and it was really delicious (my apologies to vegans reading this post!)

Where to shop
A. Ximending

Although we arrived too early to see the hustle and bustle on the famous streets of Ximending, I can already sense how crazy these streets would be once the stores open... Especially during night time! Ximending is a shopping area similar to Harajuku in Japan or Hongdae Shopping Street in South Korea. It is lined with hundreds of stores and restaurants that attract both the young and the young-at-heart. Small hotels and hostels can also be found in the area for your convenience. The area is also lined with hundreds of vending machines (see photo above) that lets you take home the latest and most sought after gadgets like the latest iPhone, VR Headsets, PlayStations, DSLRs, etc. for only NT$ 100 (PHP 166.00)! Be warned, though, because not every box contains those. Some boxes will have phone case rings, fidget spinners, etc. Also, if you plan to try these out, be sure you have the Line app downloaded to your phone because that is how you are going to receive your prize or add them on Facebook but the characters are all in Chinese so it might be a little difficult unless you ask for help from a friend or your hotel/hostel concierge.

 B. Shilin Night Market
Shilin Night Market is like the Divisoria in the Philippines and is the perfect place to shop for your pasalubongs. In the city, refrigerator magnets cost around NT$100 to 200 but in Shilin, it will only be around NT$ 50 to 80. This is also a good place to find cheap but good quality clothes and items to copy the latest fashion trends today. They also sell korean goods such as clothes and socks but it is quite expensive. In Hongdae, socks would cost 1,000 KRW a pair (PHP 45-50.00) but in Taiwan it costs NT$50 (roughly PHP 80 to 85.00 a pair). They also have arcade games inside the public market. The market also has tons of good street food from takoyaki to traditional Taiwanese foods like the Deng Yi - a famous Taiwanese snack that has dried fruit (mostly berries) in between cherry tomatoes. It is also said to be home of the best bean curd (taho) but because of the large crowd, it was nearly impossible to find one!

 A useful tip in Shilin Night Market: Try haggling for a cheaper price and always put your bag in front of you (a local told us this!). Also, if you suddenly run out of cash, ask the stores if they are willing to exchange it to New Taiwan Dollar for you. If the store you are in does not accept, try looking for the 'Remax 3C' toy store (see photo below). It is located right across Watsons and Cosmed which is not too far from the Jiantan Station. However, they will only accept up to US$200. And since you are already there, check out the Iron Man toys and collectibles they are selling!

Useful apps
A.  Google Maps
This is my go-to app whenever we travel. Not only does it give you directions to get to a specific destination, it will also indicate any possible traffic you might encounter (if you are using a car), possible transits that you can take including the bus numbers/train line, amount, minutes before the next transit arrives, etc. It will also tell you the amount although if you are going to take two or three transits, it will not indicate how much is each ride. It also indicates the number of stops and each station that you will pass by so you can double check if you are going in the right direction.

B. Metro Taipei
We never got a chance use this app because the bus system in Taiwan was superb that Google Maps never suggested we take the train. However, if you want to try it out, this is the app that you need. It has all the information about the routes, it is fully updated, and you can search directly from Point A to B easily. The app will also indicate the number of stops, tranfers and also the fare. I think the train costs around NT$30 but, again, it will depend on where you are going.

C. Travel Taipei
This app has complete tourist information on everything that is happening in Taiwan from current events down to top tourist destinations that you might find interesting to see during your stay. If you do not have a guide with you, this app is perfect because it has all the information that you need. It also has guides on the night markets, shopping areas, budget hotels and hostels in the area, etc. 

D. Openrice
I came across Openrice while I was looking for more information on Modern Toilet and Alice is Coming. Although I used the website version more, you can definitely use it when you do not know where to eat in your area. Besides Taiwan, Openrice also operates on other asian countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong, etc.

E. CoChange
I just discovered this application when we went to Taiwan (specifically when we were frantically looking for a money changer in Shilin Night Market). This app allows you to locate the nearest money changer/bank in your area. It will also indicate the rates offered and directions so it is easier for you to go there. Unfortunately, I was not able to test out its accuracy since it was a weekend and banks were closed but it is still useful because you can now track the nearest money changer in your location.

Tips + Reminders
1. Before you leave for your trip, have your money changed to New Taiwan Dollars (NT$) at the mall or the airport because a money changer is very hard to find in Taiwan. You can also have it changed at Taoyuan International Airport but they open at 11:00 AM and close at 10:00 PM so if your flight is similar to ours, you will have to wait for it to open. You can also have your money changed near the Tax Refund area at Taipei 101 although they do not accept Philippine Peso. 
2. If you suddenly run out of cash whilst in the middle of a shopping spree at night markets, you might be in luck because some stores accept credit cards. You will have to double check before you place that item on the counter, though.
3. Purchase and load your EasyCard in the convenience store at the airport. This is a convenient way to travel in the city because this is accepted at train stations, bus and even some cabs. An EasyCard is similar to the Beep card here in the Philippines and the T-Money card in Korea. Most people do not understand English in Taiwan and they do not like people taking a long time as well so every time we travel I always search for cards such as these because you only have to swipe/tap the card than asking each bus driver or purchasing tickets at every train station. Just make sure that you have enough load to cover your whole trip or you can re-load it at any 7-11/Hi-Life convenience stores near your accommodation. Usually, the fare is around NT$15.00 (PHP 24.90) when you're traveling in the city but it may vary depending on where you are going (airport fare costs around NT$87.00 and Jiufen Old Street around $98.00-115.00).
4. As I have mentioned, many people do not speak in English but do not fret if you get lost, try asking them using Google Translate or show them pictures of where you want to go or what you are looking for.  
5. Most of the stores open at lunch time and close on or before 10:00 PM. However, there are street markets that extend for an hour or two. In most of the blogs that I have read, many said that Shilin Night Market opens at 5:00 PM but according to the souvenir shop that we went to, some stores open as early as 4:00 PM and close up around 12:00 AM or 1:00 AM. 

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