Things to do in Taiwan/HK (need insider tips)
 

Hey guys,

I made a thread a few months ago about going to Asia.

I'm going to HK for the first time and I was wondering what are some MUST SEE/DO things for tourists and locals? (I can semi-get-by with my cantonese)...

Also, I was going to go to taipei and khaosiung and I was wondering if you guys know of other regions in Taiwan worth visiting? To get that countryside feel with hikes and whatnot.

Lastly...I was planning on going to a 5-day all inclusive tour to THailand from Taiwan...has anyone been on these before? Just hoping it won't be full of old folk like the ones we have in north america..

Thanks guys

for anyone's first visit to asia..get ready for a cultural shock.

a must for taiwan is the nightmarket food...it's always best not to eat a big dinner so you can go around and try different things at the nightmarket. In the day try out different asian fruits and snacks that you cant buy at t&t here.

clubbing scene was pretty fun if you are into that. If you are a tech guy and going in june check out computex. Silly themed restaurants are popular for tourists.

to get a real countryside you'll have to take the high speed rail down south...dont have any great suggestions for hiking but if you are wanting a tropical south pacific feel kenting's pretty popular tourist spot (southern tip of the island). There are some gorgeous scenery on the northwestern coast but may be limited by the typhoon season in the summer. If you are ever in chiayi make sure you try the local chicken rice.

biggest difference from taiwan and hong kong? Barely anyone speaks english so be prepared for that.

So far for Taiwan I got...

TAIPEI
* bei tou hot springs
* mao kong gondola between taiwan zoo and mao kong
* Chiang Kai shek memorial hall
* dan shui
* elephant mountain

and for HK:

*ocean park
*big buddha
*ladies market, goldfish market, mong kok
*lantau island

Not sure when OP's planning to go....but man that Ma Kong Gondola / Taiwan Zoo was crazy packed on weekends. The wait to get on was like 4-5 hours....

May. Low season?

let me list off some things that come to mind for taipei...

hua xi ye shi (snake alley street night market) if you wanna try snake blood, venom etc.

many other night markets but the biggest will be shi lin ye shi (shi lin night market).

xi men ding (biggest shopping district).

Chiang Kai shek memorial hall, dan shui, and the zoo (you got all that already)

taipei 101 if you're interested. you prob won't end up buying anything there but you can go up to the sky scraper viewing area. and also see the mass damper thats inside.

if you want you can go to Cihu Mausoleum but thats in taoyuan.
it's where president chiang kai shek is entombed in a black marble sarcophagus along with various possessions and military clothes which are put up on display.

evergreen maritime museum is another place you can check out.

National Palace Museum.

i recommend exploring the MRT there as well,

Outside of partying, there isn't much to do in Taiwan.

National Palace Museum and Night Markets are the only real touristy things to do. Otherwise its just eating.

OP if you are into computers and shit. go hit up Sham Sui Po Golden Computer Arcade. It's a mall (or rather a bunch of) with stores selling nothing but computer components, USB Devices, and other random stuff.

Prepare for crowds though - I mean crowds like you can't shove a penny through crowd

The Peak in the evening, in HK

thanks guys. Is it worth venturing out of Taipei? I'll be there for over a week.

Go check out Taichung for a 2 days if you have a week

Tainan if you want food.

I don't think I ate anything that's bad when I was there.

is there something in particular that makes Taichung worth visiting?

FUCK GIRLS. or guys if that's your thing.

tai zhong is worth visiting for the even cheaper food. and perhaps the even more backwater feel and from what i hear, wilder but less cultured parties haha.

i'd go to taipei and kending (very south point) beach... thats about it.

hk.. go see buildings, and all the usual crap. clubbing in hk is pretty fun. clubbing in taiwan is even more fun.

make sure u go to the right clubs.

fuck girls. left right and center.

eat, drink, fuck, sleep, repeat. everyday.

^lol, the stereotypical man... Make sure you go pay a visit to Beijing Club if you go hk..

im taiwanese hong konger here my general advice:

both places:
eat

shoot (there a lot of history in both places great for photography lovers)

arcade if u have loose change (if u like to game cuz its a totally different world over there when it comes to gaming)

hong kong:
shop-things are cheap & worth buying

drinking at bars- u can check out the bars there cuz its quite different & also i dunno

when u going but theres place that have nucks games so u dun miss a thing

taiwan:
night market- they have great night markets over there

clubs-unlike hong kong there club is slightly better IMO

im sure most of this has been covered but just saying it again

I'm heading to Japan then Taiwan at the end of this year.
I've been to Japan quite a few times so I think I have most of the bases covered, but it will be my first time ever in Taiwan. Will probably spend a few days in Taipei, and a few days in Kaohsiung.
I'm mostly into FOOD so any suggestions would be great (unless they are all covered above) ... I've been hearing great things about the Night Market ... but I can't have that 7 days a week lol ...
Like where's the best Beef Noodle?... or the original BOBA Bubble tea?
DTF is basically a chain restaurant isn't it?... the one in Bellevue was horrible ...
What's good in KS that you can't get in TP? etc ...

im in hk right now some good malls i like are: TIMES SQUARE and theres a new mall that recently just opened up a few weeks ago called hysan mall right beside TIMES SQUARE @ causeway bay. Second mall i really enjoyed was Habour City, there is currently some 100 year doremon event thing going on with 100+ statues and stuff if u like doremon. Today i went to ifc mall good brands of clothing there~ and tmr im going to check out Sham Sui Po to buy some usbs for cheap price, dont forget to haggle :p OH and ocean park if u have never been! hope this helped OP.

I give DTF in Asia a try, did not disappoint when I was in Shanghai.

kenting, go see those old ladies on the side of the highway selling FRESH bbq squid... its fucking insane doode!

fresh seafood in kenting, it reminds me of a seaside japanese town. if u staying overnight, u can walk their night market.

you can get an international license, and scooter!

in kaohsiung, night market i guess. its more chill than taipei.

Oooh... I really wanna try scootering lol ... but aren't they like crazy aggressive drivers out there? Don't feel like getting runover on my vacation lol ...

I just came back from Taipei and the scooters there are pretty ballsy. It's like if you're too careful you'll get smoked by a bus or something. Getting a ride from a family friend in Taipei made me realize that if you're on a scooter, you're at the mercy of everyone around you.

Yea its not something you want to do in the city for the uninitiated, maybe further out.

scootering is fine in the country side like kengting..i wouldn't try and scooter in taipei as a tourist/visitor if you plan on keeping your legs

I'm going to Taipei in Mid October at the end of my Thailand trip...

does anyone recommend eating at any weird or strange restaurants like that restaurant where every eats out of a toilet bowl