My Taipei Top Picks

Few people visit Taipei for anything other than business. You can just tell from the number of guidebooks on display in your local bookstore. Strange, since Taiwan is only about the same travel distance from Manila to Hong Kong - or Saigon. (More on these cities sometime later). That's a pity since parts of Taipei for me are like - well, TOKYO lite. A stretch, I know, but the former Japanese colony and industrial hub has kept much more of that heritage than locals here are willing to admit.

Admittedly, I was less than excited to visit the renegade Chinese nation - known more to outsiders for its state-of-the-art factories than its arts and culture scene - but as the cliche goes: I was in for a pleasant surprise.

Despite the nasty weather in September (Taiwan is right smack in the typhoon belt of East Asia - if any such term exists), Taipei exhibited a sophisticated urban gloss that compares with Hong Kong and Singapore. But very different. And in a refreshing way. The Taiwanese nation is a lot less self-conscious. It's as if the city doesn't care much about what the global travel elite have to say about it. WALLPAPER, LUXE GUIDE and LV omit Taipei from their destination guides, but who cares. The city is hip - not hyped. Confident about itself - and therefore comfortable in its own skin, and in its own way of being Chinese.

Perhaps living in the shadow of the Mainland (and the constant threat of invasion by the world's largest army) has galvanized a national identity anchored on self-reliance, maybe even self-absorption. In a time when Asia's newly developed nations are using self-promotion and national arrogance to announce themselves onto the world stage, Taiwan is showing that despite its tremendous wealth and prosperity, there is more that defines the success of a nation than making it to the cover of TIME magazine.

Its hard to imagine calling post-industrial Taipei as a bit off the beaten track. But, it is. Except for the steady arrival of venture capitalists and electronics supply chain executives, you have much of the city to yourself.

Here are some things you shouldn't miss when in Taipei:


Taipei 101
This is Taipei's unimaginatively named 101-floor skyscraper. To date, but not much longer, it remains the tallest building in the world. A bit of an anomaly in the city's otherwise low-rise skyline. After all, Taiwan has seen frequent earthquakes and super-typhoons and a tall structure like this doesn't make sense. (There's talk that the fault-lines were disturbed by the construction of such a massive building).

Let's leave that to the engineers to debate on, but the building is supposed to withstand high winds and temblors. Its a stocky structure - built like the ancient pagodas - and that helps. Skeptics can see a portion of the damping system which stabilizes the building on the 89th floor view deck for proof of its integrity. Its a must see for Architects, structural engineers and big time nerds who watch Nat Geo and Discovery Channel. But getting up there is also fun.

The elevators are also the fastest in the world (Guiness Record Book certified) but the lines getting in are probably one of the slowest. Still, its worth the trip and the view of the Taipei landscape once you're up there. Pray for good weather because there's not much to see in cloudy conditions. If ever, there's a cafe' and ice cream shop on the same floor where you can sit out the gloomy weather.

If climbing up the equivalent of the Empire State or Petronas Tower isn't your thing, Taipei 101 also houses 5 floors of luxury shops and upscale restaurants to keep shopaholics and foodies with substantial credit limits entertained. It's all here - LV, Dior, Prada, Gucci....you get the drift. For the less extravagant, Page One Bookstore has an outlet here with predominantly English titles.

Taipei 101 is located close to many of the classier shopping malls, so if bargain hunting isn't on your itinerary - this is a nice base for browsing around the neighborhood.

Eslite Bookstore

Yes, a bookstore. I didn't realize how into the printed word the Taiwanese were until I came here. The city is full of booksellers and many are open until late. Eslite is a local institution and they operate a network of bookstores in Taipei, but its their six-floor flagship store across Taipei 101 that you shouldn't miss.

Because book-lovers tend to transform bookstore space into their personal hangout, Eslite has extended the concept of the bookshop into a lifestyle store. There are about 1 million volumes of books in all major languages and 6,000 international magazine titles on display. The bottom floors are occupied by stores that sell clothing, furniture and accessories - which are all on the hip side. The store provides all your lounging requirements - a Lavazza cafe' for espressos, curio shops for quirky shoppers, a pretty good music store, a restaurant- and my favorite - an entire section dedicated to Japanese youth-oriented pop culture. (Kids and hipsters here still look to Tokyo for style cues). Its a place big and interesting enough to spend half a day - at least. You can just hang loose and browse away without any nosy sales clerk getting in the way.

Speaking of which - did I mention that the sales staff in this city is generally nice? Not just polite - but nice and helpful. This Eslite branch is open until 12 midnight on weekends so it's a perfect place to hang out if you're alone in the city. For insomniacs, or those in the city for an extended lay-over (and don't want to spend on a hotel), Eslite operates another branch close by that's open 24 hours. No wonder TIME magazine rates it the best bookstore in Asia.

Shopping

There's a shopping experience for any personality and any budget range. In terms of variety and volume, Hong Kong is still hard to beat. But that's if you don't mind the pushing and shoving and the general rudeness all over. Taipei on the other hand has pretty much the same designer shops but without the hostile - or in the case of high-end boutiques - haughty attitude. The Louis Vuitton Maison store is a fine example of the welcome mix of restraint and friendliness you can look forward to. (By the way, the LV Maison, just one of 8 LV stores in Taiwan, is worth a visit if you're into retail architecture. The exteriors are by the Japanese firm of Inui Kumiko and the interiors of the VIP lounge are by the Paris based Taiwanese artist Michael Lin.
Its also the only other LV store that sells LV edited and selected books. Now, if you don't care about retail design or the LV luxury brand phenomenon - skip this place).

In fact, Taipei has its own style so head instead to where trends begin - Ximending.
Ximending is Taipei's version of Tokyo's Shibuya or Harajuku. Its where the city's young and trendy do their shopping for streetwear and accessories. Anyone who's watched Meteor Garden or those other Chinovelas produced in Taiwan will know that the kids here have a style of their own. Sure, a lot is copied from Tokyo street fashion (what isn't these days), but Taipei kids aren't as self-conscious about their fashion sense. So they dress for fun rather than for show and spend on things they like rather than what the media says is "in". And unlike their Japanese counterparts, Taiwanese, especially the women, seem much more comfortable about their sexuality and are inclined to show more skin and strut with more confidence. Trendspotters won't be disappointed.

Of course, there are the night markets of Taipei where the most colorful merchandise and food is sold. I always make it a point to visit the street markets where the locals shop. It's a great way to get the pulse of the city. I firmly believe you are what you buy and here you can see first hand what people are all about. The sprawling Shin Lin Night Market is a good place to start.

Taipei is a crowded city so space is limited. Small homes, mostly in vertical developments mean accumulating things can be difficult. This gives rise to a consumer culture based on easily disposable goods. In Taipei's night markets - almost everything is disposable. Small, cheap and seasonally fashionable buys that are bought for temporary use and satisfaction. Novelty toys, fashion and accessories are what shoppers come here for. Things that make you happy today and then discarded a few months later. Curiously, you won't find many designer knock-offs here. Most items are still made in Taiwan. Which means they're original and not that same watch, lighter, doll or shirt sold in the street markets of Bangkok, Saigon, Hong Kong or Manila. There's still lot of stuff here that's designed and made by young Taiwanese entrepreneurs. Cool.

Dimsum and Dining

Chinese love to eat and the Taiwanese are no exception. When Chang Kai Shek's KMT followers fled Mao's Communists in 1949 they took with them some of the most cherished recipes of Shanghai and Beijing's Imperial Court. The Cultural Revolution of China all but obliterated these so-called "bourgeois" pleasures, but, and luckily for the Taiwanese, the best of China's cuisine survived and thrived in the homes and restaurants of Taipei.

For what is arguably the best dimsum in town - try your luck in the long lines outside Din Tai Fung. The New York Times swears by the dimsum dishes here and I must agree. Don't expect fancy service and chinoiserie interiors. The real star is the dimsum which comes in varieties of pork, shrimp, crab and vegetables. The secret is the soup which is masterfully boiled inside the dimsum wrap. Service is very friendly, fast (almost too fast) and prices are affordable. For added interest, you can watch the kitchen staff prepare the dimsum in the open view kitchen on the ground floor. Do book in advance unless you enjoy standing in line.

A Kaoshiung Side Trip

Thanks to Taiwan's brand new high speed rail network its now possible to visit other parts of the country in about the same time it takes to get from your hotel to the Taipei international airport. I'd recommend a day trip to Kaoshiung, Taiwan's industrial port in the Southern part of the island. It only takes less than two hours by bullet train from the Taipei station. You can choose between business class or economy but there's little difference since the coaches are all clean and spacious anyway.

Kaoshiung is an industrial zone. This is where many of Taiwan's major electronics exports are manufactured and shipped off. As you can imagine - the vibe is blue-collar. But that's also the city's attraction. People are generally more laid back, more hospitable and less concerned with keeping up with the trends of the moment. And as this part of the island is below the Tropic of Cancer - the climate is tropical and more forgiving in the winter months. This explains the sunnier outlook locals have and travelers enjoy.

Spiritual junkies and students of Buddhism will want to visit the Fo Guan Shan monastery in Kaoshiung's outskirts. It's the biggest in the world, but its not the size that matters - although the temple complex is impressive in its scale. What I like though is how the monks here open their arms to visitors and make you feel at home. The tourist hordes can be annoying but the monks and apprentices are able to keep their calm and serenity in the midst of flashbulbs going off. One of the relics of Buddha - a tooth - is kept here so this is definitely a sacred stop in the global Buddhist pilgrimage route.

The monastery is open to overnight retreats but you can choose to remain for life. The diet is strictly vegan although visitors can opt for a gourmet feast that rivals some of the best vegan restaurants anywhere in the world.

Businessmen visiting Kaoshiung will want to spice up their trip by staying at the 538 room Grand Hi Lai Hotel. Style snobs be warned. This huge hotel borders on the tacky with its penchant for faux Italianesque details. But loosen up. Designer boutique hotels may be all the rage today, but at some point their hip factor can get boring and predictable. (Not another Philippe Starck piece!) The Grand Hi Lai is what hotels were like before the days of economies of scale and standardization became industry practice. Grand, opulent and littered with works of fine art and the inevitable kitsch items. Just ask Michael Jackson. The gloved one even took home one of the hotel's prized antiques without permission!

Hello Kitty Fever

Talk about kitsch. One suite is a shrine dedicated to Sanrio's Hello Kitty - which I'm told by the hotel staff is booked solid way in advance. The partnership with Sanrio extends to the hotel's baby pink Hello Kitty limousine - which you can book for a private city tour. There's also an exclusive Hello Kitty retail outlet in the lobby. Hello Kitty, you see, is a magnet for Taiwan's biggest tourist market - the Japanese.

This explains the partnership between Japan's most famous cat and EVA Air of Taiwan. Since introducing the Hello Kitty themed flights to and from Japan, EVA Air have experienced a surge in reservations. For now, those flights are strictly for the Japanese market, but curious travelers can catch a glimpse of the colorful EVA Air Hello Kitty Lounge at the Taipei International Airport.

Traditional Taipei

Arts and Culture vultures will be happy know that Taipei houses the world's largest collection of Chinese antiquities. With defeat imminent, Chang Kai Shek ordered the removal of almost every important piece that could be carried out of Beijing's ancient art collections. Today, the loot is preserved and displayed in Taipei's newly renovated National Palace Museum. Scholars of ancient China, and travelers of Chinese descent won't be disappointed as the museum lives up to the hype. On display are bronzes, paintings, calligraphy, jade and ceramics that trace the history and culture of this fascinating and talented race.

The museum is easy to navigate and the items on display are well-edited so you don't suffer from "culture overload". Ceramics are an interest of mine and the carefully edited selection of blue and whites is just fantastic. Remember, what we call china today came from, well, China.

Rounding out my top picks is the massive Lung Shan temple in the heart of downtown Taipei. There's not much here that makes it an architectural gem or an important spiritual site. But locals and foreigners alike troop here all day long to have their fortunes told.

Here's how it works: you shake a couple of red wooden chips in your hand and drop them to the ground. The position of the chips gives you the answer you're looking for. There are other ways to tell your fortune like matching the numbers on sticks with a scroll of paper locked in a corresponding drawer in a chest nearby. It's all up to you. So what if you aren't superstitious, a visit here provides a revealing view of the fatalistic nature of the Taiwanese.

Indeed, even in hi-tec Taipei, old traditions die hard.