The Sights and Attractions in Taipei

The Sights:

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
The National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is a monument erected in memory of Chiang Kai-shek, former President of the Republic of China, in Taipei, Taiwan. A new name for the structure, National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall. The ponds and parks surrounding the memorial and cultural centers feature well-maintained lawns, trees, and pathways. The ponds are filled with the colourful koi traditionally found in gardens in East Asia. One often sees people in the parks playing Go or practicing taekwondo, Tai chi chuan and other martial arts. The entire plaza is located within sight of Taiwan's Presidential Office Building in the Zhongzhen District of Taipei.

National Palace Museum
It is located in Waishuanghsi, neighborhood of the Shihlin District, with the riches of Chinese culture and Imperial collections over 1000 years: bronzes, paintings, porcelain, jade, calligraphy and rare books. The National Palace Museum holds one of the largest collections of Chinese artifacts and artwork in the world, around 700,000 items in all.
The National Palace Museum is located in Chihshan Road in Taipei City's Shihlin District. To get there, visitors can take the Danshui Line of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) network and get off at the Shihlin Station, then take the Red 30 bus to the museum.

Lungshan ('Dragon Mountain')
It is the city's oldest temple, with a wooden statue of local goddess Kuan-Yin. Lungshan, which means dragon mountain, temple was originally built in 1738. The temple has survived an earthquake, typhoon, and U.S. bombs during World Word II. Kuanyin Goddess is one of the most revered goddess in Taiwan in general and at this temple in particular.
The Lungshan Temple is not only a temple and a sightseeing attraction, but also a second-degree historical site. There are traditional streets, antique shops, Buddhists article shops and Chinese medicine shops surrounding the temple. These places are great to visit because of their richness in folk art.
The Lungshan Temple is located in Taipei City's Kuanzhou Street. To get there, visitors can take the Bannan Line of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) network and get off at the Lungshan Temple station.

Botanical Gardens
The Botanical Gardens has a site about 8 hectares are home such as a stunning lotus pond, Chinese zodiac plants, Succulent plants Garden, Fern garden, Odes plants Garden, Ethno plants Garden, Palms House and large gardens lined with a wide variety of plants and trees, …etc. It has expanded to the extent that its living collection is over 1,500 species. The walkways are dotted with signs explaining the classification of different flora, making a visit here quite an educational experience. Sitting on a bench under the covering of the tall trees is a great way to relax. The gardens are so vast that it is easy to forget that you are actually in a large city. It is located in the southwest of Taipei.

Snake Alley - Night Markets.
Night markets aka Snake Alley are a very enjoyable experience for a tourist and a part of everyday life for the Taiwanese. You can get everything here: great food, cheap clothing, trinkets, souvenirs, electronics, etc. They usually open around dusk and close up shop at around midnight.
Snake handlers welcome visitors to sample the blood of their captive animals. The smell of the stinky tofu hits your nose long before you find the source of the stench. The disconcerting texture of the jelly tea slides down your throat as you drink the strange beverage. It's all an unexpected adventure through Taipei's streets. Nonetheless, Snake Alley is great place to load up on souvenirs, music and videos and a variety of other trinkets. It once used to be notorious for prostitution, but in the last few years Taiwan’s government cracked down and cleaned up the place. To access Snake Alley take the metro to the Lungshan Temple station.

Excursions:
- Peitou - hot-springs resort in the Yangminshan National Park.
- North coast - Tanshui (ex-Spanish fishing willage), Yehliu National Park, Keelung (Statue of Kuan Yin).
- Northeast Coastal Scenic Area - unspoiled beaches.
- Pitan - boating lake.
- Wulai - aboriginal vollage and waterfalls.
- Toucheng, Chiaoachi, Hsin Feng and Wu Feng - waterfalls again.
- Taroko Horge - marble cliffs, hot springs (Wu Shan) and aboriginal dancers.

Entertainment:
- International stars at the National Theater and national Concert Hall and at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall.
- Chinese Opera at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and the Armed Forces Cultural Activities Center.
- Modern Dance by the Cloud Gate Ensemble.

Sports:
- Basketball at the Municipal Basketball Course.
- Baseball and soccer at the Municipal Stadium.
- Golf at the Pei-tou Kuo Hua Country Club, at the Taiwan Golf & Country Club, the New Tan-Shui and the Ta Tun Golf and Country Clubs, Tan-Shui, the Hualien Golf Club etc.

Annual Events:
- Foundation Day (1 Jan) - celebrating the inauguration of Sun Yat-sen as first president of the Republic of China.
- Chinese New Year (Jan/Feb)
- Lantern Festival (Feb/Mar)
- Birthday of the Goddess of Mercy/Kuan-Yin (Mar/Apr)
- Tomb-SweepingDay (5 Apr)
- Brithday of the Sea Goddess/Matsu (Apr-May).
- Dragon Boat Festival (Jun)
- Birthday of the City God/Cheng Huang (Jul/Aug)
- Ghost Festival/Chung Yuan (Aug/Sep) - with lanterns to guide the spirits
- Chinese Valentine's Day (Aug/Sep)
- Confucius' Birthday (28 Sep)
- Harvest Moon Festival (Sep/Oct) - with the ubiquitous Moon Cakes
- Double-Ten National Day (10 Oct) - armed forces commemorate the overthrow of the manchu dynasty
- Restoration Day (25 Oct);
- Sun Yat-sen's Birthday (12 Nov);
- Constitution Day (25 Dec) - instead of Christmas.

* Taiwan
* Taipei
* The Sights and Attractions in Taipei
* Place to Stay and Hangout in Taipei