Staycation in Taiwan For A Week

By the time I wrote this blog, this unforgettable staycation was 9 months ago. 😂 Last March 2024, I joined the WordCamp Asia that was held in Taipei, few MTR stations away from Taoyuan – where we stay. I decided to make this trip, a family trip and at the same time being a participant in my favorite conference.

Just so you know, this is our first international travel. We are doing it in DIY. Yes, doing DIY in our first international travel, in a Mandarin speaking country. 🤣

We had learn so much, the do’s and don’ts, their culture, and learn how to navigate Google Maps effectively, lol.

DVO-MNL-TPE

We (me, Nacha and tatay Noah) flew from Davao to Manila via Philippine Airlines. Then, took a connecting flight from Manila to Taiwan, this time with Precious, my registered social worker sister. 💁‍♀️

If you are planning to book your flight, I suggest you should book it with the flight provider directly instead of booking it with travel agencies, unless they are reputable travel agencies. Remember, do your own research.

The flight from Manila to Taiwan took 2 hours and a half. After lining up in Taiwan’s immigration for almost 2 hours, we get our luggage, and then we started to look for the Klook booth where we rent our portable wifi and Taipei fun pass via Klook App. We also withdraw our pocket money inside the airport because cash is king.

Get PHP 250 discount with Klook on your first booking. Click here

Picture muna, bago maligaw. 😂

LeRoom Hotel Taoyuan

I booked our hotel thru Agoda. I have found this best deal by filtering our stay dates and the city we prefer. It includes free breakfast, drinking water, wifi, cold and hot shower, toiletries and it is also good for 3-4 pax.

By the time we arrived in Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, we started to navigate our hotel thru Google Maps. I typed: LeRoom Hotel, and then it showed us what are the types of public transportation we need to ride to get there.

The list displays the departure times and fares. We chose the Airport Line (Express) since it’s the fastest way to reach our hotel. Although we find it more expensive than the others, but we need this for we need to rest.

This is us, first-timers commuting in Taiwan with our luggage and a toddler. 🤣 As the Airport Line (Express) train stopped at Taipei Main Station, we walked 7 minutes to the hotel. I presented our booking to the receptionist and he said, “No, no, no.”

Wait, what? Why? What do you mean, koya? 🥲 Was I scammed? I felt like I was doused in ice cold water. He started to talk in English, saying it was the wrong hotel branch. Oh okay, that’s when I realized the hotel is located in Taoyuan where the airport is. Hahaha. We were all exhausted and now lost in the middle of Taipei in the middle of the night.

Still not bad than spending the whole week on the streets. 😂

I started to ask the receptionist to help book us an Uber to get to the right hotel branch. I learned the expensive way to check the hotel address in the booking details, which cost us $NTD 1,000 for our first night in Taiwan. We rode an Uber and I gave him the booking details.

The Uber ride is only 30 mins. We arrived at the “correct” hotel branch by 12AM. 😂 First day, first adventure.

If you are planning to book this hotel, you can book it in Agoda or directly on their website. FYI, the name of this hotel in Google Maps is: Taoyuan Hedo Hotel

Itinerary

We planned to maximized our 3-Day Unlimited Taipei Fun Pass which includes:

• Taipei 101, National Palace Museum, and over 30 other popular attractions
• Unlimited rides on Taipei MRT, buses, and Taiwan Tourist Shuttle

But because of the cold weather and our confidence to stroll, here are our actual itinerary:

March 5, 2024 – Tuesday

5:30 PM – Departure from MNL

8 PM – Arrival to Taiwan Airport

9 PM- Lost in Taipei

12 AM – Arrival in Hotel

March 6, 2024 – Wednesday

8 AM – Free Breakfast
9 AM – Study and research our next destinations for the next few days
11 AM – Go back to sleep and rest
2 PM – Lunch
6 PM – Taoyuan night stroll and grocery
8 PM – Dinner

March 7, 2024 – Thursday

8 AM – Free Breakfast
9 AM – Going to Taipei Zoo

11 AM – Arrived in Taipei Zoo (Used our Taipei Fun Pass)

1 PM – Lunch at Taipei Zoo’s Mcdo

2 PM – Going to Mongkong Gondola

2:30 PM – Ride in Mongkong Gondola Cable Car (Used our Taipei Fun Pass)

4 PM – Going to Miramar

4:40 PM – Arrived in Miramar

5:30 PM – Dinner in Miramar Mall

6:15 PM – Ride in Miramar Ferris Wheel (Used our Taipei Fun Pass)

7PM – Went back to hotel

March 8, 2024 – Friday

8 AM – Free Breakfast
9 AM – Going to Taipei International Convention Center (TICC) – WordCamp Asia

11 AM – Arrived in TICC

11:30 AM – Participate in WordCamp Asia’s event

2 PM – Taipei 101

3:30 PM – Taipei Children’s Amusement Park

7 PM – Went back to hotel

9 PM – Dinner

March 9, 2024 – Saturday

8 AM – Free Breakfast

9 AM – Go back to sleep and rest

12 PM – Lunch
1 PM – Taipei Astronomical Museum

4 PM – stroll in Taipei Astronomical Museum’s Park

6 PM – Dinner at National Taiwan Science Education Center Basement

7 PM – Shilin’s Night Market

9 PM – Went back to hotel

March 10, 2024 – Sunday

8 AM – Free Breakfast

9 AM – Go back to sleep and rest

12 PM – Lunch

1 PM – Taoyuan Confucian Temple

3 PM – Hotuo Mountain Park

7 PM – Hard-off Shopping

8 PM – Dinner

9 PM – Went back to hotel

March 11, 2024 – Monday

8 AM – Free Breakfast

9 AM – Pack our things

12 PM – Free Transport to Airport

1 PM – Airport Standby

10 PM – Taiwan to Manila Flight

Climate

Although we researched the season we were visiting Taiwan, it wasn’t enough. We knew it would be Spring. As first-timers, we thought Spring wouldn’t be cold and assumed it would be similar to the Philippines’ weather. All our OOTDs were canceled because we never thought it would be that cold in Taiwan during Spring. 🥶

If you’re planning to visit Taiwan, I suggest joining Filipino Taiwan Tour Groups and asking them about the weather so you can prepare the necessities.

Culture

From my perspective, Taiwan is a patriotic country. You can see their flag and China’s flag everywhere.

Mainly, they are a Mandarin-speaking country. I notice that only people who work in airports and hotels speak English. So, you should install a good translator app. If you’re using an iPhone, I suggest the Translate Me App.

Most of them are serious; no one will smile unless you know them. That’s when I realized why the Philippines belongs to one of the happiest countries.

They are disciplined but not considerate. Why do I say that? They maintain discipline by not having security guards in every shop or mall and by strictly following traffic rules. However, they lack consideration. On trains, seats are assigned, so those who book early get a seat, while those who book during rush hour have to stand. I understand that, but in my experience, I saw a grandma who was having difficulty walking and standing. If I had a seat, I would give mine, but no one did. This is sad.

Reflection

This first international trip was the trigger for me to crave for more international trips. 😁 If you reached this last part of the blog, well, thank you for your time!

Love lots 💜,

Princess Joem “Lost In Taipei”