My girlfriend’s birthday is in a week and a half and we will be spending it in Taiwan. The trouble is, I have never been to Taiwan. We’re probably spending it in Taipei, but we can also go to somewhere near Taipei if it’s accessible without having to use a car.
So, what are romantic things to do in the Taipei area?
Taipei and the surrounding areas are generally public transit friendly, so you won’t have any trouble finding fun things to do without a car. What sort of things does your girlfriend enjoy?
You can go up the Taipei 101 at night and take in the view of the city. There’s the National Palace Museum if that’s what she’s into. There’s a few European style tea rooms around the city for fancy afternoon tea. For traditional tea-drinking, you can go to Maokong by tram and hike around the area and look for a cozy tea room. The night markets aren’t very romantic per se, but they are a good place to end the night if you get hungry.
If you’re willing to travel a little further, I know there’s quite a few hot springs on the periphery of the city. I went to the one in Wulai just an hour southwest of Taipei by bus if I’m remembering it correctly. It’s a cute little place with one main road and several hot spring hotels that you can rent either overnight or just for a few hours. It’s an aboriginal village so you can try some of the mountain cuisine and go see the cultural museum before getting a nice soak. There’s also a nice easy hike up to a waterfall near there at NeiDong forest. Beitou to the north also has some hot springs as well but I heard the springs are more sulfurous smelling there.
The MRT metro system can take you a bit out of town, too, in case you want to go somewhere less crowded.
To be honest, though, having grown up in Taipei… I have trouble envisioning any part of it as romantic. Are you sure you can’t rent a car and drive south?
Correction: You don’t take a tram to Maokong, you take a gondola. I was thinking gondola and my fingers typed tram.
If you do want to take a car (or bus) further south, you can go to Sun Moon Lake, one of the more popular romantic destinations in Taiwan.
Thank you all for the replies. We just came back from Hualien. I will learn learn more about your suggestions. She said that she wants to dress nicely for her birthday, if that helps.
Asked for tips from some friends who lived in Taipei for several years…hope these help. I’m not sure he got the “romantic” part, though. IIRC, they usually left town for the mountains when they wanted something romantic.
He did say that you can get anywhere by MRT or taxi.
Shilin Night Market
Taipei Zoo (by MRT)
National Museum
The Grand Hotel
Martyrs’ shrine
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial
The Taipei 101
Having been to all of those places except possibly the Martyrs’ Shrine, well… I don’t think he really got the “romantic” part either. Fine tourist destinations, them all, but romantic…? Not by any definition I know.
Go south. Seriously.