Top 10 Recommendations for a Trip to Taipei

My recommendations for planning a trip to Taipei...

1. Stop studying Mandarin
...In other words, you don't need to speak Mandarin to get around in Taipei. Almost everything you need is written in English: MRT stops, maps, etc. And if you get stuck, ask. Most younger people know some English, and using hand motions will usually help get your point across. Out of politeness, I would recommend learning how to say 'hello' and 'thank you' in Mandarin. 'Hello' is Nǐ hǎo (pronounced knee-how), and 'thank you' is Xièxiè (prounced shay-shay). Get ready for some laughs from locals hearing you attempt their language.

2. Bring your rain coat and umbrella
It rains a lot, especially in December. But it's not the "ruin your day kind of rain"... more like on-and-off drizzling. Another tip - do not bring a wet umbrella inside. Either A) use an umbrella bag (provided at most hotels and museums) or B) leave it on an umbrella rack outside. No one will steal it. My cute one was safe all week!

3. Pack some TP
So you know those little "Charmin-to-go" toilet paper rolls in the travel toiletry aisle at Target? The ones you look at and think "Who would buy this stuff?" Well, YOU will buy this stuff...on your next trip to Taipei. Oddly enough, a lot of public restrooms don't have toilet paper. And it's not like they were just out of it...sometimes there wouldn't even be a place for a roll to go. I started bringing some from the hotel, but that Charmin-to-go sure would've been nice.

4. Pack light
You are going to want to buy things. Especially clothes and shoes. Don't make the same mistake I did and over pack. Thankfully, I had Tyler, who brought some things home for me. The clothes you intend on bringing probably aren't in style over in Taiwan anyway (unless you wear a lot of Hello Kitty), so don't worry about looking super cute. And while clothes and shoes are plentiful and cheap, don't get your hopes up for inexpensive designer purses. You're not in China (completely).

On a slightly related note, to condense my electronics, I left my computer at home and blogged from my iPad. To transfer pictures from my camera, I picked up a Wi-Fi SD card from Amazon (here). It creates a Wi-Fi hotspot (so you don't need internet) from your camera to your computer or tablet, and immediately transfers pictures when you're in close range. It is a faster and cord-free substitute to the traditional method, and would also be cool for photographers wanting to show off their pictures right away. (They're not paying me for advertising, I promise.)

5. Get a phone
Another way of fighting the language barrier in Taiwan is having access to a phone with data. This can get a little complicated. Hopefully, you are lucky and your phone takes a SIM card and can operate globally. If you're not lucky like me (thank you Verizon iPhone...), find a cheap phone that does. Tyler bought one for me off a girl in Taiwan for $30. You could also try borrowing an old phone from a friend. Anyway, once you have your phone, grab your passport and U.S. driver's license (you will need both) and find a mobile phone store along the street (they are plentiful and easy to identify). You'll be able to communicate in broken English to explain that you would like a SIM card and data for your phone. A SIM card costs about $10 (and you can reuse it for your next trip!) and 10-days of data and some phone minutes costs another $10. So, $20 and you're all set. Now, you'll have 3G data wherever you go.

6. Exchange money at the airport
Unlike Mexico, the airport in Taipei has one of the best exchange rates, about 30NT per $1. You'll need your passport to exchange money. Although I spent all of my money and didn't need to exchange any back, the return rate to USD isn't bad either.

7. Always carry your hotel's business card
...and make sure it's in Mandarin. Why? How else do you tell your cab driver where to drop you off? How do you get directions from someone who doesn't speak much English if you get lost? It's always safe to carry multiple business cards with you. The alternative is learning Mandarin.

8. Get yourself an Easy Card and the MRT app
Hopefully you've read my previous post about how much I love the MRT and Taipei public transportation. To make getting around even easier, buy yourself an Easy Card, which is a pre-paid card that you wave across a reader device when you travel. This will save you the hassle of waiting in line for tickets and rummaging through your purse for change. You can use it at the MRT and Maokong Gondola, and also for train and bus fares, parking, boat rides, bicycle rentals, and even at 7-11.

It gets better. The Easy Card gives users a 20% discount on MRT fares. Also, if you use your Easy Card on the MRT and then again on a bus within two hours (or vice versa), the bus ride is 50% off. You can purchase an Easy Card from machines at MRT stations for a preset amount. I think mine had $25 on it (750 NT) which was more than enough for the week. The reader will tell you how much value you have left after each scan, and you can always add money to it, too.

Finally, download the MRT map. It's free and will help you determine where the closest station is located, as well as what lines to transfer to and from to get to your destination.

9. Skip the theme restaurants
BuzzFeed and Huffington Post are going to tell you about all of the amazing themed restaurants in Taipei. My advice: they are worth a picture and nothing more. From talking with locals to looking up reviews, all of these restaurants are overpriced and have awful food. Pop in for a picture of the Hello Kitty Sweet Cafe, the Barbie Restaurant, and maybe even Modern Toilet (your food comes in mini toilets), but save your time and money and eat elsewhere.

10. Taipei is safe
I spent a lot of time by myself during the trip, and never once did I feel in danger or uncomfortable. Not to say that the city is crime-free, but don't be afraid to venture off alone and soak up the culture. It's exhilarating, stress-free, and will really teach you a lot about yourself.

Enjoy!