Travel Diary // Tea, temples, trendy hotels, markets and meerkats in terrific Taipei

Taipei Marriott Exterior and skyline

Seasoned travellers often cite public markets as ideal for getting a sense of a destination and its people.

While largely true of Taipei’s best-known night bazaars, Shilin and Raohe, engaging with a brace of meerkats isn’t, apparently, a typical occurrence.

Hectic, noisy, thronging with residents and tourists, the markets’ long lanes are alive with sizzling street food, animated mahjong contests, souvenir shops…and dozens of pets.

Misguided preconceptions may have foreigners believing otherwise, but the Taiwanese adore animals - to the extent Raohe night market alone reveals a dozen pampered pooches in pushchairs, cats catching rides on human shoulders, and two domesticated meerkats keen for hugs.

It all comes in dramatic contrast to Songshan Ciyou Temple - calm, colourful, and visitor-friendly at the entrance to Raohe Street’s frenetic commerce.

Then again, the market’s occasionally incongruous scenes are among several pleasant surprises in Taiwan’s sprawling but approachable capital - beginning with its extensive metro system (MRT).

Jolly, nursery-like music heralds train arrivals as passengers queue politely within painted lines. Here, platform politeness is paramount, even at peak times.

The network connects to most major attractions, including Taipei Main Station from where train services run to the island’s coastal towns and cities, and in-land locations.

Peace and playful qualities surface again within the slick luxury of the suitably-named Fantastic Suite at W Taipei.

Our stylish 18th floor corner space yields immediate wow factor as floor-to-ceiling windows reveal unobstructed views of Taipei 101; at 1,667ft, the planet’s tallest building before Dubai’s Burj Khalifa took the crown.

W Taipei Fantastic Suite

W Taipei is located in Xinyi District, a short walk from upmarket shopping and plentiful dining opportunities, including the luxury mall beneath Taipei 101.

W Taipei’s casual elegance extends to YEN Chinese Restaurant and decadent YEN Bar, both 31 floors up. YEN’s modern Cantonese cuisine is visually appealing, as is The Tipsy Tea at WOOBAR, a sassy take on the afternoon tea concept served via a mini BBQ smoker.

Seasons by olivier e, led by Michelin-starred Chef Olivier Elzer, masters modern French cuisine and drinks can be enjoyed at WET pool deck bar.

While taxis are abundant and affordable, the W is conveniently placed above an MRT station, making the hotel an ideal sight-seeing base.

W Taipei

Changing to Wenshan-Neihu Line gets you to Maokong Gondola for a well-priced ride above stunning scenery. Frequent cable cars glide peacefully past tea plantations and the wooded mountain slopes that flank Taipei’s southeastern edge.

Dedicated stops access beautiful sights, including Zhinan Temple, plus Sanxuan and Zhanshan, two more elegant temples walkable from the top level via tea shops and restaurants with more breath-taking views.

Songshan Ciyou Temple

Closer to sea level, Maokong Gondola links to Taipei Zoo. Although initially sceptical, with time to spare we pay just Dh10 to enter a spacious, well curated sanctuary with pronounced animal welfare. And short queues, even for the star attraction…pandas Yuan Yuan and Yuan Zai, her equally sedentary daughter.

Greater animation happens hourly at Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, built to honour the former President of the Republic of China who presided over land reform, economic growth, and 1950s crises in the Taiwan Strait.

Regular changing of the guard ceremonies by soldiers in striking white uniforms includes an elaborate routine set against the imperious structure they protect.

While opinions of Chiang are reportedly mixed, his statue and accompanying exhibition suggest a largely convivial leader.

A similar cheerful demeanour is evident among many Taiwanese we meet, and illustrated via quirky urban traits such as tune-playing garbage lorries and coffee shop signs wishing us “daily joy”.

Memorial Hall shares vast Liberty Square - venue for state visits, lantern festivals and shows - with the elaborate architecture of the National Theatre, National Concert Hall and Gate of Integrity, all flanked by beautiful garden walks.

Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall

Greenery also thrives in Zhongxiao Park and beside National Palace Museum, while more grand design beguiles at Xiahai Chenghuang Temple and revered Longshan Temple, in Taipei’s oldest area, Wanhua.

The adjacent Ximending neighbourhood offers a vibrant shopping experience while iconic Dihua Street’s preserved brick-built stores sell fabric, herbs, and Taiwan’s trademark Oolong tea.

Close to Taipei’s second flight hub, Songshan International Airport, Miramar Ferris Wheel presents elevated 360-degrees glimpses of that geography from affluent Dazhi district.

The suburb is served by MRT’s Jiannan Road station with more nature close by on Mount Jiannan trail. Both are steps from Taipei Marriott Hotel, a large, art-laden property where arrivals are greeted by an epic lobby mural and handcrafted crystal butterflies.

The hotel is part of a development occupying lush greenery beside some of Taipei’s priciest apartments.

Our contemporary 31st floor Sky King Room offers another panorama of the cityscape, dissected by the snaking Keelung River.

INGE'S Bar and Grill Terrace, Taipei Marriott Hotel

Tempting F&B options include Inge’s Bar & Grill where a 20th floor terrace also avails Taipei views, stylish all-day dining outlet Garden Kitchen, Mark’s Teppanyaki, indulgent omakase in KOUMA Japanese Restaurant, and authentic Chinese choices in The Dining Place. Lobby Lounge, meanwhile, is casual, charismatic with high ceilings and conservatory-style design overlooking well-

tended foliage.

Back in trendy Xinyi district late the following afternoon, we identify now familiar landmarks from Taipei 101’s observation deck.

As the sun melts lazily into the horizon, the bronzing spread before us is accompanied by street sounds drifting 89 storeys upwards…each wave suggesting further adventures in this enigmatic, compelling capital city.

Find out more about W Taipei Taipei Marriott Hotel at www.marriott.com

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Words by David Dunn.