The northern Taiwanese capital city of Taipei has something for everyone, blending history, culture, food, art and amazing architecture, writes Kathleen Davidson.
Taiwan's capital combines the best of both worlds, offering the benefits of a big Asian city — fascinating history, excellent food, diverse culture, world-class shopping — with lovely national parks and beaches within easy driving distance or a quick ride on public transport. Despite being home to 2.7 million people, Taipei moves at a gentle pace, and its friendly, approachable people and many attractions make it a must for any travel wishlist. Here are some of the reasons why.
THE SIGHTS
The world's tallest building from 2004-2009, Taipei 101 — or the Taipei World Financial Centre — towers above the capital. Its striking design resembles a stalk of bamboo. Its bottom five levels house a high-end shopping centre; ride one of the world's fastest elevators to the 89th and 91st floors for indoor and outdoor observation decks with spectacular views.
A more sedate but equally interesting attraction is the imposing Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, which pays tribute to the former president of the Republic of China. The octagon-shaped building (a nod to the importance of the number eight in Chinese culture) rises 76m up two sets of 89 steps representing the former leader's age of death; at the top you'll find a large bronze statue of him guarded by soldiers in white uniforms who swap places every hour.
