Job Discussion Forums

kdynamic · Joined: 05 Nov 2005 Posts: 562 Location: Japan

Hi there. I hope you don't mind me dropping in here. I usually hang out in other forums since I don't live in Taiwan, but I am planning on visiting for a few days and would like to ask you knowledgeable people a couple questions.

1) do you know a good inexpensive place to spend the night in keelung? I would like suggestions for Taipei as well but I am finding Keelung hard to research online. (anyone taken the ferry into keelung by any chance?)
2) what are your must-see places and must-do things? I'll have 5 days. I know you're going to ask "well what sort of things do you like" but just think if your sister or cousin or someone came to visit, where would you take them?
3) can you tell me about safety? I am a young woman traveling alone. I assume I'll be ok walking around during the day in populated areas if I use common sense, but how about going out at night or a little off the beaten track?
4) will I be ok without being able to speak chinese/taiwanese? I only speak English, Japanese, and body language Embarassed

Thanks a lot!

BigWally · Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 5:21 pm Post subject: Re: tourist questions

mizzo · Joined: 05 Sep 2006 Posts: 29

I live in Keelung but I'm not sure about cheap, good places to stay. I had my apartment set up before I moved. The Keelung tourism office's website is http://tour-3.klcg.gov.tw/intoduction.htm you can try looking there or contacting them. Honestly, if you only have 5 days, you probably don't have to spend a night in Keelung. You can easily do all there is to do in a day. Hit the night market after 4:30-5pm for dinner and then you can get a bus or train to your next destination. The bus to Taipei is only 51NT so you could just make it a day trip from Taipei. I don't know about the ferry. I think I heard that they don't run anymore but I'm not certain. Best thing to do would be to check with the tourism office. I think they have a list of hotels at the actual centre so I'll try to stop by and have a look if I get some time over the next couple of days.

kdynamic · Joined: 05 Nov 2005 Posts: 562 Location: Japan

Thanks for the responses so far! To answer a couple things that were brought up:

I will be coming in mid-April

I have already checked out the ferry situation. It still runs.

The reason I was asking about staying in Keelung is that I will be arriving at 10pm so I thought it might be better not to have to get to taipei that night. Does the bus even run that late?

Thanks for the info and links!!

Toe Save · Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:14 am Post subject:

There are lots of seedy dives in each and every city that you can get a cleanish bed, bathroom and TV for about 800NT. The Evergreen is probably Keelung's best hotel. We had a romantic getaway there a couple of years ago and I believe it was somewhere near 3000NT/night.

Before coming to Taipei, I would suggest going to Hualien. Taroko Gorge is prolly the most exquisite siteseeing to be had on the island. Spend a couple of days there. You can even take a boat out to see whales and dolphins if that's your thing.

Taipei of course, boasts the world's tallest building. You can't miss it. It looks like a giant stack of chinese take-out containers.

You may want to experience the spa scene in either WuLai (south Taipei) or BeiTou (North Taipei). Or hike the trails of MaoKong in SE Taipei for exquisite views of a very polluted city.

No trip to Taiwan is complete without visiting the Shi Ling night market. Easily accesssed on the red line of the MRT, you can buy just about anything there.

If you want a truly unique Taiwanese experience, visit the small town of Shen Keng. It is a short bus ride from the Zoo MRT station. It is famous for it's ChoDoFu. But beware.....in 5+ years in country, I have yet to be able to stomach even standing near a pot of the stuff, much less actually eating some. I hear, "It's deeelishus" but not for me, baby.

As for danger, please exercise due caution when using cabs. If I were a young lady, I would ask front desk people at hotels to arrange booking cabs instead of simply hailing one. A lot of cab drivers are ex-convicts and Taiwanese laws do little to dissuade sex offenders. Some guy just beat and raped a 6 year old girl and got off on a 30,000NT fine. Sorry to be so graphic in this erm...travelogue....it is safe. Safer than most places in the world. But it is not Utopia. Crime exists. I've always maintained that if you don't project yourself as a victim, you wont be victimized.

Unless you are a bicycle. Then you'll be stolen within minutes.

Hope I was helpful.

MomCat · Joined: 02 Dec 2004 Posts: 297

Don't know how cheap you want to go, but this site may be useful:
http://www.hostelz.com/hostels-in/Central-%26-East-Asia
Cat

mizzo · Joined: 05 Sep 2006 Posts: 29

Buses run until about 11, I think. But, you probably will want to stay somewhere in Keelung if you're getting in late.

markholmes · Joined: 21 Jun 2004 Posts: 661 Location: Wengehua

Serious_Fun · Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 1171 Location: terra incognita

mizzo · Joined: 05 Sep 2006 Posts: 29

i made it to the Keelung tourist centre yesterday. Here are the hotels they have listed and their phone numbers:

Hua Tu Hotel 24202277
Hwa Hsin Hotel 24223166
Yong Ji Hotel 24223570
Tong An Hotel 24227719
*Da Hu Hotel 24246391
*Harbourview Hotel 24223131
Long Fia Hotel 24224059
Dye Liann Hua Hotel 24272226
King Chung Tai Hotel 24289186
Fu Fuo Hotel 24284171
Shye Her Hotel 28282136
New Scenery Motel 24346866
*Jin Hwa Hotel 24238181
*Kangro Hotel 24228767
Gwo Doo Hotel 24238555
Hsin Hai Hotel 24254688
Ba Du Hotel 24567690
Royal Hotel 24260308
Kodak Hotel 24230111
*Shiou San CHuang Hotel 24287777
Ocean Hotel 24201166
Aloha Hotel 24227322
Lang Mei Hotel 24232699
Yong Feng Hotel 24232138
*Imperial Hotel 24267101
Lu Wen Hotel 24224244
*Beidoo Hotel 24227899
Xin Sheng Hotel 24560951
*Evergreen Laurel Hotel 24279988

The ones with stars by them look pretty shiny in the pictures and are probably more expensive than the others. They're all pretty much in the city centre (Keelung isn't very big at all) but the New Scenery Motel is a little further out than the rest. Not much, though.

There weren't any websites listed except the Tourism Centre's (http://tour.klcg.gov.tw ph:24287664)

When calling from overseas, Taiwan's country code is +886 and Keelung's area code is (02). So, for example, the tourism centre would be +886 224287664

Good luck and have fun on your trip!

Tsimplyme · Joined: 28 Nov 2004 Posts: 15 Location: Canada

I recommend the Harbour View Hotel... it's closer to the train/bus station than the Evergreen and I've never paid more than 1650-1900NT a night. If you make reservations on-line you'll pay much more unless you can read and book in Chinese. (You could get a Mandarin speaker to book for you and probably get a good deal.) However, I've always just shown up and they have had room. The rooms are clean and modern and overall its a nice business class hotel. Breakfast is included. Highly recommended.