Jesse Liu
Assistant manager airport services
The heritage lover
I always feel relaxed when wandering around Taiwan’s old streets. Two of my favourites are found on the outskirts of Taipei: Yingge Ceramics Street and Sanxia Old Street.
Yingge is known for its fertile black soil and its ceramics industry. Wander around and you’ll find both traditional and modern ceramics studios. There are also street shows, local restaurants and cute boutiques – great places to snap up souvenirs.
Meanwhile, Sanxia Old Street is famous for Qingshui Zushi Temple, featuring intricate stone carvings; and for the snacks it sells, including bread shaped like a cow’s horn. Every week, the temple attracts many visitors who pray for good luck – they always take a box of cow’s horn bread when they leave.
Moses Hou
Assistant manager corporate communications
The adventurer
Taipei is surrounded by national parks – a short drive and you’ll find sea views, hot springs and stunning national monuments.
Just north of the city is Yangmingshan National Park, which is popular with hikers. Around this time of year, the mountain is covered in beautiful silvery grass. From Yangmingshan it’s not far to the hot springs in Beitou. Aside from being a warming winter treat, the minerals in the water are said to have many health benefits.
Nearby, Tamsui, which was a busy commercial port 150 years ago, offers excellent sea views and sunsets. Visit the Fort San Domingo, a historical monument that was once the British consulate.
Back in Taipei, rent a YouBike and cycle the path along the Tamsui river with Taipei 101 in the background.
Agatha Lee
Area head Taiwan
The art lover
A morning stroll around Huashan 1914 Creative Park is my favourite way to start a relaxing weekend. From the 1920s to the ’80s when it was abandoned, the area was a local wine factory and warehouses. But in the mid-2000s, the area was renewed and artists and performers started to move in. It’s now a popular place for exhibitions, performances, local handicrafts and even fashion shows. And you can always find great coffee just around the corner.
If you want to hunt down more local art and design, visit the Songshan Cultural Creative Park, which was a tobacco factory until 1998. Now, it’s a mix of galleries, design studios and performance spaces and surrounded by greenery. It’s so tranquil that it’s hard to imagine you’re in the centre of the city.
