Taipei Itinerary

Looking for a 4-day itinerary for Taipei, Taiwan?

Well, Taipei has been and still one of my favourite cities. With its food, culture, people and places, I keep coming back which brings me here for the third time.

Here is a quick 4-day itinerary which gives a guide to navigate this beautiful city. Estimated expenses are also included to help you.

Enjoy!

DAY	TIME	PLACE	Train Station (Line)	ACTIVITY	ESTIMATED EXPENSES	PHP	NTD	REMARKS
Day 1	9:00am	Hotel		Wake up call
	10:30am	Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall	Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall (Green)	Sightseeing	Free
	12:00nn			Lunch
	1:00pm	Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall	Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall (Blue)	Sightseeing	Free
	2:30pm	Taipei 101	Taipei 101 (Red)	Sightseeing	Taipei 101 Observatory		500
	4:30pm	Elephant Mountain	Xiangshan (Red)	Trekking	Free
	7:00pm	Shilin Night Market	Shilin Night Market (Red)	Dinner	Street foods
Day 2	8:00am	Hotel		Wake up call
	9:30am	National Taiwan Museum	NTU Hospital (Red)	Museum Tour	Entrance Fee		30
	11:00am			Lunch
	12:00pm	Maokong	Taipei Zoo (Brown)	Gondola Ride		379		To be booked on Klook
	1:30pm	Taipei Zoo	Taipei Zoo (Brown)	Zoo Tour	Entrance Fee		60
	5:00pm	Double Decker Night Bus	Taipei Main Station (Blue/Red)	Hop on/Hop off Tour				Free with Gondola ride on Klook
	8:00om	Raohe Night Market	Songshan (Green)	Dinner	Street foods
Day 3	6:30am	Hotel		Wake up call
	7:45am	Gakuden Bakery (Exit 4)	Ximen (Blue/Green)	Meet up	Package Tour (Klook)	1161		To be booked on Klook
	9:00am	Yehliu Geopark		Park Tour	Entrance Fee		80
	11:30am	Jiufen		Lunch/Sightseeing	Street foods
	2:40pm	Shifen		Lantern release	Lantern		200
		Shifen/Golden Waterfalls
	5:00pm	Gakuden Bakery (Exit 4)		Drop off
	6:00pm	Ximending	Ximen (Blue/Green)	Dinner/Shopping
Day 4		Free day to go to places you want to visit/revisit.
						1540	870
					OTHER EXPENSES	PHP	NTD	REMARKS
					4G Sim (5days Unlimited)	384		To be booked at Klook
					Easy Card		100
					Easy Card Load		300-500

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Holy Week Boracay.

Everybody seems to be raving over a man-made blockbuster party in the well-known paradise during the special holiday weekend here in the Philippines… The LABORACAY. A catastrophe for a few but definitely something to look forward to mostly half of the people in the city. My enviousness to the people in the isling this weekend is one best way to introduce my Boracay experience during the holy week. Boracay has been one of the must see destination in our country. With its fine white sand and a serene beach surely captures the eye of every tourist. Modernization of today bring this island into a new contemporized place with mostly the business in the city brought into this destination. Not to mention the fastfoods, shops and the party of Manila are now available in this spot. The hype started having a long weekend in the spirit of the passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. The memo was received by my treasured friends and so was tagged along in the trip last minute but totally worth it. Everyone is excited yet airline messed up having a delayed flight and so the first day flown away so making the most out of the days to come. Boracay did not disappoint me even for the third time visiting this island. It was indeed a great way to just stay quiet and reflect at the same time spending it with the best people. Sand on my feet as I walk through the shore felt really great contemplating and leaving away the worries of the busy streets of the city. With its wondrous sunset, who can never be in love? Getting through the island life is way too enticing. Engaging with the banana boat ride with friends with an unexpected drop in the moddle of the ocean was really exciting. Having a break at the famous Jonah’s fruit shake station was indeed refreshing. Kissed by the sun in the middle of a noon time heat was enough way to tan our skins, yes, by a 2pm sun. Lol. Smoke Restaurant in D*Mall never failed me with my ever favorite Sizzling Bulalo. Observing the Good Friday, a no music chill night ended us tipsy by Pat’s Grill and Bar’s signature concoction. Another day in paradise calls for a lot of bonding experience. Puka beach is an isolated sanctuary with it’s sand made from pulvurized puka shells. It can be reached through a tricycle ride. Drinking an ice cold beer by the beach indeed caps the afternoon sun. A lot of activities can definitely keeps you busy in the island. Flying fish, paraw sailing, jetski, ATV, zorb, etc., however, one reason of returning to this place is the para sailing. Parachute in the middle of the ocean in a moving craft. Fascinating enough for an experience scrapped off my bucket list.

Last night here should never be disregarded so overflowing alcohol brings us into our feet in Juice Bar. Truly, never leave the island without trying the party life. Yes, the reason why laboracay is born!

 

Summing it up, the experience was indeed fun, especially spending it with the people you really treasure most. But going back to my introduction, I hope I can get through this laboracay fever next year. Surely, a big one to look forward to. Boracay will always be Boracay. Definitely, a destination worth visiting again and again.

Inspiration and Commitment.

Inspiration and Commitment. Two big words to live by.

A 220-pounder guy 5 years ago took its way to fitness and healthy lifestyle. His journey finds its way to a better tomorrow by continually exploring activities gaining a better experience to life at the same time feeling good about himself.

It was August 2009 when the journey of this fat kid starts by enrolling himself in a known gym with just a simple random thought. The journey has begun as he continually motivates himself for a better health benefit.

After a year of monotony in the gym, seeking ways to be more active, he tried engaging himself into running. Running his first 5K fun run in ‘Run to Read’ in August 2010 and voyage himself through 10K, 15K distances through half marathons as he aspire to become a marathoner. He ran his first marathon overseas in the ‘Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore’ in December of 2011. Continually engaging himself into the world of running and striving for more, he completed his first ultramarathon in the recently concluded ‘Tagaytay to Nasugbu 50K Ultramarathon’ last May of this year. He never fails his incessant dedication to healthy lifestyle and fitness.

Going back to his first sport of swimming in the elementary years and eventually having his own bike, triathlon has paved its way, marking his 5th place finish in the ‘Wetshop Newbie Triathlon’ last May 2012.

The never-ending expedition in seeking new ways to live life to the fullest took its way to a lot of other activities. From wakeboarding to surfing, from boxing to muay thai, from trail blazing to mountain climbing and now enjoying the inner peace that yoga benefits.

The quest is infinite but the inspiration and commitment will never tear apart. Persistently thanking God for the gift of life and forever nourishing it. For in the end, it’s not the life that you live but how you live your life.

Back on the mat.

Yes, it will always be nice to be back on the mat.

It was such a long time since I attended my last practice in yoga. Tried practicing at home but always ending up not successful.

I enrolled myself to Bliss Yoga Manila for unlimited yoga classes for 7 days. I have an ample time over the weekend with my busy schedule and so the challenge is on.

It was indeed a challenge of giving time and effort for fitness. It takes a lot of commitment to surrender yourself. However, the benefits to health is still the no.1 concern.

It was a great experience to do yoga. It gives you a time for yourself, a time to forget your busy life and just focus on yourself and relax. It gives you that inner peace that you tend to be comfortable in every way. Sweats all over gives you a great push and continue to challenge yourself.

Reputable teachers truly inspires you to do good on your practice. Adding up your classmates/yoga mates, whom I just known in the classes, who never fails to influence to continue what you are doing and strive more.

I was kinda off that time because of the struggles I am going through. A lot of things bothered me from time to time and I had to divert myself from the unscrupulous mind that I am going through. Not to mention also of the weight I am gaining and was a bit hopeless to lose them.

It was through yoga I came to discover myself and find its completeness. Trying every pose gives you the algorithm of life. It will never be easy. It will take steps for you to achieve what you aim. Practice makes you improve your poses yet we learn our lessons from it.

One lesson I wouldn’t forget and try to live with it as the instructor goes, ‘Whatever it is, whatever it was, shall be.’ I guess this is practically life itself. We really learn from every step that we take in our lives but we tend to continue to live with it and even strive to find the completeness within ourselves. In the end, we are the teachers within ourselves.

Ziggy is back! 🚲

It was ages when I did my last bike workout. It came to a point the my bike named Ziggy became dusty with uninflated tires from his bike rack.

Blame it on my last triathlon race, the Anvaya Cove Triathlon last October 2012 when I almost surrendered during the bike course.

Blame it again during my last T2N Ultramarathon just this month wherein I am too lazy to do any workout at all and always defend myself by saying I am still recovering. 19 days from now and still recovering, Oh, I am good in reasoning and sour graping!

Following athletes in the social network gives you a lot of motivation to get back into fitness and training. Seeing them how they manage to insert their training in their busy schedule everyday gives you a great push to give time for fitness.

I can say that they gave me a great boost to get back into training and fitness. And here I am now returning back, definitely Ziggy is back on the road!

Boracay.

BORACAY

JUMP OFF: Touch down Kalibo Airport. Ride a van which will bring you to Caticlan Jetty Port for P200 then ride a boat to the island for a fare of P30 with a terminal fee and environmental fee of P150. Tricycles and multicabs are available after to bring you to your hotel in the island.

WHAT TO EAT: Sizzling Bulalo at Smoke located at D*Mall is to die for. Try also the exotic calamansi muffin exclusively from Real Coffee and Tea Cafe.

WHERE TO GO: Are you adventurous enough to do cliff diving? Ariel’s Point is about 30minutes away from the island. You need to reserve a day in advance at Boracay Beach Club for an amount of P1500 which includes the boat ride to and from, unlimited drinks and BBQ lunch. If you want a quiet place to watch the beautiful sunset, Puka Beach is a great deserted place to consider.

WHERE TO SHOP: D*Mall at the center of the island in station 2 gives you a good choice for shopping. But if you want a cheaper place to shop for pasalubong, you can check D*Talipapa in station 2 as well.

Bacolod.

BACOLOD

JUMP OFF: Touch down the New Bacolod Silay International Airport. Ride a van going to Silay City then to Bacolod for Php50.

WHERE TO EAT: To taste the authentic Chicken Inasal, Manokan Grille, just beside SM City Bacolod, is the place to be. Best partnered with vinegar, calamansi, soy sauce adding up the special oil on your rice. Truly, mouthwatering! Then have your coffee and dessert in Calea along Lacson Ave. offering an array of delicious cakes.

WHERE TO GO: Mambucal Mountain Resort offers you different activities such as zipline, hanging bridge, wall climbing and their therapeutic sulfur dipping pool. Their famous 7falls trekking is a must for it will walk you through the foots of Mt. Kanlaon. Brgy. Balaring in Silay City takes care of Mangroves. You can visit these plantations then have your fresh seafood meals just near the vicinity.

WHERE TO SHOP: Bongbong’s and Merci’s are two famous competitors when it comes to Bacolod pastries and sweets. Visit their adjacent shops in Alijis Road. Bring your plane tickets to get a traveler’s discount.