{"id":980,"date":"2013-10-03T20:57:53","date_gmt":"2013-10-03T12:57:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/earthtoiris.wpengine.com\/?p=980"},"modified":"2014-03-04T19:53:02","modified_gmt":"2014-03-04T11:53:02","slug":"taiwan-by-bike-east-coast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/taiwan-by-bike-east-coast\/","title":{"rendered":"TAIWAN BY BIKE &#8211; EAST COAST"},"content":{"rendered":"Taiwan has a very interesting mixture of flavors. It\u2019s a place of contrasts where cities coexist with a very well preserved countryside life, especially in the Eastern part of the Island. Discover Taiwan by bike and enjoy the overwhelming landscapes of dense mountains and bohemian coastal enclaves either by food or bicycle. And if you can, travel across the island by train. The railway system is efficient. Since the island is not very big, it\u2019s quite easy to move from one point to the other as you enjoy the green tropical views.\u00a0The people are warm and kind.\r\n\r\nAbout the food, expect Chinese dishes with a Taiwanese twist.\u00a0 If you like trying out special and eccentric fruits, Taiwan is home of very special tropical fruits.\r\n\r\nTaipei also has interesting shopping options. From boutiques to street markets similar to the ones in Japan or South Korea. Not so much of Taiwanese Fashion though, not yet at least. But still it\u2019s possible to find good travel finds.\r\n\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"ngg-singlepic ngg-none\" alt=\"taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3268\" src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3268.jpg\" \/>\r\n\r\n<strong>READY TO EXPLORE THE EAST COAST OF TAIWAN BY BIKE ?<\/strong>\r\n\r\nTaiwan is the biking enclave of Asia. The roads couldn\u2019t be more bike-friendly, with\u00a0bicycle lanes almost everywhere. Expect to be hailed frequently as by standers, car passengers or motorbike drivers shout Jia You (Come On! in Chinese) as you pass by.\r\n\r\nThere are plenty of routes to explore the island on two wheels. Bring your bike or rent one on the spot. Local bike manufacturer Giant, for instance, offers a very convenient service allowing costumers to pick up their bicycle and drop them off\u00a0at\u00a0different locations.\r\n\r\nWe started our trip in\u00a0<strong>Taitung (\u53f0\u6771\u5e02)<\/strong>, after a three hours train ride from Taipei. From there we cycled an average of 60km a day until we reached\u00a0<strong>Hua lien (\u82b1\u84ee\u5e02)<\/strong>. From Hualien, trains leave regularly for Taipei.\r\n\r\n<style type='text\/css'>\n    #ngg-gallery-2156 .ngg-pro-masonry-item {\n        margin-bottom: 4px;\n    }\n<\/style>\n<div class=\"ngg-pro-masonry\" id=\"ngg-gallery-2156\">\n    <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-gutter' style='width: 4px'><\/div>\n    <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-sizer' style='width: 200px'><\/div>\n                <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-item' style='height: 149px; max-width: 200px;'>\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3271.jpg\"\n                   title=\"\"\n                   data-src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3271.jpg\"\n                   data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/thumbs\/thumbs_taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3271.jpg\"\n                   data-image-id=\"1698\"\n                   data-title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                   data-description=\"\"\n                   class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"2156\">\n                    <img title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         alt=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         width=\"200\"\n                         height=\"149\"\n                         src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/dynamic\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3271.jpg-nggid041698-ngg0dyn-200x0-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg\"\/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n                                    <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-item' style='height: 149px; max-width: 200px;'>\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3276.jpg\"\n                   title=\"\"\n                   data-src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3276.jpg\"\n                   data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/thumbs\/thumbs_taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3276.jpg\"\n                   data-image-id=\"1699\"\n                   data-title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                   data-description=\"\"\n                   class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"2156\">\n                    <img title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         alt=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         width=\"200\"\n                         height=\"149\"\n                         src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/dynamic\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3276.jpg-nggid041699-ngg0dyn-200x0-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg\"\/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n                                    <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-item' style='height: 185px; max-width: 200px;'>\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3277.jpg\"\n                   title=\"\"\n                   data-src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3277.jpg\"\n                   data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/thumbs\/thumbs_taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3277.jpg\"\n                   data-image-id=\"1700\"\n                   data-title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                   data-description=\"\"\n                   class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"2156\">\n                    <img title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         alt=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         width=\"200\"\n                         height=\"185\"\n                         src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/dynamic\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3277.jpg-nggid041700-ngg0dyn-200x0-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg\"\/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n                                    <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-item' style='height: 149px; max-width: 200px;'>\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3285.jpg\"\n                   title=\"\"\n                   data-src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3285.jpg\"\n                   data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/thumbs\/thumbs_taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3285.jpg\"\n                   data-image-id=\"1701\"\n                   data-title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                   data-description=\"\"\n                   class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"2156\">\n                    <img title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         alt=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         width=\"200\"\n                         height=\"149\"\n                         src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/dynamic\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3285.jpg-nggid041701-ngg0dyn-200x0-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg\"\/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n                                    <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-item' style='height: 149px; max-width: 200px;'>\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3287.jpg\"\n                   title=\"\"\n                   data-src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3287.jpg\"\n                   data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/thumbs\/thumbs_taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3287.jpg\"\n                   data-image-id=\"1702\"\n                   data-title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                   data-description=\"\"\n                   class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"2156\">\n                    <img title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         alt=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         width=\"200\"\n                         height=\"149\"\n                         src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/dynamic\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3287.jpg-nggid041702-ngg0dyn-200x0-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg\"\/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n                                    <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-item' style='height: 149px; max-width: 200px;'>\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3292.jpg\"\n                   title=\"\"\n                   data-src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3292.jpg\"\n                   data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/thumbs\/thumbs_taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3292.jpg\"\n                   data-image-id=\"1703\"\n                   data-title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                   data-description=\"\"\n                   class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"2156\">\n                    <img title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         alt=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         width=\"200\"\n                         height=\"149\"\n                         src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/dynamic\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3292.jpg-nggid041703-ngg0dyn-200x0-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg\"\/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n                                    <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-item' style='height: 64px; max-width: 200px;'>\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3293.jpg\"\n                   title=\"\"\n                   data-src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3293.jpg\"\n                   data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/thumbs\/thumbs_taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3293.jpg\"\n                   data-image-id=\"1704\"\n                   data-title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                   data-description=\"\"\n                   class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"2156\">\n                    <img title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         alt=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         width=\"200\"\n                         height=\"64\"\n                         src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/dynamic\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3293.jpg-nggid041704-ngg0dyn-200x0-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg\"\/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n\r\n\r\nAfter all the biking, refuel with a snack at the popular\u00a0<strong>Gong Zheng Bao Zi (\u516c\u6b63\u5305\u5b50)<\/strong>\u00a0located in the Hualien's\u00a0buzzing night market, in Zhong Shan Lu 199-2 (\u82b1\u84ee\u5e02\u4e2d\u5c71\u8def199-2\u865f\u00a0). It\u2019s a lively spot opening\u00a024\/7. They serve delicious steamed pork buns and dumplings.\r\n\r\nOnly queue up if you want to order for take away. If you want to\u00a0eat on the spot, don\u2019t be shy and ask for a table. Expect little English here, but the staff is helpful even though they look extremely busy. Just point out at what the others are eating and they\u2019ll serve you. No worries, the menu has only a few dishes and almost everybody is ordering the specialty of the house. Oh! And after all the pedaling don\u2019t forget to order a cup of the sweet and crispy Taiwanese Iced Tea.\r\n\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"ngg-singlepic ngg-none\" alt=\"taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3297\" src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3297.jpg\" \/>\r\n\r\nIf you have time for one more food experience before heading for Taipei, visit the famous\u00a0<strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bian-shi.com.tw\/products.html\" target=\"_blank\">Hua Lien Xian Bian Shi Dian<\/a><\/span>\u00a0(\u82b1\u84ee\u9999\u6241\u98df\u5e97)<\/strong>\u00a0and taste their delicious wantou soup.\u00a0 Again, little English is spoken here, but the extremly helpful staff will guide you through their display of fake- plastic dishes with the different kinds of wantou sopus they have.\r\n\r\n<strong>Taipei\u00a0<\/strong>is the typical Asian metropolis. Big and crowded but with a personality of it\u2019s own. \u00a0Except for the Business District and some other areas, the city is mostly made of narrow, lively and pleasant alleys. So best is to walk the streets when the distances are not too big. Most of the streets are covered by convenient porches to keep you dry when the sudden tropical rain falls.\r\n\r\n<style type='text\/css'>\n    #ngg-gallery-2157 .ngg-pro-masonry-item {\n        margin-bottom: 4px;\n    }\n<\/style>\n<div class=\"ngg-pro-masonry\" id=\"ngg-gallery-2157\">\n    <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-gutter' style='width: 4px'><\/div>\n    <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-sizer' style='width: 200px'><\/div>\n                <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-item' style='height: 268px; max-width: 200px;'>\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3307.jpg\"\n                   title=\"\"\n                   data-src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3307.jpg\"\n                   data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/thumbs\/thumbs_taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3307.jpg\"\n                   data-image-id=\"1706\"\n                   data-title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                   data-description=\"\"\n                   class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"2157\">\n                    <img title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         alt=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         width=\"200\"\n                         height=\"268\"\n                         src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/dynamic\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3307.jpg-nggid041706-ngg0dyn-200x0-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg\"\/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n                                    <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-item' style='height: 268px; max-width: 200px;'>\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3315.jpg\"\n                   title=\"\"\n                   data-src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3315.jpg\"\n                   data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/thumbs\/thumbs_taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3315.jpg\"\n                   data-image-id=\"1707\"\n                   data-title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                   data-description=\"\"\n                   class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"2157\">\n                    <img title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         alt=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         width=\"200\"\n                         height=\"268\"\n                         src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/dynamic\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3315.jpg-nggid041707-ngg0dyn-200x0-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg\"\/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n                                    <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-item' style='height: 268px; max-width: 200px;'>\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3316.jpg\"\n                   title=\"\"\n                   data-src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3316.jpg\"\n                   data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/thumbs\/thumbs_taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3316.jpg\"\n                   data-image-id=\"1708\"\n                   data-title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                   data-description=\"\"\n                   class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"2157\">\n                    <img title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         alt=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         width=\"200\"\n                         height=\"268\"\n                         src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/dynamic\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3316.jpg-nggid041708-ngg0dyn-200x0-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg\"\/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n                                    <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-item' style='height: 149px; max-width: 200px;'>\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3318.jpg\"\n                   title=\"\"\n                   data-src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3318.jpg\"\n                   data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/thumbs\/thumbs_taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3318.jpg\"\n                   data-image-id=\"1709\"\n                   data-title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                   data-description=\"\"\n                   class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"2157\">\n                    <img title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         alt=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         width=\"200\"\n                         height=\"149\"\n                         src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/dynamic\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3318.jpg-nggid041709-ngg0dyn-200x0-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg\"\/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n                                    <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-item' style='height: 168px; max-width: 200px;'>\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3331.jpg\"\n                   title=\"\"\n                   data-src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3331.jpg\"\n                   data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/thumbs\/thumbs_taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3331.jpg\"\n                   data-image-id=\"1711\"\n                   data-title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                   data-description=\"\"\n                   class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"2157\">\n                    <img title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         alt=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         width=\"200\"\n                         height=\"168\"\n                         src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/dynamic\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3331.jpg-nggid041711-ngg0dyn-200x0-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg\"\/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n                                    <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-item' style='height: 183px; max-width: 200px;'>\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3332.jpg\"\n                   title=\"\"\n                   data-src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3332.jpg\"\n                   data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/thumbs\/thumbs_taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3332.jpg\"\n                   data-image-id=\"1712\"\n                   data-title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                   data-description=\"\"\n                   class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"2157\">\n                    <img title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         alt=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         width=\"200\"\n                         height=\"183\"\n                         src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/dynamic\/taipei_sights_web_res_may_13-3332.jpg-nggid041712-ngg0dyn-200x0-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg\"\/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n                                    <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-item' style='height: 133px; max-width: 200px;'>\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_may13-5016.jpg\"\n                   title=\"\"\n                   data-src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_may13-5016.jpg\"\n                   data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/thumbs\/thumbs_taipei_sights_may13-5016.jpg\"\n                   data-image-id=\"1713\"\n                   data-title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                   data-description=\"\"\n                   class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"2157\">\n                    <img title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         alt=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         width=\"200\"\n                         height=\"133\"\n                         src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/dynamic\/taipei_sights_may13-5016.jpg-nggid041713-ngg0dyn-200x0-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg\"\/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n                                    <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-item' style='height: 266px; max-width: 200px;'>\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_may13-5021.jpg\"\n                   title=\"\"\n                   data-src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_may13-5021.jpg\"\n                   data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/thumbs\/thumbs_taipei_sights_may13-5021.jpg\"\n                   data-image-id=\"1714\"\n                   data-title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                   data-description=\"\"\n                   class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"2157\">\n                    <img title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         alt=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         width=\"200\"\n                         height=\"266\"\n                         src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/dynamic\/taipei_sights_may13-5021.jpg-nggid041714-ngg0dyn-200x0-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg\"\/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n                                    <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-item' style='height: 133px; max-width: 200px;'>\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_may13-5023.jpg\"\n                   title=\"\"\n                   data-src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_may13-5023.jpg\"\n                   data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/thumbs\/thumbs_taipei_sights_may13-5023.jpg\"\n                   data-image-id=\"1715\"\n                   data-title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                   data-description=\"\"\n                   class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"2157\">\n                    <img title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         alt=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         width=\"200\"\n                         height=\"133\"\n                         src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/dynamic\/taipei_sights_may13-5023.jpg-nggid041715-ngg0dyn-200x0-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg\"\/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n                                    <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-item' style='height: 300px; max-width: 200px;'>\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_may13-5025.jpg\"\n                   title=\"\"\n                   data-src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_may13-5025.jpg\"\n                   data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/thumbs\/thumbs_taipei_sights_may13-5025.jpg\"\n                   data-image-id=\"1716\"\n                   data-title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                   data-description=\"\"\n                   class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"2157\">\n                    <img title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         alt=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         width=\"200\"\n                         height=\"300\"\n                         src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/dynamic\/taipei_sights_may13-5025.jpg-nggid041716-ngg0dyn-200x0-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg\"\/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n                                    <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-item' style='height: 133px; max-width: 200px;'>\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_may13-5070.jpg\"\n                   title=\"\"\n                   data-src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_may13-5070.jpg\"\n                   data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/thumbs\/thumbs_taipei_sights_may13-5070.jpg\"\n                   data-image-id=\"1725\"\n                   data-title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                   data-description=\"\"\n                   class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"2157\">\n                    <img title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         alt=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         width=\"200\"\n                         height=\"133\"\n                         src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/dynamic\/taipei_sights_may13-5070.jpg-nggid041725-ngg0dyn-200x0-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg\"\/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n                                    <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-item' style='height: 133px; max-width: 200px;'>\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_may13-5080.jpg\"\n                   title=\"\"\n                   data-src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_may13-5080.jpg\"\n                   data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/thumbs\/thumbs_taipei_sights_may13-5080.jpg\"\n                   data-image-id=\"1727\"\n                   data-title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                   data-description=\"\"\n                   class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"2157\">\n                    <img title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         alt=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         width=\"200\"\n                         height=\"133\"\n                         src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/dynamic\/taipei_sights_may13-5080.jpg-nggid041727-ngg0dyn-200x0-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg\"\/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n                                    <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-item' style='height: 125px; max-width: 200px;'>\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_may13-5086.jpg\"\n                   title=\"\"\n                   data-src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_may13-5086.jpg\"\n                   data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/thumbs\/thumbs_taipei_sights_may13-5086.jpg\"\n                   data-image-id=\"1728\"\n                   data-title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                   data-description=\"\"\n                   class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"2157\">\n                    <img title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         alt=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         width=\"200\"\n                         height=\"125\"\n                         src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/dynamic\/taipei_sights_may13-5086.jpg-nggid041728-ngg0dyn-200x0-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg\"\/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n                                    <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-item' style='height: 300px; max-width: 200px;'>\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_may13-5103.jpg\"\n                   title=\"\"\n                   data-src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_may13-5103.jpg\"\n                   data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/thumbs\/thumbs_taipei_sights_may13-5103.jpg\"\n                   data-image-id=\"1731\"\n                   data-title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                   data-description=\"\"\n                   class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"2157\">\n                    <img title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         alt=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         width=\"200\"\n                         height=\"300\"\n                         src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/dynamic\/taipei_sights_may13-5103.jpg-nggid041731-ngg0dyn-200x0-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg\"\/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n                                    <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-item' style='height: 133px; max-width: 200px;'>\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_may13-5121.jpg\"\n                   title=\"\"\n                   data-src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_may13-5121.jpg\"\n                   data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/thumbs\/thumbs_taipei_sights_may13-5121.jpg\"\n                   data-image-id=\"1733\"\n                   data-title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                   data-description=\"\"\n                   class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"2157\">\n                    <img title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         alt=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         width=\"200\"\n                         height=\"133\"\n                         src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/dynamic\/taipei_sights_may13-5121.jpg-nggid041733-ngg0dyn-200x0-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg\"\/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n                                    <div class='ngg-pro-masonry-item' style='height: 404px; max-width: 200px;'>\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_may13-5212.jpg\"\n                   title=\"\"\n                   data-src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/taipei_sights_may13-5212.jpg\"\n                   data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/thumbs\/thumbs_taipei_sights_may13-5212.jpg\"\n                   data-image-id=\"1735\"\n                   data-title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                   data-description=\"\"\n                   class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"2157\">\n                    <img title=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         alt=\"taiwan by bike\"\n                         width=\"200\"\n                         height=\"404\"\n                         src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-sights-may13-web-res\/dynamic\/taipei_sights_may13-5212.jpg-nggid041735-ngg0dyn-200x0-00f0w010c010r110f110r010t010.jpg\"\/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n\r\n\r\nEat at one of the best restaurants in the world,\u00a0<strong>Din Tai Fung<\/strong>. This emblematic venue specializes in the mouth melting Xiaolongbao (steamed pork dumplings), which are responsible for the restaurants\u2019 worldwide reputation.\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/1gpPhao\" target=\"_blank\">Read the blog post about the secrets behind Din Tai Fung.<\/a><\/span>\r\n\r\nAnother very good option for Taiwanese food is\u00a0<strong>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.zhuji.com.tw\/\" target=\"_blank\">ZhuJi<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>restaurant. It has a more familial ambiance than Dintaifung probably because it\u2019s less popular overseas and a more common spot for\u00a0gatherings among local Taiwanese.\r\n\r\nFinally, the shopping! If you feel like getting lost into the crowds, explore\u00a0<strong>Ximending (\u897f\u9580\u753a)<\/strong>.\u00a0The area is often compared to Japan\u2019s Shibuya and Harajuku. And whereas it\u2019s as crowded and as shop-dense, Ximending lacks the local flavor of its Japanese sisters. The lack of a strong Taiwanese street wear culture makes Ximending a spot where one can find lots of Japanese and South Korean deals but little of local Taiwanese fashion.\r\n\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"ngg-singlepic ngg-none\" alt=\"taipei_shopping_may13-5165\" src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-shopping-may13-web-res\/taipei_shopping_may13-5165.jpg\" \/>\r\n\r\n<strong>Da\u2019an district (\u5927\u5b89)<\/strong>\u00a0is a very good alternative. The quiet alleys are packed with small boutiques catering a tasteful selection of fashion items from local and international designers.\r\n\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"ngg-singlepic ngg-none\" alt=\"taipei_shopping_may13-5187\" src=\"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/taipei-shopping-may13-web-res\/taipei_shopping_may13-5187.jpg\" \/>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Taiwan has a very interesting mixture of flavors. It\u2019s a place of contrasts where cities coexist with a very well preserved countryside life, especially in the Eastern part of the Island. Discover Taiwan by bike and enjoy the overwhelming landscapes of dense mountains and bohemian coastal enclaves either by food or bicycle. And if you [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2155,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[119,116,117,121,103,120,118,31,115,114],"class_list":["post-980","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-escape","tag-biking","tag-eating-out","tag-food","tag-giant","tag-hiking","tag-hualien","tag-nature","tag-shopping-2","tag-taipei","tag-taiwan"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/980"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=980"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/980\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=980"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=980"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/earthtoiris.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=980"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}