Taipei, situated at the center of the Taipei Basin of the Taiwan Province and to the right bank of Danshui River, is the political, economic, cultural and educational center of the province and Taiwan's biggest city as well. As early as four to five hundred years ago, it was a marshland covered with thick forests.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taipei City is the center of tourism in the northern part of Taiwan Province. Apart from the Yang Ming Mountain and Peitou Picturesque Scenic Spot, the Taipei Park is the biggest and the earliest ever built with a Total area of 89 thousand square meters and the biggest wood-fenced zoo in scale in the province.     

There are many other places of historic interest and scenic beauty, such as the Taipei City Gate, the Long Shan Temple, Bao An Palace and Confucian Temple, just to enumerate a few.    

Taipei has many special local products and specialties, typical of its kind, ranging from Sheng Da Zhuang Chinese brush, Shilin pocket knives, moulding picture, artistic pottery and porcelain down to stuffed dumblings made of glutinous rice flour served in soup, all of which attract the appreciation, buying and tasting of numerous visitors. 

Taipei is gradually moving towards the standards of Western metropolitan cities. With a rapid transit system (MRT), plenty of buses and cheap taxis, getting around in Taipei is fast and cheap. Popular areas include XinYi District (City Hall area) with Taipei 101 (the world's tallest building), Taipei Train Station and the Eastern District Shopping Area (from Sogo Department Store along Zhongxiao East Road all the way to the Taipei 101 area). Tourist attractions include the world-renowned National Palace Museum (partially under rennovation until late 2005), HuaXi Street (aka Snake Alley), Guang Hua electronics market and of couse, shopping. 

A visit to Taipei should include the famous hot springs at BeiTou. Combine this with a trip to the beautiful Shann Garden, also in BeiTou, which has restaurants, teahouses, and the Taiwan Folk Arts Museum.