Hi, everyone! I will just create a quick blog post about this 4 Days 3 Nights Taipei, Taiwan solo travel for less than US $200 as I’ve been receiving messages and how I did it. Everything was DIY or Do It Yourself, and I had no itinerary at first, but here are the amazing things to do in Taipei, Taiwan.
My flight happened on November 8, 2016, with a departure time of 9:45 PM and arrival in Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Terminal 1 at 12:25 AM. Just imagine that this flight schedule is not okay for everyone. I ended up sleeping at the airport.
Read more about Visa-Free Travel to Taiwan Using Japan Visa for Philippine Passport Holders
Initial Expenses
- AT (Airport Tax) – PHP 1620
- TF (Terminal Fee) – PHP 750
- AFT (Airfare Ticket) – PHP 1020.80 from Cebu Pacific
- Visa-free with ROC travel authorization certificate although a Taiwan visa is expensive
- PHP 10,000 converted to US $200 – US $1 was around PHP 46
- US $200 converted to NTWD or New Taiwan Dollar which is NT $6,199 (minus the charge of NT 30 from NT 6229)
Purpose of this Trip
I solo travel on my birthday week in Taiwan which was the first time I did in my life. I should be traveling with a friend but due to unforeseen circumstances, she had to cancel.
Three Easy Ways to Reach Taipei Main Station
- From the airport, there is a bus bound for Taipei Main Station
- To experience the HSR, take a bus to HSR Taoyuan Station, purchase a ticket going to Taipei Main Station
- Update: There is a Taoyuan Airport MRT to Taipei which started its service in March 2017.
Where to Stay in Taipei?
- Main Inn Taipei – I stayed here during my first trip in November 2016 for my birthday with other solo travelers and in the same room, I met a guy from Japan. I also met another traveler from the US. I really love the place and highly recommended it. The common area is so spacious and convenient as I can work with my online job as well. The hostel is near Taipei Main Station for 10 minutes.
- Taipei Family Hostel – On my second trip to Taiwan in December 2016, I stayed here and recommended this to a friend who happened to be on the same days as me so I didn’t feel alone as we stayed in the same room. The hostel is really vibrant. My bed was near the window so it was good and not really dark. It was convenient as it is a 5-minute walk from Zhongshan station and a 10-15 minute walk to Taipei Railway Station.
Related Article: How I Survived Budget Travel 26 Days Taiwan with PHP 8000 Pocket Money?
4 Days 3 Nights Taipei – Budget, and Itinerary
Day 1 – November 9, 2016
- Sleeping at the airport arrival at 12:25 AM – Taipei on a Budget
- EasyCard – Top up with NT $200 (book via Klook)
- Taking a bus to HSR Taoyuan Station in the morning – swipe with EasyCard or book your discounted Taiwan HSR ticket via Klook
- Taking the High-Speed Rail from Taoyuan Station to Taipei Main Station for NT $155
- Arrival at Main Inn Taipei – paid NT $1581 for 3 nights
- Meet up with Janice – we got acquainted through a travel forum and met in person at last in Taipei to show me around
- Beef noodles for NT $140, Bubble Tea Milk for NT $40, water by NT 20 c/o by Janice
- Taking the MRT going to XianXiang for Elephant Mountain
- Elephant Mountain with no cost
- Family Mart lunch or snack c/o Janice
- Taipei 101 Building
- Chiang Kai Shek Hall at night (best to go in broad daylight)
- Dinner at Ximending Night Market c/o Janice. You can also check out Snake Alley Taipei.
- Back to the hostel at Main Inn Taipei
- Drinking beer during my birthday eve c/o Yoshi from Japan until midnight
Day 2 – November 10, 2016
- Hey shawty, it’s my birthday!
- EasyCard top-up for NT $100
- Woke up late because of tired legs from hiking
- Sushi breakfast for NT $60
- Conversation with Tony from the US talking about the Philippines and US politics
- Meet up with Kohei from Japan in the afternoon
- Beef Ramen – Late lunch at Taipei City Mall for NT $59
- Sun Yat Sen Hall at night (best to go there in broad daylight)
- Taipei 101 Observatory (book here via Klook) at night for NT $600 c/o Kohei as a birthday present
- Food hopping at Shilin Night Market
- $50 Chao fan plus drink (Chao fan is $90 c/o Kohei / drink is $30)
- $40 Fresh Fruit juice
- $90 (2 bubble tea milk), as you can see Kohei paid for almost everything
- $60 potato fries ($120 per serving)
- Back to hostel
Day 3 – November 11, 2016
- $60 sushi for breakfast
- Easy Card top up for $100 (should have top up $200 or more)
- $40 bus ($90 bus to Jiufen – use Easy Card or pay the exact amount of cash on the bus as there is no change)
- $400 souvenirs in Jiufen
- $800 to $1000 Jioufen Tea House (book here via Klook)
- $100 bus back to Taipei
- Dinner at Din Tai Fung at Taipei 101 (book it here via Klook) c/o Kohei
- Back to hostel
Day 4 – November 12, 2016
- $100 sushi for breakfast
- Meet up with Ghing and Princess
- MRT to Taipei Zoo
- $120 Maokong Gondola
- $60 Taipei Zoo entrance
- or check this combo ticket Maokong Gondola x Taipei Zoo via Klook
- McDonald’s late lunch c/o Ghing
- Meetup with Kohei and friends
- Ice cream waffles c/o Kohei
- $1300 taxi going to the airport due to unnecessary circumstances
- $40 locker because I accidentally brought Kohei’s pocket wifi and earphone 😂
- Fortunately, I was able to catch up on my flight at 1 AM the next day
- A bus and HSR are going to the airport where you could pay less.
Taiwan Itinerary and Expenses Google Docs Link
Please visit the Google Docs link I created, and this is to show how much I spent, and friends spent for me.
Google doc link: Taiwan Itinerary and Expenses
My Personal Budget in Taipei would be
- Accommodation for three nights – NT $1581
- Daily food budget right for three meals multiplied for four days – NT $500 * 4 days = NT $2000
- Daily MRT fare multiplied for four days – NT $200 * 4 days = NT $800
- The rest would be miscellaneous for shopping and souvenirs
Conclusion
4 Days in Taipei is not enough. I missed some places to visit due to the rain in the morning so I prefer to stay in bed and waited for the rain to stop.
Traveling on a budget in Taipei is possible, and other expenses are optional like the Taipei 101 Observatory, High-Speed Rail, and Dinner at Din Tai Fung as there are several free things to do in Taipei. I thank my friends for the birthday treat: Jeremy for the Easy Card, Janice for meeting me and showing me around, Yoshi for the beer, Kohei for the reunion meet-up from Cebu, Ghing and Princess for fun at Maokong Gondola and Taipei Zoo.
Sounds like a nice trip, would of been nicer if your friend could have accompanied you. I’m not particularly fond of hostels. Lol
Hi Anthony,
Thanks for dropping by. Some things happened that I cannot control but still I had a good time. Although my friend wasn’t able to accompany me but I was able to meet my friends in Taiwan. My hostel in Taipei is nice and there is privacy in my bed. I’ll stay in a hotel if I travel with friends. 🙂
Lovely trip, I must say! Can’t wait for your Taiwan trip part two!
I will visit more places I missed to visit the first time. OMG, winter raba ni.
Hi Ms. Rox, will it be okay if I put NONE on friend/family to visit field? I will apply this Wednesday. I will go on a solo trip as well. I’m nervous on my visa application for taiwan. I have previously visited this October, HK and Macau and November, Singapore. Should I staple on my passport the visa from those countries? Thanks!
You’ll visit Taiwan as tourist po 😊 I don’t remember if I answered that. But yeah NoNe naman.
Yes as tourist po. Thanks po. 🙂
I just want to say that I stayed at the Main Inn after you and I saw your log in the guestbook. It caught my eye because we share the same birthday! (thought I wasn’t in Taiwan for my birthday, I was still on the plane on my way there). In fact our stay overlapped for a day; it’s a shame we never met.
Hi Vien,
Happy belated birthday! 😀 Maybe someday will meet somewhere. <3
Roxanne
Hello Roxanne,
Good day!
I am also planning to travel to Taiwan by next year. Some of my Taiwanese students invited me to visit them this year but I thought I need time to prepare the documents and most importantly the money. Do you, by any chance, have some idea of daily expenses in Taipei and nearby districts? I don’t intend to do some shopping or spend a lot of money haha. In addition, how much do you think is the money required for a 7 to 10 days trip? I will be staying in my students’ residences since they are living in different parts of Taiwan- about 7 different districts so I think it will be very expensive for me to stay in the hotels there. I am planning to ask for invitation letter/s should it be helpful for my visa application. Thank you
Hi Jeff,
Thanks for sending a message on my Facebook page as well. Glad to answer all of your questions there. 😊
Roxanne
hi again rox…great deal sa airfare mo…but what about taiwan visa for others especially for unemployed and former ofw. so far ive earned nmn to travel but im worried about passing immigration officers…my biggest fear…any advice??thanks again roxie and more power to you God bless
Hi,
To get Taiwan visa need mag submit documents sa TECO office. Di ko pa na try since nasa Cebu ako.
Hi, is personal appearance required for the visa application? I’m traveling with my Mom who is based in CDO so I was wondering if I can submit the requirements on her behalf?
No need po personal appearance, you can apply naman for your mom as well. Basta complete requirements.
Hi Rox, where did you stay(sleep) when you arrive in the airport before immigration check or after?
Hi Mark,
Upon arrival at the airport, after na sa immigration na natulog.
Hi Rox,
Just want to drop by and say thank you for this blog, Just finished our trip to taipei last week, and yes it was belly bursting trip! :).. if i haven’t discovered your visa-free blog…Taiwanese are really friendly.. Just a tip those who are going back to the airport via Koukuang Bus (1819) location is just a few meters from where they dropped you by (from airport-taipei Station) we got lost because the bus station were relocated..XieXie 🙂
Wow, thank you for this feedback. Good you had a blast in Taipei. 😊
hi rox…naa bah visa kung moadto og taiwan..i mean manglaag tana mi sa ako frnds..or upon arrival tagaan naka tourist visa na 30 days..salamat kaayo.
You need visa for Taiwan, please check previous post as I am using Japan visa to get Visa Free Travel to Taiwan if you have other powerful visas mentioned.
Hi Ms. Roxanne, hindi po ako nagsasawang magbasa ng inyong blog esp. dito sa article na Taiwan trip niyo po. I will be traveling next week for my solo trip also. Hehe. I think i might change the itinerary i prepared due to transpo constraints kasi masyadong malayo sila sa isa’t isa and i’m planning to visit 4 counties. This article will be my guide when I will be in Taipei. Thank you for sharing the wonders of your trip ms. Rox
P.S. thank you also for answering my queries sa IG. God bless
Hi Francis,
Thanks for the kilig message. Hehe! Na speechless ako slight. Thanks for reading my blog. 😍
kanang, naisip nako. very swerte kayka kay nea kay kaila didto ang nalibre ka sa ubang mga expenses. hehehe. Anyway, Thank you for sharing thy experiences. God bless! 🙂
I went to Taipei second time around and I spent less than 10k pocket money. Timing ra to birthday nako na libre ko. But Wala ra man ko mag dahom. 😊 hehe!
Maka GV ang libre. hahahaha. Ambot kung pila na akong mga nagastos. Wala pako naghawa murag dako na nagastos ko. hahaha. Anyway, saan ka nagpachange ng currency? 😀
Nagpa change ko sa Taoyuan airport na mismo. Haha maka GV gyud sa wa damha. At the end of the day, ako man pod i-acknowledge nga nalibre ko which I always mention on the blog. Hehe!
ahh. nagpachange nako diri sa amoa pero kulang sya. hehehe. Salamat sa info, sa airport na lang ko magpachange kay para walay haguu na. hehe. Ana jud na, kailangan i acknowledge. hehe. is it ok na we’re speaking here in our vernacular? 😀
Hehe ok lang naman. 😀
Hi i read your blog. 😊
How about the weather during november? planning to go taiwan this november.
Hi, I went there in November so it’s a cold weather. Bring jacket.
hi Rox. Liked your blog and finding very useful asI prepare for our family trip to Taiwan next week.Like you, we are arriving around 1 am. Planning to nap in the airport while waiting for dawn. Did you have a hard time? Where in the airport did you sleep?Thanks
Oo sort of nasa benches Lang.