I’m sad to leave Beitou even though it was a short visit. I’m hoping my next destination, Datong, will be ok. I say my goodbyes to Beitou, and when I get to Datong, I find it’s kind of cool! Something about the streets reminds me a little of side streets in Paris. The buildings are definitely more on the upper scale side, and the hotel I’ve chosen, D.G. Hotel, ends up being right on Dihua street! Side note – it’s a cute boutique hotel, where I had a mixed experience. There’s an elevator, but I had to walk up a narrow staircase from it, to get to my room. They thought I had booked a room for 2, so I guess I had a slightly bigger room. If that was big, I don’t want to know what the single room size is like. It was a cute room, though it took some effort to get housecleaning.

After dropping my bags off at the hotel, I go for my first walk and quickly spot two black dogs. I gesture to the owner, asking if I can pet them. Not only does she say yes, she insists on giving me their leashes and taking photos of me with them! I don’t know how I get myself into these things, but it’s a delight!

Dihua Street

I only experience all the merchants on Dihua street once. Most of the time, I’m out of the hotel seeing Taipei, so leave early and came back late. The street vendors are there in the afternoon. It’s quite a site, and lovely to walk around. And, the neighborhood is also lovely without all the merchants. I found some lovely tea shops, a funny dog cafe, nice coffee shops, and some great budget restaurants. I actually prefer the neighborhood when it’s quieter and I can easily roam the quiet streets. However, most restaurants close at 9, so dinner is challenging to find.

I found a small temple as well that I passed each day on the way to the MRT. And, I found a favorite breakfast spot which I enjoyed as well. It was near a local street market where I indulged in some fruit one morning.

I have just a few days to explore some of the key places I haven’t gotten to, so, today the weather looks good enough to go to Maokong. Off I go!

How To Get To Maokong

I’d describe Maokong as an experience. rather than just a place. I thought I’d go for a couple of hours. What I learned is that it’s best to plan a full day in the area.

To get to Maokong, you take the MRT to the Taipei Zoo station. When you exit, you’ll see signs, and then a road that leads to a cable car. You’ll see the cable car in the distance as you walk, so you’ll have no doubt you’re heading in the right direction, despite the condition of the roadwork on the way!

Maokong Gondola Crystal Cabin

It’s a little complicated to buy the tickets because there are three lines and I’m not clear which one to use. I choose the shortest one and get to the ticket window. I learn  there are two gondola types – regular, and glass-bottomed. (AKA the Crystal Cabin.) The line for the regular was really long, so I end up going for the glass-bottomed one. The ticket cost an extra 50 TWD, roughly $1.60. Pro tip: If you can swing the extra cost, you’ll cut down your waiting time a lot.

Ticket in hand, I walk up a few levels, and find myself in a very short line to board my glass-bottomed ride! I share the car with a couple, and one of them is more afraid of the height than I am. The view through our feet though is pretty cool, as well as all the views around us in the mountains. I decide to head all the way to the top, to Maokong, and then work my way down. There’s a temple stop, and the zoo on the same line. It’s a fairly long ride, but I eventually make it to Maokong, and what a place!

Maokong Walking Trails

I head into a small tourist office and get a map of the area. All I know is that I want to drink tea here. But, it looks like there are a lot of tea shops. I’m quickly overwhelmed by all the options presented. But, fate is looking out for me. On the brochure, I see a water buffalo statue! So, I decide that will be my first stop. 🙂

When I finally exit the cable car station, it’s just beautiful. There’s a small hill with a floral decoration to my right, and ahead are some shops and I can go right or left. I head to the right, and track down my water buffalo. It appears as a sign off the road. I follow it, and descend into complete beauty.

Of course, I take photos of the water buffalo statues, there are a couple of them. Then I keep walking with no particular direction in mind. There are many hiking trails at Maokong. I’ve chosen the Camphor Trail. Along the way there are breathtaking views of hills, and Taipei 101 in the distance. I pass by a funny garden with stuffed animals used as scarecrows. The path I’m on forks in any number of directions, or, I can walk straight. This is when I realize I could easily spend an entire day walking around here. Pro Tip: Plan to spend at least a full morning or afternoon just in Maokong. If you also want to see the temple and the zoo, you’ll need a full day.

Lunch And Maokong Tea Houses

All the walking has made me hungry, and I’m not sure where to eat. I find a place with a perfect view, but they aren’t open for lunch. I walk back towards the gondola station and find other places that are either expensive, or seem to have a large tour group inside. Not the atmosphere I’m looking for, so I keep walking.

I decide to walk up the other path and soon discover a small town. It’s not really a town, but it’s got an entirely different feel to it. I decide to get a bite to eat at Redwood Tea House. Despite it’s name, it offers some hearty lunch options. I get a table by the window and admire the gorgeous view. While my lunch is delicious, it’s unexpectedly fried. I mean everything on the plate, including the ginger. Very tasty, but too much fried food for me. When I arrive I’m one of only two tables. After I finish my lunch the place is full, so I decide to have a tea someplace else.

Next to the shop is a tea house where I taste some of the local teas and since I already have a bag of Oolong, get a bag of green tea. They also sell tea cups and pots, but they’re very expensive, compared to prices I’ve seen in Taipei.

I head back to the shops across from the gondola station because I see the Maokong Tea House has great reviews on Google. But, when I go inside, it seems touristy and more like an ice cream shop. I double back to a place I had seen on my way to the Redwood Tea House, Lazy Day Cafe. It ends up being a complete gem!

To get to the cafe, I have to walk down a slightly steep staircase. It’s like a descent into nurturing nature. The last stairwell has me opposite the cafe, and there’s only one group of four people there, besides me. They turn out to be French, and I have a quick chat with them. It turns out the parents are visiting one of their children who is studying in Taipei.

I go to the counter to order some tea. I’m greeted by a husband/wife duo who are two of the loveliest people I’ve ever met. They are happy, and kind, and tell me everything there is made by them. I order some green tea, and ask if they have any cookies. They end up giving me an entire bag of small cookies! The tea comes in an elaborate set where the top needs to be turned to let the water flow out of the pot, and down a ramp into my cup. So, it’s a visual experience as well as a tasteful one! I pick a table that’s like a small gazebo and gaze out at the nature, and the peaceful sounds while I sip my tea.

When I leave, I get a photo of the owners, and the wife insists on filming me ringing the gong on my way out, so I do!

Zhinan Temple

The day is getting away from me, so I regrettably have to move on from Maokong so I can see the temple before it closes. I get on line for the crystal gondola, and they won’t let me in. After some difficult discussion, I learn that I have to pay 50 Taiwanese Dollars each time I ride the gondola. I’m not sure why there isn’t a ticket for the day that would let me just pay extra to ride it without paying each time, but so be it. I pay the Money, which, again, works out well because the regular line is substantially longer.

I walk down to the temple and notice lots of gold cards tied into the trees. Turns out you can write wishes! Of course, I want to, so I find out I have to buy them in the gift shop, but it’s closed. There’s an information desk with two men behind it, so I ask about when the gift shop will open. I can’t understand what they say in Chinese, but I get the distinct impression that the men are arguing about who’s turn it is to go open the gift shop. One of them reluctantly gets up so I can go there and buy one.

I walk around the large temple in front of me, then discover a downhill path. I repeatedly look back as I descend, snapping great perspectives of the temple now behind me. There are so many trees! I will have to choose one for my wish card. I find a small garden area with a cat, and think about hanging my card there, but it’s roped off. The cat has zero interest in me, so I keep walking. It’s like a zen garden. Eventually I encounter a ginger cat and say hello. He’s like the mayor. He rises and walks over to me, swipes his tail against my leg, let’s me get in a few pats, and then continues onward to what I can only presume is official cat duty. I’m so lucky he made the time for me!

I find a tree, hang my card, and then it’s time to head back down on the gondola. It’s 4pm, and the Taipei Zoo is the next stop. They close at 5pm, so I don’t bother getting off because I don’t have the energy or interest to run around in an hour. Instead, I go back to the MRT and head to another place I haven’t been yet – Taipei 101!

Taipei 101

Night is approaching, and I grab some photos of the impressive tower just outside the Taipei 101 MRT station. I head inside to see if I can grab a cup of coffee at the top using the tip that I can get a free ticket and just pay for the coffee when I get there. Sounds great, but the shop is closing at 6, and there’s a long line, so they tell me it’s unlikely I’ll get a spot. So, I use the website I’m directed to in order to reserve a table. I have to pay for it, but it’s not too expensive with the option to get the coffee myself instead of having table service. That ends up being the right choice. I get a message about 25 minutes later that my table is ready. I head up to the 88th floor.

I order a coffee at the counter, and am led to my table which is against the back wall. The view, at night, from the table isn’t impressive. I run over to one of the tables by the window for a couple of photos before anyone occupies them. After my coffee, I see the area where I would have been, had I come up for free. Honestly, it’s worth waiting for. The table is great for speedier admission, but it’s not worth it vis-a-vis the view.

I grab one last MRT before heading to my hotel – over to Xiangshan. There’s supposedly a great street to take photos of the tower from. I walk over slowly because every time I turn around, there’s another great view of Taipei 101 from the street. Eventually, I find the “Instagram spot” and get a few photos. It’s no secret, so there’s a group of other tourists also trying to get the perfect shot. I move along quickly, grab a quick bite to eat near my hotel, and get some rest.