Taipei trip during CNY

[limlisa]

I am planning to go to Taipei during chinese new year next year. Has anyone here have the experience of going there during chinese new year. Is it advisable to go there during chinese new year. My main concern is the tourist attraction and the transport.

 

[mlmooy]

I did that 2 years ago. Reach there on the 2nd day of cny.

Most eateries/attractions/shopping complexes will be opened by day 3 and the rest mostly by day 5.

It was not as enjoyable at all. Jam packed trains, crowded sight seeing locations, long queues everywhere.

Everywhere is full of tourists and locals as well. The locals are enjoying their one week cny break so they travel inter city. Tourist from china visit Taiwan as well during this period. Packed everywhere. Brought my parents to jiufen but didn't get to enjoy the scenery at all. Even the bus that was supposed to take us all the way up was forced to let us alight at the bottom because it is faster if we can continue the journey by foot.

been to Taipei several times, I would say cny period is the worst to be there. Go Ang mo countries better. However, being in Taipei about a week before cny is a much different story. Can visit the cny night market. Got festive mood.
Enjoy

 

[touchme]

Very much opposite xp from mlmooy's description when I went this year cny, 3days b4 to 10 days after cny day1.

Everywhere was bustling until late every night. On eve, reach taichung 5pm, the busy night market was dead, all closed, tot we went wrong place. Check-in, shower and watch tv, 8pm came down for dinner, wtf the whole town was celebrating loud and ask shops opened again. We learned that shop keepers closed at 4 and came back 7pm to open shop till morning.

Elsewhere in the whole island on the east coast, mountains and attractions, many locals, little Chinese tourists.

 

[mlmooy]

I see..maybe I should head south next cny. Long time never to visit tainan and Taichung oredi.

I guess it depends on where you visit bah. Taipei was too crowded for me. According to my tw fren, many head to Taipei during cny from the south. But then again, many from Taipei will also head south for holidays.

All in all, Taiwan is a nice place for holiday. People there are generally friendly and polite. Happily planning ur trip!

 

[wildkev]

I was in Kaohsiung during CNY period too last year staying at my friend house to experience how Taiwanese celebrate their CNY . Everywhere is full of people like what touchme said. In taiwan according to my friends, they prefer to earn money than celebrating so most of the shopping centers, night markets etc will be open during this period. Sad thing is the tourist attractions will be full of people and you have to queue quite long for buses (I went to Qi Shan that time) unless you are taking MRT.

Please book your hotel early. If you are taking HSR, try to book early too.

 

[touchme]

Idk, but the sense I get from the Twnese/shops, are they open for the celebrations and for fun, unlike in China, clear cut is chiong for money.

The shopkeepers within shop and across shops, are gerrymandering with each other, be it eve or first 3 days. Really adds to the spirit and festivity. Love it!

Even the apt. renter ( nice couple with 2 kids, sane here) met us at fengjia night mkt, after their reunion dinner to collect money (we collect keys from the apt security guard to check it first) and chatted with us until we have to tell they we have to shop..lol.

 

[calkel20]

If really planning, please note, this coming period is holiday for Taiwanese from the 30th Jan till the 9th Feb. Weekends are crowded and nonetheless, travelling will never be an ease. Understand that sky lantern festival will usually be on the weekends, and also on the 15th day of lunar new year. You might wanna look into that.

 

[touchme]

If really planning, please note, this coming period is holiday for Taiwanese from the 30th Jan till the 9th Feb. Weekends are crowded and nonetheless, travelling will never be an ease. Understand that sky lantern festival will usually be on the weekends, and also on the 15th day of lunar new year. You might wanna look into that.

Was wondering how come you din appear here for the last 12 hours?

 

[calkel20]

Was wondering how come you din appear here for the last 12 hours?

Coz, i prefer main thread. Less mess around. Every simple thread, people just start a new link.

Also need find time for kopi. It seems like into Oct soon.

 

[tiongchauheng]

just imagine... you can be stuck in Jiufen the whole day... just waiting and queuing to enter jiufen old street... or you could be queuing to take the buses and trains... even if you booked drivers... might be stuck in jams

 

[inlhcmb]

If really planning, please note, this coming period is holiday for Taiwanese from the 30th Jan till the 9th Feb. Weekends are crowded and nonetheless, travelling will never be an ease. Understand that sky lantern festival will usually be on the weekends, and also on the 15th day of lunar new year. You might wanna look into that.

2014 taiwan CNY holiday will be from 30 Jan to 4 Feb. It has shorten from 9 to 6 days.

 

[calkel20]

2014 taiwan CNY holiday will be from 30 Jan to 4 Feb. It has shorten from 9 to 6 days.

Great! Not forgetting hoards of chinese from hk, n mainland...

 

[goonnersaurus]

Tagging on this thread as I'm considering bringing my parents over during the CNY period, perhaps arriving a few days before the 1st day and leaving a few days after.

Main concern would be if they are any cities which would be "empty of activities" during the period.

On the same point, which city (if any) would be best to based ourselves on the eve/1st/2nd day of CNY.

 

[limlisa]

Sound scary to go during CNY

OK! From all the reply, it sound scary going there during chinese new year. Never mind I will just try as I only able to take leave during that period. By the way, I have booked a hotel is called Okura Prestige Taipei. My main pupose is for the private hot spring and the sky lantern festival. I just hope my this two itinerary will not get spoilt.

 

[calkel20]

OK! From all the reply, it sound scary going there during chinese new year. Never mind I will just try as I only able to take leave during that period. By the way, I have booked a hotel is called Okura Prestige Taipei. My main pupose is for the private hot spring and the sky lantern festival. I just hope my this two itinerary will not get spoilt.

Coming 2014 sky lantern festival will likely be in the week of 8th, 9th and 14th Feb 2014.

The biggest should be 14/02/2014, as it coincides with the angmoh V-day too. So if you can, just head up for the thing. Just take note, coming down from Shifen can be a real challenge, such that once u are back in taipei, likely you will need to hail a cab back. I did the sky lantern fest twice. Once i stayed in taipei, reached back friend's place at about 1am.

Last year, i stayed in Jiufen, reached back there around 11pm.

The only transport in and out of that place will be bus and train. Nothing else.

 

[suelee99]

I stayed in Taipei for 4 years, and we travelled locally for 2 of the years during cny (once to hualien and once to nearby yilan)....terribly crowded! we drove then (I think railway tickets will be difficult to book) and the highways were jam for hours. most of the hotels/minus were fully booked or charging a premium. so my advice is, unless you like crowds, stay away during cny...

 

[touchme]

Did our cny2013 tw trip car camping round island, not many others. Very hassle free and total freedom.
Van camping in Hokkaido last month, shockingly prevalent amongst Japanese.

 

[Sevalle]

Taipei CNY

will there be firework at Taipei building 101 on Chinese new year eve? i mean countdown like new year.

 

[fireworks79]

will there be firework at Taipei building 101 on Chinese new year eve? i mean countdown like new year.

No. Cos most ppl will b at hm,eating dinner

 

[Sevalle]

thanks. i wanna go holiday wanna see firework. how about hong kong? macau?