Capital Amusements

A serene stroll seems right about now, don't you think? A quick 10-minute bus ride from the National Palace Museum allows you to experience such a peaceful moment at the Shilin Mansion, former President Chiang Kai-shek's residence.

Chiang lived here with his wife, and also used this secluded, heavily guarded estate as a national headquarters, for 26 years – after the defeat of his Kuomintang party in the 1949 civil war, and the relocation of his government to Taiwan.

Several diplomatic events, including Taiwan-U.S. discussions of the Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty, also took place here. In 1953, then-U.S. Vice President Richard M. Nixon stayed on the second floor of the main residence.

Spindly palm trees greet visitors to the estate, lining the main path from Zhongshan North Road Sec. 6 – I felt like someone important just walking down that path.

Converted into a majestic public park in 1996 after being deserted for a while, the place also features fantastic European-style botanical gardens.

The residence stands as an important landmark in Taiwan and also serves as a symbolic reminder of the country's history and its unique relationship with mainland China.

Visitors can again find a café (café seems to be the trend eh?) built in an unflustered environment that gives strollers a chance to sit back and enjoy the surroundings for a longer time.

Open every day from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (7 p.m. on weekends), the park is free to visit.

Shilin Night Market

Nearing the end of a day means one thing: night market time! Situated across Zhongshan North Road Sec. 6 from the Shilin Mansion is Taiwan's famous Shilin Night Market.

Crowded with hordes of people every evening, the location of the night market is recognizable even to first-timers.

It's best to visit on an empty stomach, as the place is full of stalls jostling for space and selling local delicacies. Delectable Taiwanese food includes Oyster Omelet – fried oysters, eggs, vegetable with potato starch in a pancake form – and Stinky Tofu – a type of fermented tofu that tastes surprisingly nice although it's got a slightly unpleasant odor.

This is also the best place to come for all sorts of wonders, from self-designed T-shirts to handmade massage tools to peculiar-looking accessories.

Sometimes lucky shoppers can discover on-sale name brands, too, so keep your eyes wide open! You never know what you might find.

In addition to the food and shopping, there is also a movie theater, video arcades, karaoke, and a bowling alley on the spot, providing people with more than enough entertainment options.

One night is never enough for the full Shilin Night Market experience. So plan to go, soak it in, and then figure out when you're going back!

How to get there:

By MRT – Take the Danshui line and get off at Yuanshan Station. The underground to the art museum is a 5-minute walk.

By Bus – 40, 42, 203, 208, 216, 218, 220, 224, 247, 260, 277, 279, 287, 308, 310, 612, and Red 2 gets visitors to the Yuanshan Stop, outside Taipei Fine Arts Museum.

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