Taiwan will soon be offering visa-free entry for Filipinos later this year, and with so many deals on airfare happening, it’s a no-brainer that you should visit Taiwan for a memorable family vacation!
You might be thinking that it’s pretty expensive, but in reality, it can be very affordable, so long as you follow our guide!
The early bird gets the cheapest flights!
A lot of airlines in the Philippines offer seat sales wherein you can get really great deals on flights to Taiwan. If you’re taking AirAsia, they can offer one-way tickets for as low as $33, or about 1600 pesos. So that’s about 3200 pesos per person. Not bad at all!
Here’s another tip, try looking for deals a few minutes past midnight. Airlines usually post good deals during that time, so try to look for a good deal!
Use Airbnb for cheap accommodations
Airbnb is slowly becoming the go-to solution for travelers looking for a good place to stay, while staying on budget. Airbnb is a website that lets you coordinate with another member of the site who’s willing to offer their home for travelers to live in.
You’ll find that the prices on offer for Airbnb’s are usually cheaper than most hotels, or even some hostels. Plus, you’ll be renting an actual home, so you’re sure that it’ll be a comfortable place to stay.
On average, the rooms go for about 2500 pesos per day, and sometimes lower. You just need to find a good deal.
Get a 4g sim card!
To save a lot of money, you can get a 4g sim card at the airport. The 4g sim cards give you unlimited data, and also allow you to make and receive calls, so it’s easier for you to move around Taiwan, especially if you’re trying to contact your Airbnb person!
The sim cards usually cost about 150 NTD, or about 250 pesos, and it has a consumable 150 NTD for making outgoing calls.
Grab an Easycard as soon as possible
Easycards are reloadable cards that you can use to purchase a lot of things in Taipei. It makes things more convenient, and saves you the hassle of looking for change when you’re trying to buy things in stores. Plus, you’ll also need it for renting a bike!
Take advantage of the Taipei Metro
The most efficient way of getting around Taipei is through the Taipei Metro. It’s very organized, and even first-timers won’t have a hard time understanding the train routes.
It’s also the best way to get to different places around Taipei, and it’s pretty fast!
Train tickets cost about 100 NTD, or 140 pesos, and it’s consumable. You can also refill the card if you don’t have enough balance. It can also be refunded, so you’ll get back some of your money once you’re done.
Make sure to grab a map of the stations, and keep it with you for reference, in case you and your family get lost.
Use a bike to get around!
If you and your family are up for it, bikes are also a good way of getting around Taipei. However, you need to both get a registered sim, and an Easycard to rent a bike. You can register through kiosks near You Bike stations. You can also use their website to register.
Oh, and make sure to ride your bike only on the designated bike lanes!
Skip the fancy restaurants, and look for places where the locals eat!
Most travelers tend to look for familiar fast food places, or fancy restaurants in an attempt to eat ‘good’ food. However, the secret to finding cheap and tasty food is to eat where the locals eat!
You can also try going to the Shilin Night Market for some delicious food! They even offer 9 pieces of xiao long bao (soup dumplings) for only 100 NTD!
Places to visit!
You don’t have to go to fancy places and pay expensive entrance fees to experience Taiwan. You can visit their many parks, or try hiking up Elephant Mountain so that you can see the best view of Taipei!
Here’s a list of other places that you should also visit!
-Maokong
-Taipei Zoo
-Longshan Temple
-Songshan Cultural and Creative Park
-Raohe Street Night Market
-Shiling Street Market
-Juifang
-Houtong Cat Village
Sources: tripzilla.com, aisaipac.com, thepoortraveler.net
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