North of Taipei : A Halal Taiwanese Adventure to Beitou and Shilin Districts

North of Taipei

A Halal Taiwanese Adventure to Beitou and Shilin Districts

Malaysians who are looking to have a quick getaway to a four-season country may consider visiting Taiwan, which is less than five hours away by direct flight. The country has culture, nature, good food and the people are nice! The public transportation system is excellent too, which makes it easy for independent travellers to discover Taiwan on their own.

Muslim independent travellers from Malaysia have steadily been making their way to Taiwan, especially its capital Taipei in recent years. A big push factor for this is due to the availability of Halal meals and musolla (designated Muslim praying area) throughout in the country. Taipei City Government have been working closely and diligently with Chinese Muslim Association (CMA), the governing body for Halal / Muslimfriendly certification in getting many hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions certified. Currently in Taipei alone there are 43 hotels, 33 restaurants and 10 attractions certified to date and the list is growing.

In 2020, three tourist attractions and 11 accommodations such as Yangmingshan National Park, Bopiliao Historic District, and Caesar Hotel Taipei have been Muslim-friendly certified under the guidance of Taipei City Government’s Department of Information and Tourism. This year, the department continues to guide more tourist attractions and accommodations so that Muslims can enjoy and stay in Taipei with peace of mind.

Taipei Muslim Friendly Dining & Accomodation Taipei Muslim Friendly

Where Do I Go from the Airport?

The Airport MRT is the fastest and easiest way to reach Taipei Main Station, the main transportation hub and gateway to the rest of the country. It is also connected through underground passageways to the terminal station of Taoyuan Airport MRT and the Taipei Bus Station. At the airport, get yourself an EasyCard, which is a prepaid card that can be used in all modes of public transport and most convenience stores.

Before boarding the Airport MRT, please check if it is a purple express train or a blue commuter train. The express train takes 35 minutes to arrive at Taipei Main Station and the commuter train takes 50 minutes. Free 4G WiFi, luggage lockers and charging service are available at all stations. Express trains are equipped with wireless charging service and luggage racks as well.

Once you reach Taipei Main Station, you can take MRT system and head to wherever you need to be.

If you were feeling famished, it is a good idea to first grab something to eat at the main station. For that reason, one place you can head to is Delhi Xpress, located at the food court on the second floor. It offers a variety of South Asian dishes, including tandoori roast chicken, coconut chicken, lamb curry, chicken curry, and lemon curry. The food is delicious with big portions.

Delhi Xpress Phone: +886-2-6632-8999 Opening Hours: 11:00-22:00 Address: 2F, No. 3, Beiping West Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City Website: https://www.breezecenter.com/en/stores/5589

• Beitou District If you were in need of a relaxing getaway, then head to Beitou District, which is home to many hot springs due to its proximity to a dormant volcano. It is especially beautiful during cherry blossom season. The spring season is from mid-January to late February. Nature lovers are bound to find Beitou amazing.

From Taipei Main Station, take the red line on Taipei Metro to get to Beitou Station. Once you reach Beitou Station, proceed to take the pink line and go to Xinbeitou Station that is just one stop away. The ride is about 30 minutes. Xinbeitou is where the hot springs and other attractions are located.

Where to Stay in Beitou?

Spring City Resort

There are five certified Muslim-friendly hotels in Beitou District. Spring City Resort – standing right next to Xinbeitou MRT Station – is convenient for independent travellers. The hotel has a beautiful garden, lined with distant mountain views and lush greenery.

The hot spring is of course a major feature of the resort. The resort is close to the source of the big Sulphur mouth and is dominated by white Sulphur spring with temperature range of 38 to 42-degree Celsius. Because the white Sulphur springs are milky white, it is also called “Milk Soup”.

The rooms have bath made from Guanyin stone and cypress wood, where guests can soak in the privacy of their own rooms. There are also nine open-air hot spring pools to choose from, each with different settings. Other facilities include swimming pool, gymnasium and spa.

The Muslim-friendly rooms come with prayer mat, qibla indicator, and halal breakfast.

Address: No. 18, Youya Road, Beitou District, Taipei City Phone: +886 2 2897 2345 Website: https://www.springresort.com.tw/en/

What’s in Beitou?

Guandu Nature Park

Did you know that among the 400 species of migratory birds in Taiwan, over 200 species can be found in Guandu Nature Park?

Lying at the confluence of Keelung and Danshui rivers, as well as being blocked by Datun Mountain, Guandu Plain is fertile and rich in ecology. It has become the best resting place for many migratory birds. Different types of migratory birds can be seen in the park according to different seasons. In addition to the birds, the park is also home to many swamp creatures like fiddler crabs and mudskippers. Guandu Natural Park and Danshui District occupies an area of 57 hectares of marsh wetlands, which are divided into five areas: main facility area, conservation core area, outdoor observation area, and sustainable management area. The centre of the main building is dedicated for ecological education, Research and Visitor Service Centre. There is also a high-powered telescope for bird watching. Alternatively, a birdwatching hut is available to observe the birds more closely.

A musolla is available for Muslim visitors at the main building.

Address: No. 55, Guandu Road, Beitou District, Taipei City Phone: +886-2 2858-7417 Website: https://gd-park.org.tw/en/frontpage Opening Hours: 09:00-17:30 on weekdays / 09:00-18:30 on holidays (closed on Mondays) Ticket price: 60 yuan for full ticket, 30 yuan for preferential ticket

Yangmingshan National Park

Taipei city dwellers often head to Yangmingshan (Yangming Mountain) for fresh air. With altitudes ranging from 200 metres to 1,120 metres, Yangmingshan is remarkably accessible. There are many scenic spots around, especially during spring when cherry blossoms, hydrangea and calla lilies in Zhuzi Lake are blooming.

Yangmingshan National Park occupies a vast area. Do make the Visitor Centre as your first stop because you can get a sweeping view of the area from there. The visitor centre is mainly divided into different sections: the Main Hall, ecological experience space, cultural specialty area and atrium exhibition. In addition, there are also nursing room for mothers, free wireless Internet access, mobile phone charging station, wheelchair loan (complimentary) and a musolla.

Yangmingshan National Park is not only rich in natural ecology, but also a major feature of geology. In fact, this area has a majestic landscape and topography due to the volcanic activities throughout the ages, including sites such as Dayoukeng, Xiaoyoukeng and Mazhao. Fumaroles (openings in the earth’s surface that emit steam and volcanic gases) can be seen too, and this phenomenon forms hot spring within the area. As a matter of fact, Beitou hot spring is formed by the volcanic activities of the Datun Mountains.

Address: No. 1-20, Zhuzihu Road, Yangmingshan, Taipei City Phone: +886-2-2861-3601 Opening Hours: 09:00 - 16:30 Website: https://www.ymsnp.gov.tw/main_en/

Beitou Hot Spring Museum

This museum used to be a public hot spring bath during the Japanese Occupation. Its British Tudor building architecture itself is an attraction in its own right. Entrance is free. The museum mainly introduces the history and development of Beitou, including the footprints of the Kedage tribe, Datun volcano, Beitou stone, and the origin of hot springs. The outdoor amphitheater of the museum holds performances and is also a community activity center. The Beitou Hot Spring Museum is not only a precious memory of history, but also a deep condensate of Beitou residents’ feelings for the land.

Address: No. 2, Zhongshan Road, Beitou District, Taipei City Phone: +886 2 2893 9981 Opening Hours: 09:00 - 17:00 (Closed on Mondays and national holidays) Website: https://hotspringmuseum.taipei/

Geothermal Valley

Situated adjacent to Beitou Hot Spring Park and being one of the sources of Beitou Hot Springs, Geothermal Valley gives off high temperature of between 80° and 100° Celsius, earning it the moniker Hell Valley among locals! In the past, tourists often used hot spring water to boil “hot spring eggs”, but recently, in order to protect the quality of hot spring water and avoid accidents caused by tourists falling, it is forbidden for people to boil eggs here in geothermal heat. Don’t bring food here!

Address: Between Zhongshan Road and Wenquan Road, Beitou District, Taipei City Time: 09:00 - 17:00 (Close on Monday, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day)

• Shilin District Although nearby, the vibrant Shilin District is a huge contrast to the serene Beitou district. In addition to being a place for commerce, education, education, and entertainment, Shilin is also popular with the foreigners to live, set up businesses and most embassies are in Shilin.

Where to Stay in Shilin?

Shilin Ding 24H Hotel

This budget hotel is the only Muslim-friendly hotel in Shilin District, located just a stone’s throw away from Shilin Night Market. This is an excellent choice of stay if you were planning to truly explore the market.

Muslim-friendly rooms come with prayer mat, qibla indicator and Halal breakfast.

Address: Floor 1-4, No. 26, Anping Street, Shilin District, Taipei City Phone: +886 2 2881-3133 Website: https://inn-2028.business.site/?utm_ source=gmb&utm_medium=referral

What’s in Shilin?

Shilin Night Market

Shilin is home to plenty of museums and places of attractions. But if time is limited, be sure to not miss the Shilin Night Market and enjoy what Taiwan is famous for: street food! Shilin Night market is the biggest in Taiwan, so it is also the best place to find various local food, souvenirs, and of course, arcade games like shooting darts and arrows. Be sure to soak up Shilin Night market’s carnival-like atmosphere when you are there. Opening hours : 15:00 to 24:00

If you were feeling hungry, head to the nearby Maji Maji Square next to MRT Yuanshan Station, where you can find Masala Art, a Halal certified restaurant that serves up chicken tikka, chicken triangle buns, cauliflower pakora, and various special curries. Finish everything off with a cup of authentic Indian milk tea.

Address: No. 1, Yumen Street, Zhongshan District, Taipei City Phone: +886 2 2597 6960 Opening Hours: Monday to Thursday 11:30-14:30, 17:0021:30/Friday 17:00-21:30/Monday, Sunday 11:30-21:30

Where else to Go?

Ximending

Ximending is a modern and trendy neighbourhood in Wanhua District that is known for shopping and dining. It is the first pedestrian-only zone in Taiwan. You will find the latest fashions in Taiwan, the best shopping, boutiques and food outlets here.

Bopiliao Historic Block

Bopiliao is in Wanhua District. This is where Taipei began, making it a very important piece of Taiwanese history. Coming here is like stepping back in time. The old buildings have been refurbished back to its original glory, which is a mixture of southern Fujian and Western architecture.

Bopiliao is one of the last few remaining streets from the Qing Dynasty that still exists in Taipei City today. The settlement spans from the Qing Dynasty, the Japanese Occupation all the way to the Republic of China, with mixed architectural styles.

Bopiliao is now an artistic and cultural zone, popular among youngsters for photography.

In year 2020, under the guidance and certification of the Department of Information and Tourism,Taipei City Government, Bopiliao became the newest Muslim-friendly attraction in Taipei City

There is also a musolla for Muslim visitors’ convenience.

Address: Lane 173, Kangding Road, Wanhua District, Taipei City Phone: +886 2 2302 3199 Opening Hours: block -09:00-21:00/indoor 09:00-18:00 (closed on Monday) Website: https://www.bopiliao.taipei/

Just Sleep Ximending Hotel

This Muslim friendly hotel is just a short walk away from Ximen MRT Station, meaning it is easily accessible for independent travellers. Just Sleep Taipei Ximending is close to the bustling and lively Ximen shopping district, including historical spots. This trendy and affordable hotel offers comfortable rooms, free internet connection, gym, laundry room and unique kaleidoscopic lounge. The hotel serves halal breakfast too.

Do hunt for Halal beef noodles when you stay here. Two popular shops, Chang Beef Noodle Shop and Muslim Beef Noodles, are located nearby.

Address: No. 41, Sec. 1, Zhonghua Rd, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan Phone: +886-2-2370-9000 Website: https://www.justsleep.com.tw/ximending/tw

Taipei Kingshi Hotel

Kingshi Hotel Taipei is located at the heart of Ximending shopping district and is only a two-minute walk to Ximen MRT Station. Historic buildings such as Red House Theatre, Nishi Hongan-ji, Chengen Gate (North Gate), and other popular tourist spots like Ximending hiking area, shopping centres and night markets are all within walking distance.

This Muslim-friendly hotel is a smart and practical choice for travellers who are looking for a centrally located accommodation.

Address: 7/F, 142 Kunming Street, Wanhua District, Taipei City Phone: +886-2-2381-8131 Website: http://www.kingshi-hotel.com.tw/

For more information, please browse Taipei Muslim Friendly website: https://www.travel.taipei/en/must-visit/halal

RENTAK SELANGOR

Reviving the sounds of Selangor

The ‘Rentak Selangor’ programme that began in 2016 aims to revitalise the intangible cultural heritage found in Selangor, from old traditions that survived the test of time, to the modern-style live performances enjoyed by youngsters. The programme is organised by the Committee of Rural and Traditional Villages Development, Malay Customs, Culture and Heritage; the Selangor State Government State Economic Planning Unit (UPEN); and supported by the Majlis Kebudayaan Negeri Selangor (MKNS); Gaya Travel Magazine; and the Selangor media.

Facebook: Rentak Selangor Hashtag: #RentakSelangor

KITA KE KAMPUNG

Championing Selangor’s crafters

116

Kita Ke Kampung programme is part of the Selangor State Government’s initiative to boost the socio-economy within rural communities. It is implemented through the Selangor State Rural Development and Culture Committee in collaboration with the Selangor State Media Organization. In addition to improving the standard of the economy through the generation and increase of income, the promotion made by the media will also be able to help the rural product owners to promote their products.

Facebook: KitakanSekampung Hashtag: #KitaKanSekampung