Who: Brandon Ou of Aurora
Where: In front of the tallest building in the world, Taipei 101, in Taipei.
Best meal: The best meals in Taipei are found in the street markets, such as the Shilin Night Market or Tonghua Night Market. Walk around until you find a food stall that looks crowded, or just follow your nose and point to what looks good. Taiwanese specialties include oyster omelet, variety of noodle dishes, stinky tofu (not for amateurs), and salty, crispy-fried chicken.
Best deal: Taiwan produces one of the best oolong teas (often called “high mountain tea”) in the world, and tea shops are ubiquitous. The most well known is Ten Ren Tea Company, with branches all over the city. I recommend a small family-run store, easily recognized by the aroma of tea.
Best time to go: As a general rule, November. Avoid June to September, as it is typhoon season, hot, humid and extremely uncomfortable.
Best travel tip: At the tourist office at the airport or Taipei train station, pick up an English tourist map, the Traveling Taipei by Metro brochure, along with other materials explaining the sights. From the Taipei main train station, you can reach just about anywhere in the city by the sleek and modern metro, also known as MRT (Mass Rapid Transit).
