Taipei Hostel: Meander Hostel

Booking hostels can be bit tricky. Sometimes you see really good photos and ratings but when you just get disappointed when you get to your room. I wanted to have a great experience on my return trip to Taipei which happens to be my birthday trip as well ^_^. S0 I pulled up and search for Taipei Hostels in Agoda.com, sorted it out starting with the cheapest ones and checked out the ratings. I was surprised finding a high rating property within my price range and yes the rating is true!

What I like about Meander Taipei Hostel

As soon as I step in I was warmly welcomed by the Meander Taipei Hostel staff, like genuinely warm. I noticed that their lobby offers this wide open common area where every one can interact. As soon as I checked in I was toured around the area by their the wonderful Sarah, she’s just so bubbly I love it. She showed me to the kitchen area where breakfast was being served and just right across it are the viewing area and a huge dining table where everyone can talk while eating.She then introduced me to their events wall. If you don’t have anything planned out when you get here, all you need to do is just check out what is happening on the events board. There’s always something to do everyday!

Meander Taipei HostelReception with their cool staff.

Meander Taipei Hostel

Meander Taipei HostelNot gonna run out of things to do with the events board!

You rarely see hostels with good beds real beds, some of them even just use foams and throws in a linen and a pillow and that is it. Meander Taipei Hostel actually provides you with real beds, yes the not a futon or a foam but some real mattresses and it sure was comfy sleeping on those. Aside from linens they will also provide you a comforter which is awesome specially that Taipei weather can be a bit chilly at times. The only set back is that you have to bring your own towel, which is I feel isn’t a big thing considering that they offer far more quality than most hostels.

Meander Taipei HostelGet the privacy you need with these capsule design bunk beds

Meander Taipei HostelYour own socket, USB charging dock and light in your capsule!

They have about 188 beds where 28 of them are private rooms while the rest are dorm rooms. It is also notable that they don’t put more than ten beds in a single dorm so it doesn’t get too crowded. WiFi is also excellent ideal for Digital Nomads who take their work with them to where they go.

The hostel has this youthful vibe that makes you just want to hang out in the common area and chill out with other travelers. They also have a culturally diverse staff allowing them to support most major languages if you don’t speak English really well.

Meander Taipei Hostel is located about 500 meters from the Ximen MRT station where you can find lots of stores and food shop. You can just walk around and enjoy the local events and have a good time without getting far from the hostel. But if it is just breakfast to startup your day is what you are looking for, there’s not even a need to get out of the hostel. Your booking with Meander Taipei Hostel includes breakfast which is served at the kitchen area from about 7 am till past 10 am.

Meander Taipei Hostel

 

How To Get To Meander Taipei Hostel

From Ximen MRT station just walk straight west through Chengdu road for about 500 meters.

Meander Taipei Hostel Map

If you like this hostel, you can book them through     agoda-logo   for the best rates

 

Travel Guide: Complete Taiwan Travel Guide

Straight to the point, Taiwan is my favorite country in the world next to the Philippines. I’ve made this Compete Taiwan Travel Guide because I want to share to everyone how they can enjoy and see Taiwan without going crazy trying to search for so many information on different pages on the in the internet.

Hi I’m Taiwan

Taiwan’s political situation (how it came about) is quite complicated. Geographically, Taiwan is an island nation off the coast of mainland China. The nation is often referred to as the “Heart of Asia” because of its heart shaped (anatomically) island. Taiwan’s capital, Taipei lies at the norther part of the island near Japan. Interestingly, Taiwan was colonized by the Japanese so you’ll definitely see a lot of Japanese culture and heritage on your trip to the island nation.

Culture Sensitivity 

Taiwan can be considered as a conservative culture in this modern day and age, and its for the better. Taiwan has preserved a lot of its tradition, culture and manners over the centuries. The Taiwanese people are extremely polite so be sure to reciprocate whenever in Taiwan.

Okay, since we got that one off, let’s see what you need to do for your trip to Taiwan

Visa Requirements

Update: Taiwan recently approved the visa free policy for Filipinos on a Trial Basis starting November 1 2017 till July 2018. This means Filipino citizens who qualify can enter Taiwan without applying for a visa. Here are the requirements to enter Taiwan Visa Free.

A Filipino visa-free visitor must meet the following requirements:

  1. An ordinary/regular passport with remaining validity of at least six months from the date of entry ( Diplomatic & official passport holders are not eligible for visa-free treatment) ;
  2. A return ticket or a ticket for the traveller’s next destination and a visa for that destination if it is required;
  3. No criminal record in Taiwan;
  4. A proof of accommodation (hotel) booking or host/sponsor’s contact information /or arrangements of tour, travel, visit, events and meeting etc.

However, those who intend to stay in Taiwan for more than 14 days or for the purpose of study, work, missionary, employment and other gainful activities are still required to obtain appropriate visas before entering Taiwan.

Source


===========


Taiwan has visa waiver programs for some countries depending on your countries diplomatic relationship with Taiwan. For Filipinos there are a few ways on how you can be granted entry to Taiwan.

A. Apply for an Travel Authorization Certificate. Approval is instantaneous and you can print the permit at the end of the process. Below are the conditions for this type of permit

  1. A valid or Expired (not beyond 10 years) OECD country issued visa
  2. The applicant’s passport must have remaining validity of at least six months starting from the date of arrival in Taiwan.
  3. The applicant must possess an onward/return air or ferry ticket.
  4. The applicant has never been employed as a blue-collar worker in Taiwan.

>>>Click Here To Apply For A Travel Authorization Certificate<<<

B. Apply online for an E-Visa 

>>>Click Here To Apply For An E-Visa<<<

C. Apply personally at TECO

You can apply for a regular passport stamped visa via the Manila Economic Cooperation Office (MECO) of Taiwan. You can start your application by gathering the requirements online application form and filling up the online application form. Once you finish the form you will be given a schedule (shown below) of when you will be needing to submit your documents in their office.

>>>Click Here To Start Application<<<

Note: Taiwan has moved the implementation of the VISA FREE entry for Filipinos to September with guidelines that are yet to be announced. It is better to assume as of now that you will be needing a VISA

For other nationalities please visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs site to check how you can obtain yours or if you even need one.

Points of Interest

 Taipei

Transportation

Getting around Taiwan is easy as the whole island can be accessed through its well planned High-Speed Rail (HSR), Light/Metro Rail and bus systems and Airport MRT. The island has two metro systems one in Taipei and the other in Kaoshiung. Both cities are connected through their HSR so it’s actually like being in one big city.

You may buy a reloadable Easy Card  that you can use for trains and buses or buy a token each time you ride the train. You can also use your easy card in purchasing items from department stores, supermarkets and convenience stores. Check their website for other transport options that you can avail.

You can find the whole scope of usage for your Easy Card HERE

Accomodation

Though Taiwan is not a popular destination for backpacking, Taiwan especially Taipei hosts a lot of backpacking accommodation. There are popular booking sites where you can place reservations where some do not even ask for any reservations fee to secure a room!

My personal favorite though is the Meander Taipei Hostel

 

You can also Check   5_logo_booking-435x712x-435x712x  or   agoda-logo  for more hotel options

Food

Taipei is an absolute food haven. Even most of the street food that you’ll find anywhere will  amaze you. Infact, if you are into food, you can build an itinerary for days solely based on food!

Food can easily be found just about anywhere you look at. Taipei has a lot of foreign chains that has established good presence so there’s always some sort of safety net that you can turn to. But if you are going to look for Taiwanese food there’s always the night market and you can find food just about anywhere. Food prices ranges at about NT 60-100  and up for a good meal

>>>Read HERE: Shilin Night Market Travel Guide<<<<

Itineraries

So I got a little motivated to update this travel guide. Thanks to fellow backpackers who are interested in exploring my favorite country. So here’s a rough itinerary for you guys. This is based on LCC flights

Day 0

Assemble at NAIA T3
Depart Manila by 2300 HRS

Day 1

Check In at hostel (2AM)
Yehliu Geological Park
Quick rounds in Keelung (Transit)
Jiufen
Shifen
Rahoe Night Market

Day 2

Beitour District (Day Trip)
Beitou Hotsprings Museum
Taipei Library
Lung Nai Tang
Ketalagan Cultural Center
Soak Feet at stream in Beitou
Eat Ramen at famous Ramen shop
Shilin Night Market

Day 3

City Tour
Taipei Zoo
Maokong Gondola
Drink Tea and Chill out in Maokong
Elephant Mountain

Day 4
Depart for Manila (1am)

Note: We will be posting a comprehensive 3-4 day itinerary for Taipei so make sure to bookmark this page.

I always tell people that if ever the Philippines would disown me, Taiwan definitely is the first place that I will seek refuge at. Taiwan seem to have this charm of peace and tranquility, which is so ironic knowing that they are still in a state of war with mainland China. But beyond that, the Taiwanese people are one of the most caring and friendly people that I’ve ever met, and I tell you I am hard to please. I guess what I love most about the people there is that they respect your personal space, there’s always that buffer zone specially if you are a stranger. I hope this travel guide helps you on your future trip to Taipei. If you have any question, do not hesitate to put it on the comments section and I will be more than happy to answer the best that I could.

Zaijian!