Borough Market hasn’t got a patch on Shilin Night Market in Taipei. Instead of going to bars and pubs, the Taiwanese congregate at night markets, so it’s also a great place to get a feel for local life. Shilin was one of the best I went to and it’s great for sampling Taiwan’s delicacies from stinky tofu and pearl tea to oyster omelette and Shilin sausages. The market extends down rabbit warrens of streets and is also great for picking up cheap Converse trainers, clothes and gifts.

Taipower Building MRT station

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Geothermal activity abounds in Taiwan, and it's clearly evident around the suburb of Beitou.

I tried the more expensive, private hot springs experience, but preferred the public option. As well as being much cheaper, I felt more comfortable at the outdoor public baths.

While the private baths are segregated according to gender to allow for "uninhibited" nudity, the unisex public baths, where patrons wear swimming costumes, seemed a lot more laid-back and I felt there was a much more genuinely local vibe. Get down and relax with the people, I say.

Zhongshan Road, near Xin Beitou MRT train station

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If there's one attraction that is a must see in Taipei it's the National Palace Museum. It houses some of the most magnificent examples of Chinese paintings, jade, caligraphy, tapestry and books.

When Chiang Kai Shek's KMT fled to Taiwan in 1949 at the end of the Chinese civil war he somehow managed to bring with him the most important items of art and culture. These were set up in the National Palace Museum in the Shi Lin district of Taipei, close to Chiang's old residence.

There simply isn't a better collection anywhere. While tours in English are a regular part of the day it's just as rewarding to take yourself off and get lost among the artifacts.

The National Palace Museum's existance probably rankles with mainland China more than the existance of Chen Shiu Bien. And rightly so.

www.npm.gov.tw/index.htm

221 Chih Shan Rd sec 2, Shi Lin, Taipei. Take a cab from the city centre or take the red line MRT to ShiLin then a bus East.

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Many non-Chinese restaurants in Taipei are either run or conceived by foreign expats, but not the Bistro. Instead it is run and head chef-ed by Maggie, a Francophile Taiwanese who cooks like she was born in a Paris brasserie.

This is good old bistro fare. If you want high end Provencale go to Le Jardin in TienMu. Yes you can have foie gras perfectly seared at Bistro L'Olivier, but this is the place for your down to earth French fix. Escargots followed by Cassoulet, Confit De Canard or table mixed Steak Tartare with crispy frites, for example.

If you've got room after that the warm chocolate cake is Maggie's speciality with chocolate sauce oozing from the sides.

OK, it's not very Chinese but then it's hardly TGI Fridays or the Outback Steakhouse either.

145 An Ho Road, section 2, (opposite Carnegies);
tel: 02 8732 3726;
open: 11:30 am-11:30 pm

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