When first entering Taipei aboard a bus from the airport, it struck me an extraordinary city, simply because of the landscape on which it had been built; it’s a concrete jungle, interrupted by tracts of lush tropical rainforest - and all of it set on a gloriously undulating terrain.

Delving deeper into the streets and alleys, it becomes apparent that, despite its industrial-strength reputation, its short-term claim to fame of having the world’s tallest skyscraper, and the constant political menacing that emanates from across the Taiwan Strait, this is a place where an old spirituality lives on with gusto.

On first impressions, I was struck by the friendliness and patience of the mainly Mandarin-speaking locals in dealing with a monolingual westerner. Impressive too was the highly civilised manner in which they went about their daily lives in a town bustling on overdrive with cars and scooters.

This orderly modus operandi has been aided by the introduction of the MRT train system, which makes getting about the city not just easy, but quite pleasant.

When it comes to eating in Taipei, it’s hard to go past the traditional hotpot; numerous eateries along suburban high streets invite you to pull up a stool at a bar, where a pot of boiling broth will be promptly delivered to the gas burner in front of you, followed by a plate of gastronomical delights to dip, cook and savour.

And then there’s the spiritual. A walk in the park - or through one of the narrow belts of rainforest that snake their way through the city’s hills – will often be punctuated by the sight of older locals practising their chi-enhancing exercises. The rainforest strips are also dotted with Taoist temples and ornately decorated tombstones. Temples – and I don’t just mean the big impressive ones scattered throughout the centre of town – can also be found in the most seemingly unlikely of suburban alleys.

And, though Taiwan is often associated with a vague but lingering military threat from China (which can often saturate the front pages of the nation’s press), the island remains calm, many locals dealing with the issue by taking an ostensibly nonchalant approach.

The Chinese weren't a big part of the Taiwanese population until a few hundred years ago - the original inhabitants of Taiwan hailed from the same origins as the Maori and Polynesian peoples. This indigenous culture remains preserved in Taipei through museums. But the strong Chinese influence means you can enjoy many of the mainland’s cultural highlights.