Travel alert! Air NZ now flies direct to Taipei

Here’s our take on a city break in the Taiwanese capital

It’s no secret that Air New Zealand is one of the world’s top airlines. Beyond the carrier’s amazing crew and viral air safety videos, it also offers a huge network of routes. Now, the airline has raised the bar with direct flights between Auckland and Taipei. Starting in November, Air New Zealand will offer the route up to five times a week. This means discovering the Taiwanese capital has never been easier, or more appealing.

“Providing a non-stop service to Taipei will also enable more Kiwis to explore this destination. Taipei is a culturally diverse city renowned for its food scene, lively night markets, traditional temples and busy shopping streets – all crowned by the Taipei 101 skyscraper that dominates the city’s skyline,” says Christopher Luxon, Air New Zealand’s Chief Executive Officer. “Beyond Taipei there are nine national parks offering nature experiences and activities such as hiking and biking as well as beautiful beaches.”

To celebrate the latest addition to the Air NZ itinerary, we’ve put together a guide on how to enjoy a city break in Taipei.

Prepare for take-off

With a journey time of 11 hours, you’ll need to prepare yourself for a long-haul flight. The good news is Air NZ offers the route in its luxury Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, which means you’ll fly in absolute comfort. The in-flight menus challenge everything you thought you knew about airline cuisine, perfectly paired with local New Zealand wine.

Settle down for your stay

While there are no shortage of polished hotels in the city, we love this line-up of boutique hotels in Taipei, as curated by The Culture Trip. After a long day of sightseeing your hotel will serve as a sanctuary, so you may as well splurge on a little luxury.

Eat your way through the city

Taipei’s food scene is legendary. In fact, street food is so good and so darn cheap that it’s not unusual for small apartments to veto kitchens altogether. Who needs a stove when you can devour pork spring rolls, fried taro balls, spicy fried chicken, black pepper buns and of course, Taipei’s infamous stinky tofu? While you’ll find plenty of street food across the city, there’s no better place to start than the cavernous Shilin Night Market.

Sip on craft beer

Taipei is quickly garnering a reputation for craft beer. Who would’ve thought? With trendy décor and imaginative brews, there’s no better way to spend an evening than sipping your way through Taipei’s local taprooms.

Temple hopping in Taipei

It’s worth pencilling in an entire day just to tick off Taipei’s iconic temples. Start with Bao’an Temple, a magnificent place of worship that’s been watching over the city since 1760. The colourful Confucius Temple features a 4D cinema (talk about quirky) while pocket-sized Yinshan Temple features intricate wood carvings and an elegant swallowtail roof.

Neighbourhood hopping and street scenes

Taipei is a city of neighbourhoods, and discovering your favourites is all part of the fun. Popular with hipsters, Ximending is loaded with neon-lit billboards, late-night cafes and colourful boutiques. Not to mention quirky locals. The glass-domed Formosa Boulevard MRT Station feels like it’s been plucked straight out of a spaceship, while charismatic Dihua Street is lined with lantern-strung Chinese medicine shops. Basically, you’ll want to dedicate a few hours a day to simply soaking up the Taipei street scenes.

Escape to the mountains

If you need a break from the city why not spend the day in Jiufen, a picturesque village that clings to the side of a verdant mountain? It was built by the Japanese during the Qing Dynasty and is loaded with charm. It’s easy to spend hours getting lost in the winding alleyways of the Old Town, which are lined with historic tea houses.

A dose of sun and sand

Prefer sun and sand over high-energy city breaks? Why not use Taipei as a jumping point to Taiwan’s stunning beaches? Set on Taiwan’s southern tip, Kenting National Park is a vision of sugar-white sandy beaches, aquamarine water and kaleidoscope coral reefs. For an off the grid getaway escape to Little Liuchiu Island, a tiny oasis fringed by sandy beaches and hidden sea caves.

Nat Geo worthy photos

Taiwan is a photographer’s dream come true. Snap happy travellers will find it hard to resist the allure of the Fuguei Cape, where you’ll find Taiwan’s lush Laomei Algal Reef. At low tide the rippling volcanic lava rocks are blanketed in emerald green algae. The Alishan National Scenic Area is another gem, with towering cypress trees and cloud-ringed mountains.

Do you have any Taipei tips? Maybe you’ve already snapped up an Air New Zealand ticket and are planning your itinerary? Whatever your travel plans, we’d love to hear from you.