✧ Series Note – Taiwandering 2019 ✧
A third visit, a shared adventure—full of inspiration and discovery.
Thank you for reading and supporting my stories. ✨🇹🇼
📅 Travel Dates: November 1–4, 2019

🐾 Making It to Taipei Zoo (Just in Time)

Back at the base, we had extra time—and a spontaneous idea: Why not visit the zoo?

Located just a short walk from the gondola and MRT stations, Taipei Zoo is one of Asia’s largest. Entrance was just NT$60, and we spent the afternoon wandering past habitats from around the world—catching glimpses of koalas, elephants, and, of course, the famous giant pandas 🐼.

Despite the weekend crowd, the zoo’s wide paths and thoughtful layout made for a relaxed visit. It turned out to be an unexpected highlight of the day!

Originally, we planned to head back to the city after the temple visit, but we found ourselves with time—and Taipei Zoo was just steps away.

The zoo, one of Taiwan’s largest, was bustling with families and children. Yet despite the crowd, we managed to spot everything on our list—from playful primates to the famous giant panda. We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering through habitats and scenic paths that wrapped nature around us like a soft blanket.

🌃 City Views via Double-Decker Delight

As dusk fell, we returned to Taipei Main Station for the Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus, bundled with our gondola ticket. We chose the Red Route—complete with an open-air top deck, free WiFi, and audio guides in multiple languages.

We planned to hop off at Taipei 101… but missed it, lulled by the soothing city lights and a bit of exhaustion. 😅 The bus eventually looped back to the station, where we called it a day.

The double-decker ride felt like a secret city tour just for us. Comfortable seats, WiFi, multi-language audio guides, and panoramic views turned Taipei into a cinematic reel.

We may have missed our Taipei 101 stop (thanks to temple trekking and panda watching fatigue 😅), but the loop brought us full circle, gently landing us back in the heart of the city.

A full day of temples, wildlife, cityscapes—and little surprises in between, Day 2 reminded us that some of the best travel moments come from unexpected detours.

We ended the day where it began—our cozy accommodation, hearts full and legs tired. Taipei gifted us moments both majestic and mundane: cable car reflections, temple stillness, the joy of giant pandas… and missing the bus stop in the most peaceful way possible.

Editor’s note: Originally part of a longer 2019 blog entry, this story has been gently revisited and retold.