Taipei

[Rory Bellows]

Going out there mid January with work..any tips on decent dive / music bars etc?

Been there once before, but only stayed a couple of days and didn't get a chance to look around

Thanx

[Insouciant Western People]

I went there for work a few times circa 2005/06, and I really liked the place. I found the people friendly and you don't get hassled in the street to buy stuff all the time like in some other East and South Asian countries. In general the Taiwanese seemed to me to be much more relaxed than PR Chinese, but not westernised to the point where they've lost their culture either. I got the impression that the quality of life for most there is fine, and it's well-developed, good infrastructure, safe to walk around at night etc.

It's probably been too long for me to be able to comment much on bars and restaurants with much authority, though I do remember a good sports bar just around the corner from the Grand Hyatt Hotel. The place was festooned with screens showing football, baseball, American football, rugby, you name it, and there seemed to be a nice mix of Taiwanese and Brits, Aussies, Yanks and other ex-pats in here. A friendly place to have a few beers of an evening.

The night markets are well worth visiting, though I'd give the Snake Alley one a miss if like me you've any aversion to reptiles. The name kind of gives it away

I know a couple of people still working out there, I'll ask around and see what they say on the subject of decent boozers and restaurants...

I don't know if you'll be travelling around outside Taipei, but I remember Taichung and Kaohsiung being good cities too.

One word of caution - be very careful when using pedestrian crossings. The place is mobbed with traffic - taxis and zillions of office workers zipping around on mopeds, and nobody ever takes any notice of red lights at zebra crossings, so keep your wits about you.

[Rory Bellows]

Thanks Nick for that..yeah, I'll be staying at the W Hotel which is very close to the Grand Hyatt

[Thesiger]

... though I do remember a good sports bar just around the corner from the Grand Hyatt Hotel. The place was festooned with screens showing football, baseball, American football, rugby, you name it, and there seemed to be a nice mix of Taiwanese and Brits, Aussies, Yanks and other ex-pats in here. A friendly place to have a few beers of an evening.

I'd recommend that place too. Last time I was in there it was packed with locals all sporting replica shirts for the Liverpool - Man U match on TV. It's a good place to eat.

Taipei 101 is a bit dull; as these kind of things invariably are.