BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

I HAVE never thought of going to Taiwan and I have always been curious what the island has got to offer.

My recent familiarisation trip with Brunei travel agencies to Taiwan sponsored by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau Kuala Lumpur Office was indeed a memorable one.

Upon landing at Taoyuan International Airport after a three-hour flight from Kota Kinabalu using Tiger Air, we were welcomed by the calming warm air of the city of Taipei.

Our one-week stay was not enough to visit Taiwan’s places of interest and yet the brief stay was adequate to sum up my impression on the beautiful mountainous island.

Despite its deeply-rooted Chinese culture, Taiwan is definitely a suitable region for Muslim travellers as the tourism office here is promoting Taiwan as a Muslim-friendly place.

Taipei 101

In the old city stood tall the modern state-of-the-art skyscraper, Taipei 101, which is a must visit place for any visitors who want to have a glimpse of the whole city.

To get the amazing view in all directions, you can go to the 89th floor of the landmark to the indoor observatory deck and spend a good 30-minute tour around the deck.

What’s more fascinating is its fastest elevator in the world that takes only 37 seconds to ascend to the observatory.

The building is also home to fashion brands, lifestyle boutiques, high-end restaurants as well as cosmetic/skincare flagship stores.

National Palace Museum

A trip to Taiwan is not complete if you did not pay a visit to its majestic modern museum to catch a glimpse of Chinese culture and history.

The museum, which shares the same roots like the Palace Museum in the Forbidden City in Beijing, houses over 600,000 precious Chinese ancient artefacts and artworks.

Register yourself at the counter for audio-guided tour services which are available in Chinese and English languages that can help ease your understanding on the exhibits as you tour around the galleries.

Halal and Muslim-friendly restaurants

There are numerous numbers of halal restaurants that you can find across Taiwan which are certified by the Chinese Muslim Association.

Most of the halal restaurants are run and owned by Chinese Muslims and other foreign nationals such as Indians and Arabs.

Located on Keelung Road in Taipei, the Tajin Moroccan Cuisine is a great place to satisfy your cravings for Arabian dishes.

Served to you in colourfully decorated earthenware pot or called as ‘Tajin’, the affordable food is perfect to be enjoyed by a group of friends and families.

The food at the eatery include the kofta and cheese tajin and olive chicken seafood, where all meals come with fresh and delicious pita bread.

The average meal per person is about NT$200 ($9) to NT$400 ($18).

Another place that you can go for a good hearty meal is Yunus Halal Restaurant which is located on Beining Road. The food served at the restaurant are ala-carte Thai cuisines, perfect for those who crave for Thai food with a taste of local Taiwan flavour.

Nothing could go wrong when you have some good comfort food over good conversations with your travelling companions.

The price range of the meal is between NT$242 ($11) and NT$528 ($24).

The Brunei Times