"Bryan" wrote in message
om...
Dear all,

I' ll be traveling to Taipei in Nov,03 w/ my wife and
to young children for 3 days. Need recommendations from
recent traveler to the region in regards to
hotels (Taipei Fortuna Hotel ??), place to visit, customs, what to bring
and not to bring, etc.

Who's paying?

The Formosa Regent is a very convenient hotel as is the
Grand Hyatt. I think I stayed at the Fortuna once, and
it was fine too. But if it were my own money I'd stay
at the YMCA hotel or the Brother, three star properties.
The YMCA is very convenient to the main train station
and the metro. The Brother is by a metro (elevated)
station as well, but not as convenient.

http://www.ymcahotel.org.tw/index_e.htm

http://www.etaiwanhotels.com/brotherhotel.html
The Brother hotel has a very good Taiwanese
restaurant.

As to what to do, I'm afraid that small kids are going
to be bored going to the Palace Museum, and Sun Yatsen
Memorial, both worthwhile places. The Taipei zoo is very
good (reachable by MRT), but amazingly crowded (don't
go on a weekend). Take the bus up to Yangmingshan
National Park and walk around. Take the MRT up to
Tamsui for dinner along the Tamsui river. Visit the
Shilin night market. Snake Alley is over-rated, but
I guess you'll have to go there once.

Nothing special to bring, but check on vaccinations
NOW, especially hepatitis. Taipei is a very
westernized city due to the U.S. influence. Keep close
tabs on your kids as traffic is horrible, and
pedestrians are scum.