Health care and Greatest hits in Taipei

I’m wrapping up our Taipei visit with gratitude and great memories. I made some new friends and understand a bit more about Taiwan’s culture. We also had some health care visits during our stay. So this post highlights how health care works for visitors like us, and it also names a few of my favorite things.

Health care in Taipei (non-emergency)

Americans: remember the days when you could just go to a doctor’s office, pay a small fee, get a quality consultation? That’s what happens here in Taipei, Taiwan.

We needed two doctors during our visit. First we sought out a dentist. A friend gave me a recommendation and we stopped by the dentist’s office to schedule an appointment. The busy dentist squeezed Theo into his schedule later that same day and fixed a tooth. Theo went back for another tooth fix on a second visit. Each time cost $60. No insurance. Amazing, isn’t it?

We also needed a dermatologist. A friend recommended a hospital for this need. However, it was a week-long wait with a consultation price of $77, and $31 ‘international patient fee’ for an initial total of $108.

Instead, I found an independent dermatologist with good reviews and saw him the same day I stopped by the office. I went back twice, paid $12 for each office visit plus $60 for treatments, for a total of $96. Theo used the same dermatologist once, also with a same-day appointment. He paid the office fee and other $3 for what he needed, for a total of $15. No insurance. Amazing, isn’t it?

Another great thing about non-emergency health care Taipei without travel health insurance: it’s so dang affordable that second opinions would not have broken the bank.

Greatest hits in Taipei

The remainder of this post is a short list of a few of the places I greatly enjoyed as a budget slow traveler in early retirement in Taipei.

Fun, free hit

One fun free thing I really liked was the National Center of Photography & Images. If you like old photos, you’ll love this place. Spread out over several floors, it’s easy to get lost in time.

It was cool to see an old photo of ‘giant deities’ or ‘parade gods’. These characters are still found in Taoist and folk religion processions today. They are believed to ward off evil spirits and bring blessings during festivals.

More on temples and religion later, after we get some coffee.

Cafe hits

There are coffee shops everywhere in Taipei, just like in so many other cities. I have two favorites for different reasons.

My favorite cafe overall was the Dreamers location near Zhongshan Metro. The prices were lower than most shops, they have tasty small bites, and it’s a pleasant atmosphere in a convenient location where I met a friend who recommended it.

My favorite cafe for my favorite specialty caffeine drink: Cafe Now for the cafe mocha. Seriously? One of the best tasting cafe mochas I’ve ever had. They use real chocolate. I found it by chance. I picked this place to meet a friend based on the name of the cafe, since my mantra is Life is Now.

Pedestrian shopping/strolling/eating district hit

Ximending was the first pedestrian shopping zone constructed in Taipei, and it’s still the largest one in the city. It’s packed with no-traffic alleyways filled with everything – clothing, electronics, bags, suitcases, eateries, souvenirs, food, games, massage parlors and more. There are regular malls – and underground malls – all over Taipei, but this was much more interesting.

Bonus: nearby this district there are shops for LGBTQ+ people, giving the area an added dimension of color.

Noddle bowl hits

Inside the Ximending district, we noticed dozens – literally dozens – of people standing or sitting and eating noodle bowls from the same small eatery. They had to be great with that many people ordering it, so spouse Theo had an early lunch. His large bowl of noodles with pork intestines cost $2.50. He was happy along with many other people! See Google Maps for the location.

For vegetarians like me, my favorite noodle bowl was right around the corner from the famous Lungshan Temple. It’s a small vegetarian stand with sidewalk stool seating, but the stinky tofu (fermented) bowl with veggies and noodles was the best I had in Taipei. My bowl was $3.60. Tedly reports his wonton-ramen-soup bowl for $2.70 was tasty as well. The proprietors were beaming to have American customers. The name isn’t in English – but they have basic English on their all-vegetarian menu. See Google Maps for the location.

‘Tis the season

Speaking of temples, there are so many temples around Taipei it left me curious about the religious breakdown. About 93 percent of people identify as Buddhist, Taoist, or followers of Chinese folk religion. Accordingly, some temples have several gods from different religions. These are some of the most ornate temples we have ever seen.

Additionally, with so few Christians in the city, there are nevertheless many shops stuffed with Christmas trees and holiday decorations. Countless stores advertise Christmas sales.

It seems consumerism has crept into the spirit of the season in this East Asian place that identifies as its own country, with its own democratic desire for a free, capitalist economy.

Thanks for reading, “Health care and other hits in Taipei.”

See also: First impressions of Taipei for budget slow travel in early retirement – a colorful & bustling democracy

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About Ellen

Ellen and spouse Tedly started a budget slow travel lifestyle in 2015. She was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer while traveling in Europe in 2018 through an annual mammogram. She had a double mastectomy in Croatia, recovered from surgery, and kept traveling.

As a recovered alcoholic, Ellen seeks out spiritual growth opportunities in a variety of ways during her travel life, including service work, volunteering, and the occasional silent meditation retreat.

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See our Life is Now philosophy.