Asia - Going to Bali...better layover city - Seoul or Taipei?

I am going to Bali in late November/early December and basically will have a layover in one of two cities based on which airline I fly...Seoul or Taipei. Since almost all the layovers are over 10 hours I will probably just spend two nights or so in either Taipei or Seoul...any suggestions as to which is better to visit? Which is more 'English friendly'? and 'must-see' stuff in either city?

Seoul can be pretty cold that time of the year.

Neither are the most "English-friendly" cities in Asia, but I am sure you can get by.

Neither one is particularly English friendly, but I wouldn't call it a huge obstacle to getting around either place. Seoul does have a westernized zone, Itaewon, nearby the American army base that became famous as an "R&R" spot but is now more of a generalized food and entertainment zone. I don't think Taipei has a comparable area. Staying in Western-branded hotels, I had no issues with English in Seoul, but I did in Taipei, so that might give you an idea of which might be more challenging.

Personally, I would strongly favor Seoul. The city itself sits in a beautiful natural setting with a wide river running through it and mountains surrounding it. There are lots of historical/cultural sites to see, including restored palaces in big urban park-like settings that are reminiscent or suggestive of the Forbidden City in Beijing. The economic strength and rapid development of Korea is in evidence everywhere, but you can also find charming neighborhoods to explore. Plus, getting around the city is very easy, thanks to a massive and efficient subway system. And, of course, Korean food is certainly worth discovering or exploring. If I had to compare Seoul to another world city, those that come to mind are Tokyo, Beijing, and New York.

Unfortunately, Taipei has comparatively little to interest tourists. The National Museum is certainly the star attraction, as it houses thousands of beautiful artefacts taken by Chiang Kai Shek's forces from the Forbidden City for "safekeeping" as they retreated. Taipei 101 tower has an observation deck and will interest any skyscraper lover. The Mausoleum of Chiang Kai Shek [N.B. correction below] is also worth a visit, though I wish the accompanying museum dealt more frankly with the darker side of the Kuomintang's rule. The food scene in Taipei was particularly disappointing, though we may not have been pointed in exactly the right directions (very disappointing concierge in our hotel).

Mr. Megatop and I spent Labor Day weekend 2005 in Seoul, and Labor Day weekend 2007 in Taipei. We liked Seoul much more than we expected to, and we were very underwhelmed by Taipei. I've been angling to find a way back to Seoul for a while, but it might not come together until 2010. No offense to Taipei residents or lovers, but I have zero desire to go back to Taipei.

The one must-see in Taipei, as noted above, is the Palace Museum. If you are interested in "world art" it alone should probably put Taipei on your list. Otherwise, the eating is in fact superb--while of course the PRC's cities now rival or surpass it, for a variety of Chinese cuisines (Taiwanese, Cantonese, Peking) at good prices you can't beat Taipei (also there's good Japanese food, but avoid "Western" restaurants except in the big hotels). "Snacking" at the small shops and night markets is fun. Notwithstanding MegatopLover's bad experience, if you stick to recommendations and places where the crowed is spilling out the door, it's hard to go wrong. Of course, this is assuming you like Chinese food.

Taipei can also be chilly and damp, though possibly dry and cool, that time of year...there is no predicting. In fact, the equivalent of Itaewon is the area around ZhongShan and LinSen North roads, north of the central train station. This was the center of the sex industry in the 1970s, when American troops were still stationed in Taiwan and also visited from Vietnam for R&R. It's now popular with troops of Japanese businessmen.

Taipei architecture is extraordinarily ugly. In the few cases planners or architects have tried to do something out of the ordinary, they have achieved new heights of banality. Urban-wise, it works best at night, neon signs blaring, in certain neighborhoods with funky small shops (and all those restaurants) to browse. I like it. But if you are serious shopper or just want to spend a day in pleasant surroundings, there's no point to Taipei.

[Minor correction: MegatopLover means the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. The mausoleum, where Chiang's body awaits Reunification with the Mainland, may be visited south of the city, and is particularly inspiring for necrophiliacs. The memorial hall is very much about glorifying Chiang. The "228 Peace Park", formerly called New Park, does have a small museum talking about the massacre of Taiwanese by the KMT (Kuomintang, Guomindang) that was ultimately under Chiang Kai-shek's authority. This massacre began after riots on Feb. 28 (hence "228" or "2-28") 1947. I know of no efforts in memorials or museums to trace systematically the decades of KMT oppression to the ending of martial law, which finally came about in 1987. There are occasional exhibitions on this or that aspect of KMT and also the earlier Japanese colonial period in the Provincial Museum, the History Museum, and Academia Historica.]

Correction re CKS Memorial Hall duly noted, taipeipeter. Thank you.

The couple of neighborhoods that I did like exploring were those with lots of little shops and restaurants in side streets off the main boulevards, sort of like sois in Bangkok. And the one restaurant Mr. Megatop and I really liked and visited repeatedly, Din Tai Fung (for Shanghai-style soup dumplings), did always have a massive line outside. Must have needed to find more like it.

One thing I will add in Taipei's defense. Mr. Megatop and I stayed at the Regent Hotel, a Four Seasons managed hotel. It was under extensive renovation at the time, though the work appeared to be largely cosmetic. We really disliked the hotel, and it may well have spoiled our experience. It certainly contributed to the negative impression we took away from Taipei. A better hotel/hotel experience might have made our overall visit more enjoyable.

I have never seen any semblance between Four Seasons and Regent Taipei, and have never liked it either.

Seoul can be pretty cold that time of the year.

Neither are the most "English-friendly" cities in Asia, but I am sure you can get by.


You are kidding, Taipei is ten times better with English than Seoul, I spend a lot of time in both places and can assure you Seoul does not come close to Taipei

I also have to add the food in Taipei is light years better than Seoul and it never ceases to amaze me in Seoul the stupid attitude of forcing you to order food in a drinking place, they get mighty hacked off if you dont want to eat, and of course you will have khimjy coming out of your ears

You are kidding, Taipei is ten times better with English than Seoul, I spend a lot of time in both places and can assure you Seoul does not come close to Taipei

I think it just depends on the areas where you are. I've been to areas in Taipei where plenty of people speak English, and again in areas where almost nobody seemed to.

IME, the Tienmu and Xinyi areas tend to cater to foreigners more than other areas, and thus have more English speakers than other places in Taipei.

I will be in Taiwan around thankgiving. If you decide to layover in Taipei and have any question, feel free to PM me.