I went to the 臺北市動物園 (Taipei City Zoo) yesterday and so, I will start blogging with short stories and photos. It is also sometimes known as the 木柵 (Mù Zhà) Zoo because it was built in a district known as 木柵 which is now called 文山 (Wén Shān).
It is about a 20 minute MRT ride from the main station, and I will post the address in every zoo post so that you won’t have to search for it. But if you want specific details, from 臺北車站 (Taipei Main Station) get the train on the 南港 (Nán Gǎng) line to 忠孝復興 (Zhōng Xiào Fù Xīng). From there, change trains to 動物園 (Taipei Zoo) and it will be the very last stop on the line.
Opening hours: 09:00 – 17:00 (no entry after 16:00) every day of the year except Chinese New Year’s Eve, and I suggest getting there in the morning because the Zoo is huge.
Full price entry: $60NT
Discount entry (concession, students): $30NT
Address: 台北市文山區新光路二段30號
Taipei City, Wen Shan District, Xin Guang Road, Sec. 2, No. 30
Phone number: 02 2938 2300 # 630
Now as you can already see, the first set of photos are butterflies from the insect section of the zoo, and a spider I saw on a tree somewhere else in the zoo. All were taken with my Canon EOS 450D and EF 24-105mm f4.0 L IS USM. I’m still noob but I will practice more and get better~
But a bit about the zoo.. I got there at 09:30, paid my $30NT and entered. I didn’t bother getting a small map, but there are plenty of larges boards or posters around the place which show a map of the entire zoo. You probably should get a map and tick/cross off the animals as you see them just so it’s easier.
When you enter by the way, you get a ticket to go see the Panda. Sometimes there’s a line to enter the Panda area, sometimes there isn’t. Both times I went there was no line at all yet there is a sign telling you what you should do if the wait is a few hours so I’m assuming it can possibly become up to a five hour wait. But just give your ticket to one of the ticket collectors and you can go see the Panda.
It was pretty good but I will post more about that later, with photos.
This insect section is quite large and has quite a bit of information on different species. All of these photos are from a large room which you can enter where all the butterflies are flying around freely. There are two floors and plenty of space, just be careful not to hurt any of the butterflies! Most of them are the white ones you see here but there are also some pretty red and black ones, etc.
There are some more insects on display inside as well as a walk which takes you through some insect habitats (basically, a trail surrounded by trees and a small creek), both of which are worth checking out as well.
However, this was the section I visited last and by then I was exhausted from exploring the rest of the zoo. I probably should have spent some more time here and took more care with my photos (as well as to enjoy it more), but really, I couldn’t wait to go home and collapse.
After arriving at 09:30, I left six hours later with extremely sore feet and about 240 photos. Overall though, it was fun and very cheap! A good way to spend a day in Taipei (if you like this kind of thing, of course). And so, I will leave the rest of the photos without any description.. Til the next lot of zoo photos~
