TERRIFIC TAIWAN: A sunset shot of Taipei

“Here we go,” says a voice in perfect English. There’s an intake of breath around me as an illuminated panel shows our journey, zooming along at 37.9mph.

In a heartbeat we are already halfway, there’s a slight popping in my ears and – 37 seconds after we left – we arrive.

Courtesy of the world’s second fastest elevator, we are on the 89th floor observatory at the top of the Taipei 101 skyscraper.

I stand at a window and savour the incredible 360 degree view of the Taiwanese capital. A tour guide points out Taipei Zoo, the Presidential Office Building and, bizarrely, the Museum of Drinking Water.

Opened on New Year’s Eve 2004 and costing $1.8billion, Taipei 101 is currently the eighth tallest building in the world.

FANTASTIC: A Buddhist temple in Tapei lit up at night

It held the record as the tallest until 2010 when the Burj Khalifa was finished in Dubai. The tower hides five floors below ground and rises in eight-storey modules which fl are outward like bamboo, eventually reaching 501 metres.

Reassuringly at this height, it is designed to withstand winds of 134mph as well as earthquakes up to nine on the Richter scale – handy as it stands 660ft away from a major fault line.

At the centre of the building hangs a 728-tonne pendulum which helps offset the building’s movements caused by gusts of wind.

It boasts several impressive tenants including the Taiwan Stock Exchange. On top is Summit 101 – a secretive VIP club. Next I get a taste of Taiwan’s ancient traditions on a tour of the Longshan Temple, a short drive away.

Built in 1738, its roof is adorned with colourful dragon sculptures. Its visitors practice Buddhism and Taoism and there are about 100 gods and goddesses worshipped in and around the halls including Matsu, the goddess of the sea.

A guide tells me: “Fishermen will visit her often and pray for good weather and bounty from the seas.”

People also visit these temples whenever they face a major life decision. There are couples around me wanting to know if they should marry.

Others ask if they should sell their house, will continue to be healthy or find love. Most use a method called moon blocks for answers.

These are simple crescent-shaped objects which cause a cacophony of clacking as people throw them to the floor. How they land is interpreted as an answer from the gods.

Later I check in to my home away from home, the Folio Daan hotel in the Daan District. There’s a mix of colour-popping art works, textured pieces and sculptures around the chic modern building.

The international food, served in a restaurant featuring old trees, is equally eye-catching. Next morning I head out to Jiufen, an old gold-mining mountain town, 30 minutes north east of the city, packed with teahouses, street food and souvenir shops.

Visitors may recognise its twisty alleyways and colourful architecture from Oscar-winning animated film Spirited Away.

RELAXING: Teahouses in the mountain town of Jiufen

At the Sweet Potato Teahouse, a famous restaurant found through a narrow tunnel, I get a true taste of the area by ordering the spicy Hakka-style chicken.

On the way back I stop to see the Yangmingshan National Park, a geologically diverse area with hiking trails around the five mountains, sub-tropical rainforest and volcanic landscape with geysers, hot springs and billowing steam.

I gasp as I watch other visitors daring to touch the bubbling water of the springs, knowing it is superheated by the volcano beneath our feet.

After a day of sightseeing I go for a night out in Taipei. Most Taiwanese people have eaten their evening meal by 6pm and you are hard pressed to find a restaurant still open at 9pm.

I go for the famous hand-crafted pork-filled soup dumplings at Din Tai Fung, trying my best with the chopsticks.

Spoons are offered to those who have yet to master the art. Afterwards I head out into the city, where there’s not much of a drinking culture, but eventually I find an absolute treat – Ounce.

Proudly known as Taiwan’s first speakeasy, it is accessed via a secret entrance inside a café where coffee drinkers are oblivious to the bar just metres away.

After a crafty knock on a faux wall panel I am hurried inside. Customers can order from a menu or off-the-cuff.

The bartender is happy to make suggestions. I order a whiskey sour and toast Taiwan and all of its treasures.

Fact File:

GETTING THERE: Flights to Taiwan with China Airlines cost from £610 return. Book at china-airlines.com

China Airlines began non-stop flights from Gatwick to Taipei’s Toayuan International Airport four times a week in December which increased to five times per week last month.

Guests in China Airlines’ Premium Business class enjoy 180-degree, lay-flat beds and access to the on board Sky Lounge. Premium Economy passengers enjoy fixed-back seats which recline by sliding forwards, without tipping backwards towards the passenger behind.

WHERE TO STAY: Rooms at the Folio Daan Hotel cost from £284. Book at folio-hotels.com

For more details on trips to Taiwan see eng.taiwan.net.tw