Street Friends Take You on a Deep Dive: An Alternative Tour of Taipei, Reviving the Old Charm of Wanhua

▲The Street Tour activity is expected to be available for booking as early as August (Photo / fromthe Street Tour Facebook fan page)

Reported by Xiao Wan-Ning, Taipei

How can you experience Taipei differently? See the city through the eyes of those who call its streets home and discover another side of Taipei. The Taiwan Banyan Heart Charity Association, founded by a group of social workers dedicated to the welfare of the homeless,began a “Homeless as Tour Guides” training program in collaboration with Wanhua Community College in 2013, aiming to introduce Mengjia (Wanhua) from a perspective distinct from that of historians and cultural experts.

Li Ying-Tzu, one of the planners of the project, said:“We hope to create a unique tour style based on the life experiences of the homeless themselves and their connection to these sites.”Currently, four guides have been trained, with routes primarily focused on Wanhua, including places like Longshan Temple, Ai’ai Home, and Bopiliao. Most of these sites also have strong ties to the homeless community—for example, Changshou Tea House is a local spot frequented by one of the guides, where visitors can hear many different stories from various perspectives.

This activity is not yet officially open for booking, but reservations are expected to beginin August or September this year. Booking will mainly be done online or by phone, with group tours limited to no more than 15 people and a minimum of 5 people per group. The expected fee is no more than 200 NTD per person.。

Street Tour HiddenTaipei
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