Ever since I saw a photo of Taipei 101 in the mid-2000s, Taiwan’s underrated capital set itself onto my East Asia travel bucket list. After I finally made it to Taipei and got to spend a week exploring its temples, night markets, parks, and museums, it quickly catapulted to one of my favorite cities I’ve visited in the region.
I’ll admit that Taipei isn’t a city that’ll instantly wow every traveler. Parts of the city are grey, drab, and a bit chaotic. And I’d imagine that’s where many travelers on short layovers form unfavorable impressions of Taipei.
Push past that, though, and Taiwan’s capital opens up fast.
Taipei’s night markets are the finest I’ve eaten at anywhere in East Asia. The temples still feel like active places of worship, not just tourist attractions. Taipei is full of beautiful parks and easily accessible hiking trails leading to sweeping vistas over the city. And it’s far more navigable than its size suggests.
Here’s what I’d tell any first-time visitor planning their first trip to Taipei…
When to visit Taipei
The best times to visit Taipei are spring (March to May) and fall (October to November). Both are drier and more comfortable than the alternatives. If I had to pick one, I’d lean toward fall.
October is the sweet spot. By then, the summer humidity has cleared out, temperatures drop to a more manageable range, and the city’s parks and hiking trails are at their most enjoyable. Crowds at major attractions like Taipei 101 are also slightly thinner in October than in the spring.
Spring is beautiful, particularly March and April, when the weather is mild, and the mountainsides around Yangmingshan National Park are at their most scenic. May gets progressively wetter as the plum rain season creeps in.
Summer (June to August) is the season I’d avoid. Taipei in July is brutally hot and humid, with afternoon thunderstorms that can appear out of nowhere. (I got hit by these flash storms quite a few times on my Taiwan trip.)
Winter is mild but can be grey and rainy, particularly in January and February. It’s the low season, which means better hotel prices and thinner crowds at places like the National Palace Museum.
How many days do I need to visit Taipei?
I’d recommend at least four days for a first visit to Taipei. Three days squeeze in all the city’s usual highlights. But, in my opinion, Taipei rewards a slower pace, so I’d leave an extra day as a cushion.
Four days gives you time for the main sights, a couple of night markets, and at least one day trip outside the city center.
(And this is a must, if you ask me!)
Beitou Hot Springs is a 30-minute MRT ride. Tamsui is about 40 minutes. Yangmingshan National Park and Jiufen are about an hour away. Any of these is worth pulling yourself out of the city for if the schedule allows.
Five days or more is where Taipei really opens up. With more time, you can start to slow down and explore the neighborhoods properly and tackle even more day trips. In my opinion, this is when Taipei is at its most enjoyable.
Here are some itineraries to help you plan your time…
What to see & do in Taipei on a first visit
After hearing so many mixed reviews about Taipei from fellow travelers, I was surprised by the sheer number of fun things I found to see & do here.
Taipei 101 is the unavoidable starting point. From the moment I landed, I spotted this tower from practically every inch I walked in the city.
The observatory on the 89th floor delivers one of the better city panoramas I’ve seen anywhere in Asia. Go in the late afternoon and stay into the evening as the city lights up.
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Liberty Square is the obvious starting point for a first day in Taipei. The changing of the guard runs hourly from 9 am to 5 pm on Democracy Boulevard.
The museum in the base of Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, which includes two of Chiang’s personal Cadillacs and a reconstruction of his office, was more interesting than I expected.
Longshan Temple in Wanhua District is the city’s most famous temple and is still an active place of worship. I spent longer here than I planned, joining worshippers as they moved through each station with my own incense sticks as a blessing.
(With the locals’ help, of course. I’d have had no idea what I was doing otherwise.)
When Taipei really shines, in my opinion, is at night. Aside from eating my way through Taiwanese night markets like Ningxia Night Market or the granddaddy of ’em all, Shilin Night Market, I also loved wandering around the neon-lit streets of Ximending, Taipei’s answer to Tokyo’s Shinjuku or Shibuya.
For a half-day escape from the city center, Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan) is the hike I’d recommend to all first-time visitors. The climb is not easy in Taipei’s heat and humidity, but the skyline views from the ridge make it all worth the effort.
Taipei also has some of the best day trip options of any city I’ve visited in East Asia. Beitou Hot Springs, Tamsui, and Yangmingshan National Park are all within an hour on the MRT, and each is worth a full day.
A little further afoot, the twin towns of Jiufen and Jinguashui are also worth a visit, if you’ve got an extra to spare.
Here’s a closer look at what I’d plan to see in Taipei on a first visit…
What to eat in Taipei
Taipei’s food scene is built around its night markets, and they’re better than anything I found in the same category elsewhere in East Asia.
Ningxia Night Market is the one I’d send most first-time visitors to. It runs down one street, making it easy to navigate and escape when you’ve eaten your fill.
The oyster vermicelli is my personal pick at Ningxia Night Market, along with the oyster omelet at the Michelin-recommended Yuan Huan Pien food stall. This traditional market is also a great place to try the (less offensive) deep-fried version of stinky tofu.
(When I first walked into Ningxia Night Market on my first night in Taipei, it was the first thing I could smell from a block away.)
I’d also send first-time visitors to Raohe Street Night Market for its pepper meat buns. The most famous stall is parked near the entrance and always has a queue.
The pepper buns at Raohe Street Night Market are stuffed with peppered pork and spring onion filling and baked against the walls of a charcoal-fired clay oven. They’re one of the dishes I dream about (and drool over) most when I think about eating in Taipei.
Shilin Night Market is the biggest and most famous night market in Taipei. And it was as overwhelming on a first visit as I expected.
I went into Shilin Night Market without a plan, followed the crowds, and ate better than I had any right to, given it was one of my first brushes with Taiwanese street food.
Beyond the night markets, Din Tai Fung at Taipei 101 is worth the inevitable queue. I went in with high expectations, and they were still exceeded.
The pork xiao long bao and crab roe dumplings at Din Tai Fung are as good as every Taipei travel guide claims.
Here’s what I’d eat on a first trip to Taipei…
Where to stay
For first-time visitors seeking out where to stay in Taipei, I’d look at Zhongzheng District or Ximending first.
Zhongzheng District is the most central option. Taipei Main Station sits at its heart, connecting the MRT, high-speed rail, and intercity buses in one place.
Most of the major sights are within walking distance or a short metro hop from Zhongzheng District. The accommodation range covers everything from budget guesthouses to mid-range business hotels.
Ximending in Wanhua District is the livelier alternative, particularly for travelers who want to be in the middle of Taipei’s shopping, nightlife, and street food scenes. I’d point younger travelers and nightlife seekers here rather than in Zhongzheng.
Xinyi District is the most upscale option and makes sense if Taipei 101 and the surrounding restaurants and shopping are the main draw. It’s further from some of the city’s older sights, but the hotel quality here is the highest I’ve seen in the city.
Zhongshan District, just north of Zhongzheng, is worth considering for a slightly quieter base that’s still well-connected.
Here’s where I’d start my Taipei accommodations search…
Transportation
Getting there
By air
Taipei is served by two airports. Most international flights land at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE), about 40 kilometers from the city center.
Major airlines flying into Taoyuan include EVA Air, China Airlines, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines.
The Taoyuan Airport MRT connects the airport directly to Taipei Main Station in roughly 35 minutes and is the easiest way into the city.
Taipei Songshan Airport (TSA) is closer to the city center and handles domestic routes and a handful of regional flights from cities like Tokyo, Seoul, and Shanghai.
Getting around
By MRT
The MRT is the easiest way to get around Taipei, and I relied on it almost exclusively during my visit.
The signage throughout the MRT system is in English. Most major attractions are within walking distance of a station.
I’d recommend picking up an EasyCard at the airport or any MRT station on arrival. It works on the MRT, buses, and at participating stores throughout the city. Fares run between NT$20 and NT$65 depending on distance.
If you’re planning to use the MRT heavily, I’d consider grabbing a 24-, 48-, or 72-hour Metro Pass over the EasyCard.
Getting away
Taipei is a great launching point for exploring the rest of Taiwan. The Taiwan High Speed Rail connects Taipei to most major cities on the western coast, including Taichung (just over an hour), Tainan (about two hours), Hsinchu (35 minutes), and Kaohsiung (1.5 to 2 hours).
For Taiwan’s east coast, trains from Taipei to Hualien take about 2 to 2.5 hours on the express lines. Journey times on this route vary significantly, so I’d recommend verifying train times before purchasing tickets.
What to know before you go
Visa: Most Western passport holders can enter Taiwan visa-free for 90 days. Check your country’s specific arrangement before you go.
EasyCard: Get one at the airport or any MRT station on arrival. It works on the MRT, buses, and at participating stores and removes friction from every transit decision for the rest of the trip.
Cash: Taipei is more cash-dependent than many East Asian cities. Night market vendors and smaller restaurants almost always deal in cash only. I’d carry at least NT$1,000 at any given time.
Language: Mandarin is the primary language in Taipei. English is widely understood in hotels, tourist areas, and on the MRT. Signage throughout the metro system is in English.
Maps: Google Maps works well in Taiwan, unlike mainland China and South Korea, where it has limitations. I used it on my whole trip without any issues.
