My views do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.
Taipei, Taiwan
Taipei—the capital and cultural heartbeat of Taiwan—blends neon skyline energy with temple incense, teahouses, and leafy hills. The city proper counts about 2.5–2.8 million people (Greater Taipei ~7 million), creating a safe, efficient, and ultra-walkable launchpad for food, markets, and museums. Taiwan currently has no UNESCO-inscribed sites, but multiple landscapes and historic areas (including the Datun Volcano Group above Taipei) are on Taiwan’s national tentative lists. Expect a city that pairs world-class museums with dumpling houses, night markets with hot springs, and view-topped hikes five MRT stops from downtown.
History:
Before Chinese immigration, the Taipei Basin was home to Indigenous peoples such as the Ketagalan. In the 17th century, northern Taiwan saw competing colonial influences (Spanish/Dutch coastal footholds), but Taipei’s ascent began in the late Qing era when the basin was drained and developed as a commercial hub. Following the 1895 cession of Taiwan to Japan, Taipei rapidly modernized: rail lines, planned districts, and landmark buildings (many reused today as cultural parks). After 1945, Taipei became the ROC capital; post-war migration transformed it into a Mandarin-speaking metropolis while Minnan, Hakka, and Indigenous cultures remained vital under the surface. Since the 1980s, democratization and booming tech have shaped a confident, open city known for literacy, transit, and street food. Today’s Taipei balances heritage sites (Longshan Temple), grand civic spaces (Chiang Kai-shek Memorial), and cutting-edge towers (Taipei 101), with green escapes like Elephant Mountain and Beitou’s hot springs minutes away on the MRT.
Getting Around:
- 🚶 Walking: Central Taipei is very walkable once you arrive (broad sidewalks, frequent crosswalks).
- 🚌/🚆 Public Transit:
- Taipei MRT: Single rides NT$20–65 by distance; 24-hr pass NT$180; 48/72-hr also available.
- EasyCard (stored-value): widely used on MRT/buses/shops; card price typically NT$100–200 (card only).
- 🚖 Taxis: In-city meter starts at NT$85 for first 1.25 km.
- 🚴 Bike Share (YouBike 2.0): Stations citywide; typical pricing from NT$10/30 min in Taipei. Register with a phone/credit card.
- 🚗 Car Rental: Not recommended for day trips (traffic/parking); if needed, rent near Taipei Main or airports.
- Hop-On Hop-Off: No city-wide HOHO; use MRT + short taxis instead (faster, cheaper).
Witnessing:
Taipei 101 Observatory Soar to floor 89 for sweeping city-to-mountain views; see the wind damper.
- Info: NT$600 adult; +NT$380 to access the 101st-floor outdoor deck. Plan 60–90 min. Take MRT to Taipei 101/World Trade Center; short walk.
✨ Tip: Clearer skies are likelier mid-morning; book timed tickets online to skip queues.
Longshan Temple (艋舺龍山寺) Baroque-meets-Fujian folk temple alive with chanting and incense.
- Info: Daily; last admission 21:45. Free. MRT Longshan Temple exit to gates. 60 min visit.
✨ Tip: Dress modestly; photography allowed, but avoid flash during ceremonies.
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Monumental plaza, galleries, and hourly guard change 09:00–17:00.
- Info: Memorial open 09:00–18:00; park 05:00–24:00. Free. MRT CKS Memorial Hall. 60–90 min.
✨ Tip: Arrive 10–15 min early for front-row spots at the guard change.
Learning:
National Palace Museum Among the world’s great Chinese art collections (jade, bronzes, scrolls).
- Info: Open 09:00–17:00; NT$350 adult. Allow 2–3 hrs. Taxi ~20–30 min from Taipei Main.
✨ Tip: Rotating highlights—ask where the famous “Jade Cabbage” is displayed that week.
Huashan 1914 Creative Park Warehouses turned design shops, cafes, galleries, and festivals.
- Info: Public areas 24 hrs; venues typically day-to-evening. MRT Zhongxiao Xinsheng. 1.5–3 hrs.
✨ Tip: Check rotating exhibits; evenings are photogenic among lit brick halls.
Beitou Hot Spring Museum & Thermal Valley (Beitou) A former bathhouse museum plus a steamy green-sulfur crater lake.
- Info: Museum free (Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00; closed Mon). MRT Xinbeitou. 1–2 hrs plus soak time nearby.
✨ Tip: Pair with a private hot-spring soak—numerous bathhouses around the station.
Discovery:
Night Markets Sampler — Shilin, Raohe, Ningxia
- Shilin Night Market (士林夜市) — 16:00–00:00; ride MRT to Jiantan (not “Shilin”) and walk ~5–8 min. From Taipei Main: ~10 min via Red Line.
- Raohe Street Night Market (饒河街觀光夜市) — 17:00–00:00; MRT Songshan (Exit 5) ~1–3 min to the gate. From Taipei Main: ~10–15 min via Green Line.
- Ningxia Night Market (寧夏夜市) — 17:00–23:30; MRT Zhongshan/Shuanglian, ~10 min walk. From Taipei Main: 1 stop to Zhongshan.
Food budget: most bites NT$50–200 each.
✨ Tip: Go hungry and share plates to try more; expect peak crowds 19:00–21:00.
Maokong Gondola & Teahouses Scenic cable car from MRT Taipei Zoo up to the Maokong tea hills (20–30 min each way) for views and teahouse tastings
- Info: Full-route fares up to NT$120 each way; link via MRT Taipei Zoo. 2–3 hrs including tea stop. Weather-dependent.
✨ Tip: Tap EasyCard through the gates—faster than buying single tickets.
Ximending Pedestrian District
Youth fashion, street eats, and murals; easy stroll from Ximen MRT.
✨ Tip: Great for quick souvenirs en route back to Taipei Main.
Hiking
- Elephant Mountain (象山/Xiangshan): Stairs to classic Taipei-101 view; 1–1.5 hrs round trip; moderate. MRT Xiangshan → trailhead 10 min.
- Beitou area strolls: Light paths in Beitou Park + Thermal Valley; easy.
Shopping
- Ximending: Youth brands, cosmetics, and themed cafes (MRT Ximen).
- Eslite & Mitsukoshi (Xinyi): Design goods and Taiwan teas under Taipei 101 (MRT 101/WTC).
- Ningxia Night Market: Food-first, but good for local snack souvenirs. Tip: Prices are usually fixed—polite haggling is uncommon.
Events:
- Taipei Jazz Festival 2025: Sept 3–28 city-wide; evening shows many nights (no Mon/Tue). Check the schedule; several concerts fall within our dates and are MRT-accessible.
- Taipei Arts Festival: Sept 11–28; contemporary performances at multiple venues.
- Taipei Water Dance Festival: Sept 13–Oct 19; night fountain/light shows (family-friendly).
Hidden Gems:
Modern Toilet Restaurant – Looking for a crappy restaurant? Pull up a porcelain bowl and enjoy your meal
Tuned Mass Damper of Taipei 101- Enormous pendulum helps keep Taiwan’s tallest building from swaying
Grand Hotel Tunnel – Air-raid tunnels hidden beneath this opulent hotel provided shelter and an escape route – and one of the world’s longest slides.
Leaning Mailboxes – These charming mailboxes became social media stars after a typhoon failed to topple them.
Bei Tour Incinerator – A waste incinerator with a restaurant on its chimney.
Chef Hung Beef Noodle Soup – Taiwan’s iconic dish is in peak form here.
Jadeite Cabbage With Insects: An imperial art museum offers edible versions of its most treasured displays in an on-site fine-dining restaurant.
Pure Love Diner Bar – This kitschy, kinky homage to Taipei’s old “grandpa shops” is full of eye-candy
Miniatures Museum of Taiwan – The first miniatures museum in Asia contains all sorts of itsy-bitysy wonders, including the world’s smallest working television.
Real Guts Café – Movie buffs will love this Taiwanese director’s ode to film history.
Jimmy’s Moon Bus – Step into this whimsical art installation based on a popular picture book.
Dr. Chhen Wen-chen Memorial – A memorial honoring a mathematician likely murdered by Taiwan’s authoritarian government
Chiang Statues in Beitou – An otherwise typical Beitou alley is home to statues of Chiang Kai-shek and his son
Carp Hll Miniatures – This hiking trail features an aging but endearing collection of folk miniatures depicting Taiwan’s landmarks
Puppetry Art Center of Taipei – A museum of puppets and puppetry covering all Asian styles.
Xiaonanmen Fuzhou Fool’s Noodles – Diners have been slurping ‘fool’s noodles’ at this shop for more than 70 years
Hunglodei Nanshan Fude Temple – A temple featuring a giant Tudigong statue, quirky roadside dinosaurs, and stunning Taipei panoramas
National Human Rights Museum – This abandoned prison is now a museum chronicling the oppression of political prisoners in the not-so-distant past.
Wulixue Irrigation Canal – A preserved segment of the old irrigation canal recalls Taipei’s history as a “Water City.”
Taiwan Stock Museum – Learn all about Taiwanese financial history from inside a former high-security vault
Xianjiyan – Rock of the Deity’s Footprint – A rock, a temple, and a window into Taiwan’s rich cultural mythology – wrapped in a serene city escape
Taipei Zebra – This crosswalk hosts one of Taipei’s most beloved public artworks
Tasting:
- Xiao Long Bao (Din Tai Fung): Soup dumplings; NT$220–350 per basket (10).
- Beef Noodle Soup: Hearty bowl NT$150–250.
- Gua Bao & Pepper Buns (Raohe): NT$60–100.
- Bubble Tea: NT$50–80; try brown-sugar “fresh milk” styles.
- Seafood: Head to Ningxia/Raohe for oyster omelets ~NT$70–100. (Market price ranges consistent with current 2025 guides and official market pages.)
Specialty Markets/Food Halls: Ningxia, Raohe, Shilin night markets (see above).
Irish pubs (in Taipei): Options include James Joyce Irish Bar (Gongguan); expat bars like On Tap also popular. (Hours vary; check day-of.)
Mexican (in Taipei): Small but growing scene; look for El Sabroso, Macho/Machu-style taquerias, etc. (Verify opening hours on the day.)
Nightlife:
- Night Markets: Shilin / Raohe / Ningxia (open evenings; food-centric, lively).
- Jazz/Live Music: Blue Note Taipei (historic jazz cafe; nightly programs), Sappho Live (late-evening sets; cover often ~NT$300). (Check the day’s lineup/times.)
Travel Tips:
- Cash vs Card: Cards widely accepted; EasyCard is king for transit and convenience stores. Carry small cash for market eats.
- Taxis: Ensure the meter is on; show drivers a Chinese address (screenshots work best). In-city flagfall NT$85; airport/special zones may add surcharges.
- Typhoon & Rain: September can bring squalls—pack an umbrella, waterproof phone pouch, and extra time for transport.
- Night-market etiquette: Queue politely; most stalls are cash only; bins are scarce—hold trash until you find one.
- MRT etiquette: No eating/drinking beyond the gate; stand right/escalator left; offer seats to elderly/pregnant.
- Pass options: Heavy MRT users might prefer a 24-hr pass (NT$180); otherwise EasyCard is most flexible.
Wednesday September 17, 2025
Michele and Steven had a private guide for the day to take them around Taipei, and they generously invited me to come along. I absolutely appreciate the freedom this position gives me to be able do so much sightseeing.
From the ship in Keelung, I woke up early and took an Uber to their hotel in Taipei.
So far, I was finding Taiwan to be very opulent.
When we did our introductions, our guide mentioned that he had not only spent time in the United States, had actually lived in Sacramento for a few years. What a small world!
Our first stop was the Grand Hotel Taipei. Michele and Steven decided that if they came back, this was where they would stay next time.
As I waited in the lobby for Michele and Steven at their hotel, and now here, I found myself wondering how these massive flower arrangements were maintained. Were they even real? (they were) Did they replace the flowers bit by bit or all at once? It seemed like quite a project.
And then there was the answer to my question!
And the hotel even had its own convenience store!
Our guide picked us up behind the hotel and whisked us away just in time to see the changing of the guard.
This was very cool. I’ll post videos on Facebook.
We were so hot in the clothes we were wearing. We couldn’t imagine being out there in the heat in their boots and uniforms.
Their movements were so precise that it was like watching a dance.
But I could not imagine standing there for long periods of time.
Next, we went to a rich person’s house.
It’s one of Taipei’s oldest surviving traditional residences, originally built in the late 18th century. It was preserved and relocated to its present location in the late 1980’s.
Rose went to elementary school in Taiwan, so she told me to keep an eye out for her school.
Then she asked her dad, and they lived on the other side of the country, so this was probably not her school.
Next we visited a shrine that was just sitting there in the middle of the city.
Our guide explained the meaning of each station. I tried to keep track, but they all started to blend together in my memory.
There was one that was for farmers and old people- I sent that one to Wendy.
There was one for the ocean, which seemed like a good one to pray at since I live on the ocean.
The next one was for fertility and children.
I gave that one a quick “No, thank you.”
The way they landed would reveal the answer to your question – one way was yes, another way was no and another way, the gods were laughing at you.
We thought about what we would ask, and realized that, in some cases, we didn’t actually want to know the answer if it wasn’t the answer we were hoping for.
Another shrine.
Our guide dropped us off to get pizza for lunch, and then got into a little fender bender, so our break ended up being a bit longer than anticipated.
I was just there!
A couple of years ago I attended a tea with Wendy, and the woman being honored that year was Alex Honnold’s mom. We met her in person, and I read her book.
When we arrived at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial, our guide was rushing us toward the entrance.
I didn’t understand the urgency of climbing all those stairs until the doors started closing.
We were a little disappointed that we had JUST missed going inside, but when we turned around, the sunset was so spectacular that we couldn’t be happier with the timing.
Then on to another shrine.
To my great delight, our last stop was the night market.
And we walked down a street lined with shops offering pedicures and foot massages. Even in Taiwan, all the people from the pedicure shops were Vietnamese.