# Taipei travel guide (台北)

Taiwan Region · South China, China · 27 places
Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/destinations/taiwan-region/taipei

## Quick itinerary

- **Day 1:** National Taiwan University → Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall → Presidential Office Building → Ximending Red House → Longshan Temple
- **Day 2:** Qingtiangang Grassland → Yangmingshan National Park → Eslite Bookstore → Shilin Official Residence → Shilin Night Market
- **Day 3:** Taipei Zoo → Miniature Museum → Xingtian Temple → Zhongxiao East Road

## The feel of the place

- **Taiwanese Cinema:** We might say we come to know and understand Taiwan through its music, writing and film. The bittersweet, achingly familiar teenage life in *A Brighter Summer* (《牯岭街少年杀人事件》), the endless sea mist in *A City of Sadness* (《悲情城市》), and *Mama, Don't Cry* (《妈妈，别哭》), which many people finish with tears in their eyes, have left many of us with an unshakeable fascination with Taiwan.
- **Pop Music:** In the same year that Fei Xiang performed “Fire in Winter” (《冬天里的一把火》) and “Clouds of My Hometown” (《故乡的云》) on the Spring Festival Gala, Taiwan announced that veterans of the former Kuomintang army would be allowed to visit their families on the mainland. Taiwanese pop music then swept through the mainland music scene with remarkable speed. Even before that, the sweet, gentle voice of Teresa Teng and her songs about love, family and homesickness had already stirred feelings people kept deep in their hearts. Wave after wave of singers from the island then brought songs audiences had never heard before, such as Lo Ta-yu, who set off a campus folk music craze; Tsai Chin's “Green Island Serenade” (《绿岛小夜曲》); and Pan Ann-bang's “Grandma's Penghu Bay” (《外婆的澎湖湾》). Each of these songs is a memory of its era, and even today, Taiwanese pop continues to move people's hearts with enduring vitality.
- **Night Market Snacks:** Until you visit Taipei, you will never fully understand the depth of people's obsession with food. As the lights come on in the evening, a rich, authentic local aroma fills the air across the city. Night markets teem with people, and an dazzling array of local specialties, including oyster omelette (Ezi Jian), “big intestine wrapped in small intestine” (Dachang Bao Xiaochang) and frog eggs (Qingwa Xiadan), will catch your eye. Many a food lover has booked a “sightseeing” trip that is really all about eating. There is no denying that if the world held a contest to rank cities by their local food, Taipei would surely rank near the top.

## The feel of the place

### Treasure Island

Taiwan enjoys a pleasant climate, fertile soil and abundant resources, making it China's largest and richest “Treasure Island.” It has earned countless nicknames, including the “Rice Granary,” “Fish Granary,” “Sugar Store,” “Salt Store,” “Sea of Forests,” “Land of Fruit” and “Coral Kingdom.” Layered on top of its history, these qualities lend this beautiful, rich island an extra touch of mystery.

- tip: 1. “Circle Island Star” (Huandao Zhixing): The Circle Island Star is Taiwan's premier circle-island sightseeing train, with huge panoramic windows. Every day, one train travels clockwise and another counterclockwise around the island. The route passes through 19 major and mid-sized cities, including Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung and Changhua.

2. Boarding tips: At the ticket gates, pay attention to which platform serves southbound trains and which serves northbound trains. For example, if you are departing from Taipei for Keelung, Songshan, Ruifang, Yilan, Hualien or Taitung, take a northbound train. If you are heading to Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Taichung, Changhua, Yunlin, Tainan, Chiayi, Kaohsiung or Pingtung, take a southbound train.

### Transport Tips

Parking in central Taipei is very inconvenient and parking fees are fairly high. Visitors are advised to use public transport whenever possible to save both time and money.

### Preparations and Advice

### Language

Most Taipei residents trace their ancestry to Fujian and Guangdong. Hokkien (Minnan) is the main folk dialect in Taiwan, but the common language is still Taiwan-accented Mandarin.

### Climate and Best Time to Visit

Meng Ting-wei's “Come to Taipei to See the Rain in Winter” (《冬季到台北来看雨》) was a hit across the country in the 1990s, and it captures Taipei's climate perfectly: winter is rainy. In addition, June to October is typhoon season, so spring and autumn are the best times to visit Taipei. Note that April and May are peak tourist months. If you want to experience a quieter, more authentic side of Taiwan, October and November are the top picks.

### Looking for a Toilet or Trash Bin? Head for a Convenience Store First

Taipei's convenience stores are truly convenient, found everywhere from busy streets and small alleys to mountainsides and mountaintops. Whether you need a rest, a restroom, a place to throw away rubbish, directions, or even to buy high-speed rail tickets, a convenience store can help.


## Getting there & around

### Arrivals and Departures

### Flights

Taipei has two airports: Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Taipei Songshan Airport. Flights may stop at either, so check in advance.

Taoyuan International Airport, also known as Chiang Kai-shek International Airport, handles international routes. It is located in Dayuan District, Taoyuan City, about 40 km from central Taipei, roughly 40 minutes to downtown. Taipei Songshan Airport, also called Taipei International Airport, mainly operates routes between cities within the island. It is located at the far end of Dunhua North Road in Songshan District, Taipei City.

### Travel Notes for Taiwan

Entry permit eligibility: Non-student applicants must provide one of three supporting documents: a proof of annual income of at least ¥130,000; a certificate of a bank fixed-term deposit of ¥50,000; or a certificate of a (white) gold card or (white) gold card certificate issued by a bank or financial institution on the mainland. Students must provide their student ID or a certificate of current enrollment from their school. Applicants aged 18 to 20 (inclusive) must also provide a consent letter from a parent or immediate family member.

Both sides of the Strait operate a double guarantee system. Mainland visitors to Taiwan must provide a contact person on the mainland who is not travelling with them, along with the ID card and household register of an emergency contact. If a visitor overstays, the guarantor relatives must help locate them, and the travel agency that arranged the independent trip also bears guarantee responsibility. A missing visitor must be found within 7 days. If not, the visitor will be recorded in Taiwan's files and barred from visiting Taiwan in any form for 3 years, and will bear the cost of detention and deportation themselves.

### By Air

1. Taipei Songshan Airport mainly serves domestic routes, but it also receives flights from outside the island, with routes from Shanghai Hongqiao, Shanghai Pudong, Chengdu, Chongqing, Nanjing, Guangzhou and Nanning.

2. If you fly into Taoyuan International Airport, it is recommended to start your trip in Taichung. If you fly into Taipei Songshan Airport, it is recommended to start in Taipei.

### High-Speed Rail

Taiwan's high-speed rail (THSR) runs from Taipei to Kaohsiung, connecting Banqiao, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Taichung, Chiayi and Tainan, among other cities and counties. You can reach the transfer cities and counties for most scenic spots in western Taiwan by high-speed rail, which is very convenient.

### Road Travel

Taipei's road network is highly developed. If you are touring the island, you can take an intercity coach from the Taipei “National Highway” Bus Terminal.

### Getting Around the City

### Metro (MRT)

What Taiwanese people call the MRT, in speech and in song, is what we know as the subway. It is not only an important means of getting around Taipei but also a window onto the latest news in culture, arts and film.

### Buses

Taipei's bus routes are well connected and run frequently. Once you have checked the route, the bus number and the destination stop, you can explore the whole city by bus.

### Taxis

Taiwan's taxis, nicknamed “little yellows,” charge strictly by meter. The flag fall is NT$70 for the first 1.25 km, then NT$5 for every additional 0.2 km. A surcharge of NT$20 applies from 23:00 to 06:00 the next day. A surcharge of NT$10 applies for phone bookings and for opening the trunk.

- **Taoyuan THSR Station** —  (No. 6, Section 1, Gaotie North Road, Zhongli City, Taoyuan County, 00886-2-40660000)
- **Taipei THSR Station** —  (No. 3, Beiping West Road, Taipei City)

## Eat & drink

Ximending, Yuanhuan Night Market, Wanhua Night Market, Gongguan Night Market, Raohe Street Night Market, Yongkang Street snacks and Fuxing South Road together offer almost all of Taipei's famous eats, such as duck-slice tapioca balls, oyster omelette, Zheng's bowl cake, stir-fried squid, squid soup, Vietnamese food, pan-fried buns, danzai noodles, sawei-ma, Japanese food, pork rice dumplings and medicinal herbal braised pork ribs.

### Taipei Night Markets

Night markets have no VIP lounges and no showing off. Whether you're facing oyster omelette, big intestine wrapping small intestine, teppanyaki, duck-slice tapioca balls or squid soup, everyone is treated equally.

### Shilin Night Market

Shilin Night Market is worth a second mention, because it is truly the best place for foodies. Here you'll find fried chicken cutlets as big as your face, frog eggs with a delightfully springy bite, the unique texture of big intestine wrapping small intestine, big pancake wrapping small pancake, fresh and silky oyster omelette, white jade bitter gourd drink and grass jelly tea. Almost no one can resist.

### Keelung Miaokou Night Market

Keelung is the best place in northern Taiwan to eat seafood, and Miaokou is the ideal spot to experience it. The tempura and Xing's ding-bian-cuo at Miaokou are both good. Traditional pastries are also famous, and Li Hu Cake Shop and Lien Chen Cakes have the longest histories.

### Huaxi Street Night Market

Huaxi Street Night Market is the market that appears many times in the film *Monga*. It has a history of more than 50 years. Its stir-fried beef, Hokkaido-style blanched squid, angelica pork trotters, Dading meat soup, liquor-braised shrimp, Tainan oyster noodles and Beigang sweet tea are authentic old-fashioned Taiwanese flavours.

Huaxi Street Tourist Night Market

### Friendly Reminder

Note: when ordering oyster omelette, be sure to pronounce it “o-ah-jian.” This is how Taipei locals say it, and otherwise people may not understand what you want.

### Recommended Snacks

### Taipei Specialties

If you'd like to bring food home, consider Taiwan-specific pastries and snacks such as Sindongyang meat floss from Taipei, Tamsui Grandma's iron eggs, Taipei “pouchong” tea and Taipei pineapple cakes. Sindongyang's branches offer its signature meat floss and dried meat products, as well as gift items from across the island, such as mullet roe and pineapple cakes. They have also recently added a parcel mailing service.

### Tipping

Tipping is not customary in Taiwan. However, a 10% service charge is standard at hotels and restaurants. When a bellhop carries your heavy luggage to your room, it is common to tip around NT$50 or US$2.

- **Oyster Omelette** — An established snack stall that became even more famous after the TV drama *Love Around the Corner* became a hit. (Shilin Night Market Tourist Market)
- **Lin Dong-Fang Beef Noodles** — The long queues outside this shop every day show how good its beef noodles are. Visitors are encouraged to give them a try. (No. 274, Section 2, Bade Road, Taipei City, 00886-2-27522556)
- **Haoji Danzai Noodles** — A shop specializing in seafood, though its danzai noodles and crab meat with luffa are the signature dishes. Popular with locals. (No. 79, Jilin Road)
- **Ahui Stir-Fried Eel** — A restaurant that eel lovers must not miss. It also serves authentic Tainan dishes. (No. 89, Changchun Road, Zhongshan District)
- **Haodada Fried Chicken Cutlet** — For decades this shop has refused to cut its chicken cutlets, so they are very large, crispy outside and tender inside. It is one of the most popular stalls at Shilin Night Market, with long queues every day. (No. 113, Wenlin Road, Shilin District)
- **Stinky Tofu** — Not stinky at all! The best part is the sauce made with kimchi brine, which is savoury and fresh and goes especially well with rice. (Shilin Night Market Sightseeing Market)
- **Dachang Baoxiaochang (Sausage Wrapped in Sausage)** — Only available at Shilin Night Market: glutinous rice sausage wrapped around black pork sausage, a flavour that is widely praised.
- **Xinfating Ice Shop** — The original shop of snow ice. The best options are honey bean ice, snow ice and shaved ice. (No. 1, Anping Street, Shilin District)
- **Chu Yi Zhang Zui (Shimin Branch)** — Unlike self-service barbecue, this izakaya has dedicated chefs who grill the food, so guests can simply eat and drink. Besides barbecue, there are several signature side dishes. Music plays in the restaurant, creating a lively atmosphere of eating meat and drinking heartily. (1st–3rd Floor, No. 175, Shimin Avenue, Songshan District, 00886-2-25787248)
- **Songzhu Garden** — As the name suggests, the garden is planted with pine and bamboo everywhere, and it also takes advantage of its location to grow mountain vegetables and wild greens. Its signature dishes are mainly Chinese cuisine, including free-range mountain chicken, Hakka stir-fry, Hakka large intestine, Wuxi spare ribs, mountain sea bass and pineapple shrimp balls. (No. 546, Yonggong Road, Yangmingshan, Shilin District, 00886-2-28616261)
- **Shanyuan Wild Vegetable Restaurant** — In Taiwan, this is a great place to enjoy wild game, home-style dishes and traditional Taiwanese cuisine. The tables follow the slope of the hillside, with a stream running beside the seats, so you can enjoy the cool mountain breeze and sweet floral scents. Recommended dishes include white-cut chicken, stir-fried clams and sweet potato soup. The bamboo chicken soup, which is very popular with guests, is fragrant and savoury, and is said to be good for the complexion. (Beside No. 55-12, Zhuzihu Road, Beitou District)
- **Fengda Coffee (Chengdu Road Branch)** — This is a shop that has been around for 60 years. You can see staff grinding beans at the entrance and smell coffee wafting from inside. The restaurant keeps a traditional, retro style, and the staff are warm and polite. The chicken biscuits and walnut crisps are must-buys and must-tries. Breakfast portions are very generous. If you're tired of pour-over or specialty coffees, return to the origins of coffee appreciation here and rediscover the original spirit of enjoying coffee. (About a 5-minute walk from Ximending, very close by, 00886-02-23719577)

## Shopping

### Fashionable Shopping Spots

### Specialty Shopping Streets

- **Xinyi District** — Xinyi District is Taipei's most fashionable upscale shopping and leisure area. Shin Kong Mitsukoshi is at No. 9 Songshou Road; Taipei 101 stands 508 metres tall with 101 floors, at No. 45 Shifu Road; New York New York Shopping Centre has a strong American flavour and is at No. 12 Songshou Road; and Breeze Center, besides being a massive department store, is also a gathering place for food and entertainment, at No. 138, Section 4, Bade Road.
- **East District** — Centred on the intersection of Dunhua South Road and Zhongxiao East Road, the department stores SOGO, Mingyao and Breeze Center are the go-to shopping spots for Taipei's professional women. Street stalls along the roads often turn up distinctive, affordable clothing and accessories. The flagship Eslite Bookstore on Dunhua South Road greatly raises the cultural appeal of the East District.
- **Ximending** — Without question, Ximending belongs to young people, and it is Taipei's 'fashion showcase'. Red House, Tattoo Street, Movie Street, KTVs, Wannien Building, Wan Guo Department Store, Eslite Bookstore and all kinds of boutique shops can be found here. Ximending is also a paradise for Japan lovers, with magazines, records, clothing and toys related to Japan everywhere. In Ximending, there are almost always small concerts, record release events, film promotions and street performances on weekends.
- **Yongkang Street** — Much like Beijing's Nanluoguxiang, the distinctive boutiques selling trendy small goods and the cafés lining the street have become the hallmarks of Yongkang Street. Here you can not only taste Taiwanese dishes and snacks, but also buy exquisite handicrafts that will leave you satisfied.
- **Tianmu District** — Because this was once the residential area of foreigners and overseas Chinese, the whole street has an exotic charm, and many foreign schools were once based here. Today Tianmu has become a fashionable area for young people to shop and eat, and is a favourite gathering place for handsome guys and beautiful girls.
- **Bookstore Street** — Bookstore Street, on Chongqing South Road, is home to a concentration of major bookshops and publishers. It has a wide range of local and foreign books, and is a neighbourhood that book lovers adore.
- **Dihua Street** — Dihua Street has the feel of old money in Taipei. Old streets, markets, creative culture and history blend together seamlessly. The architecture includes Minnan-style, Southeast Asian-style, modernist and Baroque buildings. There are many creative shops and cafés along the road, with a strong sense of nostalgia. The street has plenty of food, so remember to come early, as things may sell out.

## Where to stay

Accommodation in Taiwan is graded using plum blossom symbols and generally falls into categories such as tourist hotels, business hotels, leisure hotels (budget), youth hostels, love motels, guesthouses, B&Bs and hot spring spas. Business hotels offer better accommodation than the express hotels on the Mainland. Accommodation provided with tour groups is generally equivalent to a four-star hotel on the Mainland.

### Accommodation

1. Private guesthouses, six-star love motels and local homes in Taiwan are all worth staying in, offering a very different feel from large hotels. Also, booking hotels through Taiwanese local websites is usually cheaper.

2. In Taiwan, say 'fandian' (饭店) rather than 'jiudian' (酒店) when referring to hotels. The reason is that jiudian hotels in Taiwan often have a risqué nature, and if you check into one by accident, you may need NT$20,000 or more to get out.

- **Shangri-La Far Eastern International Hotel** — At 43 storeys, the Shangri-La lets guests look down over all of Taipei from inside the hotel. Nearby large shopping centres house international brand boutiques with a dazzling array of clothing. (No. 201, Section 2, Dunhua South Road, 00886-2-23788888)
- **Tuzhong · Taipei International Youth Hostel (On** — My Way Taipei Hostel) Run by a group of backpackers who love to travel, this hostel has clean, bright and comfortable rooms. The 3rd floor is reserved for female guests only. (No. 82, Guangming Road, Beitou District, 00886-228910230)

## Things to see

- **National Palace Museum, Taipei** (★★★★★): Admission National Palace Museum exhibition hall: NT$350 (free on Saturday and Sunday evenings); group ticket NT$320; Opening hours 09:00-17:00 (all year 2026); Time needed 3–5 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/national-palace-museum-taipei
- **Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Taipei** (★★★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 9：00—18：00; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/sun-yat-sen-memorial-hall-taipei
- **Taipei 101** (★★★★★): Admission Individual ticket NT$600; group (20+ people) and concession tickets NT$450; Opening hours 2026.01.01-2026.12.31 10:00-21:00; Time needed 2–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/taipei-101
- **Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall** (★★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 9：00—18：00; Time needed 1-3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/chiang-kai-shek-memorial-hall
- **Yangmingshan National Park** (★★★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 9：00—16：30; Time needed 2–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/yangmingshan-national-park
- **Qingtiangang Grassland** (★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 2026.01.01-2026.12.31 open all day; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/qingtiangang-grassland
- **National Taiwan University** (★★★★): Admission Free; Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/national-taiwan-university
- **Shilin Official Residence** (★★★★): Admission Outer garden free; main house NT$100; Opening hours 2026.01.01-2026.12.31 09:30-12:00; 13:30-17:00; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/shilin-official-residence
- **Bangka Lungshan Temple** (★★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 6：00—22：00; Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/bangka-lungshan-temple
- **Xingtian Temple** (★★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 4：00—22：00; Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/xingtian-temple
- **Elephant Mountain, Taipei** (★★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 2026.01.01-2026.12.31 open all day; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/elephant-mountain-taipei
- **Taipei Zoo** (★★★★): Admission Adults NT$60, children NT$30; Opening hours 9：00—17：00; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/taipei-zoo
- **Beitou Hot Springs** (★★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 2026.01.01-2026.12.31 10:00-18:00; Time needed 1-2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/beitou-hot-springs
- **Shilin Night Market** (★★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 2026.01.01-2026.12.31 16:00-00:00; Time needed 1-3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/shilin-night-market
- **Maokong Tea Plantations** (★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours Open all day (all year 2026); Time needed 2-3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/maokong-tea-plantations
- **Tamsui Old Street** (★★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours Open all day (all year 2026); Time needed 1-3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/tamsui-old-street
- **Red House Theater, Ximending** (★★★★): Admission Free. No ticket is needed to visit the first floor; tickets for the second-floor theatre depend on that day's performances.; Opening hours Closed on Mondays; Tuesday to Friday 11:00–20:00; Saturday and Sunday extended to 22:00; Time needed 1–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/red-house-theater-ximending
- **Eslite Bookstore (Xinyi Branch)** (★★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 11:00-22:00 (all year 2026); Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/eslite-bookstore-xinyi-branch
- **Zhongxiao East Road** (★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours Open all day (all year 2026); Time needed 2-3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/zhongxiao-east-road
- **Miniature Museum** (★★★): Admission NT$250; NT$50; NT$30, discounted ticket NT$25; Opening hours 10:00–18:00, closed on Mondays; Time needed 1–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/miniature-museum

## Day trips & beyond

- **Keelung Port** (★★★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours Open all day (all year 2026); Time needed 1 hour — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/keelung-port
- **Jiufen** (★★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 08:00-22:00 (all year 2026); Time needed 1–2 days — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/jiufen
- **Jiufen Old Street** (★★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours 08:00-22:00 (all year 2026); Time needed 2–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/jiufen-old-street
- **Yin-Yang Sea** (★★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours Open all day (all year 2026); Time needed 1–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/yin-yang-sea
- **Yehliu Geopark** (★★★★): Admission NT$80; discounted ticket NT$40; Opening hours 08:00-17:00 (all year 2026); Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/yehliu-geopark
- **Houtong Cat Village** (★★★★): Admission Free; Opening hours All day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/houtong-cat-village
- **Badouzi Railway Station** (★★★★): Admission Free (platform open; a ticket is required to ride the train, about NT$150 per trip); Opening hours Open all day (follows the operating hours of the Taiwan Railway Shen'ao Line); Time needed 20-40 minutes — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/badouzi-railway-station

---
Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 2654–2690. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.