Night markets, temples and mountain hot springs.
Taipei is a friendly, easygoing capital known for night markets, temples, tea houses and green mountains on its edge. Transit is excellent and food is cheap and superb. It suits food lovers, budget travellers and first-time visitors to Asia.
Tap a card to open it. Day trips are marked.
A bamboo-shaped skyscraper with fast lifts to an observatory. It was the world's tallest from 2004 to 2010. It was the tallest building in the world from 2004 to 2010 and has a giant damper ball that visitors can see.
Observatory ticket was about 600 TWD in 2025; check current price.
Taipei's biggest night market. It has food stalls and games. It is the largest night market in the city and is located near Jiantan MRT station.
Entry is free; most snacks cost a few dollars each.
A white monument with a blue roof and a guard ceremony. It sits on Liberty Square. The hall opened in 1980 and sits in Liberty Square with the National Theater and Concert Hall.
Free to enter.
One of the largest collections of Chinese imperial art. Jade and bronzes are highlights. The museum holds hundreds of thousands of objects moved from the mainland in the late 1940s.
Adult ticket was about 350 TWD in 2025.
A short steep hike to a famous view of Taipei 101. Sunset is best. The trail starts near Xiangshan MRT station and takes about 20 to 30 minutes up steps.
2026 general admission is free; optional activities and purchases are extra.
A busy temple from 1738 in Wanhua. Locals pray to many deities. It was founded in 1738 by settlers from Fujian and honours Buddhist and folk deities.
Free to enter.
A hot spring district with public baths and Thermal Valley. It has a museum. The area developed as a hot spring resort under Japanese rule and has a museum in an old bathhouse.
Public baths cost a few dollars; private hotel baths cost much more.
A cable car up to tea houses in the hills. Views are wide. The gondola starts near Taipei Zoo and rises to tea plantations in the hills.
Fare is paid with an EasyCard or single ticket.
A compact, lively night market by Ciyou Temple. Black pepper buns are famous. It is about 600 metres long and is close to Ciyou Temple.
A hillside old mining town with lantern-lit lanes and tea houses. It is very scenic. It lies about 40 kilometres northeast of Taipei and was a gold mining town.
Free to walk around; tea and snacks cost extra.
Everything above is open to read. A Hodolog account lets you build the trip around it.
Choose how many days you have.
Day one center, day two the museum and Shilin, day three Elephant Mountain and Beitou.
Sky lanterns and waterfalls.
25 mi · Train, about 1h30
Odd rock formations.
22 mi · Bus, about 1h30
A riverside old town with sunset views and snacks.
16 mi · MRT Red Line, about 40 to 50 minutes
Marble canyons and mountain trails on the east coast.
93 mi · Express train to Hualien, about 2h each way
Explore a waterfall landscape and an old railway-town setting.
Rail access uses the Ruifang and Pingxi-line corridor; check current rail service and onward walking arrangements.
Hillside gold-mining village featuring teahouse steps overlooking the Pacific, paired with launching paper sky lanterns along railway tracks.
25 mi · TRA train from Taipei Main Station to Ruifang, followed by local bus 788 in 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Best: October to December and March to May. Comfortable temperatures and less rain.
Daily high and average, by month
Typical inches per month
No season note for this month.
Climate normals: NASA POWER (public domain). For your own dates, a trip's Plan tab shows the forecast and the usual weather.
15th day of the lunar new year
Lantern displays and sky lanterns at Pingxi.
December 31
Fireworks from the tower.
May or June
Boat races on the river.
January or February
Big family holiday with temple visits and lanterns; some shops close for several days.
September or October
Moon watching and barbecues.
Last Saturday of October
East Asia's largest LGBTQ+ pride parade, drawing over 100,000 participants to the streets of central Taipei.
The US State Department rates Taiwan Level 1, exercise normal precautions; Taipei is very safe, with typhoons and earthquakes as the main natural risks.
Central districts are walkable with covered arcades.
The MRT is clean and fast; tap an EasyCard.
The neighborhoods that suit most first visits.
Best for: budget, shoppers
Youthful, central and lively.
Best for: food, couples
Cafes and Yongkang Street.
Best for: luxury
Near Taipei 101.
Best for: first-timers, transit
Perfect transport links and many restaurants.
Best for: luxury, shoppers
Modern towers, malls and Taipei 101 right outside.
Best for: relaxation, couples
Hot spring hotels in a quiet green setting.
| Main airport | Taoyuan International (TPE), 25 mi from the center |
| To the center | The Airport MRT express reaches Taipei Main Station in about 35 to 39 minutes (2026). |
| Around town | Use the MRT and YouBike shared bikes. |
| Ride apps | Uber, 55688 Taiwan Taxi, Line Taxi, Find Taxi |
Soup dumplings.
Rich braised beef broth.
Invented in Taiwan.
Fermented tofu, a night market classic.
A night market classic made with eggs and a sweet sauce.
A characteristic Raohe Street snack.
Tea shops are part of Ximending’s lively food and shopping scene.
Minced pork belly slow-braised in sweet soy sauce, shallots, and five-spice, ladled over a bowl of hot steamed white rice.
Freshly brewed black milk tea shaken with ice and chewy caramelized brown sugar tapioca pearls, invented in Taiwan.
| Plugs | Type A and B, 110 V |
| Tap water | Use bottled water |
| Tipping | Tipping is not expected; hotels often add a service charge. |
| Payments | Cash and EasyCard are common; cards in larger places. |
| Etiquette | Do not eat or drink on the MRT. Give priority seats to those who need them. |
Taipei grew in the 1700s and 1800s as Han Chinese settlers farmed the basin and traded tea. Japan ruled Taiwan from 1895 to 1945 and left many buildings. The Republic of China government moved to Taipei in 1949, and the city later became a tech and culture hub. Taipei was made capital of the Republic of China government after it moved to Taiwan in 1949.
Researched 2026-10-12. Check official sources and recent changes before you go.