Taipei is a vibrant, interesting city. You could easily fill your time in a myriad of ways, but as a local I feel confident that these are the best ways to spend a visit in Taipei!
#1 – CHIANG KAI SHEK MEMORIAL HALL
One of the most famous national monuments in Taiwan, the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall is an incredible feat of architecture. Built to commemorate Chiang Kai Shek, the former President of the Republic of China, CKS Memorial Hall is located in the Zhongzheng District of Taipei City. The monument is surrounded by a park, and flaked on the north and south by the Taiwanese National Theatre and National Concert Hall. The beautiful architecture and historical significance makes it a must see when visiting Taipei.
Click here to read the full blog post on Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall.
#2 – TAIPEI 101
The world’s tallest building from 2004 to 2010, Taipei 101 (as the name would imply) is 101 floors above ground. The observatory deck on 98th floor allows for an unobstructed view of all of Taipei City, while the mall on the lower floors provides hours of shopping and eating. This iconic landmark can be seen from almost everywhere in Taipei City, and the unique design of the building actually serves a very practical purpose!
Click here to read the full blog post on Taipei 101 and learn more about the building design.
#3 – SHILIN NIGHT MARKET
Taiwan has the best food in the world. Period. If you don’t believe me, maybe you’ll believe CNN. Shilin Night Market has a world famous assortment of authentic Taiwan Cuisine at an incredibly affordable price, so be sure to follow your nose and try all the amazing delicacies that Taiwan has to offer.
Click here to read the full blog post on the Shilin Night Market.
#4 – SONGSHAN CULTURAL AND
CREATIVE PARK
Formerly a tobacco factory built in 1937, the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park now strives to be the centre of creativity and design in all of Taiwan. Although the surrounding areas are modern, the original architecture was maintained and restored to preserve the iconic look and feel of the original design.
Click here to read the full blog post on Songshan Cultural and Creative Park.
#5 – JIUFEN
If you’ve done any Instagram browsing on Taipei and its surrounding areas, you have probably stumbled upon pictures of influencers wandering through the lantern-clad alleyways of Jiufen, a small mountain town about an hours’ bus ride outside of the city center. Easily doable as a day trip, this beautiful mountain town maintains a historic charm with cobblestone streets lined with tea houses, red lanterns, and a beautiful view of the Taiwanese coast line.
Click here to read the full blog post on Jiufen.
TAIPEI BASICS
- Language: Mandarin. You can easily get by in the very touristy places with English, but for any of the smaller markets, knowing a few basic phrases in Chinese will go a long way (and the locals love when you try!).
- Currency: New Taiwan Dollar (1 USD = 30.15 NTD) I recommend carrying a good amount of cash on you, as a lot of smaller businesses do not take credit card.
- Transport: MRT (subway), buses, taxis. Taipei is incredibly easy to get around, and public transport can take you most places at a very affordable cost.
- Other Information: Get the Taipei Easy Card (also called the Yoyo card). This is a prepaid metro card that lets you ride the MRT or bus systems without need for carrying cash. Conveniently, 7/11, Family Mart and many other convenience stores & supermarkets also accept the Easy card for payments. You can purchase these at any MRT station or convenience store. The cards themselves cost 100 NTD (around $3USD) and you have to add additional money onto it to ride public transport.
- Average Cost per Day: $35-$40 USD is plenty to budget here, but you could probably get by on as little as $20-$30 USD if you stay in a cheap hostel and eat street food (which I highly recommend, even if you aren’t on a strict budget).