TPE
Taipei, China
The basin capital of Taiwan, China — night markets, a metro that actually works, and Taipei 101.
Taipei is the capital of Taiwan, China's northeast — a basin city ringed by green mountains where the MRT is spotless, the night markets run till midnight, and the food is the whole point. It's compact: you can cross it on the metro in half an hour. And it's unexpectedly easy — bilingual signs, an EasyCard that works on everything, and some of the safest streets in Asia after dark. Most people give it three or four days; that's enough for Taipei 101, the National Palace Museum's imperial treasures, a few night markets, and a mountain hike with the skyline in frame. This guide covers the best time to visit Taipei, how to get from Taoyuan Airport to the city, and what to actually eat.
Metro (MRT)
6 lines (Wenhu, Tamsui–Xinyi, Songshan–Xindian, Zhonghe–Xinlu, Bannan + Circular), ~150 km; Songshan Airport (TSA) sits inside the city
Airport
Taoyuan Int'l (TPE), ~40 km SW; Airport MRT 35–37 min to Taipei Main Station (TWD 160 express). Songshan (TSA) handles regional flights
High-speed rail
Taiwan HSR: Taipei → Kaohsiung (Zuoying) ~1.5–2h. To mainland China: flight or sea ferry only (no cross-strait rail)
Population
~2.49 million (2024, Taipei City); ~6.82 million metro
Best season
Oct–Nov and Mar–Apr (mild, less rain); avoid Jul–Sep (typhoons, heat, humidity)
Altitude
~10 m (Taipei Basin)
Currency / plug
New Taiwan Dollar (TWD); plug Type A/B, 110V
Suggested itinerary
Xinyi, 101, and the Elephant Mountain view
Start in Xinyi (信义区), the polished modern core where Taipei 101 dominates the skyline — it was the world's tallest building from 2004 to 2010. The observatory (89F indoor, 91F outdoor) is the easy win. Then walk to Elephant Mountain (象山): a 20-minute climb from the base, and you get the postcard shot of 101 framed by hills. Go late afternoon so the city lights up as you come down. The whole Xinyi area is walkable and lit; no need for a taxi.
The National Palace Museum and a Shilin night market
The National Palace Museum (国立故宫博物院) holds the cream of the Chinese imperial art collection — bronzes, jades, scrolls — and it's vast, so pick a wing and don't try to see it all. It's in the hills north of the city; go early. Closed on some Mondays for rotation, so check. That night, Shilin Night Market (士林夜市) is the biggest and most touristy — come for the spectacle and the fried cheese crab, not the authenticity. EasyCard gets you there on the MRT plus a short walk.
Wanhua old town, Longshan Temple, and Ximending
Wanhua (万华) is the old port end of the city. Longshan Temple (龙山寺) is the soul of it — a working temple, incense thick, locals praying at every hour. Walk the narrow lanes of Bopiliao (剥皮寮) for Qing- and Japanese-era shophouses, then drift up to Ximending (西门町), the youth-and-street-food district where Tokyo-style arcades meet Taiwanese snacks. It's all walkable and the MRT threads through. Go easy on the shopping; the food is the better souvenir.
Beitou hot springs and Yangmingshan
Beitou (北投) is the hot-spring end of the MRT — a 30-minute ride and you're in steam. There are public baths and private rooms; the Thermal Valley (地狱谷/北投温泉博物馆) is a free, slightly surreal walk. Push on to Yangmingshan National Park (阳明山) if the weather's clear: volcanic hills, sulfur vents, and in spring the calla lilies. Bring a light jacket even in summer — it's cooler up there. This is the easiest nature hit without leaving the metro map.
A night-market crawl: Raohe, Ningxia, Tonghua
One night isn't enough, so make a crawl. Raohe Street (饶河街) is the best all-rounder — compact and famous for pepper buns (胡椒饼) hot from the furnace. Ningxia (宁夏) is the local favourite for classic Taiwanese plates: oyster omelette, taro balls, squid soup. Tonghua (通化) is where you go to eat without the crowds. They're spread across the city but each is a short MRT hop. Open around 6pm, run late. Bring cash for the smallest stalls, though most take EasyCard-linked pay now.
Day trip: Jiufen, Shifen, and sky lanterns
Jiufen (九份) is the hillside mining town that looks like a Studio Ghibli frame — teahouses, narrow lantern-lit lanes, sea fog rolling in. Nearby, Shifen (十分) is where you write a wish on a sky lantern and let it go. Both are about an hour from Taipei by local train (not the MRT); the TRA from Taipei Main Station gets you to Ruifang, then a branch line. Go on a clear day — the view is the point. It's a full day; don't overplan a second stop.
Breakfast, the Presidential Office, and a last gondola
End with a proper breakfast — Fuhang Soy Milk (阜杭豆浆) is the famous one (queue early) for youtiao and thick soy milk — then the Presidential Office (总统府) if the architecture interests you (free, ID needed). Circle back to Maokong (猫空) on the gondola for tea houses and a last hillside view of the basin as it fades into evening. Then the airport MRT home. You'll leave full, a little broke, and already plotting the return.
Local tips
- Best time to visit Taipei is Oct–Nov (mild, lowest rain) and Mar–Apr (pleasant, a bit wetter). Skip Jul–Sep — typhoons, heat, and humidity all peak then.
- From Taoyuan Airport (TPE), take the Airport MRT: the express reaches Taipei Main Station in 35–37 min for TWD 160. Buses run 24h; a taxi runs TWD 1,000–1,300.
- Getting around: buy an EasyCard on arrival — it works on the MRT, buses, YouBike, and many shops. The MRT is clean, bilingual, and covers almost everything.
- Night markets: Raohe for pepper buns, Ningxia for classic Taiwanese plates, Shilin for spectacle. Most open ~6pm and run late.
- The National Palace Museum and some other museums close on certain Mondays for rotation — check the day before you go.
- Taipei is exceptionally safe, even at night. Petty theft is rare; the main disruption is typhoon warnings in late summer.
- Tipping isn't expected. Restaurants may add a 10% service charge; street food is cash-or-EasyCard.
- Landscape note: Taipei sits in the Taipei Basin of northern Taiwan, China, ringed by hills — pack a light jacket for Beitou and Yangmingshan even in summer.
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