TAIWAN

🤩 One Week in Amazing Taipei

We flew with Etihad Airways, with a connection in Abu Dhabi. The flights were comfortable, and the airline was great.

After landing at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, we exchanged some money and got a good rate. We then took the airport train into the city. You can pay directly with a credit card at the station gates, which makes the process very easy. The train is spacious, comfortable, and has plenty of room for luggage.

For mobile data, we used an eSIM purchased through Trip. It covered several countries in the region, and we used it in both Taiwan and South Korea. It worked perfectly and was very affordable 👌🏻

eSIM link

Getting Around Taipei

We mainly used Taipei’s excellent metro system, which is easy to navigate. I relied on Google Maps for directions and train routes. Tickets can be purchased at the station counters, and you receive a token that you tap at the entrance gate and return at the exit. We also used Uber occasionally. The prices were very reasonable, and sometimes it was worth it to save time.

Hotel

We stayed at Hotel PaPa Whale.

The location was fantastic, just a few minutes’ walk from Ximending. It’s a boutique hotel with a retro-inspired design that I really liked. We booked one of their larger rooms, which was spacious and comfortable.

Places to Visit 👇🏻

Ximending

A vibrant and fun district packed with shops, entertainment, street performances, and a lively atmosphere. I highly recommend staying in this area, it was one of our favorite parts of Taipei.

You’ll find plenty of spas offering relaxing foot massages at very affordable prices. I treated myself twice at two different places, and both were a great experience. It’s the perfect way to relax and ease your sore muscles after spending the day walking around.

Don’t miss:

Xing Fu Tang – famous for its flame-torched bubble tea. Absolutely delicious 🤤 I had one every morning and still miss it!
85°C Bakery Cafe – excellent pastries and coffee. We grabbed breakfast there almost every day.
Crispy Milk Donuts 😋🤤 – one of Taipei’s most popular sweet treats.
Cremia – a highly recommended soft-serve ice cream chain located inside the metro station.

One thing to note: many shops in Taipei open relatively late, usually around 10:00–11:00 AM.

Taipei 101

Taipei’s iconic skyscraper. Inside you’ll find a shopping mall and a large food court.

We had lunch at Din Tai Fung and it was absolutely delicious 🤤

For one of the most famous photo spots of Taipei 101, walk about 15 minutes to Takemura Izakaya. There is usually a long line of people waiting to capture the perfect shot.

Liberty Square

A huge square surrounded by impressive buildings and beautifully landscaped gardens. Try to arrive on the hour to watch the changing of the guards ceremony. During our visit, local residents were gathering to dance, which made the experience even more memorable.

Lungshan Temple

One of Taipei’s most famous temples. We arrived during a prayer ceremony, which made the visit especially meaningful. The temple itself is stunning.

New Taipei City Art Museum

An architecturally fascinating museum. During our visit, there was an incredible exhibition called Interwoven by Tomás Saraceno, inspired by spider webs. It was unique, immersive, and highly recommended.

Bopiliao Historical Block

A beautifully restored historic street featuring shops, workshops, and exhibitions about Taiwan’s past. It’s within walking distance of Lungshan Temple.

The Red House

A famous historic building near Ximending Station, filled with local artisan shops and stalls.

Huashan 1914 Creative Park

A creative arts complex surrounded by greenery, featuring free art exhibitions, design stores, and cultural events.

Aliyuanshan Station

A charming little shop filled with detailed model trains and miniature landscapes. You pay an entrance fee for a 30-minute visit, during which you can also try operating the trains yourself. In practice, there isn’t much real control or engagement in running them, but the beautifully crafted models make the visit worthwhile on their own.

It’s an interesting place to explore and appreciate the level of detail and effort that went into the displays.

The shop is open from Wednesday to Sunday, in the afternoons until the evening. It is located on the third floor of a building, with a supermarket on the ground floor below. Tickets are purchased at a train accessories shop located on the street nearby.

Nature Trips 👇🏻

Yehliu, Shifen & Jiufen Day Tour

Tour link

We booked this tour through Klook, and it was absolutely perfect. Our guide, Kevin, was fantastic 👌🏻

The day began at Yehliu Geopark, where the rock formations looked like natural sculptures and works of art 🥰

Next, we visited the beautiful Shifen Waterfall, reached by a scenic walk along an old railway line.

We then explored Shifen Old Street and released sky lanterns filled with wishes, a fun and memorable experience.

The final stop was the charming mountain town of Jiufen. We enjoyed free time wandering through the old streets and tasting local snacks with our guide. We also visited the famous photo viewpoint known as Jiufen Photo Spot.

This was one of the highlights of our trip and is highly recommended 👌🏻

Qingtiangang Grassland

A magical place 🥰

Rolling green hills, walking trails, and water buffalo grazing behind fences create an unforgettable landscape.

Bus 15 runs there from Taipei. We boarded near Jiantan Station, which is the first stop and a good place to get a seat before the bus fills up.

Wulai

A charming mountain village surrounded by nature, with rivers, bridges, waterfalls, and hot springs.

We visited independently using public transportation. After crossing the bridge, we walked through streets lined with shops, food stalls, and hot spring resorts before reaching the waterfall area. There is also a small tourist train for those who prefer not to walk.

At the waterfall, there is a scenic viewpoint and a small free museum managed by a friendly local retiree who explained the history of the area.

On the way back, we stopped at the natural hot springs by the river. We only soaked our feet because the water was extremely hot 🔥

It was a wonderful day trip 👌🏻

Food 👇🏻

Every evening we explored a different night market. All of them were filled with food stalls and required cash payments.

As a vegetarian, my favorite snack was the crispy sweet potato balls 😋

I also enjoyed the famous peanut ice cream roll and the local scallion pancake.

One thing I loved was that almost every night market street had a temple nearby, offering a glimpse into Taiwan’s culture and traditions.

Recommended night markets:

Raohe Street Night Market
Ningxia Night Market
Shilin Night Market

Also worth visiting:

Dihua Street – a long market street with food vendors and shops, open during the day as well

Modern Toilet Theme Restaurant

A restaurant inspired by 💩

We had breakfast at the Ximending branch and loved the experience. The food was surprisingly tasty, especially the garlic buns, mozzarella sticks, and dessert 😋

Din Tai Fung

One of Taiwan’s most famous restaurant chains, and absolutely worth the hype 🤤

7-Eleven & FamilyMart

Taipei is full of convenience stores, making them the perfect place to stop for a drink or a quick snack while exploring the city. I always enjoy popping into one during the day.

My favorite thing to buy is onigiri. 🤤 Vegetarian options are more common at FamilyMart, although they’re not always available. They’re also very affordable, usually costing just a couple of dollars.

You’ll find an amazing selection of drinks in all kinds of fun flavors, as well as plenty of snacks to try.

Another fun thing to look out for is the themed 7-Eleven stores. Some are decorated around special concepts, such as airplanes, Mickey Mouse, and other popular characters, and they even sell matching merchandise. They’re cute to visit and especially fun if you’re traveling with kids, or if you’re simply a Disney fan!

Final Thoughts

Taipei 🤩 is the perfect mix of city life, nature, culture, religion, bubble tea 🧋🔥🤤, and far too much delicious food 😋

We had an amazing week and loved every moment 👌🏻

For more photos, locations, and travel tips, feel free to follow along on Instagram.

Enjoy your trip! 😁

Posts 👇🏻

Homepage K.S WORLD TRAVELER