Taipei is the place you can spend months exploring, eating and enjoying and still not get bored with it. This city has some of the best temples, markets, shopping districts and food you can get addicted too. Even though I was here for a week I still managed to make the most of it, Taipei is a vibrant energetic place to be and the vibe here is superb.
There are a few things you shouldn’t miss in this fabulous city which are:-
Taipei 101 – Standing tall since 2004, this used to be the tallest tower until 2010 and it still oozes charm and attracts hundreds of tourists and locals. Apart from the observatory, you can visit the famous Din Tai Fung and various designer shops located in the building. Taipei 101 offers stunning views of the city and this should surely be in your bucket list.
Elephant Mountain – If you like to capture some stunning views of the city and Taipei 101 then make your way to the famous Elephant Mountain. It’s a 25min hike but is worth the million-dollar view.
Longshan Temple – Witness the culture and faith of the Taiwanese people here at the well known Longshan Temple. I was lucky to see the ongoing prayer ceremony which made me realise the believe the locals have for their religion, it was quite amazing.
Shopping and Eating around Taipei – If you talk about Taipei you have to mention the grand XimenTing, this is one of the most popular shopping areas and you can get great retail therapy around here. Apart from that, you should also check out Danshui Old Street, Raohr St. Night Market, Shilin Night Market, and Hua Xi Night Market.
National Chiang Kai-Shek memorial – A memorial for the late general Chiang Kai – Shek is a famous tourist attraction in Taipei. You can even see the changing of the guards here, it’s surrounded by a park where you can enjoy a stroll. The square is also known as the Liberty Square, there are some interesting markets located just a few minutes from here and they are worth visiting like Shi Da Night Market and Yongkang Street.
Bopiliao Old Street – Wander across this old street to get a sense of history and culture of Taiwan, there is a free museum to keep you intrigued too. Back in the days this area used to be extremely busy and prosperous but as the city expanded it became less relevant but the Taipei government has done a fabulous job in restoring the historic buildings here.
Grand Hotel Taipei – I don’t usually suggest hotels to visit but this one is beautiful and has a long history attached with Taipei. With several delegates, presidents and ambassadors who have stayed here, it will take you a trip, down memory lane.
Apart from visiting these famous attractions, you can also try the below activities:-
- Take a stroll at Dihua Street
- Eat at Din Tai Fung
- Try some Taiwanese Bubble Tea
- Visit their parks especially Da’an Forest Park
- Sip on some of their speciality herbal teas
- Relax at the Beitou Hot Springs
- Visit one of their themed restaurants be it a cat cafe or a toilet-themed restaurant
- Dare to try the stinky tofu
Well, these are just a few of my suggestions for things to see and do in Taipei but in all honesty, you can spend a few months exploring this city and each day will be a pleasantly surprising chapter in this beautiful country, Taiwan.
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