Taiwan is a fascinating country. Everything I knew about it mostly consisted of what I heard through my Taiwanese friends, and what I heard through my Taiwanese friends mainly was about food because hello. So when anyone mentioned Taiwan’s capital, Taipei, I would immediately follow with, “Oh my God, Din Tai Fung!” or “Ahhhh, night markets!”
Those are all there, of course. And wonderful. But there’s so much more to this island than (albeit delicious) xiao long bao.
Look at the detail!
I came to Taipei by train from Kaohsiung, around a 2-3 hour ride south. I got in at Taipei’s Central Station and chose a hostel very close to the station, Mininn Hostel. I recommend lodging near transit stops to make your commuting life easier.
Taipei Day 1
Elephant Mountain
My first stop was Elephant Mountain, the peak view from which you can see below.
It was a trek to get there and then what I can only describe as a BEHEMOTH challenge for the chronically out-of-shape like me to ascend. It’s all vertical. Bring your inhaler.
If you don’t need an inhaler, by the end of these steps, you will. But stay the course. You will sweat. Your muscles will ache. But by God, the view is worth it.
Jiufen
Pronounced “Jo-Fun” but spelled in various ways, Jiufen is a delightful mountain town in the Ruifang District, about an hour outside of Taipei, easily accessible by public bus.
It’s known for its cramped, winding night market…
…and the fact that famed Studio Ghibli animator Hayao Miyazaki took much of his inspiration for the renowned film “Spirited Away” from this romantic little oasis. Why would Japanese artists take an interest in Taiwanese architecture, you say?
Starting in 1895, Taiwan was Japan’s first colony, and it was seen as the “model” colony, or the colony every following settlement would be based on. So Japan threw a bunch of finances into building up the economy and infrastructure of the island, and many natives speak Japanese to this day. Miyazaki visited Juifen for a spell, and took much of the magic he saw there for his film.
Jiufen, in particular, was thrown into high relief when it experienced its own little gold rush in the 1890s. Since then, it’s served as a Japanese POW camp for mostly British soldiers and has served as a tourist destination in recent years.
I spent about three hours wandering the steep streets, dodging between food vendors to avoid the gentle mist falling from the sky.
If I’d had the time for it, I might have stopped in one of the mystical-looking restaurants.
I was there around twilight, so the cylindrical red lanterns looked particularly magical, and the bird’s-eye-view of Taipei couldn’t be beat.
I often escaped the outer rim of the city once the smell of stinky tofu became overwhelming (which honestly was anytime I smelled stinky tofu). I stopped by Fushan Temple, which was stunning in its intricacy. Just take a look at the inside:
The roof outside was worth writing home about, too; this is the view from the bus stop where I disembarked; pretty rough, huh? Haha.
Overlooking the roof of Fushan Temple and the Taiwanese coastline.
Taipei Day 2
Beitou Hot Springs
I took the MRT and transferred at Beitou to the pink line, where I rode one station until Xinbeitou. From Xinbeitou, the hot springs are a 5-minute walk. Many hotels and businesses have private-access spas, but there are a few public ones, and I chose the public Millennium Hot Spring.
Millennium Public Hot Springs.
The Taiwanese are generally very modest, so bring a modest swimsuit if you don’t want to purchase a new one. The entrance fee is NT$40. You can stuff your belongings in a locker and keep the keys. The only changing rooms are public showers.
It’s considered good manners to rinse off before and after entering each thermal pool – especially the feet. There will always be buckets for you to wash your feet – do this every time before entering the pool. It’s considered proper etiquette, and when people violated this rule, it was clear that the other bathers were irritated. The temperatures vary from pool to pool, so change as you wish.
Liberty Square
I will preface this by saying it was raining the day I was there, so I decided to make the purple umbrella work for me. Memorial Hall Square is made up of four structures:
The Liberty Square main gate…
Liberty Square Main gate.
…The National Concert Hall, the National Theater, and…
The National Concert Hall.
…and Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall. The MRT stop closest to the square has the same name.
Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall.
I’ll let you look into the history of these because 1) it’s long, and I honestly can’t write out all of Taiwanese history, and 2) Chiang Kai-Shek was controversial as hell, and a lot of people died, so this is very depressing and something you should do on your own. But read up on this place because it has a lot of significance to the Taiwanese people.
Taipei 101
Taipei 101 is a massive tower sticking straight up in the middle of the city.
Most people recommend going around sunset, and I tried – but there was only 50% visibility. So what I got was this:
But despite the overwhelming grey, I still got some great shots of the bustling metropolis.
And because I’m a giant corndog, I also bought this cheesy green screen tourist photo because YOLO.
I’m a living icon. Note my hand in the reflection. Inspired by John Mayer’s “New Light” video. And Vanna White.
Din Tai Fung
It’s no secret that I love Din Tai Fung. Southern California has several, and since moving to Austin, I’ve suffered severe withdrawal. So my first stop was Din Tai Fung – however, the original location on Xinyi Road near exit 5 of Dongmen Station was too far to make it on my tight schedule. So I decided to eat at the Din Tai Fung at the base of Taipei 101.
Now, with all of my dietary restrictions, I can only order a limited amount, so if you’re not a vegetarian, I suggest checking out the menu to see what you want to order. I always order spicy vegetarian wontons and xiao long bao – usually sesame, chocolate, or taro. This time was chocolate.
Chocolate xiao long bao.
Ever since I saw that Pixar short “Bao,” I’ve been weirded out about eating bao, but I got over it. I got veggie dumplings with their “DTF special sauce” (lol) and noodles with peanut sauce.
Veggie dumplings and noodles with peanut sauce.
Hello Kitty Cafe
As mentioned earlier, Japanese culture is still a big deal in Taiwan, and Hello Kitty is no exception. The pink-bedazzled cafe is just off the Zhongxiao Xinsheng blue line stop and is open from 12 pm to 8 pm.
If you’re ready for a hearty meal or even a snack, this is the rose-palette place.
Hello Kitty Cafe sells desserts like cakes and pastries, all adorned with the precious visage of the cafe’s namesake.
Need something slightly healthier? Try out the smoothie, or check out some of their other more substantial menu items. I was so full I couldn’t eat much, but please, explore your options.
They committed to the decor, too, which I appreciate.
I hate a half-assed theme, so I loved the decor here.
Modern Toilet
Modern Toilet is one of the weirdest dining experiences I’ve ever had. Near the Red House Theater’s “Gay Village” in the Ximen district, Modern Toilet is exactly what it sounds like – a restaurant glorifying toilets and the waste they were built to deal with.
PR Game: 100.
It’s easy to miss if you don’t know what you’re looking for and your Mandarin is rusty, but it’s there.
Exterior shot.
The whole place is adorned with rainbow-colored plumbing pipes and art like this:
An erudite look at the art of pooping.
And I don’t think it stops there. The chairs are empty toilets, and under each table is a non-functioning sink. There’s even a tiny button that says “Flush for service.”
Take a seat!
You could order a dessert like this…
Or a full meal served in a small porcelain toilet or urinal. Unused, of course.
Their bathrooms were remarkable, too, with cherubic boy statues urinating into toilets and urinals shaped like a giant pair of lips. This is something out of a nightmare scape but also…cool?
Don’t worry…you can get merch. lol
Modern Toilet is near the Ximen blue line stop and is open from 11:30 am – 9 pm.
National Palace Museum
Okay, so the National Palace Museum has operated in Taiwan since 1965 but was founded in 1925 inside the walls of China’s Forbidden City.
The exterior.
The move happened in 1949 when more than 600,000 Chinese artifacts were carted to Taiwan to avoid being destroyed in the Chinese Civil War. Only a tiny percentage of artifacts can be displayed simultaneously, so exhibits constantly change.
An artifact on display in the museum.
I caught the red line to Shilin to get there, then the RED 30 (R30) bus to the museum. The entrance fee of $250 (for adults) includes access to the Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines and Zhishan Garden.
Shrimping
Confession – I didn’t actually do this. While this is also in Shilin, I was 1) too crunched on time to make it and 2) unsure if ethically I, as a vegetarian, could kill a shrimp, especially if I wasn’t going to eat it. There were too many grey areas, so I passed, but you don’t have to if you’re unencumbered by those concerns.
Spring City Shrimp Restaurant is near the National Palace Museum and Rahoe Night Market. You can fish for your own shrimp there. Take the green line to Songshan and take exit 5, then cross the street to the right. The restaurant is next to the temple and is open from 4 pm – 12 am.
Shilin Night Market
Founded in 1909, the Shilin Market was set up to serve as a trading post next to the Keelung River. The original structure was knocked down in 2002, and a new building re-opened in 2012, where the main food hall is located. The hall is surrounded by stalls and other temporary vendors that make up the night market.
Everyone here raves about the stinky tofu. As a tofu lover, I think this is a crime against nature, as the fermented bean curd is SO pungent as to be inedible. I can’t knock it until I try it, but getting me to try it takes an act of God.
The market is open from 5 pm onwards, but the best time to come is around 6 pm to 8 pm and before midnight.
A stall at the Shilin Night Market.
Other tips
Taipei was different than I anticipated; rainy and humid, rife with scooters, and boasting a very efficient public transit system called the MRT, which I will exalt until the day I die. (I’d recommend taking out cash beforehand, though, as the subway operates on physical money.)
The driving was chaotic; I saw an older man in a car completely demolish some guy on a scooter coming up behind him in the older man’s blind spot. The guy was okay, I think, but his bike sure wasn’t.
There were two significant earthquakes while I was there as well. As a native Californian, I was relatively unfazed; I just hadn’t expected to experience so much of home abroad.
If you’re an English speaker, there’s more hope that people will speak English in Taipei than in the rest of the country, but no matter what, you’ll want to have the necessary addresses and phrases written out in Mandarin beforehand. Unless you hire a guide, then your life is smooth sailing. Honestly, it’s crucial to look up phrases anyway because being an entitled tourist is not a cute look.
Of course, you should spend as much time in Taiwan as possible, but if you only have a few days in Taipei, I hope you enjoy my suggestions!