City: Taipei
Top Things to do in Taipei
- 1. Taipei 101
- 2. Elephant Mountain (aka Nangang District Hiking Trail)
- 3. Taipei 101 Countdown Fireworks
- 4. Paoan Temple
- 5. Guandu Temple (Kuantu Temple)
- 6. Taoyuan International Airport MRT
- 7. TaipeiEYE
- 8. National Taiwan University
- 9. Fulong International Sand Sculpture Festival
- 10. Taipei International Book Exhibition
Top 10 Things to do in Taipei, Taiwan
You can eat very well—and very cheaply—in Taipei. The restaurants may not look posh, but the quality of the food is superlative. And there’s a huge variety of restaurants—in addition to local Taiwanese specialties, you’ll find regional cuisines from all over China, as well as great Indian, Japanese and even Italian options. Just make sure to leave some room for snacks—street-vendor food here is addictive.
Restaurants in Taipei
1. Taipei 101
Overall Ratings
4 based on 10 reviews
At 509 meters high, this was the world's tallest building from 2004 to 2010, when the Burj Khalifa in Dubai surpassed it. The tower is reminiscent of a pagoda or a stalk of bamboo and designed to withstand typhoons and earthquakes common in Taiwan. Floors one through five are a shopping center and both the indoor (89th floor) and outdoor (91st floor) observation decks offer a 360-degree panoramic view.
Reviewed By cdpinNYC - New York City, New York, USA
Such a commanding structure in the center of Taipei, it begs you to visit. We went on a weekday and fortunately it was fairly clear. Short wait to get in the lift to the observation deck. We went to Din Tai Fung for dumplings afterwards (must do). They are quick and efficient at getting you up and looking. Taipei is a beautiful city and we got some great views and a bit of history. People were very helpful and spoke nearly flawless English. I'm not sure about the evening views, but I can imagine they are also pretty special. Worth the time and money.
2. Elephant Mountain (aka Nangang District Hiking Trail)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2 reviews
Reviewed By heatherct_2012 - Chicago, Illinois
I loved this hike. It was a great view of the city and Taipei 101. Beware, some of the steps are pretty steep. If you have any kind of health issues, it may be a struggle.
3. Taipei 101 Countdown Fireworks
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 247 reviews
In Taipei for New Year’s Eve? Then be sure to catch the city-wide countdown ritual at Taipei 101! An exhilarating fireworks display will shoot from Taipei 101 to celebrate the new year. For the best views, head to Xiangshan early to battle out photographers for a good spot. The East corner of Taipei 101 and the North Bank of Keelung River offer also good views of the show. After midnight, head to a star performance or the numerous parties around the city to continue the celebrations!
Reviewed By RobertChew-MY - Klang, Malaysia
It's one of my MUST SEE New Year Eve Fireworks.
Best place to view is to book The Residence Party of Grand Hyatt. You will not get any better view than this. See my review of Grand Hyatt. Also booking this gives you food, free flow of drinks and toilets!! Away from crowd with best ever view of fireworks. You need to book monthly ahead.
Best way there ( if you are not staying at hotel near Taipei 101) is MRT to Taipei 101 as road closures around the area starts the day before.
Crowd build up by 7pm as the concert starts around 6pm.
20,000-30,000 people are there for this, so securing a good spot require you to be there early. Jacket is recommended as it may get chilly.
Fireworks is rather short (5 minutes or so) but spectacular!!!!
Party atmosphere till early morning as concert continues after fireworks.
Highly recommended.
4. Paoan Temple
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 304 reviews
dedicated to Paosheng Tati, the God of Medicine
Reviewed By fireysunrise - Omaha, Nebraska
This temple was my favorite of the ones we saw in Taipei. It has a very interesting garden across from it with a dragon Fountain and several statues. The temple itself was very lovely and decorated in intricate detail. There were hardly any people there which added greatly to the atmosphere. It is a short walk from the MRT and right across from the Confucious Temple, which is also worth seeing.
5. Guandu Temple (Kuantu Temple)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 208 reviews
honoring the Goddess Matzu
Reviewed By seahawksteve - Bellevue, Washington
Words cannot describe the beauty and fasciation of this temple. The temple goes forever and has some of the most beautiful art work and decorations I've seen in temples. The temple is a definite ride out of town but nothing too bad. This seems to be a hidden gem in Taipei as I saw absolutely ZERO tourists anywhere remotely near this place.
6. Taoyuan International Airport MRT
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 463 reviews
Reviewed By szotdogs - Melbourne, Australia
Clean, fast and efficient with storage space to accomodate even the largest of luggage. It's slightly more expensive than the Kuo Kuang Bus, but travel time is just over half an hour for an express train. In comparison to the Taipei Metro system the costs are significantly higher, but no more expensive than any other express train to/from an airport that I've come across.
I took the bus in from Taoyuan Airport as it was late at night, but noticed at least one major traffic jam along the way (going in the opposite direction). So if you want to ensure you get to the airport on time, use the MRT.
There is free 30 min WiFi on board as well.
7. TaipeiEYE
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 252 reviews
Traditional Taiwanese performance Peking Opera with beautiful singing and acrobatics, Dynamic lion dance or Aboriginal dance at TaipeiEYE. Recommended for ages six and up. Tickets are available online. Every Monday/Wednesday/Friday 20:00-21:00 TWD550 Every Saturday 20:00-21:30 TWD 880 2018/2/4~2018/2/27 Theater on in maintenance
Reviewed By adit3005 - London, United Kingdom
Stumbled on to this via TripAdvisor. High quality Performances by people who are clearly passionate about the show. We had a 90 minute show including intermission. Acrobatics and martial arts demonstration was top notch!
8. National Taiwan University
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 552 reviews
Reviewed By backpacker31 - Boynton Beach, Florida
Located adjacent to Gongguan market/MRT station, NTU is a great escape from the hustle and bustle of the Gongguan shopping area. The sprawling campus offers seemingly endless walking opportunities along tree lined (virtually vehicle-free) streets. There are water courses, lakes and marsh areas. The original campus buildings date back to 1928 and although some could use some ‘tlc’ (scaffolding on several buildings leads me to believe this issue is being addressed). There are several cafes and restaurants on campus that are open to the public - there’s even a Family Mart! Be sure to enjoy a stroll along the main road leading into campus - it’s lined with massive palm trees and makes for great photo opportunities.
9. Fulong International Sand Sculpture Festival
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 122 reviews
Reviewed By Rillakuma_in_space
We happened to be in Fulong for a music performance but had some spare time so we checked out the sculptures.
At $100 I initially was reluctant but, seeing as we were already there, forked out the dosh. And I wasn't disappointed.
There were three sections: international artists, local professional and local contest. The international artists had some very good works, with some scathing critiques of social media. Ironically, pictures of these works will be shared on social media! What can you do!
The local pro artists had works depicting slices of life in Taiwan. A bit kitsch but still very well done.
The local contest allowed you to see artists at work, which was interesting.
Don't bother trying to go for a swim- if you go in deeper than your knee an officious life saver will blow his whistle and tell you to get out. And this is in the roped off area. 糟糕！
10. Taipei International Book Exhibition
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 118 reviews
Reviewed By Maylidy - Taipei
與書為伍是一種舒服自在的享受，不管你心情如何，只要你打開書，它就展開雙臂熱情迎接你，尤其置身在一整館的圖書中，有一種被書擁抱的感覺，那真是令人愉悅的事⋯⋯
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