We now have simply wrapped up one other journey to Taipei, sure, not even a 12 months after our final one as a result of we simply felt like there was nonetheless quite a bit in regards to the metropolis that we had not explored but.
On this article, we’re itemizing out the most IG-worthy sights or the trendiest spots which are a success amongst locals and vacationers alike, or each!
Word: This isn’t in any specific order. The numbers are simply there for simpler reference.
1. Qingtiangang Grassland
After I first noticed pictures of this place on-line, it took me some time earlier than I spotted it was situated in Taipei. It seems to be a bit like a Studio Ghubli scene, a bit like a Okay-drama location, and a bit like our very personal Batanes. However that is Qingtiangang Grassland. And sure, it truly is inside the Taipei Metropolis limits.
Perched about 800 meters above sea stage in Yangmingshan Nationwide Park, Qingtiangang Grassland is a sprawling plateau fashioned by historical volcanic lava flows. However at present, it is a scenic park the place locals collect for picnics, vacationers get pleasure from a leisurely stroll, and cows peacefully graze. Sure, you’ll discover plenty of cows right here, typically lowkey however generally photobombing vacationer selfies.
They are saying that these virtually limitless inexperienced hills are in its most aesthetic state when barely lined in fog, fostering a extra cinematic ambiance. After we visited, nonetheless, it was clear and sunny as clear and sunny may very well be, but it surely was nonetheless fantastic as a result of it meant sweeping views of the encompassing mountains and the concrete jungle that’s Taipei Metropolis within the distance.
There’s additionally a well-maintained strolling path that scribbles the grassland, excellent for informal walkers, reluctant hikers, and individuals who packed cute outfits as an alternative of trekking gear for that slightly-leaning-on-the-fence poses. Simply don’t anticipate a quiet second on weekends, when it will get packed. For fewer crowds and clearer paths, goal for a weekday morning like we did! We visited on a Wednesday morning and it was fairly chill.
Tips on how to Get to Qingtiangang Grassland
- From Taipei Metropolis Heart: Take the MRT or bus to Jiantan Station. From the station, catch Bus S15 to Qingtiangang. Then, stroll to the park.
Journey Time: 1-1.5 hours- From Yangmingshan Bus Terminal: Board Bus 108, then hop off on the Qingtiangang cease.
Journey Time: round 35 minutesIf public transpo seems like an excessive amount of work, a taxi or Uber can take you straight to the trailhead.
2. Datun Falls
That is nonetheless a part of the Yangmingshan Nationwide Park. To be sincere with you, our supposed vacation spot right here was the Yangmingshan Flower Clock, an enormous clock paintings within the backyard by the western entrance. Nevertheless, throughout our go to, they’d simply eliminated the flowers to exchange it for the subsequent season. Fortunately, there’s one other picturesque website not too distant. Enter Datun Falls, a multi-tiered waterfall tucked into Yangmingshan’s again trails.
To get right here, you’ll need to stroll for 10 minutes, and alongside the way in which, you’ll see a platform, which is a superb lookout. Then, after that, you’ll stroll by a fascinating mossy arcade that may make you are feeling such as you’re moving into one other world.
It’s not a single waterfall however a captivating collection of cascades, every tumbling over boulders. The primary higher falls tumble practically three tales excessive, whereas decrease tiers are excellent for dramatic close-ups and even daring foot dips. It seems to be finest within the wet season however because it was peak summer time after we visited, it wasn’t as splashy as common. But it surely’s nonetheless so photogenic, particularly the arch bridge straddling it. And you can too use this bridge as your vantage level for photographs with the falls within the backdrop. Both manner, they make for incredible pictures.
You’ll be able to attain Datun Falls by way of public transport. Take bus strains 128, 129, S8, S9, or the 260 collection to the Yangmingshan Park space, then stroll to the falls. It’s an easy path.
Tips on how to Get to Datun Falls: Make your technique to Yangmingshan Bus Terminal, then catch Bus S8 or S9 to Yangmingshan Park space (Hushan Highway Sec 2). Journey on foot for 10 minutes to Datun Falls. You’ll discover loads of indicators alongside the way in which.
3. Bamboo Lake
If Qingtiangang and Datun Falls might be described as vibey and moody, Bamboo Lake, often known as Zhuzihu, is the whole reverse. It’s an explosion of coloration, like a pastel backyard fiesta — flower energy at its most Instagrammable. Tucked right into a volcanic valley, this former lava-formed lake is now a lush area occupied by independently run gardens. Some grows calla lilies, some cosmos, hydrangeas, daylilies, and extra, on rotation relying on the season.
From March to Could, white calla lilies dominate the scene. Then, from Could to June, violet hydrangeas and orange daylilies paint the valley in brighter hues. We visited in July, and it was principally hydrangeas. At Liang Chien Backyard, you may comply with a path in between hydrangeas. Different gardens have their very own installations for pictures too, some even have their very own café. Entrance price is normally NTD 100 per backyard.
However if you’d like a correct meal, head over to close by Shanzhongyuan Wild Herb Restaurant, which serves principally Taiwanese favorites together with Hakka stir-fry, which is pork stomach, dried tofu, leeks or spring onions, and garlic in soy sauce; pineapple shrimp balls, that are battered and fried shrimps with pineapples, drizzled with tasty mayonnaise and spinkled with, uhm, oddly sufficient, sprinkles, it’s like a celebration plate.
We additionally loved the stir-fried white water snowflake stems. It’s like water spinach or morning glory, however firmer and thinner, and had a pleasant crunch to it and retains the flavour of its sauce very well. We additionally had mapo tofu, which we additionally appreciated as a result of it wasn’t overpowered by Sichuan peppers.
Tips on how to Get to Bamboo Lake: From Yangmingshan Bus Terminal, catch Buses S8 or S9.
Journey Time: 40–60 minutes
4. Taipei Botanical Backyard
The primary three I discussed are all in Yangmingshan Nationwide Park and inside the metropolis limits, however for those who’re in search of one thing inside the metropolis heart, look no additional than the Taipei Botanical Backyard.
It’s so inexperienced and tranquil inside that it’ll be onerous to imagine you haven’t left the bustling metropolis. But, right here we’re, surrounded by nature proper smack within the coronary heart of Taipei. Established as a nursery in 1896 and formally turning into Taiwan’s first botanical backyard in 1921, this eight-hectare oasis now hosts over 2,000 crops scattered alongside well-marked paths and picket boardwalks by 17 themed zones, normally by plant sort. There’s additionally a Buddhism backyard. However the primary sights listed here are its lotus ponds, which lie simply subsequent to the Nationwide Museum of Historical past.
On the opposite finish of the park stands the Visitor Home for the Imperial Envoy, which is a historic landmark. Sadly, it’s short-term closed, so we might solely admire its superbly painted gates for now.
Whether or not you’re after a botanical immersion or a little bit of historical past or simply some good previous peace and quiet, the Taipei Botanical Backyard can provide you a metropolis escape filled with surroundings.
In case you want a drink, you’ll be glad to know that simply outdoors the backyard are a few good espresso outlets: the library-esque Peloso Espresso Roasters and the understated FF.Coffeeholic. We’ll talk about these intimately in a separate The place to Eat in Taipei article.
Opening Hours: Each day, 5:30 AM – 8:00 PM
Entrance Charge: FREETips on how to Get to Taipei Botanical Backyard: Take the MRT to Xiaonanmen Station (Exit 3), then stroll for 10 minutes.
5. Dihua Avenue
That is stated to be Taipei’s oldest avenue, courting again to the 1850s! This wasn’t our first time right here, we’d been right here simply a few years in the past. However that is our first time exploring it in type! And by type, I imply carrying conventional attires, which you should utilize for FREE. Simply head to the Dadaocheng Customer Heart, then you definately simply want to offer a deposit value NTD 1000, which is refundable so long as you come back the clothes with out harm.
You’ll be able to select from any of their large choice of attires, and also you additionally get an adjunct, which is usually a bag, a pipe, or a hat. And whereas in your interval drama period, discover the historic avenue, which is flanked by shophouses promoting conventional drugs, tea, herbs, cloth, and extra. It has at all times been like this for hundreds of years! However at present, you’ll additionally discover extra trendy cafes and milk tea stalls.
One of many largest buildings right here homes the Yongle Market. Inbuilt 1896, this kaleidoscope of textiles spans a number of flooring stuffed with silks, satins, lace, and tailor companies. The road-level moist market is the place you’ll discover freshest produce, natural teas, and snacks, too.
On the eighth ground of the identical constructing, you’ll discover Dadaocheng Theater, a department of the Taipei Cultural Heart. It is a nice venue for performances, and even to at the present time, you may catch conventional puppet performs right here. There’s additionally a mini-museum showcasing the varied varieties of puppets and the historical past of puppetry in Taipei.
Then, simply down the road is the small however extraordinarily fashionable Xia Hai Metropolis God Temple. Accomplished in 1859 in honor of the the Metropolis God, Chenghuang, who ensures native peace and prosperity. Afterward, a statue of his spouse was added. As we speak, many guests, particularly vacationers come right here to hope for a contented love life.
So whether or not you’re searching delicate cloth rolls, looking for divine romantic luck, or slipping into classic threads for a retro shoot, Dihua Avenue is the place for you — with layers of tradition, coloration, and charisma.
Conventional Apparel Use: Rental Charge, NONE/FREE; Deposit, NTD 1000 (refundable)
6. Dadaocheng Wharf
Relying on which a part of Dihua Avenue you’re coming from, stroll for 5-10 minutes westward and also you’ll ultimately discover Dadaocheng Wharf Plaza. From its origins as a bustling commerce pier on the Tamsui River to its Twenty first-century renaissance as a riverside hangout, it mixes historical past with trendy enjoyable.
The murals on its tremendous prolonged wall are top-notch, depicting varied scenes of Taipei. You’ll be able to even bike alongside it. YouBike stations and bike rental outlets can be found, providing a simple technique to discover the 18 km riverside biking route, which results in Guandu or again to town. Bike rental prices NTD 80 per hour. YouBike is less expensive. By the way in which, Guandu is one other underrated attraction within the metropolis. You’ll be able to learn extra of that and different under-the-radar locations in Taipei right here.
If biking isn’t your factor, how a couple of boat cruise? Right here, you may hop on a sundown‐time river cruise heading upriver towards Tamsui and past. A trip affords a scenic drifting shot of iconic bridges, lush riverside parks, and naturally, Taipei’s skyline, which is magnificent at sundown. You’ll be able to even spot Taipei 101 from right here! And it’s surprisingly reasonably priced too, at solely NTD 300 for an hour-long cruise.
It’s finest to go to in late afternoon and night, when the wharf actually involves life, particularly on the Pier-5 Container Meals Park, the place you’ll discover dozens of stalls pumping out craft beer, boba, burgers, seafood, Thai, Korean, and Italian. Seize a desk seat (some atop containers!), let the river breeze circulate, and snap these informal meals photographs as metropolis lights glimmer throughout the water.
Bike Rental: NTD 80/hour
Boat Cruise: NTD 300/hour
Closest MRT Stations: Beimen or Daqiaotou StationTips on how to Get to Dadaocheng Wharf:
- From both Beimen or Daqiaotou Station, you may get there on foot in 5 minutes.
- From Dihua Avenue, it’s a 5-10-minute stroll.
7. Huashan 1914 Artistic Park
As soon as a 1914 vineyard turned art-lovers’ playground, Huashan 1914 Artistic Park is Taipei’s final mix of business allure, indie creativity, and pop-culture stylish. Wandering by its weathered brick warehouses and inexperienced lawns, you’ll discover the whole lot from laid-back cafes and indie cinemas to spontaneous performances and street-art backdrops — an limitless scroll of photograph ops ready to occur.
And it adjustments quite a bit! Final 12 months, after we visited, there was a very totally different set of pop-up shops and sights. This time round, Doraemon was dominating the positioning. There was an ongoing 100% Doraemon and Buddies exhibition and a big 12-meter inflatable Doraemon attracting youngsters and youngsters at coronary heart alike.
Subsequent door, a whimsical Tomica toy automotive pop-up revved up nostalgia with mini-streets and model-display zones.
Our new buddy Andrea additionally introduced us to Legacy, the park’s signature music venue inside one of many previous red-brick warehouses. She stated don’t anticipate a mainstream membership or pop scene, although, as a result of it principally showcases homegrown indie rock bands and performers.
Only a stone’s throw away is Syntrend Artistic Park, Taipei’s go-to gadget mall filled with tech stalls promoting telephones, tablets, cameras, drones, and even residence home equipment. And whenever you want a caffeine recharge, Easy Kaffa Huashan Flagship is the chicest choose. Once more, we’ll be discussing this extra in a separate article.
8. Xinzhongshan Linear Park & Chifeng Avenue
One other website that we made certain to return to this journey is the Xinzhongshan Linear Park. On the floor, it’s adorned with sculptural benches, floating walkways, and seasonal blooms. However beneath is an entire new world. Welcome to the Zhongshan Underground E-book Avenue, a hidden treasure trove of literary finds, principally in Chinese language however you’ll additionally discover English books.
Then proper throughout is the Eslite Underground Music Retailer (anchoring the Eslite Spectrum Nanxi mall), which is a paradise for music lovers in search of particular information. There are vinyls, CDs, DVDs, and others, starting from modern pop acts like Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter and Chappel Roan to legends like Michael Jackson and David Bowie. There’s Milli Vanilli, too!
Just a few steps off the trail lies Chifeng Avenue, as soon as the city’s auto-parts alley however has reinvented itself as a hipster sanctuary of classic boutiques and indie cafés. Andrea extremely beneficial her favourite store right here known as PAR Retailer, which sells clothes, equipment, and music information. We additionally visited Mitty, which sells pre-loved classic garments.
However the actual cause we got here again right here was the FOOD! Probably the most iconic right here is Mian Xian Ding, which serves bowl after bowl of piping scorching mee sua or rice flour noodles and Grasp Spicy Noodle Zhongshan Restaurant, well-known for its effectively, spicy noodles and beef noodle soup.
Additionally inside the space is the extremely underrated Tiao Tong, which is Taipei’s “Little Tokyo” as it’s lined with Japanese eating places, ramen bars, izakayas and even kawaii-culture and trinket outlets like Gacha Hunter (扭蛋獵人), with wall-to-wall gachapon or capsule merchandising machines and blind-box collectibles on show.
The Xinzhongshan Linear Park and Chifeng Avenue is sandwiched by the MRT Zhongshan and Shuanglian Stations, so relying in your goal attraction, both might do. Tiaotong and Underground E-book Avenue is nearer to Zhongshan Station.
Closest MRT Stations: Underground E-book Avenue (Zhongshan Station); Chifeng Avenue (Zhongshan or Shuanglian Station); Tiao Tong (Zhongshan)
9. Ximending
This checklist gained’t be full with out the OG IG paradise — Ximending. I imply, I can’t consider some other free website that draws extra social media natives than the rainbow six crosswalk proper by the doorway to Ximen Walker. And it’s not obscure why.
Ximending is the place Taipei exhibits up in full coloration — assume Harajuku with a Taiwanese twist. It’s loud, it’s crowded, it’s chaotic…and it’s a vibe! This pedestrian zone is filled with vogue outlets, sneaker shops, avenue meals, and extra selfie backdrops than your telephone can deal with. Sure, it’s gotten so touristy today — however let’s be actual, it’s stylish for a cause.
That is the place native teenagers nonetheless hang around, artists carry out, cosplayers collect, and subcultures thrive in full technicolor. However that’s to not say there are not any quiet corners.
Simply stroll a bit additional and also you’ll attain Taipei Cinema Park, a chill spot with avenue art-covered partitions, outside installations, and an open area the place skaters, dancers, and lowkey photographers hang around. It’s manner much less crowded than the primary sq. and offers off severe indie-cool power.
There are many meals spots, too!
Closest MRT Station: Ximen Station
10. Taipei 101 and Xinyi District
You’ll be able to’t go to Taipei and never see Taipei 101. This 508-meter, bamboo-inspired mega-skyscraper as soon as held the title of tallest constructing on the earth, and it’s nonetheless the undisputed icon of town. Whether or not you need to take pictures of it or take pictures from it, Taipei 101 goes to be concerned in your digital camera roll a method or one other.
Inside, 101’s decrease flooring are decked out with luxurious manufacturers, artwork installations, and one of many world’s quickest elevators that’ll shoot you to the highest in simply 37 seconds.
I bear in mind my very first go to climbing to the 89th ground observatory greater than a decade in the past. It was principally the view and the tuned mass damper, that 660-ton golden ball which holds the constructing collectively in shaky instances. However today, the statement deck can be bursting with installations and photograph spots and it adjustments each time I go to.
In case you want to go as much as the statement deck, you may safe your ticket prematurely on-line by accredited reserving websites like Klook!
✅ GET YOUR TAIPEI 101 TICKET HERE!
Outdoors, cross the street to the Xinyi Procuring District, which is a posh of malls, bursting on the seams with all kinds of outlets and eating places. This pedestrian-friendly zone is lined with gleaming malls like ATT 4 FUN, Breeze, Shin Kong Mitsukoshi, and Eslite Spectrum, the place you may store, dine, and strut. And oh, the Apple Retailer at Xinyi A13 can be simply across the nook. Two tales of minimalist store with floor-to-ceiling glass partitions, floating staircases, and people crisp, clear shows that make you need to splurge.
By the way in which, Taipei is a bona-fide purchasing vacation spot. It’s not simply the variety of malls or the range of the outlets, but additionally the aggressive costs. We at all times discover that the prices right here — be it perfumes, luxurious objects, and even the same old chains — are a lot decrease than in most different nations. Sure, cheaper than the Philippines, too.
And I virtually forgot, don’t depart with out getting that “necessary” low-angle shot of Taipei 101!
The place to Keep in Taipei
Right here’s an inventory of the inns and hostels we tried in Taipei:
Seek for extra Taipei Resorts!
Have Peace of Thoughts Whereas Touring!
Getting a journey insurance coverage is elective, however we extremely advocate this, particularly when touring overseas. Journey might be unpredictable, and although we hope we’ll by no means use it, having it provides us peace of thoughts in case of sudden delays, cancellations, or emergencies.
For worldwide locations, take into account PGA Sompo’s TravelJOY Plus insurance coverage. You’ll be able to GET IT HERE. Don’t overlook to make use of WORTHIT for a particular reasonably priced fee.
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