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Taipei

Night markets, temples and mountain hot springs.

Taiwan · Asia ·

#15 in Euromonitor's overall city ranking (2025)

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Taipei is easygoing and safe, with superb night markets, hiking at the city's edge and hot springs a metro ride away.

Top attractions in Taipei

  1. Taipei 101Observatory and the giant tuned mass damper.
  2. Night marketsShilin, Raohe and Ningxia for local snacks.
  3. National Palace MuseumTreasures of Chinese imperial collections.
  4. Elephant MountainShort hike to the classic Taipei 101 view.
  5. Beitou hot springsPublic baths at the end of the metro line.
  6. JiufenHillside old town with teahouses.

Where to stay

Da'an or Zhongshan for food and transit.

LuxuryMandarin Oriental TaipeiSongshan
Mid-rangeHotel Proverbs TaipeiDa'an
ValueHome Hotel Da-AnDa'an
Get hotel rates for Taipei

Getting there and around

From the airport. Taoyuan (TPE): Airport MRT express to Taipei Main Station in about 35 min. Songshan (TSA) is in the city.

In the city. Clean, simple metro; YouBike shared bikes everywhere.

Train and bus tips

Events, nightlife and sports

February (Lantern Festival)Pingxi Sky Lantern FestivalThousands of lanterns released at once.
Dec 31New Year's Eve at Taipei 101Fireworks off the tower.
JuneDragon Boat FestivalRaces on the Keelung River.
AugustGhost MonthTemple rituals and offerings.

Nightlife and parties. Xinyi clubs, bars in Da'an, night markets until late.

Sports. CPBL baseball, Taipei Marathon (December).

Dates change every year; check official sites before booking. The concierge can get tickets.

What to eat

Beef noodle soupXiaolongbaoBubble teaGua baoPepper buns

R Travel tours

Tours we're preparing for Taipei. Leave your email and we'll tell you first when they open.

Coming soonJiufen and ShifenFull day

Old-street teahouses and sky lanterns at Shifen.

  • Sky lantern
  • Shifen waterfall
  • Teahouse stop
Coming soonNight market food tour3 hours

Raohe or Ningxia market with a local foodie.

  • Ten tastings
  • Stinky tofu dare
  • Temple stop
Coming soonTaroko GorgeFull day

Marble canyon by express train and private driver.

  • Train tickets
  • Gorge trails (subject to access)
  • Private driver

Practical info

When to go

October–April; summers are hot with typhoon risk.

Money

New Taiwan dollar (TWD)

Language

Mandarin

R Travel tip

An EasyCard pays for metro, buses and convenience stores.

Good to know

Opening hours, prices, event dates and entry rules change. Check official sites before you go. Written by the R Travel team.