Taipei
Night markets, temples and mountain hot springs.
Taiwan · Asia ·
#15 in Euromonitor's overall city ranking (2025)
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
- Taipei 101Observatory and the giant tuned mass damper.
- Night marketsShilin, Raohe and Ningxia for local snacks.
- National Palace MuseumTreasures of Chinese imperial collections.
- Elephant MountainShort hike to the classic Taipei 101 view.
- Beitou hot springsPublic baths at the end of the metro line.
- JiufenHillside old town with teahouses.
Where to stay
Da'an or Zhongshan for food and transit.
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
- EasyCard for metro, buses and YouBike.
- High-speed rail to Kaohsiung 1.5–2 hours.
- Buses to Jiufen about 1 hour.
- Taiwan Railway trains along the east coast to Hualien.
Events, nightlife and sports
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
Local tours in R Travel
Our picks for Taipei, plus more options once you search.
Old-street teahouses and sky lanterns at Shifen.
- Sky lantern
- Shifen waterfall
- Teahouse stop
Raohe or Ningxia market with a local foodie.
- Ten tastings
- Stinky tofu dare
- Temple stop
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
Visa (US passport holders)
No visa needed. Visa-free entry for up to 90 days.
R Travel tip
An EasyCard pays for metro, buses and convenience stores.
Entry rules shown are for US passport holders and change often — always confirm with the destination's embassy or your airline before booking. Other nationalities should check separately.
Good to know
- No eating or drinking on the metro.
- Convenience stores sell almost everything.
- Typhoon season runs July–September.
Opening hours, prices, event dates and entry rules change. Check official sites before you go. Written by the R Travel team.