20240104_065113Views from Elephant Mountain (January 2024)

Home to 2.5 million people, Taipei is the biggest and largest city in the small island country of Taiwan. It’s also the capital and a major hub for the political, financial, and tourism sectors. The city is located in the north-central part of the country, nestled in a basin and bounded by three rivers (Xindian, Tamsui, and Keelung). Due to its location, it’s subjected to long, hot, and humid summers (starting as early as April until late October) and cold, drier winters.

Taipei (and all of Taiwan) is predominantly a Chinese-speaking society, having been taken over by Han Chinese since the Qing dynasty (17th century) and throughout the 20th century, especially when it became an independent nation in 1949. However, its status as a country remains contested to this day, as mainland China (PROC) claims it’s part of their nation. Because of that, the UN does not recognize Taiwan as a country. I’ll limit the politics in this post, but essentially, I firmly believe Taiwan is its own nation, given its political system is different from China’s and has its own, flourishing economy (its GDP is higher than China’s).

I am of Taiwanese descent, as my family is from Taiwan– specifically, from Taipei. I have been to Taipei numerous times for as long as I can remember; I’m pretty sure my first flight was to Taipei as a baby! I’ve visited Taipei primarily in the summer, which isn’t my preference (hello, humidity and mosquitos!) and on two occasions in the winter. My most-recent trip was in January, and I recommend anyone who visits to go in the winter time, as the weather’s much-more bearable– you’ll thank me later!

Taiwan might be a small country, but the capital of Taipei is fairly big and spread out. It’s also important not to get confused between Taipei City and New Taipei City: the former is the city proper while the latter is the greater metropolitan area that encompasses much of northern Taiwan. For tourist purposes, many of the sites are situated in Taipei City and I’d suggest staying within the city proper so as not to be too far from everything.

Much of Taipei’s tourism sector is centered around eating and shopping, although there are some historic sites, temples, and museums that are notable to check out. There are also plenty of gorgeous hikes and hot springs in New Taipei City, which are worth venturing out for a day trip. Compared to the US, Taiwan is relatively affordable ($1 USD = 33 New Taiwan Dollar) when it comes to food and some shopping.

That said, I’d like to share with you some things you can do, see, and eat with 72 hours in Taipei. It’s a place that’s dear to my heart and I hope this will inspire you to visit some day. Here we go!

72 Hours in Taipei: Things to See and Do

Day 1

Start off with a Taiwanese breakfast: there are many tiny mom-and-pop joints all over the city that open early (5h00) and sell delicious, sweet and savory breakfasts at affordable prices. Some must-gets are 燒餅油條 (sesame flatbread with cruller) or 蛋餅 (egg crêpe roll)— and don’t forget 豆漿 (fresh soymilk)!

Enjoy a hearty breakfast before heading to the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall (opens at 9h00, free admission) to check out the massive mausoleum dedicated to one of the first presidents of Taiwan. You can spend an hour or two just exploring the grounds and check out the gardens and exhibits inside some of the buildings to learn more about Taiwan’s history.

20240104_094724Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall

Take a break from learning about history and hit up some shopping at Chengzhong Market— it’s about a 20-minute walk from the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall and it’s a covered flea market that sells a bunch of clothes, toys, and accessories to fill your luggage! Many stalls sell colorful, more-traditional Taiwanese clothing at very-affordable prices. I personally like buying house slippers whenever I go, as they’re vibrant and beautifully-embroidered. Perfect for taking home as gifts to family and loved ones!

20240103_120822Slippers galore

Afterwards, have yourself a comforting lunch of 牛肉面 (beef noodle soup). There are a few small mom-and-pop restaurants around the corner from the Chengzhong Market to indulge in a rich broth, tender beef, and chewy noodles. If possible, I would recommend getting beef tendon in it, too, as it offers that extra chewy and savoriness to the meal. It is Taiwan’s national dish, and a delicious one at that!

20240103_112839Beef noodle soup

You have the option of visiting the National Palace Museum in the afternoon; it’s a bit outside of the city center, but it’s accessible via MRT (metro) or by bus, which takes about 40-50 minutes. Admission fee (as of 2024) is $350 NT ($11 USD), and it’s an enormous museum dedicated to artifacts from mainland China. There are over 700,000 artifacts encompassing 8000 years of history, and the most-popular displays include the Jadeite Cabbage and the Meat-Shaped Stone (both from the Qing Dynasty). Very quirky artifacts, but fun to see!

Starting 4PM, you can head to the famous Shilin Night Market, which is about a 25-30 minute bus ride from the National Palace Museum. Although it has gotten very touristy over the years and has changed a lot since the pandemic, it’s still worth braving the ultra-crowds to scour for delicious eats, including 蚵仔煎 (oyster omelet) and 臭豆腐 (stinky tofu). Wash it all down with some 波霸奶茶 (boba milk tea), the national drink of Taiwan.

20141223_024155Oyster omelet and stinky tofu

If you prefer to be closer to the city center, you could also head to Ximending, a hip and trendy district that also has its own night market. It also has plenty of shopping, restaurants, and bars to check out (Rainbow Road, The Red House, etc). After eating all of the good night market food, you’re welcome to enjoy the bar and nightlife that follows!

20240104_082211Rainbow Road at Ximending

Day 2

Spend the day with a day trip outside of Taipei. You have several options: one is to Jiufen, a charming place about an hour’s drive from Taipei. Once a gold mining town, it has become a popular tourist spot for its narrow, inclined alleyways and red lanterns illuminating the way through. It is presumed that its scenery was inspiration for Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away, and the town really has that magical, almost spiritual charm to it. You can easily spend the day wandering the alleyways to check out its teahouses, food stalls, and souvenir shops– all among its picturesque scenery.

20141228_205757Charming Jiufen

Another suggestion is to visit Yehliu, also an hour’s drive from Taipei. Compared to the mountain mining town of Jiufen, Yehliu is all nature, offering some of the most-beautiful coastlines in northern Taiwan. It’s also home to a geopark, where you can pay $120 NT ($4 USD) to enter and explore the hoodoo-like rock formations by the sea. There are tons of unique formations, including those called “Queen’s Head” or “Princess Rock.”

20240103_141707Rock formations at Yehliu

What you could also do is combine Jiufen and Yehliu into one big day trip, spending a half-day in the former and heading to the latter for an hour or two. It’s then a matter of returning to Taipei in the early evening for the Raohe Night Market, where you can enjoy small bites like 胡椒餅 (pepper bun), 雞排 (fried chicken), and 冰火湯圓 (fire-ice tangyuan, or glutinous rice balls). Enjoy the food before choosing to stay for some drinks at the few bars there, or head back to your accommodation to rest.

20240103_174754Pepper bun

Day 3

It’s rise and shine to begin the day with a hike up Elephant Mountain. The stairs are steep and short, and it can be tiring, but the city views (including Taipei 101) are very much worth it at the top. The hike should take no more than an hour to complete, including stopping for a million photos!

20240104_065113Worth it!

Descend the mountain and head over to Taipei 101, where you can take the fast elevator up all 101 floors to the top. Admission fee is $600 NT ($19 USD)– especially if this is your first time in Taipei, it’s worth going up to see the entire city from above. Considering you saw Taipei 101 in the distance on Elephant Mountain, you get to experience the famed city building from another perspective!

20141223_001514Views from Taipei 101

Taipei 101 is also really huge, and its basement level is home to a massive food court serving all sorts of good eats, from your classic Chinese food to Japanese, Korean, and American cuisine (even McDonald’s)! Have a brunch or lunch at the Taipei 101 food court, followed by a coffee or tea at its numerous trendy cafés.

You can also do plenty of shopping at the basement level, as there are hundreds of stores in an open-air format. They sell just about everything, including cosmetics, tea leaves, even pineapple cakes (鳳梨酥). It’s imperative to bring back some pineapple cakes as souvenirs– not only do they keep well, but they’re also sweet, crusty, and delicious!

Next is a 15-minute walk over to the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall, smaller but similar to the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, as it’s also dedicated to a notable political figure in Taiwanese history. Sun Yat-Sen was the first president of the *prototypical* country of Taiwan in the 1910’s, and he did a lot to lay the groundwork for the nation’s legacy in the years to come. It’s worth stopping by for an hour or so to explore the memorial hall and learn about his life and history of shaping Taiwan to what it is today.

20240104_161516Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall

You can head over to the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store, a huge shopping complex just adjacent to Taipei 101, where you can spend the rest of the afternoon shopping for clothes and accessories. It has big brands like Zara, Apple, and even the newly-open Pokémon Center— if you’re a big Pokémon fan like myself, it’s worth a pop in to see the store (perhaps even buy a plushie to take home)! There are also cafés and more food courts on basement floor, should you feel like resting and enjoying an afternoon tea and snack break.

Dinner is another night market affair, this time at the Linjiang (Tonghua) Night Market. Another busy night market, but it has a more-local feel and less touristy. Personally, it’s my favorite, and I would recommend getting good eats like 割包 (Taiwanese “hamburger”), 木瓜牛奶 (papaya milk), and 潤餅 (ice cream peanut burrito). Lots of good food, as well as arcade games and shopping, to round off a wonderful stay in Taipei.

20240104_195408Ice cream peanut burrito

Does Taipei interest you for a future visit? Let me know! Thanks for reading, and have a great day! 🙂

— Rebecca

I’ve been inspired by the famous New York Times’ “36 Hours in…” segment to have started a similar series to offer some of my own suggestions of things to do, see, and eat in well-renown cities in the world that I’ve been to at least twice in order to ensure a more-comprehensive outlook on the cities themselves. Check out more of my “72-Hour” posts here!

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Published by Rebecca

Blogger, world traveler, poet, foodie, part-time penguin. Welcome!

54 thoughts on “72 Hours in Taipei: Things to See and Do”

    1. These post is an accumulation of all the times I visited Taipei over the years. But it’s true there are so many things to see and do in town, even outside of it! Thanks for reading 🙂

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  4. It’s so unfortunate that Taiwan’s sovereignty isn’t recognized as it seems like such a beautiful and culturally rich nation. Not sure how I’ll feel about stinky tofu but I’d love to try everything else. Also, that view from Elephant Mountain is wonderful! I’d love to visit your beautiful homeland someday. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Yes, politics are complicated and unfortunate, but regardless, Taiwan is thriving and doing very well for itself! Love the food and the mountains within and surrounding Taipei are gorgeous. Thanks for reading, Elle!

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    1. Thanks, Lyssy! I think much of the news on Taiwan is in relation to China, but there’s more to the country outside of its political relations! It’s a beautiful country, and I encourage anyone to pay a visit 🙂

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    1. Thanks, Sarah! Taiwan should definitely be on everyone’s radar! Super easy to get around, with friendly locals and delicious eats. Proud to call this country my family’s home! 😊

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  11. An excellent itinerary Rebecca. I’ve visited them all apart from Yehliu and the new Pokémon place but think I’d give the latter a miss anyway. Have visited Taiwan twice now and would love to return. My younger son has visited more times as he sometimes visits a friend he studied at university with who lives just outside the capital.

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  12. You’ve inspired me to visit Taipei (I think I was there for a very brief layover when I went to the Philippines as a baby.) Thank you for the tip about visiting in the winter! Taipei looks like a nice place to visit.

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    1. I hope you get to visit Taipei sooner than later! Actually, it’s a popular stop en-route to the Philippines, so a few days in town could work. Definitely go in the winter; it’s more bearable!

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    1. This guide is actually an amalgamation of the many trips I’ve taken to Taipei over the years. The city is my home away from home, and I highly encourage anyone to visit!

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  14. I’ve somehow never considered that Taiwan has a coastline (which… duh, obviously it does) and I certainly didn’t know it looked like that. How cool! Thanks for sharing this diverse itinerary, Rebecca!

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  15. Taiwan has been in our travel plans for years and Taipei always looks like such a a fascinating city. Food is I’m sure a highlight of any visit to Taiwan and the ice cream peanut burrito sounds particularly delicious. I think both day trips you recommended are well worth a day of exploration. I’m always up for a hike, so Elephant Mountain would definitely be on the itinerary. And, yes – markets in all shapes and forms.

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    1. Thanks, Leighton! Taiwanese food is one of my favorites, and it holds a dear place in my heart. Elephant Mountain is a lovely, short hike, and very accessible from the city center; despite having visited Taipei many times, it wasn’t until my most-recent visit that I finally went!

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  17. This brings back a lot of good memories from my trip to Taipei back in 2013. I particularly remember seeing the Jadeite Cabbage which really looked like a cabbage! It’s amazing. I didn’t really explore the hills and Yehliu. Maybe next time!

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    1. Taipei is definitely a gorgeous city! The Jadeite cabbage is really quirky and a highlight of the museum. Hope you can return to see more of the surroundings. Thanks for reading, Bama!

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  18. The first time we went to Taipei was during the peak of the rainy season so we were pretty much stuck in the hotel with a few hours’ opportunity to roam the city. This year we went early in the year and the weather was cool and walking was a breeze. I’ll try January or February next time as my friends who went during these months said it was colder.

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    1. Rain a certainly put a damper (pun intended) on a visit. Taiwan rains often, but usually, it only lasts for a few hours. Wintertime is the best time to visit: cooler and much-more bearable than summer heat!!

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  19. Wow, there are clearly many and varied things to do in Taiwan. As an early riser, I especially love that some mom-n-pop places are open as early as 5am!! How nice that you’ve been able to visit your ancestral land so many times. It must be a direct flight from CA? How convenient!

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    1. I think being such a hot country (for most of the year, that is), Taiwan’s businesses open early and especially thrive in early mornings and evenings, when temperatures are cooler. Yes, it’s a direct flight from Los Angeles (13-14 hours), so it makes for convenient trips!

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  20. This is a very inspiring article for a visit to Taipei and Taiwan in general. This great island has achieved such a high level of excellence despite a hostile environment, it really deserves to attract more interest.

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    1. Absolutely! Taiwan has had a long history, from the historic indigenous population to modernization, and it still continues to advance today. Proud to call this country my home away from home!

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  22. I recently walked through Westminster and saw several mews in this area. As it was raining, doesn’t it always rain in London, I didn’t linger to take photos. Following the same pattern, there are also mews in Dublin, similarly gentrified to a different use.

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    1. Nice you got to visit the mews! Rain is inevitable in London, but I’m sure it still brings out the beauty of the mews. Now I’m hearing there are mews in other parts of the UK and Ireland, like Edinburgh and Dublin! Thanks for sharing your thoughts 😊

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  24. I’d love to visit Taipei as it seems like an incredibly vibrant city with tons to see and do (and eat) I like that so close to the city is Elephant Mountain where visitors can – if needed – get a break from the city life and enjoy epic Taipei views. Thanks for sharing, and have a wonderful day 🙂 Aiva xx

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  25. A great tour! I lived in Japan for 3 years and traveled to other places around Asia, but regret not getting to Taiwan. I do remember those hot and humid summers and would travel then to somewhere else.

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    1. Taiwan is a very-underrated country in Asia; interestingly, it has strong ties to Japan, as the Japanese has historically colonized Taiwan and has left a notable influence on the island-nation’s culture and customs. Hope you can visit Taiwan some day; it’s really a beautiful country!

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  26. My Taipei blogs and vlogs are still a fair way away. but i saw a few places youve listed, albeit with much less than 72 hours on my hands. Would love to explore more of the island one day. I was lucky, I avoided rain JUST and it wasnt too humid or hot!

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    1. Nice! I’m glad you got to visit Taipei, especially when it wasn’t too hot and rainy! While it’s possible to spend less than 72 hours in town, it’s always great to have a bit more time to go in-depth with the culture, food, and people 🙂

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  27. Great post! I actually know very little about what there is to do in Taiwan, beyond some of the fun themed cafés in Taipei haha. Definitely looks like it would be worth a visit – their national airline has been advertising a lot recently for stopover travel to Australia etc, and I kind of wish we’d used them for our Japan trip to have a layover in Taipei!

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    1. Perhaps another time! Taipei is a great layover destination to get to other parts of the world, while also having a lot to offer in town. From night markets to natural hikes, Taipei is a place I’m proud to call my family’s home. Thanks for reading, Clazz!

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