Your Travel Guide to Taipei, Taiwan.

Staying In Taipei 

There are a lot of great hotels to choose from in Taipei, but the biggest decision is choosing which neighborhood to be based out of during your trip. Ultimately, I decided I wanted to be somewhere in the middle, which is why I stayed in the Zhongzheng neighborhood over Ximending. 

I loved my stay at the Cozzi Hotel in Zhongzheng District. The rooms were spacious and aesthetically pleasing. I felt safe as a solo traveler, and they had great breakfast options on mornings when I didn’t want to fight the crowds at a popular breakfast spot. This hotel was also very close to the MRT Shandao Temple Station, which was perfect after a long day walking around the city. 

I looked at a lot of different options that fit my mid-range travel style; here are a few others I recommend based on reviews:

• Hotel Royal-Nikko Taipei
• Hotel Resonance Taipei, Tapestry Collection by Hilton
• At Home Hotel
• The Okura Prestige Taipei

Places to Visit in Taipei

• Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
  • This museum is free to enter. For tourists who don’t know Mandarin, they will hold onto your ID in exchange for an audio guide. I love history, and this museum really goes into detail about Taiwan’s past and how it got to where it is today. It’s a must visit in Taipei and the grounds are beautiful as well. 
• Ximending Neighborhood
  • You can’t visit Taipei without walking through Ximending. There are tons of shops to explore and places to snap pictures, like Rainbow Six. 
  • The Red House
    • The Red House was constructed in 1908 and was the first government-built public market in Taiwan. It is also the most well-preserved Class III historic building in the nation. You can go inside and browse all of the different merchants. 
• Taipei 101
  • Once the tallest building in the world from 2004 to 2010, Taipei 101 is an impressive building that can be seen from many parts of the city. Tickets to visit the viewing deck are $18 per person. On the 88th floor, you’ll notice a big metal ball in the middle of the building, this is designed to help absorb any sway from powerful winds or earthquakes.
• Elephant Mountain Hike to see Taipei 101
  • There are tons of places to take photos of Taipei 101, but if you like to hike I recommend climbing Elephant Mountain to get better views of the city. If it’s between this and going to the top of Taipei 101, I would go on the hike. It can be challenging since it is all inclined, but it’s totally doable and there are viewpoints to stop and rest throughout. 

Night Markets in Taipei

Night markets are a huge thing to do while visiting Taipei, and the food is so good you can probably skip dinner and eat your way around the market instead for a night. One thing I wasn’t prepared for was the stinky tofu that has a very strong odor when you pass it in the markets. I didn’t end up trying it myself, but if you have, let me know how it tastes! 

If you’re pressed for time, these are the top 3 night markets to visit: 

• Raohe Night Market
  • This was my favorite one I visited. There were a ton of food vendors and other shops along the sides. Raohe is also known for having the famous pork buns. 
• Shilin Night Market
  • This was the second best market I went to. I enjoyed the large pieces of fried chicken and it has the jumbo 3D screen, which is cool to see. 
• Ning-zhua Night Market
  • This market was convenient to visit while I was vintage shopping.

Restaurants to Try in Taipei

Look, I’m no food influencer, but I did enjoy most of the meals I had in Taiwan. Below are some places to add to your list. 

1. Tian Jin Onion Pancake
   • If you’re a fan of quick on-the-go breakfasts, this stall is worth a visit. Note: There might be a line when you arrive, but don’t worry, it moves fast. I tried the original for $1.50. They have 8 options to choose from and any option you choose is more than likely a winning combo. 
2. Taste Test 
   • This restaurant holds a special place in my heart because the service was so wonderful and it was the perfect last meal during my trip. I did struggle a bit to find this place, so keep that in mind. 
3. Sushi Train
   • I went to a few sushi train restaurants while I was here.
     1. KURA SUSHI Taipei Guanqian Restaurant was a really fun experience and I enjoyed all of the options they offered. Again, this location can be hard to find because you have to take the elevator to get there. Keep an eye out for the signs. 
     2. Sushi Plus Shandao Temple Branch is another good option for sushi. This location was steps from my hotel. 
4. Moon Moon Food 
   • THE NOODLES! Get the noodles. I loved Moon Moon Food so much that I ate here three times during my trip. It is a chain restaurant, but the service is fast and the food won’t disappoint. 
5. Chun Shui Tang Zhongzheng Branch
   • Boba tea originated in Taiwan and it’s a must in my opinion to have some while you’re here.

Day Trips from Taipei

Sure, there’s a lot to do in Taipei, but during a one week trip, it’s incredibly easy to pop out of the city for a few hours and explore other cities located in the northern part of Taiwan. 

Wulai Falls

This hot springs town was my favorite day trip outside of Taipei because when I went it wasn’t that crowded and it had special moments throughout. For me, I took the metro and a bus. The bus ride to Wulai has lots of twists and turns but is pretty straightforward once you make it on. Walk around Wulai Old Street and then take the log cart to visit the falls. I loved riding the log cart and thought it was a unique way to get to the other side of town. 

Jiufen

They say that this is the town that inspired Spirited Away, but I’m not sure how true that is anymore. It was originally a village and later became a gold mining town during the Japanese occupation, which is why today you’ll see unique architecture and lantern-lined streets.  

Jiufen is a popular tourist destination and is about a 2-hour trip outside of Taipei, making it an ideal travel spot for a day trip. To get there you’ll need to take a train and a bus (or you can Uber from the bus station) to get to the main center of town. 

I’ll be honest, I didn’t love my visit to Jiufen as much as I thought and that was mostly because of how crowded it was during the day. If you’re going to go, take one of the early morning trains and beat the crowds. Around noon a majority of the tour groups arrive, and from that point on you’re basically out of luck and will be shoulder to shoulder with people walking through the tight alleys. I do think it would be cool to experience Jiufen at night and to visit the A-Mei Teahouse, so if this town is high on your list, consider booking a one night stay so you can experience it without a lot of people. 

Beitou Hot Spring

This is probably the easiest day trip to take outside of Taipei because you can easily hop on the red line (Tamisu and Xinbeitou) for 30 minutes and take it to Beitou. If you’re planning a visit, book a massage or a soak in the hot springs at one of the hotels in the area. I booked a massage and hot springs experience at Grand View Resort Beitou Hotel and spent $175. Be aware that if you’re traveling solo you will not be able to book a private hot springs room and will have to use the larger and more public hot springs area. 

Of course, there are other things to do in Beitou that are free, like visiting the Hot Spring Museum or Beitou Thermal Valley. 

Yehliu Geopark

This is about a 2 hour day trip that involves taking a train and a bus to get to the park. Yehliu is a cape on the north coast of Taiwan. It’s known for Yehliu Geopark, a landscape of honeycomb and mushroom rocks eroded by the sea. Well-known formations named for their shapes that include the Queen’s Head and Dragon’s Head. Entrance to the park costs around $3.00, from there you can visit Keelung to see the Zhengbin Port Color Houses or head back to Taipei. 

Maokong

Located within Taipei, this is a little bit of an adventure to get to because of the gondola ride you need to take to get there. Once you arrive at the top, you can walk to a variety of teahouses in the area. The streets aren’t really made for walking, so be aware of cars. I enjoyed my time at the Yao Yue Teahouse.

Why Should You Visit Taipei?

If you want to experience Asian culture outside of tourist-heavy areas like Japan, I think Taiwan is a great option. It’s a very easy place to travel as a solo female traveler, and activities and food options will not leave you bored. I wish I had more time to explore the southern part of the island, but believe me, I’ll be visiting again soon!