Taipei City Guide — Attractions, Food & Tips

Taipei City GuideA city of steaming night markets, serene temples, world-class museums, and forested mountain trails — all connected by one of Asia's best metro systems and powered by some of the friendliest people on the continent.Key Facts

Country: Taiwan

Currency: TWD (New Taiwan Dollar)

Language: Mandarin Chinese

Time Zone: UTC+8

Best Time to Visit: October–December

Top Places to Visit

Taipei 101 — Once the world's tallest building at 508 metres, Taipei 101's bamboo-inspired design dominates the skyline. The 89th-floor observatory offers views to the horizon, and the damper ball on floor 87 is engineering marvel.

Shilin Night Market — The most famous night market in Taiwan with hundreds of stalls selling oyster omelettes, stinky tofu, bubble tea, and fried chicken cutlets. The underground food court is the epicentre. Open nightly from 4 PM.

Longshan Temple — Built in 1738, this ornate Buddhist-Taoist temple survived earthquakes, typhoons, and WWII bombing. Watch devotees throw crescent-shaped blocks for divine guidance, and admire the intricate stone carvings.

Jiufen Old Street — A hillside former gold-mining town with narrow lantern-lit alleys, tea houses overlooking the Pacific, and the atmosphere that inspired Miyazaki's Spirited Away. Come at dusk when the red lanterns glow.

National Palace Museum — Home to nearly 700,000 artifacts spanning 8,000 years of Chinese civilization — the collection that came with the KMT from Beijing. The Jadeite Cabbage and Meat-Shaped Stone are the star exhibits.

Local Food

Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings) — Delicate steamed dumplings filled with pork and hot broth. Din Tai Fung is the world-famous chain, but local night market and street versions are equally satisfying at a fraction of the price.

Beef Noodle Soup — Taiwan's national dish — braised beef chunks in a rich, spicy broth over springy wheat noodles. Every shop has its own recipe. The annual Taipei Beef Noodle Festival crowns the city's best.

Stinky Tofu — Fermented tofu that is deep-fried until crispy outside, silky inside, and served with pickled cabbage. The smell is intense but the taste converts sceptics. A rite of passage at any night market.

Mango Shaved Ice — Mountains of fluffy shaved ice buried under fresh mango, mango ice cream, and condensed milk. Ice Monster and Smoothie House are famous, but seasonal stands in summer are the real treat.

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