Exploring Food, Culture and Things to Do in Taipei, Taiwan

Visit the iconic Taipei 101 Building, the tallest skyscraper in Taiwan designed to resemble a giant bamboo stalk. Go up the lightening fast elevators for jaw-dropping views and see the gorgeous and architecturally significant mass damper which effectively protects the building from swaying too much when earthquakes and typhoons happen. The building is next to the MTR rail lines and is attached to a mall in the middle of the city.

Take the MTR to Dongmen Station and visit the many shops and restaurants around the area. Walk from the Dongmen morning market to the adorable neighborhood around Yong Kang Park and you’ll find some unique artisan shops and cafes there.

Walk around Liberty Square, Liberty Arch and up to the massive Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall. Don’t miss the impressive changing of the guards ceremony every hour at the Memorial Hall. The buildings and manicured gardens are incredible and mesmerizing.

Hike Xiang Shan (Elephant Mountain), which is easily accessed from the City of Taipei for amazing views (or take the Maokong Gondola near the Taipei Zoo).

Day Trips:

There are a ton of great day trips from Taipei - Toroko National Park, Yangminshan National Park, Bayan Hot Spring, Yehliu Geopark, Jiufen Old Street, Keelung Night Market and Shifen Waterfall. Taipei is a great base to explore other regions of Taiwan’s main island!

Where to eat & drink:
Taipei is a big city and offers many Michelin Star restaurants and fine dining, but the heart of the cuisine is the local food, so here are some tried and true favorites:

Din Tai Fung - You can’t go to Taiwan without tasting xiao long bao (pork soup dumplings) where it originated. Eat these with the green beans, your taste buds will do the happy dance! DTF does this best and it’s my favorite Taiwanese cuisine. The one next to Dongmen Station is the original and it’s take out only. There are many DTF’s all over the city and you will likely have to wait for a table.

Taiwan’s night markets are world famous - and there are many (Shilin, Ninxhia, Roaohe, Xiemending, etc.). Even if you don’t like street food, these are fun places to walk around and take in the sights and local culture.

Yong He Soy Milk King serves up traditional Taiwanese breakfast if you’d like to try breakfast the “local” way. There are several locations and you can order sweet soy milk, xiao long bao (soup dumplings), scallion pancakes and omelette cakes.

Hot Pot is popular among Taiwanese and Orange Shabu Shabu in the Da’an District does it well.

Enjoy a cozy, modern tea tasting experience at Liquid Ambre Tea House, they take reservations and will serve up some aromatic and elevated teas.

A big city will always have a vibrant nightlife and Taipei is no exception. Try Aha Saloon in the Da’an District for innovative cocktails with a distinctive Taiwanese twist.