I latterly determined to redesign my Taipei itinerary, at first as a result of I referred to as this improbable town house for almost two years. Understand that, I do know Taipei much more in detail than I did once I first created this publish.
Over the last 18 months I resided within the Taiwanese capital, I explored Taipei sights starting from the mainstream to the difficult to understand, and gotten to understand town from the standpoint of each an area and a vacationer. Particularly, I’ve idea hard and long about what number of days in Taipei you will have to spend, relying now not simplest upon what you wish to have to do right here, however certainly how lengthy you will have in Taiwan as an entire.
And I do hope you’re going to stay in this magnificent island for some time, whether or not you spend simply 5 days in Taiwan, or keep many months like I did. Taiwan is a in reality particular position—that was once true even earlier than it forced me to reside there so long as I did.
The place to Keep in Taipei
Regardless of what number of days in Taipei you find yourself spending, discovering the best position to stick (each a just right group, in addition to appropriate accommodation) is vital. I’ll get started via pronouncing that Taipei is without doubt one of the simplest towns on the earth the place I want staying in flats as a substitute of accommodations. Whilst positive houses comparable to W Taipei are sublime, at ease and centrally-located, I to find that accommodations in Taipei (and Taiwan basically) go away so much to be desired.
So far as the place in Taipei you will have to start your Airbnb seek, I’m of a pair other minds. If you wish to keep somewhere that’s each centrally-located and quiet, the Da’an and Zhongzheng districts close to the MRT stations of Dongmen and Guting are a great spot to appear. If you would like be in the midst of the motion (and to really feel adore it as smartly), you’ll as a substitute wish to to find spots close to Ximen, Taipei Major Station or Taipei Town Corridor.
Most sensible Issues to Do in Taipei
Discover Taipei Landmarks
When deciding what number of days to spend in Taipei, it’s important to think you’ll want a minimum of 24 hours at the vacationer path, up to one exists right here. Taipei’s most famed landmarks sit down on both finish of Xinyi Street, with Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Corridor at its western terminus, Taipei 101 on the jap finish and plush Da’an Wooded area Park proper within the center. Close to CKS Corridor, you’ll be able to additionally to find the 228 Martyrs Memorial Park (devoted, slightly paradoxically, to patriots whose slaughter Chiang himself ordered), whilst the upmarket Breeze Xinyi buying groceries district awaits while you’ve descended from the observatory of the previous tallest construction on the earth. My favourite Taipei museums, in the meantime, come with the superb Taipei Effective Arts Museum in Yuanshan and the Nationwide Palace Museum, out there via bus from Shilin station.
Consume Taipei Meals (in Night time Markets and In other places)
Vacationer traps apart, meals is any other attention to make when deciding how lengthy to spend in Taipei. Many shuttle guides veer closely towards recommending Taipei night time markets, such because the well-known one in Shilin and extra difficult to understand choices like Raohe Side road in Songshan and Shida in Guting. I don’t thoughts those markets, however I do want a sit-down meal in spaces like Yongkang Side road (which is house to the unique Din Tai Fung—and quite a few less expensive, tastier choices). In Shipai, in the meantime, which is a pair stops north of Shilin, you’ll to find Angelica, whose duck rice (and duck meatball soup—don’t disregard to reserve this!) lives as much as its beatific identify.
Any other foodie vacation spot to discover in Taipei, what number of days making a decision to spend right here however, is the Ximending pedestrian house. I’ll inspire you to practice your tastebuds to some degree, however you’ll want to be sure you search out cong bing scallion pancakes, Taiwanese-style fried hen and naturally, bubble milk tea. (There are many spots to devour every of those—TIP: the longest traces don’t all the time correspond with the most productive style!) Ximen’s Purple Area may be the homosexual hub of Taipei, and is value a seek advice from (or a drink) despite the fact that you aren’t a member of the LGBT neighborhood.
Say Your Prayers in Taipei Temples
When taking into account the query of what number of days, Taipei temples are one thing else I take into accounts. Essentially the most well-known temple in Taipei is most definitely Longshan Temple in Ximen, however I additionally love to discover temples round Yuanshan station, comparable to Taipei Confucius Temple and Bao’an Temple. A extra difficult to understand choice can be Jieyun Temple within the Banqiao house of New Taipei Town, whilst enthusiasts (Chinese language-speaking ones any approach) have a tendency to seek advice from Xiahai “Town God” Temple alongside Dihua Side road, a paradise of ancient structure a stone’s throw from the Dadaocheng Wharf sundown spot.
Take Superb Taipei Hikes
Taipei is surrounded via hills and mountains, which makes town and its environs a hiker’s paradise. The most well liked Taipei hike is most definitely Xiangshan mountain, out there by the use of the MRT station of the similar identify, the place you’ll be able to revel in an excellent view of Taipei 101 and the remainder of the skyline. Any other nice (however lesser identified) Taipei standpoint is Bishan Kaizhang Shengwang in Neihu—Taipei Town seems to be simply surprising framed via the phoenixes of a standard Taiwanese temple. Mountaineering scorching spots even farther out of doors town come with Seven Stars Mountain in Yangmingshan Nationwide Park, and the more than a few trails underneath the Maokong Gondola close to Taipei Zoo. Relying upon how lengthy in Taipei you spend, that you must fill a number of days with mountaineering!
Need to watch airplanes land at Songshan Airport? Any other favourite Taipei hike of mine is to Lao Di Fang Lookout. You’ll be able to write this as “老地方觀景平台” in Chinese language, assuming you would like take an Uber as a substitute of mountaineering from Jiantan station. (TIP: So as get improbable photographs like the only I did above, remember to deliver a just right zoom lens!)
I’ve written a separate Taipei day commute itinerary, however I’ll define one of the crucial highest choices right here. Extra typical day journeys from Taipei come with Jiufen Previous Side road, Miaokou Night time Marketplace and Zhengbin Fishing Port in Keelung, the “Queen’s Head” rock formation at Yehliu Geopark, Beitou scorching springs house and Tamsui Fisherman’s Wharf. Extra avant-garde choices, in particular in case your time at the island exceeds a Taiwan itinerary 5 days in duration, come with the aboriginal the city of Wulai and Quanhua Temple, the latter of which you’ll be able to succeed in by the use of rare bus carrier from HSR Hsinchu Station, or extra comfortably with your personal condo automobile.
How Many Days Will have to You Spend in Taipei?
I haven’t but addressed the subject of what number of days in Taipei you will have to spend, a minimum of indirectly, as a result of I sought after you to first get an concept of the intensity and breadth of items to do right here. Again once I first visited Taiwan, I typically advisable 3 days in Taipei: One for sightseeing, one for mountaineering and one to take an afternoon commute. I nonetheless suppose this can be a just right plan, in particular in case you don’t have a very long time in Taiwan as an entire, even though it’s now not totally optimum.
When to Discuss with Taipei
The most productive time to seek advice from Taipei, for many vacationers, is every time you’ll be able to arrange to return right here. Taipei doesn’t get tremendous chilly within the wintry weather (or, via the criteria of sub-tropical Asia, all that scorching in the summertime); rain is conceivable 12 months in keeping with yr, so a just right umbrella is extra essential than an expectation for solar. With this being mentioned, positive portions of the yr are higher for visiting Taipei than others. Should you’re homosexual, for instance, you’ll most definitely wish to seek advice from in October, when Taipei Delight (Asia’s biggest and, because the legalization of homosexual marriage in Taiwan, its maximum essential) takes position.
Alternatively, you’re going to most definitely wish to steer clear of Chinese language New 12 months, which takes position in overdue January or early February, as this era can see Taipei uncomfortably crowded. Right here once more, on the other hand, is why it’s just right to be as versatile as you’ll be able to with reference to how lengthy to stick in Taipei. The extra days you will have in Taipei (and certainly, in Taiwan as an entire), the fewer you’ll be suffering from unhealthy climate or unruly crowds!
Different FAQ About Making plans a Taipei Itinerary
What number of days in Taipei is sufficient?
I lived in Taipei for greater than a yr, so I’m now not what you could name an purpose supply in this. Even after greater than 12 months in Taipei, I nonetheless didn’t take on my whole bucket checklist! With this being mentioned, I’d say that almost all vacationers can get via with 2-3 days in Taipei firstly in their Taiwan journeys, after which any other day or two on the finish.
The Backside Line
This Taipei itinerary will will let you take advantage of Taiwan’s capital, despite the fact that you don’t finally end up transferring right here like I did, and regardless of what number of days in Taipei you find yourself spending. Whether or not you seek advice from Taipei landmarks like Taipei 101 and Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Corridor, hike to viewpoints like Elephant Mountain and Bishan Kaizhang Shengwang or just devour your approach throughout the Ximending pedestrian house and Raohe Side road Night time Marketplace, Taipei will temporarily really feel like house.
Robert Schrader is a shuttle creator and photographer who is been roaming the sector independently since 2005, writing for publications comparable to “CNNGo” and “Shanghaiist” alongside the best way. His weblog, Go away Your Day-to-day Hell, supplies a mixture of shuttle recommendation, vacation spot guides and private essays overlaying the extra esoteric facets of lifestyles as a traveler.
