Taipei: 11 Alternative Tips for Taiwan’s Capital City

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Anyone who finds Thailand too full of tourists, Myanmar too tiring, and China too big should seriously consider a Taiwan trip. The island in the Chinese Sea is perfect for Asia beginners – but also offers well-traveled folks real adventures and hidden corners, where as a European you can be a true attraction. The people are friendly, the food is delicious, and you won’t experience a severe culture shock.

The Slightly Different Attractions in Taipei

For many, the capital city Taipei is the starting point for a Taiwan trip. Adrian and Christoph from the “Welttournee Travel Podcast” went there and share their alternative tips that you shouldn’t miss in Taipei. Because Taipei is more than just the skyscraper Taipei 101, a hike on Elephant Mountain at sunset, or the hot springs of Beitou – you can find those things in every travel guide, while the following tips are much rarer.

How to Get To Taipei

Since Taiwan is an island, the plane is the best option for getting there. There are several international airports in Taipei served by various airlines from Europe and Asia. These include, for example, Lufthansa, China Airlines, Emirates, and several others. For exact information on flight times and prices, check Skyscanner.

If you’re already on the island of Taiwan, you can get to Taipei by train, long-distance bus, or even by car. The infrastructure in Taiwan is very well developed, so you can always get to the capital, Taipei, quickly. Tickets for the Taiwan High Speed Rail, along with many more details on departure times, are available at 12go.asia.

1. The Easycard – A Card for Everything That Moves

Almost every traveler starts their Taiwan adventure at Taoyuan International Airport, the country’s largest airport. That’s also how we began our Taiwan trip in winter. It’s a bit outside the city, but in Taipei the public transport is excellent, so you can get an EasyCard right at the terminal station.

At the machines, only cash is often accepted, but if you smile nicely at the counter, you can also pay without cash. Then you hold the credit card-sized pass in your hands. With this card, a lot opens up for you in Taipei – at least with the public transport.

You use this card to check in for the metro, bus, cable car, or even the zoo’s small train. When exiting, you tap the scanner again, and you’re only charged for the distance you actually traveled. Sounds easy, it is easy. So get a card right at the airport! With it, you can also make use of our second tip.

Info: If you’re traveling with several people or with a lot of luggage, a private transfer from the airport to your accommodation can be worthwhile.

2. The Train Station – More Than Just a Traffic Hub

The metro brings you from the airport to the middle of town in around 30 minutes. If you’re picturing a dim station district and a grimy terminal hall, you’d be way off. The station in Taipei is a sight in itself. A huge station hall, with a lobby that could comfortably fit a multi-story house, immediately impresses. But the real highlight lies underground.

The entire station area is connected by a huge network of underground corridors, so you might find yourself walking half an hour from one northern entrance to a southern exit. In the corridors, there are countless shops, supermarkets, and restaurants. Large stores alternate with small massage studios. To avoid completely losing track of where you are and where you actually want to go, there’s perfect signage, which leads us to the next point.

3. The Public Transport – Perfect Organization

Let’s assume you’ve survived the trip from the airport to the train station and are looking for the right exit to the metro or city. Even if jet lag is starting to catch up with you, you don’t need to stress because everything is perfectly marked and labeled. This applies to both the station and the metro and bus stations.

Surprisingly, you can almost always find someone who speaks English. That’s not always the case in Asia, and if you’ve ever waited in a German city in freezing wind for the next train or bus, you’ll be thrilled by the announcements and punctuality in Taipei as well.

4. Your Accommodation – Check the Location

You can follow this tip before your trip. Because it often rains and a lot in Taiwan, you definitely don’t want to wander around in the rain forever. So choose an accommodation as close as possible to a metro exit. We’d even recommend looking around in the station area. Trains, as well as various metro lines that crisscross the city, start there. As mentioned above, it’s not comparable to European station areas. Even though, in some side alleys at night, you might expect to buy a gremlin or something similar.

5. Sleep in a Capsule Hotel

Our tip is the Taiwan Youth Hostel & Capsule Hotel. We usually associate capsule hotels with Japan. Due to space constraints, they built rooms with tiny boxes just big enough for an adult to sleep in. In Taiwan, they’ve perfected this concept.

Truthfully, this accommodation is one of the best hostels we’ve stayed in to date. A large common room with musical instruments, PCs, and TVs. An equally large kitchen that provides breakfast and free drinks during the day, and wonderful capsules in which you’ll sleep like a rock – promised. Everyone has a lockable cabinet and enough space to store your (valuable) stuff.

6. Tai Chi in the Morning at Memorial Park

The jet lag will probably get you out of bed early, but that’s okay because Taipei is most beautiful in the morning. The huge roads are empty, and there aren’t many people around. Definitely take advantage of this time by heading, for example, to the 228 Peace Memorial Park. Right at sunrise, you can observe several groups practicing Tai Chi, or just enjoy the silence (unless the rain is pouring down on the tree leaves).

7. Shandao Temple – The Buddha Temple in the Gym Hall

If you check your travel guide, it will almost certainly recommend seeing the magnificent temples. The Guandu Temple lies a bit outside, while the Baoan Temple is right in the city, next to the Confucius Temple.

Both are wonderful places to visit, but since we’re giving you alternative tips here, you should check out the Shandao Temple. Three giant Buddha statues were built into something that looks like a sports hall. It’s quite impressive, especially since hardly any tourists stray here and you can really enjoy some peace. Another advantage is the Shandao Temple’s location, right at exit 6 of the “Shandao Temple Station” on the blue metro line.

8. Huashan Creative Park – The Hipster Epicenter

Enough with the three sports hall Buddhas? Then take a little stroll around the temple area. Right behind the temple in the Central Art Park, you can check out a sort of weekend market and buy fresh fruit, vegetables, and all kinds of curiosities.

Or do it the way Taipei hipsters do and go to Huashan Creative Park – a sort of creative park right in the city. Plenty of cafes, design shops, and cultural institutions attract locals, especially on weekends. Stroll through the old factory halls and take in the capital’s creative vibe.

9. Modern Art With an Asian Twist

Granted, this is a slightly more niche tip, but while we’re on the topic of art and culture, the Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei (MOCA) is a good fit. A few hundred meters behind the station, you can find an interesting exhibition with cool works for about 50 NT. Even if you’re not into art, keep this in mind for a rainy or extremely hot day.

10. Coffee Without Sugar in Taipei? No Problem

Close to the museum, hidden in a small side street, you’ll find the “Just In Cafe” – a real insider tip for coffee lovers. Overall, the coffee scene in Taipei is excellent, and you can try out a variety of beans and roasts. This small cafe was our favorite and definitely worth a recommendation. You’ll hardly see other tourists here. If you place your order and automatically ask for sugar, the barista will look at you as if you’ve just insulted him personally. There’s no sugar – but the coffee tastes great without it. Sit outside the door, and you’ll likely witness a very special spectacle.

11. The Singing Garbage Truck

From afar, you hear a familiar melody. It sounds like someone on a kids’ keyboard blasting “Für Elise.” If you expect an ice cream seller with his cart, you’re totally off track. This music plays from the garbage trucks all day. That’s because apartments in Taipei are tiny due to limited space, meaning there’s not much room for trash. As soon as this melody plays, residents run outside with their garbage bag and throw it into the truck – whether the drivers dream of “Für Elise” at night, we couldn’t determine on our trip.

Conclusion

With our tips, we wanted to give a small glimpse of Taipei away from the usual hotspots. Taipei is modern, cool, and friendly. You can see a lot here over just a few days. It can also be used as a base for day trips to the surrounding area. So, head on over!

About the Author

Christoph Streicher lives in Barcelona and runs the “Welttournee Travel Podcast” with his friend Adrian Klie. Together, they have already traveled to over 100 countries – all with a full-time job, 30 days of annual leave, and a small budget. This includes exotic destinations such as Nicaragua or Ukraine. In the travel podcast, they provide tips and tricks for traveling and inspiration. Tune in on all well-known platforms.

Taipei: Tours and Tickets

Do you prefer to travel with a guide who knows the area very well? Then we recommend a guided tour with a local. This way you can get to know Taipei in a completely different way. GetYourGuide offers a wide selection of exciting tours for Taipei.

Do you know any other alternative attractions in Taipei? Share your crazy tips for Taiwan’s capital below!