What To Do in Taipei for a Week

Sunday, September 16, 2018

Taipei is not like any other city in Asiainfo-icon. Offering an interesting blend of Southeast Asian and Chinese cultural influences, a trip to this vibrant Asian city is truly a feast for the senses. From the mouthwatering street foods, ancient old Chinese temples, an abundance of night markets, and towering skyscrapers, you’ll definitely not run out of things to see and what to do in Taipei.

If you want to visit Taipei, yet you only have a week for your holiday, here’s what to do in Taipei for a week.

Explore the Ximending District

Answering the question on how to get to Ximending District should be easy enough; it's a starting point for many travelers in Taiwan.

The Ximending District is a perfect base area for your Taipei holiday since it is nearby to most of the major attractions in the city. 

Plus, if you’re traveling on a budget, there are lots of affordable hotels in this area. Moreover, this place is a heaven for foodies. The Taipei night market near Ximending is known for selling a wide variety of mouthwatering local street foods, and almost every corner has a food stall selling delicious treats!

Explore the Western part of Taipei 

Make sure to visit the Red House in Taipei, which has become a cultural centre, hosting various activities.

On your second day, you can visit some of the popular attractions in the western part of Taipei. But before you head out to explore, have a haste of the Ximending famous food for breakfast, a pancake filled with cheese, egg and some spring onions! It’s very tasty, especially when paired with a bubble tea. 

After having your breakfast, head over to the Red House District Taipei. It’s within the Ximending area so you can simply walk towards this place from your hotel. Built in 1908, the Red House Taipei is one of the most iconic buildings in Taipei, and it’s now being used as a cultural center hosting various local performances and exhibitions. 

Next, take the Taipei MRT from Ximending and head to the Banqiao district of Taipei where you will find the Lin Family Mansion and Garden. Built in 1778, the mansion is a traditional Taiwanese house made of wood and a famous historical site in Taiwaninfo-icon

From the mansion, the Longshan temple is a few minutes walk. Other sites to check out in the area are the National Taiwan Museum and the Taipei Main train station. End your day exploring the Longshan temple night market and make sure you check out some of the delicious street foods being sold in there.

Explore the Eastern Part of the City 

The height of the Taipei 101 is truly majestic for every eye.

Your third day is best spent exploring the eastern part of Taipei. So after your breakfast, take the metro from the Ximending station and get off at the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall, a memorial hall built in honor of Dr. Sun Yat Sen, the founder of modern Chinainfo-icon

Take a metro to visit the iconic Taipei 101 nearby. If you want a 360-degree view of Taipei, you can purchase a ticket to the observatory via the Taipei 101 elevator. For people who're on a limited time and can only visit certain places, 4 days in Taipei is all you need.

Have a fear of heights? No problem, you can spend your day exploring the Taipei 101 mall and check out some of the designer outlet stores there.

Take a Day Trip to Jiufen

There are numerous things that will answer the question of what to do in Jiufen.

What to do in Taipei on your fourth day? Take a day trip to Jiufen! A charming gold mining town in the North of Taiwan, Jiufen is about an hour away from Taipei. 

Wake up early if you want to secure your train ticket at the Taipei Main Station, especially if you’re going there on the weekend. The Main Station is just one station away from the Ximending Station so getting there should not be a problem.

The Jiufen Old Street is a bustling district with scenic mountain views, and its narrow streets are lined with numerous food stalls selling mouthwatering Taiwanese delicacies. Thus, if you’re a foodie, a Jiufen day trip should be on top of your itinerary.

Explore the Northern Part of Taipei

Make sure to breathe in the air at the Zhishan Garden while visiting the National Palace Museum.

On your fourth day in Taipei, head north to explore some interesting attractions. What to do in Taipei at the north? There are a lot, for in this part of the city is where you will find the National Palace Museum, the Zhishan Garden, Beitou Hot Spring museum and park, and the most popular Taipei night market, the Shilin Night Market.

Start your day by taking the metro towards the Shilin Station where you can take the bus that goes to the National Palace Museum. 

You should also spend some time at the Zhishan Garden, a beautiful Chinese-style garden, located just within the National Palace Museum. From the museum, take the bus back to the Shilin Station and take the metro going to the Beitou MRT.

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After all the walking and exploring that you’ve done, you probably want to know what to do in Taipei to relax those tired and aching muscles. 

Why not soak at the Beitou thermal valley? The Beitou Hot Springs resort is a natural hot spring recreation area where you can enjoy a soak in an authentic thermal hot spring, similar to the Japanese onsen bath.

Take a Day trip to Taroko Gorge

There are numerous trekking trails on the Taroko Gorge to satisfy your adventurous spirit.

If you want to know what to do in Taipei if you’re craving for some adventure, then consider a trip to the Taroko Gorge, where you can trek at one of the hiking trails within the park. 

There are numerous trekking trails in Taroko Gorge, designed for all kinds of adventure seekers. Located at the Hualien County, the Taroko Gorge National Park is famous for its breathtaking marble landscapes. 

It’s also a popular destination for trekkers where most of the trails consist of walking through tunnels and cliffs and passing at the Eternal Spring Shrine, a temple with a stunning waterfall flowing right in front.

It takes about 3 hours to arrive to Taroko Gorge from Taipei, and some treks will take up to a whole day so you may want to consider staying overnight at Hualien, where there are a handful of local homestays. 

Check out the Night Markets

Night markets in Taipei are virtually everywhere; you can taste delicious street food and enjoy in the local atmosphere.

From the Taroko Gorge, you can head back to Taipei to spend your last day in the city. When evening comes, the night markets in Taipei will come to life! So if you want to shop for some souvenir items to take home with you, now is the best time to do so. 

There are so many night markets in Taipei, but one of the most popular is the Shilin Night Market. Opening from 5 PM until 1 AM, the market is lined with hundreds of local vendors selling a wide variety of products, from clothes, accessories, shoes, souvenir items, and of course, mouthwatering street foods!

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Another popular night market in Taipei is the Raohe street night market. Just like the Shilin market, Raohe is also filled with vendors selling a wide variety of local foods, clothing, and pretty much everything you can think of! Bargaining is the way of life here and makes for an exciting shopping experience. 

After your shopping spree, experience the vibrant nightlife at the Taipei nightlife district of Ximending. The area is lined with so many bars and clubs, a great place to dance the night away with a local beer in hand.

Carolyn Boston freelance content writer for aSabbatical.com
Travelling the world on a budget for several years without having a hefty savings account.