Things to Do in Taipei, Taiwan

1. Taipei 101

A skyline symbol with panoramic views above Taipei. Take the high-speed elevator to the observatory and watch the sunset over the city.

Quick facts: From the observation deck you can feel a slight sway as a 660-ton tuned mass damper cushions the forces of wind and earthquake. The massive sphere is visible through the glass, adding an unexpected industrial drama. Riding the elevators is an exhilarating experience; they climb at about 60 km/h and reach the observation level in roughly 37 seconds, with the city rushing away beneath the windows.

Highlights: Behind a glass wall on the 88th floor, a 660-ton tuned mass damper, a polished 5.5-meter steel sphere suspended by 41 cables, moves like a slow metronome during typhoons and earthquakes. You can hear faint creaks and see the room shift. Step into the glass elevator and you will travel from the 5th to the 89th floor in about 37 seconds at 60.6 km/h. Your ears pop and the skyline blurs into a streak of lights.

2. National Palace Museum

An exceptional collection of Chinese art spanning thousands of years, from jade carvings to Song dynasty ceramics. Explore the galleries, join a guided tour of highlights, and unwind in the courtyard garden.

Quick facts: Step into quiet galleries where over 600,000 jade, porcelain, and ink treasures shimmer under soft lighting. The tiny brushstrokes and kiln marks reward close, patient viewing. A rotating exhibit schedule means you might discover imperial seals, miniature carvings, or scrolls that rarely travel, making every visit feel like uncovering a secret.

Highlights: Approach the tiny, pale-green "Jadeite Cabbage" and you will notice a miniature locust and katydid carved into the veins. The leaves stand about 18 centimeters tall but feature insect legs carved so finely they catch the light. Nearby, the "Meat-shaped Stone" shines like a lacquered slice of braised pork, with layered bands and a glossy surface that trick the eye and usually make visitors laugh out loud.

3. Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

Famous Taipei landmark featuring grand white-and-blue architecture. Witness the guard change every hour, visit the museum, and stroll through Liberty Square.

Quick facts: A thunderous hourly changing of the guard attracts crowds. The precise choreography and imposing bronze statue create a surprisingly cinematic moment. Visitors comment on the vast marble plaza and striking white-and-blue color scheme, where the echoing vaulted hall and manicured gardens make the space feel both monumental and peaceful.

Highlights: Every hour on the hour, a perfectly timed guard change occurs beneath the cobalt roof. Boots snap and drums punctuate the air sharply, silencing tourists and causing children to press their noses to the balustrade. At sunset, the marble hall glows warm ochre while the reflecting pool mirrors the entire scene. The smell of frying scallion pancakes drifts across the plaza, making the place feel lively rather than solemn.

4. Longshan Temple

Longshan Temple showcases elaborate Qing-era architecture and lively religious rituals. Experience Taiwanese folk religion by walking through incense-filled halls, watching ceremonies, and exploring Wanhua's heritage streets.

Quick facts: Incense smoke curls through ornately carved halls, while dragon pillars and painted beams invite close inspection. Crowds toss coins, light incense, and knot prayer ribbons, believing whispered wishes might bring good fortune.

Highlights: Founded in 1738, the temple is filled with thick, honeyed incense and the sharp sound of two crescent-shaped jiaobei blocks as devotees toss them for yes-or-no answers. The wooden echoes bounce under lacquered beams and carved dragons. Press a coin into the warm bronze of a guardian and you will feel a smooth, polished spot worn by centuries of palms. Local lore says a single fortunate jiaobei toss once warned worshippers of a 1945 bombing.

5. Shilin Night Market

A paradise for food lovers and shoppers looking for adventure. Explore countless stalls offering bubble tea, oyster omelets, fried chicken, and unique souvenirs.

Quick facts: Neon signs and sizzling woks guide you through a maze of hundreds of stalls, where the smell of stinky tofu and the clatter of arcade games hit all your senses at once. Vendors sell giant fried chicken cutlets and scallion pancakes that sometimes cause lines over a hundred people long, making midnight snacking a full local pastime.

Highlights: Follow the smell of five-spice and frying oil to a Hot-Star stall where the signature fried chicken is pounded paper-thin, fried until the crust crackles, and served on a paper bag about 15 centimeters across. After midnight, veteran vendors gather under red lanterns to trade NT$100 palm readings. This quirky ritual involves readers scribbling tiny characters on slips of paper and gossiping about exam results like old friends.

6. Raohe Street Night Market

Full of classic Taiwanese street food and vibrant local atmosphere. Enjoy sizzling snacks, colorful stalls, and lively crowds in the evening.

Quick facts: Steaming, peppery buns crackle with hot juices at the stalls, sending fragrant smoke into the night and drawing long, hungry lines. Lantern-lit alleys host well over a hundred vendors, turning late-night snacking into a lively, sensory marathon of scents, sounds, and neon lights.

Highlights: Walk under strings of red lanterns and you will be hit by the sweet aroma of caramelized sugar and five-spice as a vendor shoves pepper pork buns into a cylindrical clay oven. The crust pops and hisses while lines commonly snake 30 people deep during peak hours. Locals have a quirky habit of tearing off a corner of a sesame mochi to share with a friend before eating. This tiny ritual turns every purchase into an instant, noisy communion. You'll hear chopsticks clacking, laughter, and people swapping bites like trading cards under neon lights.

7. Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan)

Xiangshan

Stunning views of Taipei 101 and the city skyline from a short, steep trail. Be prepared for stairs, lookout points, and golden-hour photo opportunities.

Quick facts: Sweat and exhilaration meet on a narrow staircase of about 600 stone steps, where layered lookout platforms reward the breathless with sweeping, glittering city views. At golden hour, crowds and eager photographers stake out the best ledges, chasing the electric glow as the skyline shifts from warm pinks to twinkling blues.

Highlights: Climb the steep stone staircase of roughly 600 steps to a ridgeline perch that frames a 101-story skyscraper like a tiny model among a sweep of orange city lights. At golden hour the air fills with the sound of camera shutters clicking and the warm scent of roasted chestnuts from street vendors below. Local photographers often arrive up to 60 minutes early to claim one of about five favorite platforms with tripods. This low-key ritual of taped footprints and friendly bargaining over perfect angles turns sunset into a communal countdown.

8. Yangmingshan National Park

Volcanic peaks, hot springs, and alpine flower fields just minutes from Taipei. Experience steaming fumaroles, grassy meadows, short mountain hikes, and seasonal flower displays.

Quick facts: Misty trails release a mineral tang as steaming fumaroles and bubbling hot springs punctuate fields of bright cherry and azalea blooms. Hikers can loop short crater trails to find panoramic ridgelines and rare volcanic landscapes where cool forests sit beside warm geothermal vents.

Highlights: Steam hisses from fumaroles at Xiaoyoukeng, where mineral-streaked rocks and a sulfur tang make the air taste metallic. It is a raw reminder that you are standing on one of the seven volcanoes of the Datun range. On sunny weekends, families spread checkered blankets on Qingtiangang's windswept grassland, nibbling warm 'hot-spring eggs' bought from vendors near Lengshuikeng while chrysanthemums and azaleas paint the slopes in pink and white.

9. Beitou Hot Springs (Beitou Thermal Valley & Beitou Hot Springs Museum)

Beitou Thermal Valley & Beitou Hot Springs Museum

Steam rises above emerald pools, a unique geothermal sight in Taipei. Walk around Thermal Valley and visit the museum for history, dramatic vistas, and hot spring culture.

Quick facts: Steam curls from a milky turquoise pool that smells faintly of sulfur. Temperatures often hover close to boiling as minerals streak the water vivid green. Exploring a restored public bathhouse reveals vintage wooden tubs, interactive exhibits on bathing rituals, and a surprising glimpse at how hot-spring culture shaped everyday life.

Highlights: Stand close to the steaming pool and you will smell sharp sulfur, see milky turquoise water hovering around 80 degrees Celsius, and watch thin steam curl up while the ground softly hisses like a hidden kettle. Inside the century-old public bathhouse built in 1913, original wooden tubs and Japanese-era tiles are on display. A local tradition continues where people crack eggs cooked in the hot spring vents and eat them warm as they stroll the gardens.

10. Tamsui Old Street & Fort San Domingo

Riverside charm and colonial history come together at Tamsui Old Street and Fort San Domingo. Wander food alleys, climb the fort for river views, and enjoy the sunset.

Quick facts: Sea breezes and the smell of grilled snacks draw visitors through a lively waterfront market where narrow alleys fill with teahouses, street-food stalls, and nostalgic souvenir shops. Perched above the estuary, a weathered red-brick fort reveals layered colonial-era stories through exposed stonework, preserved rooms, and a surprisingly photogenic sunset viewpoint.

Highlights: At the waterfront market you can buy A-gei for about NT$40, bite into iron eggs stewed to deep mahogany that squeak against your teeth, and follow the scent of five-spice and soy as vendors fry fishballs in bubbling vats. A short climb to the red-brick fort built in the 17th century rewards you with uneven stone steps, shuttered windows, and a windswept rampart where colonial plaques tell stories of Spanish and British rule while the sunset colors the river copper.

11. National Taiwan Science Education Center

Engaging hands-on science exhibits and a large planetarium that inspire curiosity. Discover interactive labs, family demonstrations, and rotating exhibitions.

Quick facts: Hands-on galleries invite you to push, spin, and test real scientific principles, turning abstract ideas into playful experiments. Optical illusions and motion exhibits fill the rooms, and some sound features make the floor hum beneath your feet.

Highlights: Step into the dome theater and watch a narrated starfield wrap overhead, the projected constellations blurring into streaks of light as the sound system builds. At weekend live demos you can feel static electricity crackle and see plasma glow electric blue just inches from a gloved hand, a sensory jolt that surprises even frequent visitors.

12. Beitou Public Library

A wooden library in Beitou Park, known for its eco-friendly Japanese-inspired design. Inside are vaulted wooden ceilings, cozy corners, and a riverside balcony.

Quick facts: Sunlight pours through deep, north-facing windows into warm wood-clad reading rooms, making the space feel more like a cozy cabin than a typical public library. Energy-efficient features and wide timber beams reduce glare and noise while circulation paths curve around a central atrium where natural light gathers.

Highlights: In a quiet corner, a loft seating about 20 people offers the strong scent of cedar wood. Rain on the wooden eaves sounds like soft percussion on monsoon evenings. Local visitors often bring takeaway tea to sip while reading, and the wooden floors creak gently underfoot, adding a tactile soundtrack that makes browsing feel intimate and slow.