24 Hours in Taipei
Sometimes when you are flying somewhere far, you don’t have a choice but to layover. A few years ago I decided it made more sense if I wasn’t going to fly direct, to try and find the longest layover possible in the given layover destination, so that I could explore that city if only for a day. I have done this in a number of countries so far and will be sharing my insights and itineraries for each locale. Here is the first in that series, exploring a stop in Taiwan en route back to San Francisco from Bali.
Taipei insights
I really felt that Taipei was a relaxing place to do a 24 hour layover – the things to enjoy include nature and food and don’t require tons of tourist crowds. I felt I was able to safely navigate the city without speaking Chinese (though I did have my hotelier write down some addresses in it for me just in case). The international airport is also not far outside of downtown (30 minutes) which makes long layovers easy. The city was clean, the food safe to eat, and the people friendly. Though there is so much to see in Taiwan, I felt that 24 hours definitely allowed me to get my feet wet in the culture, leaving me with an itch to explore more.
Accomodation in Taipei
- New May Flower Hotel – this hotel is right in downtown Taipei and very close to Taipei Main Station, a ‘Grand Central’ subway area of the city.
- City Suites Taoyuan Gateway – this hotel is very close to the airport, and has an amazing buffet breakfast included!
Getting Around Taipei
- The MRT – Taipei’s main transit system, it is clean and slick with signs in both English and Chinese.
- Uber – an easy and affordable way to get around, with no language barriers since you can enter in your pick up and drop off in your language of choice.
Food in Taipei
I only had one night to explore Taiwan’s famous night markets, so I visited the Ningxia Night Market which was walking distance from the New May Flower Hotel where I stayed. I had flown in around 8pm and so it was pretty late when I finally made it out to the market, but lots of the stalls were still open selling their fried delicacies, fruit, and a wide assortment of unique seafood treats. There is definitely a fun culture surrounding night markets as a place where both young people and families go to hang out and have a good time with food as well as some carnival games.
- Another famous night market I wanted to visit was Shilin Night Market, which is supposed to be one of the best and largest night markets in the city.
Things to do in Taipei
- Maokong Gondola and Tea Trail – You can pick up the Gondola off of the metro at the Taipei Zoo stop. The Gondola takes you up through the lush mountains and to an area where you can walk around and eat street snacks, enjoy tea shops, and visit some temples. With more time, there are some hikes you can take from the area.
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial – This is the main tourist center of Taipei, where you can visit the memorial of Chiang Kai-shek (where a regular changing of the guard occurs), wander around the vast courtyards and take in some of Taiwanese history. The area can be compared to the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
- Get a massage! – Taipei is filled with massage parlors, and something of unique interest are the blind massage parlors. I stepped into one and it was a relaxing experience.
With a little more time in Tapei
If I had maybe 12 to 24 more hours in the city, these are the things I would have done:
- Taipei 101 – go up to the top floor observation deck to enjoy the views of the city!
- Yangmingshan National Park – for some hiking to clear the mind after a long flight.
- Beitou Hot Spring Museum and the Millennium Hot Springs – Museum featuring a history of hot springs and some actual pools for dipping – what’s not to like?
- Longshan Temple – one of the largest and oldest temples in Taiwan.
A map of the above mentioned places can be found here.
What would you recommend on a 24 hour adventure to Taipei?
