Taiwan is undoubtedly a favorite travel destination for many Singaporeans. I grew up listening to pop songs from Taiwanese artists and enjoying their entertainment. Besides a similar culture, one of the reasons why many Singaporeans love Taiwan is its delectable food! There are numerous restaurants and night markets to explore, not to mention the love for bubble tea!
Fun fact: Bubble tea originated from Taiwan, and you can find a store almost every 50 meters.
It has been a while since we visited Taiwan, so we decided to spend more time in Taipei and embark on a couple of day trips from Taipei! If this is your first time in Taipei, this itinerary is for you!
Travel Insurance
Despite being in the post-covid era now, there are still chance that our trip might get cancelled. Thus, it is important to buy insurance before you travel and ensure that you are well covered. We bought Singlife travel insurance because it covers miles redemption tickets. Not all travel insurance cover miles redemption and it is important to find one that suits you the most.
Getting Around in Taipei
Taipei is easily accessible by subway and bus! However, if you are traveling in a small group, consider taking a taxi or Uber. If you plan to explore outside of Taipei, you can hire a private car!
Transportation Card
Taipei has an efficient public transportation system, including the MRT (subway), buses, and taxis. Consider purchasing an EasyCard or iPass, which can be used for public transportation and convenience stores. I recommend getting the EasyCard as it is also accepted in some retail shops such as Watson & 7-11.
Getting from Taoyuan Airport to Taipei Main Station
One of the easiest ways to get to Taipei is via the Express MRT from Taoyuan Airport. Board the express train (35 mins) instead of the commuter service train (50 minutes) as it takes slightly longer and can be more crowded. Purchase the train ticket in advance for a cheaper and hassle-free experience!
Sim Card
We bought simcard from shopee and it work well during our visit! There are many sims card available but we always choose ICC because it is affordable and work well with all our visit! One thing to note is the expiry date of the simcard! Especially when they are on sale!
Arrival Card
The Taiwanese government introduces the Online Arrival Card for foreign visitors to ROC (Taiwan). This measure streamlines the immigration process for foreign visitors. Remember to fill out your arrival card to avoid delays at immigration.
Money Exchange
Remember to prepare TWD cash as credit cards are not widely accepted in traditional stores.
The Taiwan Tourism Board is giving away prizes for foreigners traveling from May 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025. The booths are after immigration. Save the QR code as they won't email it to you. More details are available on the official website.
6 days 5 night Taiwan Taipei Itinerary Trip Summary
Day 1: Enjoy the beautiful night scenery!
Day 2: Explore Taipei City Long Shan Temple
Day 3: Take a Day trip to Shi Ding & Pinglin Old Street
Day 4: Have Tea at Mao Kong
Day 5: Enjoy Hotspring at Bei Tou
Day 6: Last minute Shopping in Taipei
Day 1: Enjoy the beautiful night scenery
Lin Jiang Night Market
Visit one of the most popular night market in Taipei – Lin Jiang! It is also one of the most popular night market among tourist and locals. Highly recommend to visit around 5:30-5:45pm on weekend. One can find many delicious eat and bib gourmand stall!
After dinner, one can take a short hike up to Elephant mountain and burn the calories off as well as enjoying the stunning view!
Address: Jihe Road, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111, Taiwan
Elephant Hill (Xiangshan)
Elephant Hill, also known as Xiangshan, is a popular spot for a short hike that rewards you with a fantastic view of Taipei City and the iconic Taipei 101 tower. It's especially popular for sunset and evening views. It takes about 45 min - 60 min round trip!
Address: Alley 342, Lane 150, Songren Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City, 110, Taiwan
Taipei 101
Taipei 101, formerly the world's tallest building, is an architectural marvel with 101 floors. The observatory on the 89th floor provides breathtaking panoramic views of Taipei City. The mall inside offers high-end shopping and dining. Stop by if you have sometime or even admire the building from elephant hill!
Address: No. 7, Section 5, Xinyi Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City, 110, Taiwan
Day 2: Explore Taipei City
The original Xiyuan bridge under the sesame seed fried dough sticks/ 原西園橋下燒餅油條
Start your day with Taiwan traditional breakfast! One of my favourite things to do in Taipei is to visit 早餐店 / traditional breakfast place and have their signature oven-baked thick bread and soymilk. Thanks to H, we visited one old-school breakfast at 原西園橋下燒餅油條 The charcoal style Shao Bing and Youtiao is so good! Paired with soymilk! Nothing fancy but filled with lots of nostalgic flavour!
Address: No. 242, Section 1, Xiyuan Rd, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 108
Opening hour: Daily 6:30am – 11am or until sold out
Chen Kee Oyster Noodles/ 陳記腸蚵專業麵線
Not a huge fan of oyster mee sua but this is good! Fresh and juicy oyster and well braised intestine brings mee sua to another level! Love it! Visited on a weekday and was fortunate to find a seat with no queue there!
Address: 108, Taiwan, Taipei City, Wanhua District, 和平西路三段166號
Opening hour: Daily 6:30am – 7:30pm
Longshan Temple (Longshan Temple Station)
Afterwards, head over to Longshan Temple just across the street! It is one of Taiwan's most significant religious sites. It features intricate architecture, ornate decorations, and a serene atmosphere where visitors can observe local worship practices.
Address: No. 211, Guangzhou Street, Wanhua District, Taipei City, 108, Taiwan
Afterward, explore the streets along Long shan temple! If you are feeling the heat, do walk over to buy their herbal tea (very bitter!) I couldn’t finish and pass it to H to finish them!
Have Lunch at Serenity( Zhong zheng) 祥和蔬食料理鎮江店
This award winning bib gourmand vegetarian restaurant is very impressive! The menu was filled with a variety of vegetarian dishes that were both flavourful and healthy. As for the food, we were in for a treat. We ordered a few of their signature dishes such as monkey head mushroom and its so good! The vegetables were fresh, and the tofu was perfectly seasoned. Highly recommend and will definitely be back next time!
Address: 祥和蔬食料理（鎮江店）No. 1巷1號, Zhenjiang St, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan 100
Opening Hour: Daily 11 am–2 pm 5–9 pm
Shopping at Zhong Xiao Station
Be spoilt for choices at shopping district – Zhong Xiao Station! One can find local brand such as D+AF女鞋, Air space as well as cafes and departmental store such as Shin Kong Mitsukoshi. We got lucky while we were there and bought pastries from 不二 pop up store at department store! It is so good we regretted only getting 3 boxes.
Dinner at Shin Yeh Taiwanese Cuisine Zhongxiao Branch
Visited bib gourmand Michelin star restaurant that serves traditional Taiwanese cuisine. Shin Yeh specializes in authentic Taiwanese cuisine, and it did not disappoint. I decided to try their famous three-cup chicken, a flavorful and aromatic dish. Portion was small, perfect for small group like us!
Address: 106, Taiwan, Taipei City, Da’an District, Section 4, Zhongxiao E Rd, 112號2樓
Opening hour: Daily 11am – 230pm, 5pm – 920pm
Day 3 Day trip to Shi Ding & Pinglin Old Street
We hired a private car from Klook for a day trip out of Taipei to Shi Ding & Pinglin Old street. First stop Tushitou Lookout 石碇鱷魚島. From the viewing point, one can see the shape of the crocodile island as well as the scenic view. Do note that the viewing point is not a public space. We bought some stuff from the owner and she was kind enough to let us up to the viewing spot. Alternatively, head other scenic spot along the way for a quick stop over。
Afterwards, we visited Pinglin Tea Museum to learn more about the rich tea culture in Taiwan. It is a small museum with interactive activities to show you how tea is formed. Unfortunately, one part of the museum is close.
Next, we visited Pinglin Old Street and shop for tea. It was a weekend afternoon and we were surprise to find the street quiet as compared to jiu fen and other old streets we had visited. We stumbled one tea shop with many award hanging in the shop. The owner was kind enough to explain the types of leaves they have as well as letting us try the different type of tea she have.
In the evening, we explored Shen Keng old Street before heading back to Taipei! The traditional architecture and atmospheres makes the street very charming! Don’t forget to try the street food! Especially the the smelly tofu!
Day 4: Day Trip to Mao Kong for Tea
Breakfast at Ding Yuan Soy Milk (鼎元豆漿)
Have breakfast at Ding Yuan Soy Milk (鼎元豆漿)! Love the crispy youtiao and warm shaobing! Paired with a bowl of rich and velvety sweet or salty soy milk, the meal strikes a perfect balance of flavors. Try to avoud weekend! We visited on a weekday morning and the queue was manageable and not as long as compared to Fuheng!
Maokong Gondola
The Maokong Gondola is a scenic cable car ride that offers stunning views of Taipei and takes you to Maokong, known for its tea culture. The ride itself is an attraction, providing spectacular vistas of lush mountains and tea plantations. You can get your tickets in advance here
Address: No. 8, Zhinan Road, Wenshan District, Taipei City, 116, Taiwan
Tea Houses in Maokong
Maokong is famous for its tea culture, and you can visit traditional tea houses to experience a Taiwanese tea ceremony. Sip on exquisite oolong teas while enjoying tranquil surroundings.We visited 貓空 找茶屋 Found.your.tea restaurant in Mao Kong and spend our afternoon there. Enjoyed our food with a great view! Plus, the staff shared with us how to enjoy the tea!
Shopping at Chi Feng Jie Zhong Shan Station
We visited Zhong Shan area specifically Chi Feng Jie. It is one of the most popular old street in Taipei! It has many hipster café, boutique shops as well as restaurants. Definitely a nice place for one to chill and people watch while enjoying the artistic air!
Dinner at Japanese Restaurant 魚兵衛太春和食處
We came across this Japanese restaurant while we were at Chi Feng Jie and love it! It is a pretty laid back Japanese restaurants with affordable and quality sashimi! Plus, they offer free flow of miso soup! Love it!
Address: 103, Taiwan, Taipei City, Datong District, Lane 3, Chifeng St, 9號1樓Opening Hours: Daily Except Monday 11:30 am–2 pm 5–9 pm
Day 5: Day Trip to Bei Tou
Beitou Hotspring Hotel
We booked a private hot spring bath for 90 min session at Radium Kagaya Taipei in Beitou. Enjoyed the onsen and reminds me of Japan and just what I needed after all the walking we did.
Beitou Hot Springs Museum
Afterwards, visit the Beitou Hot Springs Museum. It is a historic building that once served as a public bathhouse during the Japanese colonialera. It now houses exhibits that offer insights into the region's geothermal history. We spent s ome time after our hotspring experience at Radium Kagaya Taipei. The museum is very informative with interactive design. Plus, it is free!
Address: No. 2, Zhongshan Road, Beitou District, Taipei City, 112, Taiwan
Beitou Thermal Valley (Hell Valley)
Then, take a walk along Beitou Thermal Valley Also known as "Hell Valley," . This geothermal area features hot springs, steam vents, and colorful mineral deposits, providing a unique and otherworldly natural landscape.
Have dinner at Japanese Restaurant Mitsui Japanese Restaurant
In the evening, we return back to Taipei and visited Mitsui . It is an elegant Japanese restaurant with modern design and cozy ambience. We ordered the don and it was a highlight, with slices of the freshest fish that practically melted in my mouth.
Address No. 34號, Nong'an St, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 10491Daily opening: 11:30 am–2 pm 5:30–9:20 pm
Plus, if you are thinking where to spend your amex oversea credit, you can use it here!
Day 6:
Morning Market at Dongmen Market
Spend the morning at Dongmen Market. It was very crowded when we were there! You can find local buying fresh groceries, making a great spot to experience daily life in the city. We bought fruits before heading back home!
Love this trip to Taiwan! It is truly a food haven! Plus, the places we visited was great too! There are so many things and places to go to! 6 Days is not enough for taiwan! We barely covered Taipei City! Below are some of the other attractions to consider if you are visiting Taipei! One of my favourite is Jiufen! Didnt visit Jiufen this round because i wanted to explore other places! Hope this help!
Other attraction to visit for first-timer
Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall
This grand memorial is dedicated to Dr. Sun Yat-sen, a founding father of the Republic of China. The hall features an impressive statue of Sun Yat-sen, beautiful gardens, and an exhibition hall showcasing his life and achievements.
Address: No. 505, Section 4, Ren'ai Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City, 110, Taiwan
National Palace Museum
The National Palace Museum is home to an immense collection of Chinese art and historical treasures. Visitors can explore ancient artifacts, ceramics, calligraphy, and famous items like the Jadeite Cabbage and Meat-shaped Stone.
Address: No. 221, Sec 2, Zhishan Road, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111, Taiwan
Other day trips from Taipei
Jiu Fen, Shi Fen and Yehliu Geopark
Hire a private car and explore the narrow streets and vibrant atmosphere of Jiufen, Shifen and Yeliu! Jiufen, a historic mountain town. Then, head to Shifen to release sky lanterns, stroll along the railway tracks, and visit the impressive Shifen Waterfall.Combine a visit to Yehliu Geopark, known for its unique rock formations, with a trip to Jiufen for a perfect mix of natural wonders and cultural exploration.
Yangmingshan National Park:
A quick escape into nature, Yangmingshan offers hot springs, hiking trails, and volcanic landscapes. Don't miss the iconic Xiaoyoukeng, known for its sulfur vents. Also, do visit Yangming Park Visitor Center to learn more about the park's ecology and history!
Tamsui Fisherman's Wharf and Old Street:
Experience the coastal charm of Tamsui, visit Fisherman's Wharf for sunset views, and explore the lively Tamsui Old Street with its abundance of local snacks. Do not forget to visit the 100 year old pastries shop in Tamsui!
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