Taiwan is the best kept secret in Asia, and is a great destination to travel. But if you come to Taipei on a business trip or layover, what are the best things to see and do in the city with limited time?
Below we have laid out what we feel are the best one day itineraries in Taipei for those coming to Taiwan for the first time. in Taipei? Before we get started, below is a map of the places mentioned in this blog: The Perfect One Day Tour:
Alternatives:
The Perfect One Day Tour of Taipei: 1. The Taipei 101 （臺北101） 
The Taipei 101 (aka Taipei World Financial Center) is the tallest building in Taiwan, standing at a height of 509 meters. It was the highest building in the world from 2004 to 2010, and is now the 10th highest building in the world as of 2019. It stands as an icon and symbol of Taiwan's economic prosperity, and may be the most recognizable building in Taiwan. It also features an observatory on the 89th floor with some of the best views of Taipei...(read more)
Hours: The Taipei 101 Observatory is open every day from 9 AM to 10 PM. When to go: In my opinion the best time to go is on a sunny morning just after it has rained so that there is no haze in the air. Price: 88, 89, and 91, observatory floors: 600 NT (20 USD) per person. 101st floor observation deck (in addition to 88, 89, and 91 floors): 3000 NT (100 USD) per person Discount tickets can be found online. How to get there: Take the MRT red line to the Taipei 101/World Trade Center station. See below for a map: 2. National Palace Museum 國立故宮博物館 
The National Palace Museum (aka NPM) in Taiwan has one of the largest collections of Chinese artifacts in the world, and perhaps the finest collection of Chinese art in the world. The museum is open year round and offers tours in many different languages. It is a must see spot for any foreign tourist visiting Taiwan...(read more)
Hours: 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM every day (open till 9:00 PM on Friday and Saturday). Price: 350 NT per person. How to get there: By MRT/Bus: Take the MRT to Shilin Station on the red line and then take any number of busses By car/scooter: From central Taipei I recommend driving there via the Ziqiang tunnel in Neihu/Dazhi which goes through the mountain straight to the museum. There is free scooter parking to the right of the entrance and paid car parking across the street. 3. Shilin Night Market 士林夜市 
Shilin Night Market (aka Shihlin Night Market) is the largest night market in Taipei and also one of the most popular. Full of delicious street food, small hole in the wall restaurants, souvenirs, and clothes, it is a great destination to experience Taiwan's night market culture.
Hours: Around 4 PM until 12 Midnight, every day. Price: Free! But don't you dare come with an empty wallet. How to get there: By MRT: Take the Red Line to Jiantan Station and then take exit 1 north out of the station. The night market is right across the road. By Scooter: Take Zhongshan North Road out of Taipei and wind around Yuanshan Hotel into Shilin. You can park on the right side of the road next to Jiantan Station. By Car: Take Zhongshan North Road out of Taipei and wind around Yuanshan Hotel into Shilin. There are many parking garages around the night market. Alternatives to the perfect one day tour: The three places mentioned above should take you most of the day to visit. However if you have more time or do not want to visit the locations above, you can consider visiting the following places instead. Liberty Square (CKS Memorial Hall) 自由廣場 (中正紀念堂) 
If you don't want to spend all day at the National Palace Museum but still want to learn about Taiwan's history, you should visit Liberty Square (AKA Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall). It is one of the most notable landmarks in Taipei, as well as symbol and gathering place of freedom and democracy. featuring a large public square, Chiang Kai-Shek memorial, opera houses, and gardens. It is officially a monument to the Generalissimo and President of the Republic of China, Chiang Kai-shek. It's iconic scenery and architecture are a must visit for anyone travelling in Taipei...(read more).
Hours: Every day 9AM to 6PM. Price: Free admission. How to get there: By MRT: Take either the green line or red line to Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall station. By Car/scooter: Take either Aiguo Raod, Xinyi Road, or Renai Raod to western Taipei and you should see it. There is paid car parking underneath the opera houses but free scooter parking on the street. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall 國立國父紀念館 
If visiting the former dictator at CKS memorial hall is not your thing, you can still visit Taiwan's National Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (literally National Founding Father Memorial Hall) sits in northern Xinyi District of Taipei, and includes a large open square and gardens. The inside of the memorial hall commemorates the life of the founding father of the Republic of China, Sun Yat-sen, who is revered on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. In addition the memorial hall has a performance hall, free rotating art exhibitions, and changing of the guard every hour. It is definitely a sight worth seeing on your trip to Taipei...(read more)
Hours: 9 AM to 6 PM. Price: Free How to get there: By MRT: Take the Blue line MRT to Dr. Sun Yat-sen memorial Hall Station and get off at exit 3 or 4. By car/scooter: Drive east of Zhongxiao East Road in Taipei and turn right on Guangfu South Road. There is a parking lot to the northwest that offers free scooter parking and paid car parking, Elephant Mountain Trail 象山步道 
The Elephant Mountain trail (aka Xiangshan Trail) is perhaps the most easily accessible trail in Taipei with perhaps also the best views of the city. This popular and easy hike covers areas of Xinyi and Nangang District, and offers excellent views of the 101 and the rest of downtown Taipei. It should be on the top of your list of places to visit in Taipei...(read more)
Hours: 24/7 (there are even lights on the trail at night) Price: Free Length: Elephant Mountain: 1-2 hours 1.5 KM one way Total of about 160 meters in elevation gain Full Four Beasts Trail: 4-6 hours 11KM one way (to China University of Science and Technology) Total of about 350 meters in elevation gain Difficulty: Easy, although there are many steep steps at the beginning. How to get there: By MRT: Take the Red Line MRT to the Xiangshan stop. The trail head is about 500 meters from the MRT station. Just walk along the park to the trail head. By Scooter/Car: Drive east on Xinyi Raod in Taipei, and turn right at Xiangshan MRT station. There should be scooter and car parking on the street, but car parking may be hard to find. Taipei Zoo 臺北市立動物園 
The Taipei Zoo is not only the largest and most varied zoo in Taiwan, it is also one of the best zoos in Asia, and at the same time has an extremely affordable price of only 60 NT per adult. If you have time you should definitely stop by and visit this zoo, if not for anything else but to see Taiwan's ingenious animals like the Formosan Black Bear and Sika Deer which are hard to see in the wild...(read more)
Hours: 9 AM to 5 PM, tickets are not sold after 4:00 PM. Sometimes in the summer twilight hours are extended to 9:00 PM, but it's not worth going as most all of the animal exhibits are closed after 5:00 PM. Price: 60 NT per person How to get there: By MRT: Take the brown line MRT to the Taipei Zoo station, then walk north a few hundred meters until you reach the zoo entrance. By Car/Scooter: Drive to the Taipei Zoo (via highway 3 or county road 106), and park somewhere on the street or in a parking lot, then walk to the zoo entrance. Maokong Gondola 貓空纜車 
Maokong is only one of a few Gondolas in Taiwan, but it is the most accessible. You can get there via the Taipei MRT. After embarking on the Gondola, you can view grand vistas of Southern Taipei, and then explore the mountainous streets of Maokong, which has tea shops, street food, restaurants, temples, hiking trails, and great views...(read more).
Hours: 9 AM to 9 PM Price: 120 NT per person one way from Taipei Zoo Station to Maokong Station. How to get there: By MRT: Take the brown line MRT to the Taipei Zoo station, then walk south a few hundred meters until you reach the gondola station on the east side of the main road. By Car/Scooter: Drive to the Taipei Zoo, and park somewhere on the street or in a parking lot, the walk to the Gondola Station. (You can also take the Gondola from the southern station inside the Zoo or from Zhinan Temple) Raohe Street Night Market 饒河街夜市 
Raohe Street Night Market is a bustling night market in Eastern Taipei, and one of the most popular in the city. One could argue that Roahe street is the best night market in Taipei. With a large assortment of great food and snacks, along with the usual night market cheap clothes and everyday items, along with a close proximity to public transport, Raohe street is a must see destination when you come to Taipei.
Price: Free! But don't you dare come with an empty wallet. Hours: 4 PM to 12 AM How to get there: By MRT: Take the MRT green line to Songshan station (the last station), and get out at exit 2, 3, or 4, and continue walking north for about 1 minute to Raohe street. By Car or Scooter: Don't take a car. But if you do, there is a parking garage on Bade street. There is scooter parking next to Songshan elementary school and on Songhe street in front of Rainbow bridge. Do not park on areas with a red line; this place is a hot spot for parking tickets, so beware. Tonghua (Linjiang) Street Night Market 通化(臨江)街夜市 
Tonghua Street Night Market (aka Linjiang Street Night Market) is a large night market in Da'an District of Taipei City. It's not as touristy as other night markets in Taipei, and you can find almost anything to eat here, along with cheap clothes and accessories. If you want to experience an authentic night market experience while in Taipei, Tonghua is the place to go...(read more)
Price: Free! But don't you dare come with an empty wallet. Hours: Roughly 6:00 PM to Midnight. How to get there: By MRT: Take the red line to Xinyi Anhe Station, then get off at exit 3, then take a left down Toinghua Street for four blocks until you reach Linjiang Street, the entrance to the night market. By car/scooter: Go East on Xinyi Road and then turn right on Tonghua Street until you come to Linjiang Street. There is some scooter parking on Tonghua Street and in the alleys, but for a car you need to park in a nearby parking lot or garage. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more of our guides to Taipei and Taiwan!
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Author 作家We are US Expats that have extensive experience living, working, and travelling in Taiwan. In our day, we had to learn many things about Taiwan the hard way. But we have come to learn that Taiwan is one of the best places in the world for Foreigners to live. Our blog does not represent the opinions of every foreigner in Taiwan. We are just trying to help others learn more about this beautiful country. Archives 檔案
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