The Taipei 101 (aka Taipei World Financial Center) is the tallest building in Taiwan, standing at a height of 509 meters. It was the tallest building in the world from 2004 to 2010 and is now the 11th tallest building in the world as of 2023. It stands as an icon and symbol of Taiwan's economic prosperity and may be the most recognizable building in Taiwan. It also features observatories on the 89th, 91st, and 101st floors with some of the best views of Taipei.
Taipei 101 Q + A: What is the Taipei 101? It was the tallest building in the world from 2004-2010, with 101 floors above ground (hence the name 101) and 5 floors below ground. It was designed by C.Y. Lee & Partners, and also had the fastest elevator in the world until 2016. It is an icon of Taiwan technological advancement. How was Taipei 101 built? The Taipei 101 was built in a period of 5 years from 1999-2004. The Taipei 101 is reinforced by concrete piles driven 80 meters below the ground and 30 meters into bedrock. In addition, it is made of high-strength reinforced steel and flexible materials. It was designed by C.Y. Lee & Partners and also had the fastest elevator in the world until 2016. How much did the Taipei 101 cost? NT$ 58 billion (US$1.934 billion) How is the Taipei 101 earthquake proof? How does the Taipei 101 withstand earthquakes? The Taipei 101 is reinforced by concrete piles driven 80 meters below the ground and 30 meters into bedrock. In addition, it is made of high-strength reinforced steel and flexible materials. How does the Taipei 101 damper work? The damper works by offsetting strong wind gusts, absorbing the forces, and turning them into kinetic energy, moving the damper. How much does the Taipei 101 sway? The most that the Taipei 101 damper has ever swayed was during Typhoon Soudelor, swaying 100 centimeters (39 in). See below for a video! 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. You can book a discount ticket on TripAdvisor here, Klook here, or KKday here. 101st-floor "Skyline 460" observation deck (in addition to 88, 89, and 91 floors): 3000 NT (100 USD) per person. You can book a discount ticket on Klook here. You can book tours to the Taipei 101 such as 101 Top Floor Tour and Dinner at Din Tai Fung, Taipei 101 Observation Deck activity, or Din Tai Fung and Hot Spring Experience on TripAdvisor here or Klook here. Hotels in Taipei: High end: We have stayed at and recommend the Yuanshan Grand Hotel, once the tallest building in Taiwan and still the most grand (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, or Agoda here). We have also stayed at and recommend the Grand Hyatt (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, or Hotels.com here), Marriot (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, or Hotels.com here), Sheraton (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, or Hotels.com here), Shangri-la (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, or Hotels.com here), and Regent (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, or Hotels.com here), which are all very high quality hotels in the middle of Taipei City. We also recommend Fullon Hotel which has locations in Tamsui and Fulong near the beach (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, or Hotels.com here). Budget Hotels: We have also stayed at and recommend Fu Chang Hotel in Ximending, which is within walking distance of Ximending shopping district (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, or Agoda here). We have also stayed at and recommend Hai Xia Your Home which is right in front of Fulong Beach (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, or Hotels.com here). Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Booking.com here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan. Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here. Just to let you know, if you book using the links above, we get some commission at no cost to you, and you can help support our blog. Some of the Klook links may not work if you are using an Ad blocker. You can click here to receive $5 USD on your first Klook purchase. How to get there: Take the MRT red line to the Taipei 101/World Trade Center station. There is limited paid parking nearby. By MRT: (Mass Rapid Transit, Metro train, subway) – Easily gets you around Taipei and Kaohsiung. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook here. By Taxi: You can take short rides for about 150 NT, or hire a Taxi for a day for around 150 USD. By Car: If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. By Scooter: Looking for scooter rental in Taipei? You can search on Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can use Taiwan's many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a Sunset Riverside Bike Ride and Historical Tour, 4 Hour Cycling in Taipei, Ultimate 8-Hour Cycling City Tour, or Taipei City Bike Tour with Night Market Experience on TripAdvisor here. For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here. Map: Our Journey: 
I have been to the top of the Taipei 101 only once. Why? Because there are lots of other things to see and do in Taipei, that and it's a steep 600 NT per person to get to the top. But if you come to Taipei only once, going to the 101 as part of the trip is definitely a good idea.
Around the 101 are usually tons of people (most of them tourists), taking photos with the "LOVE" statue or with the 101 in the background.
Also there are tons of activists trying to educate tourists of Mainland China of how bad communism is and how much the communist government has been hiding from its own people.
Food Court 美食區 
Below the 101 is a huge mall and food court, with Dingtaifung (one of Taiwan's most famous authentic dumpling chains) and 100 other restaurants, so you will be sure to find some delicious food there.
Huge lines of people coming in and out of Dingtaifung.
Outlets 購物廣場 
The ceiling inside the outlet mall in the Taipei 101. On the upper floors of the 101 basement you can find tons of outlets. They are not really my thing, but every major international brand has an outlet in the 101. If you are a tourist you can probably get a tax refund on what you buy.
Getting to the observatory elevator is not straightforward; you have to walk past every brand name for leather bags and perfume ever invented.
Observatory 觀景台 
Right up the escalator to the right of TWG you will find the entrance to the observatory.
Once you get to the observatory elevator, you can buy tickets, even though they are sold cheaper if you buy them online. The ticket price has gone from 500 NT to 600 NT in the past two years.
Tickets: 88, 89, and 91, observatory floors: 600 NT (20 USD) per person. You can book a discount ticket on TripAdvisor here, Klook here, or KKday here. 101st-floor "Skyline 460" observation deck (in addition to 88, 89, and 91 floors): 3000 NT (100 USD) per person. You can book a discount ticket on Klook here. You can book tours to the Taipei 101 such as 101 Top Floor Tour and Dinner at Din Tai Fung, Taipei 101 Observation Deck activity, or Din Tai Fung and Hot Spring Experience on TripAdvisor here or Klook here. 
Once at the top of the observatory, you can see amazing views of Taipei if the weather is nice. To the north, you can see Yangmingshan and the Keelung River, as well as the orange roofedSun-Yat Sen memorial and the rest of the Taipei skyline.
To the East you can see Xinyi, Nangang and the mountains of New Taipei.
To the South you Can see Wenshan District and central New Taipei.
Last view of the screen downstairs.
High Speed Elevator 高速電梯 
This is a model of the high speed elevator, which reaches 60 kph and the whole ride takes 37 seconds to the 89th floor.
The elevator was the fastest in the world from 2004-2015, and now is the #3 fastest elevator in the world behind Shanghai Tower and CTF finance center.
Once is the elevator, you can see where you are in the building going up on this display.
I took a video of the ride going up above.
89th Floor Observation Deck 89樓觀景台 
First view of the 89th Floor Observation Deck. This whole floor is full of big windows, meant for you to take in the view.
View looking south toward the Grand Hyatt Hotel.
View looking West toward Xinyi and Songshan Districts.
You can check out a video I made of an airplane taking off at Songshan Airport above.
Looking North toward Nangang District and Nanshan Plaza building.
Another view north of Nangang and the Fubon building.
The Apple store from above looks like a big iPad.
There are also these big metal ornaments on the side of the building that represent good luck.
There are also tables and a child play area here too.
You can book a 101 Observation Deck activity for your kids onKlook here. 
There is also a coffee shop here that sells Taipei-shaped waffles.
Typical old-style apartment buildings in Xinyi District.
The Sun Yat-sen Memorial building nearby.
View of hikers on the Elephant Mountain lookout, which has one of the best views of the 101.
View of the Yuanshan Grand Hotel through the haze.
View of the sunset from the 101 tower.
Looking down at traffic on Xinyi Road.
Check out our video above of the traffic on Xinyi Road.
Rush hour traffic on Civic Boulevard.
View of the Nanshan Plaza at night.
View looking east at Xinyi District and Elephant Mountain.
See our video of fog rolling in past the 101 above.
View looking west at Neihu and the Miramar Ferris Wheel.
Inside there are places to sit as well as these glow bunny chairs.
More places to relax here.
Another view of Xinyi Road at night.
Night view of Xinyi and Da'an Districts.
There is also a cool firework LED board on the floor that will keep kids entertained for hours.
There are many many more photos in the gallery above if you want to see more views of Taipei that I took from the 89th floor.
Damper 阻尼器 
Another major sight is the Taipei 101's damper, which is a marvel of engineering that protects the 101 against Typhoons and earthquakes. The damper works by offsetting strong wind gusts, absorbing the forces and turning them into kinetic energy, moving the damper.
View of the hydraulic pumps below the damper.
The most that the Taipei 101 damper has ever swayed was during Typhoon Soudelor, swaying 100 centimeters (39 in), see above for the video!
91st Floor Observatory Deck 91樓觀景台 
The observatory ticket also includes a trip to the 91st floor open-air observatory.
The views only face south but they are still amazing.
We saw the top of the 101 become inundated with fog.
See the fog roll over the 101 in the video above.
Display of the Taipei 101's fireworks which go off every year on New Year's Eve.
Mini model of the 101.
Mind-numbing view looking down 101 flights of stairs.
101st Floor "Skyline 460" Observatory Deck 101樓觀景台 
The most intense experience and best way to experience Taipei 101 is to go to the very top floor observation deck. Once at the top, you wear a harness and are roped onto the safety railings. The ticket also includes entrance to the 88-91st floors.
Tickets: 101st-floor "Skyline 460" observation deck (in addition to 88, 89, and 91 floors): 3000 NT (100 USD) per person. You can book a discount ticket on Klook here. You can book tours to the Taipei 101 such as 101 Top Floor Tour and Dinner at Din Tai Fung, Taipei 101 Observation Deck activity, or Din Tai Fung and Hot Spring Experience on TripAdvisor here or Klook here. 
Starting in 2019, you can now go to the 101st floor to view the surrounding area for 3000 NT (100 USD) per person. This is an outdoor platform previously not open to the public. It involves being roped up so that you do not fall off.
You can see a video of the elevator going down above.
After you are done, you can of course go check out the shopping mall below.
You can also enjoy the amazing architecture here.
Once you have seen everything, it's time to go back down the elevator and past the red coral shops and all the other fancy outlets.
Tallest Starbucks (and 7-11) in the World 全球最高的星巴克
You can also have coffee at what is possibly the tallest Starbucks in the world on the 35th floor. Due to demand, you need to book far in advance in order to have a drink there.
Fountain Display 噴泉 
Also, don't forget to see the fountain display outside that plays every day after 12:00, every 2 hours, ten minutes at a time (12:00, 2:00, 4:00, etc.). On the weekend, there is a light display as well at 6 PM and 8 PM.
Again, the best time to go is on a sunny day right after it has rained so there is no haze.
You will also notice that the 101 has many Chinese elements. It is meant to resemble a stalk of bamboo, and it has a Chinese coin (circle with a square in it) on four sides, meaning good luck and prosperity. The building is also made to conform to the rules of Fengshui.
'The Taipei 101 is old; it's already 15 at the time this blog is written. Right next to it is the brand new Nanshan Plaza, which also has food courts and outlets, and is the new happening place for teenagers and businessmen who want the latest and greatest office space.
More Views of the Taipei 101 最好的風景: 
Here is a full vertical view of the tower.
EVA air flight over the Taipei 101 as seen from Bishanyan Temple in Neihu.
The Taipei 101 shining through the evening fog.
View of the Taipei 101 from an abandoned lot in Xinyi District.
Reflection of the Taipei 101 at the Sun Yat-sen memorial as part of Taipei City’s lantern festival.
The Taipei 101 enshrouded in clouds.
The full moon shining behind the Taipei 101 on Lantern Festival evening.
First morning light hitting the Taipei 101.
Every time I see a stock photo of Taipei shot from Elephant Mountain, a little part of me dies inside because Taipei has so many other beautiful viewpoints and vistas. If you are looking for stock photos of Taipei, consider going to one of the following locations to take a less cliché photo...(read more)
Check out our list of the best views of Taipei here. Four Four South Village 四四南村 
Right across the street is Four Four South Village (aka Forty-Four South Village), a former military dependents village that has been converted into a cultural park in Xinyi District of Taipei City. Now it is home to cafes, arts and crafts stores, bookstores, and a community center. Also, it has great views of the Taipei 101. It is worth visiting if you are in the area...(read more)
Check out our full guide to 44 South Villagehere. You can also book a tour of 44 south village on TripAdvisor here. Taipei 101 Tickets: 88, 89, and 91, observatory floors: 600 NT (20 USD) per person. You can book a discount ticket on TripAdvisor here, Klook here, or KKday here. 101st-floor "Skyline 460" observation deck (in addition to 88, 89, and 91 floors): 3000 NT (100 USD) per person. You can book a discount ticket on Klook here. You can book tours to the Taipei 101 such as 101 Top Floor Tour and Dinner at Din Tai Fung, Taipei 101 Observation Deck activity, or Din Tai Fung and Hot Spring Experience on TripAdvisor here or Klook here. You can check out our full travel guide to Taipei here. You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here.
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Author 作家I am an American expat who has extensive experience living, working, and traveling in Taiwan. In my day, I had to learn many things about Taiwan the hard way. But I have come to learn that Taiwan is one of the best places in the world for Foreigners to live. This blog does not represent the opinions of every foreigner in Taiwan. I am just trying to help others learn more about this beautiful country. Categories
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