48 hours in Taipei is like a food & drinks tasting session, it’s super fun and you want to come back for more.
This guide is perfect if you don’t have time to prepare for a short trip to the capital of Taiwan. As usual you can find a super short summary at the bottom.
In my previous posts you could read a trick to fly for cheap in business class from Dubai to Taipei on Malaysia Airlines, Emirates and Air Asia Flatbeds, so getting to Taiwan was quite enjoyable 😛
Survive a Hike on Elephant Mountain for the Best Sunset Sights of Taipei 101
To get a memorable sunset with Taipei 101 in the background I decided to hike up elephant mountain.
I started from Taipei 101 and walked about 15 min to the start of the hiking trail. Then it’s only a 15 – 20 min hike, all stairs but you don’t need to be an athlete to reach to top.
Well, I think the picture says enough, take a moment to breath while the sun sets and the city lights start to twinkle.
Be brave and have some stinky tofu on the night market
I was lucky again, my hotel was only 5 minutes from Raohe Night Market. Patty, a friendly local, guided me and I think she had a lot of fun convincing me to try stinky tofu 😀 The name does not predict a lot of good stuff. I have to be honest, I did not like the smell of it, the taste of the fermented tofu was ok but not that I would voluntary pick it from the menu again. But hey that’s just my opinion!
We continued our way on the market and tried some other snacks like the bbq chicken sausages and squid. If you are a foodie then you just landed in heaven.
And even if you don’t want to eat street food, it’s still worth to explore the night markets. You will love the atmosphere
Enjoy Soup Dumplings in the Original Din Tai Fung
If dumplings is your thing then you can’t miss the original Din Tai Fung in the Taipei 101 building.
This Taiwanese restaurant can be found in other countries. We even have a Din Tai Fung in Mall Of The Emirates in Dubai but they don’t serve pork. So I took advantage and ordered all pork dishes 🙂
Mark Wiens from migrationology is the best person to explain you all this goodness. Drool alert, take a tissue.
Prepare Your Senses for the Funky District Ximending
Stores full of cute stuff, unusual restaurants, screaming anime ads and a stream of people making their way in this buzzing area.
Just wander around and enter some random stores and slurp noodles with cute decoration from a toilet. It’s all possible in Ximending.
And Then I Paid To Eat From a Toilet
The modern toilet restaurant in Taipei gives you the chance to sit on a toilet while you are eating from a toilet. And I am not joking here!
To top it all off you will be treated with poo shaped ice cream. If you like quirky things then this is a fun experiences 😀
Drinks With a View @ W
Spending the night in W Taipei was above my budget but on most of my trips I pass by to have a cocktail in a futuristic setting.
The epic view is included for free 😉
Getting From TPE (Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport) To Taipei City
The best option is to take the train from the airport that connects directly to the Taipei metro system. It opened in 2017 and only costs NT$160 which is about 5 USD. All the details and other options have been nicely captured by sit down disco travel.
If you are more an Uber kind of person and don’t have an account yet you can sign up here and get a nice discount on your first ride 😉
Pick a hotel close to the Metro / MRT
Wherever you plan to stay, always check if your hotel, hostel or airbnb is within walking distance of the metro. Actually this is true for almost any big city. You can save a lot of money by staying a bit out of the city centre while still being well connected by public transport.
If you like affordable luxury targeted to a young audience then I can recommend Amba. I wrote a full review about Amba Songshan and even made a short movie.
Summary – The essential itinerary for Taipei
If you don’t have time to read the whole post then just write down this itinerary 😉
- Take the metro to Taipei 101 station and explore the building or go up
- Try the orignial Din Tai Fung in the Taipei 101 building
- Walk 10 minutes from Taipei 101 to the Elephant mountain for the best views
- Take the metro to Ximen station and explore the Ximending area
- In Ximending you can eat in the modern toilet restaurant
- Take the metro to Songshan station and explore the Raohe night market
I had a wonderful time in Taipei, let me know if you are planning to go! And if you have any questions, post them in the comments, I will be more than happy to help 🙂