Taipei
Shilin is the giant of Taipei's night-market galaxy — a maze of grilled squid, giant fried chicken cutlets and the pungent glory of stinky tofu, which smells like a dare and eats like a triumph.
- Best forFoodies · Nightlife · Solo travellers
- In February20°C · 14 rainy days
- Ideal stay3–4 nights
- Approx. flying time~13h 35m from Los Angeles
- CurrencyTWDNew Taiwan dollar
- LanguageMandarin
- Local time18:167h ahead of the UK
- PlugsType A / BBring an adapter
- Drive on theRightOpposite to the UK
- Dialling code+886
Why go
This is a night city. Markets open as the heat drops and the eating runs from grilled squid and pepper-pork buns to beef noodle soup and mountains of shaved ice. Beyond the food there are hot springs at Beitou, tea houses in the hills at Maokong, and mountains close enough to climb before breakfast. The metro is fast, cheap and spotless, which makes working through all of it straightforward.
Four nights is comfortable and leaves room for a day trip to Jiufen or the north coast. October and November bring the kindest weather; summer is hot, humid and in typhoon season, while winters are mild but damp. Taiwan is notably easy for solo travellers and late-night wandering, and English is common enough on transport, if not always at a market stall at midnight.
- Ideal stay
- 3–4 nights
- The vibe
- Late-night, steamy, easy-going
From our guides
Skip the sanitised underground food court and stay at street level where the theatre is. If the crowds grind you down, Raohe market by Songshan station is smaller, better-lit and home to a legendary pepper-pork bun.
Featured in Ten cities where the night market is the main event
Things to do
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Shilin night market
The largest of the night markets, a sprawl of grilled squid, fried chicken cutlets and stinky tofu. Stay at street level, where the theatre is, rather than the basement food court.
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Raohe Street market
Smaller, better lit and easier to navigate than Shilin, with a famous pepper-pork bun stall at the entrance and a temple at one end. Reached by the green line.
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Taipei 101 observatory
Once the world's tallest building, with a high-speed lift and a giant tuned mass damper visible near the top. Clear evenings are worth the ticket.
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Beitou hot springs
A thermal valley within the city, reached on a metro branch line, with public baths, steaming sulphur streams and a hot spring museum in a former bathhouse.
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Elephant Mountain at sunset
A twenty-minute stair climb from the metro to rock platforms facing Taipei 101. Crowded at golden hour and still the best view in the city.
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Jiufen day trip
A former mining town on a hillside north-east of the city, with narrow stepped lanes, tea houses and red lanterns. Go on a weekday and stay past the coach parties.
Getting there
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Fly to
Taoyuan (TPE)
Nearest airport to Taipei, about 34km away as the crow flies.
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Then
To Taipei
Songshan (TSA) is barely 15 minutes from the centre on the brown metro line, but most international flights land at Taoyuan (TPE), about 40 minutes away on the airport MRT.
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On the ground
Getting around
The metro is fast, spotless and reaches every night market, with one EasyCard covering buses and the city bikes too. Shilin and Raohe both sit beside stations.
Public transport: Outstanding and very cheap, running until around midnight.
Flights
Los Angeles Taipei, Taiwan
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Roughly 13h 35m in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.
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When to go
Daytime highs run from about 18°C in January to 32°C in July. Driest January to April; wettest in August, with rain on about 22 days.
The year at a glance — pick a month for detail
February20° · rain 14 daysMild and often wet.
Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis). Live conditions from MET Norway, CC BY 4.0.
Where to stay
Business hotels and a large budget tier, plus hostels and a growing number of small design hotels. Rooms are compact, and many places include a simple breakfast.
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Best base overall
Zhongshan
Between the main station and the nightlife, on two metro lines, with a good spread of mid-range hotels and the airport train close by. Walkable to Ningxia night market for supper.
Find stays in Zhongshan -
Closest to the sights
Shilin
Beside the biggest night market and a short ride from the palace museum, with cheaper hotels and a residential feel. Half an hour from the centre on the red line.
Find stays in Shilin -
Best value
Ximending
The pedestrianised youth quarter, with the cheapest rooms in a central location and a street-food scene that runs late. Crowded, neon and not remotely restful.
Find stays in Ximending -
Best with children
Da'an
A leafy district around the big park and the university, with quieter hotels, family apartments and the Yongkang Street restaurants. Well connected and the most liveable part of town.
Find stays in Da'an
Worth knowing before you book: Chinese New Year closes many restaurants and night-market stalls for several days, and the typhoon months from July to September can disrupt flights.
Search everything else in Taipei by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.
Good to know
- Cash or card
- Night markets and small stalls are cash only. Get an EasyCard for the metro, buses and convenience stores, which are on every corner.
- Metro rules
- Eating and drinking are banned throughout the metro system, including on platforms, and enforced with fines. Finish the bubble tea before you go through the gates.
- Timing
- Typhoon season runs roughly July to October. Autumn after the storms and early spring give the most comfortable weather.
- Getting there
- Taoyuan airport is linked to the main station by a metro line taking around forty minutes on the express service.
- Stinky tofu
- It smells far worse than it tastes. Start with the deep-fried version at a busy stall rather than the fermented braised one.
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Quick answers
When is the best time to visit Taipei?
Daytime highs run from about 18°C in January to 32°C in July. Driest January to April; wettest in August, with rain on about 22 days.
How long should I spend in Taipei?
Our suggestion: 3–4 nights.
How do I get to Taipei?
Songshan (TSA) is barely 15 minutes from the centre on the brown metro line, but most international flights land at Taoyuan (TPE), about 40 minutes away on the airport MRT.
Do I need a car in Taipei?
No. Outstanding and very cheap, running until around midnight.
What currency and language are used in Taipei?
Currency: New Taiwan dollar (TWD). Language: Mandarin. Plugs: type A and B.
Who is Taipei best for?
Best for foodies, nightlife and solo travellers. In a phrase: late-night, steamy, easy-going.