Taiwan has finally opened up to the rest of the world and I couldn’t wait to head back to all the night markets and try out all their foods!
As of 24 March 2023, we did not have to have to apply for any visa, nor print any vaccination certifications. It was as per pre covid.
THE TRIP
Day 1: FuHang Soy Milk, National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Hang Zhou Xiao Long Bao (Da’an), Ri Xing Type Foundry, Sunway Siokudo, Nan Ji Chang Night Market
Arrival in Taoyuan Airport around 5:40am. It took us 1.5 hours to clear customs and another 1 hour to get to Taipei Main Station.
Note: look out for the Taipei Express Train instead of the normal one that stops at every stop. We boarded the wrong one and had to alight at a later stop (Chang Gung Memorial Hospital) to board the Express train to Taipei Main Station.
We stayed at Roaders Hotel. Whose staff are so friendly. The amenities were pretty awesome and you can read all about the review here.
Tip: Check with your hotel or Airbnb about an early check-in/ checkout or an alternative to leave your luggage early/ later at the hotel so you can start exploring the city right away. The receptionist kindly took our luggage and set it aside, giving us a card that we could use to claim our luggage later for check-in.
Breakfast was spent queuing up for Fu Hang Soy Milk. Just beware that you might have to queue quite a bit.
Once we reached around 9:30 am, we already saw a queue that was snaking the building. If you see a queue, just join it, chances are, it is the queue to buy Fuhang’s Soy Milk. We queue for around 30 minutes before getting our food.
Address: Fuhang Soy Milk 100, Taiwan, Taipei City, Zhongzheng District, Section 1, Zhongxiao E Rd, 108號2樓
We took a bus afterward.
Tip: remember to spam the bus stop light as our bus totally missed our stop. Also, hang on tight as the bus drivers drive pretty quickly.
The second stop of the day: Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
This place was the heart of Taipei and it’s so picturesque. The white-tiled architecture was a beauty. The highlight of the place was the grand statue alongside some meaningful words engraved on the walls. It speaks of the meaning of life, its purpose, etc. highly recommend visiting!
Outside, you can see the plaza with the temple-like buildings.
Address: Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall 100, Taiwan, Taipei City, Zhongzheng District
You can also oversee Liberty Plaza, accompanied by The National Concert Hall and National Theatre.
Third Stop of the Day: Hangzhou Xiao Long Bao
We headed for lunch nearby. This was hands down some of the best Xiao along Baos that we had in a while. The soup for the XLB was rich and flavourful while the meat didn’t have the ‘fishy’ smell as some of the XLB we’ve had before in other restaurants. We ordered the Seafood XLB which was very fresh. although some of us preferred the original one, we do recommend trying both!
We also ordered their Suan La Tang which was more ‘Suan’ (Sour) than ‘La’ (Spicy). There’s a self-service station where you can help yourself to the condiments. The soup also comes with Duck Blood so if you’re not comfortable with trying that out, you can skip on this dish. We ordered the Har Gao whose prawns were very fresh.
Address: Hang Zhou Xiao Long Bao (Da’an) No. 19, Section 2, Hangzhou S Rd, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan 106
We ended up at Ri Xing Type Foundry which has been in business for a long time. There were rows and rows of every Chinese character that you can think of. I ended up with a stamp with my name and zodiac sign which cost me 400NTD. This would make a perfect little gift for those who love stationeries.
Address: Ri Xing Type Foundry No. 13號, Lane 97, Taiyuan Rd, Datong District, Taipei City, Taiwan 103
When we headed back to the train station, We shopped a little at Airspace, a local clothing store, there are many branches across Taiwan. While I didn’t manage to find something that I liked, my friends did! There were many other stores and huge shopping malls in the area so you can check those out if you’re keen on shopping!
Address: Air Space No. 5號, Lane 23, Nanjing W Rd, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 10491
We headed back to the hotel to rest before coming back out for dinner.
For dinner, we ended up at Sunway Siokudo around 7:30 pm, a short distance from our hotel.
We were seated by 8 pm and made our order. If you’re a big salmon lover, definitely head to this restaurant as they served some of the biggest portions of Salmon Belly and Unagi. Serve yourself an unlimited amount of miso soup to complement your food. We left the place feeling so full and satisfied.
Address: Sunway Siokudo No. 116, Section 2, Guiyang St, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 108
The final stop of the day was Nan Ji Chang Night Market. This was not the best night market that we visited on our trip here. We were too full from the restaurant so we didn’t have much here.
We got ourselves some yummy bubble tea from ‘Ying Jie Black Sugar Fresh Milk Tea’ 英姐黑糖珍珠鲜奶 and sweet potato balls from ‘Happy Sweet Potato Balls’ 快乐地瓜球 for dessert. Both are a must-try! Both the bubbles, as well as the sweet potato balled, were so delicious and chewy. We wandered around the night market before heading back to our Hotel to chill in the lounge.
Address: Nanjichang Night Market Lane 307, Section 2, Zhonghua Rd, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan 100
Tip: do save your stomach for the foods at the Night Market! We were so tempted by the cheap and delicious food but we couldn’t eat any more which was a pity.
Day 2: Ah Zong Mian Xian, XinKong Cha Restaurant, Du Ji Mian Guan, Linjiang Night Market – Yu Pin Yuan Iced and Hot Tangyuan and Golden Fried Chicken
This was a relatively chill day after an intense day that we had the previous day.
We went to Ximending (just opposite our hotel) for the famous Ah Zong Mee Sua. The queue was not too bad, queuing for about 10 minutes. We saw many people standing around the area to finish up on their mee sua before throwing it into the allocated bins just outside the shop. This was not the best Mee Sua that we’ve had and felt that it was a bit overrated. There weren’t that many ingredients that we thought would’ve been added. I supposed for the price it was alright. Been there, tried it.
Address: Ah Zong Mee Sua No. 8-1號, Emei St, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 108
Afterward. We headed to XinKong Cha Restaurant for some dim sum. We loved the dim sum place as foods like their Har Gao, Chee Cheong fun had some really fresh and delicious prawns. However, their XLB was not as nice as the ones that we had the day before. We sat there for hours as we refilled the pot of tea a few times while chatting. Their staff was really accommodating in letting us stay there for such a long time.
Address: XinKong Cha Restaurant 108, Taiwan, Taipei City, Wanhua District, Hanzhong St, 52號7樓
We later headed to do a bit of shopping around Ximending for some cosmetics products, the Taipei Main Station underground (there wasn’t much there except for lots of game stores), and Q Square.
We did try to do a bit of shopping at the mall with Lush since we had a bathtub in the hotel. But things are generally quite expensive at the departmental stores so we avoided a lot of it.
Finally, to end the night, we headed towards Linjiang Night Market.
We were hungry and cold so we ended up in the first shop 杜記麵館 that we saw that sold us some beef noodles, Lu Rou fan, dumplings, jiajiangmian.
Address: 杜記麵館 [’Du Ji Mian Guan’] No. 148號, Linjiang St, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan 106
After a filling meal, we headed into the night market. We tried their ji Dan Gao [Egg Cake], they came in so many shapes and were just adorable.
Address: 日本 剪刀式立體雞蛋糕 No. 89, Linjiang St, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan 106
There were two famous Michelin Stores which I wanted to try and they did not disappoint.
Yu Pin Yuan Iced and Hot Tangyuan had some of the best tang yuan that I’ve gotten. The peanut and sesame were ground finely and wrapped with their handmade dough. It was so chewy. This was accompanied by ginger-based soup. Don’t worry about the taste, it is so mild 糖水 [’tang shui’] with a slight ginger taste, not spicy at all!
Address: Yu Pin Yuan Iced and Hot Tangyuan No. 31, Alley 50, Lane 39, Tonghua St, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan 106
I also got the last batch of chicken from Golden Fried Chicken next door. Their chicken was so fresh and seasoned so well as they were done on a made-to-order basis. This is why if you are in a queue, it’ll take some time before you can get your hands on this delicious goodness. If you wanted a bit more spice, you can request it as well.
Address: Golden Fired Chicken [格登炸雞] 106, Taiwan, Taipei City, Da’an District, Alley 50, Lane 39, Tonghua St, 35號金興發巷內
These two are must try’s for sure when visiting Linjiang Night Market. They were situated at one of the smaller lanes, not the Main Street so you’ll need to take some time to find it.
Just opposite these stores, we tried the Oysters which were just as satisfying. Again, they were really fresh and my friends really enjoyed them.
Address: 海味烤生蠔 106, Taiwan, Taipei City, Da’an District, Linjiang St, 87-11號號
As we were heading out, we got tempted by the tanghulu, fruits coated with caramelized sugar. We got the grape one which was covered in a light piece of melted sugar. So if you have braces like me, you need not worry about not being about to break through the sugar. You’ll see this all around the night market.
We also bought some fruits which I’ve only seen in Taiwan and did a bit of clothes shopping.
Finally, we ended up also with a bag of peanuts which was grilled fresh at the entrance of the Night Market. They were so soft and mushy in their pods and tasted just like the ones served in Chinese restaurants! We got some beer later at night so this made a great snack to go with that!
We spent the rest of the night chilling in the lobby of the hotel.
Day 3: Mister Donut, Wuji Tianyuan Temple, Huada Milk Tea, YANGMINGSHAN, SHILIN NIGHT MARKET
We set off the day slightly earlier as we were going on a day trip to another part of Taipei. We took the train to Tamsui as we headed for Wuji Tianyuan temple to see the cherry blossoms.
We bought Mister Donuts from the Taipei Main Station to picnic there. While in Tamsui, we got 10NTD sushi. The whole journey took about 1.75 hours.
You aren’t allowed to bring food into the temple though so we ended up taking turns to hold our food before heading inside for some prayers. We ended up taking lots of photos and eating in the swing nearby. This was definitely one of the best places to view the cherry blossoms.
Note: The bus does not stop directly outside the temple, it would stop at the next stop and you’ll be required to walk backward. Simply walk through the first alley you see, you should see the signs leading you as you look inside the alley.
Address: Wuji Tianyuan Temple No. 36, Section 3, Beixin Rd, Tamsui District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 251
The next location that the girls headed to was Yangming Shan. You could see the cherry blossoms here as well. This place was less crowded than the temple. It was a favourite of the girls.
There was a mini shuttle bus 小九 S9 that took the girls up the mountain which was about a half-hour ride.
There were more flora and fauna in comparison with the temple. If you’re looking for something more outdoorsy and more ‘nature’ to see, this will be it. Along the way, there are also mini waterfalls that you can see. If you travel a bit further up the mountain, you’ll even see a lake filled with lily pods.
Address: Yangmingshan National Park Visitor Center No. 1-20號, Yangming Creek Walkway, Beitou District, Taipei City, Taiwan 112
I had some nice Huada Milk Tea at the train station. You can’t choose your sugar level and it also does not come with ice. It is very good.
The night ended at Shilin Night Market a few stations away and on the way back home. Shilin Night Market is one of the places to shop and eat. Although some of the food can get repetitive with the other night markets. We did prefer the food at Linjiang Night Market. However, for shopping, there are so many options here that you’ll be spoilt for choice!
Address: Shilin Night Market No. 101, Jihe Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, Taiwan 111
Day 4: JIU FEN
Day 4 is meant for a day trip to Jiu Fen. By this day, I was not able to walk about Taiwan anymore as I had a huge muscle strain.
Nevertheless, the plan was to head towards Jiu Fen, we would have taken a direct bus from nearby the hotel that took about 1 hour sans the jam to get there. It was pretty rainy when one of the girls got there so there isn’t much to explore. This would’ve been the itinerary on a good weathered day.
The A-MEI Tea House was one of the main highlights while in Jiu Fen where you can admire the view of the area while taking your time to enjoy a nice cup of tea.
Address: A-MEI Tea House 224, Taiwan, New Taipei City, Ruifang District, 市下巷20號
There was not a particular place that we wanted to visit in Jiu Fen and our plan had been to walk around the
Here are some places that we would have tried.
- Jin Zhi Red Yeast Meatball Dumpling (金枝紅槽肉圓) No. 63, Jishan Street, Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 224 (新北市瑞芳區九份基山街63號)
- Jiufen Ah Mu Buns (九份阿牧包子) No. 5, Shuqi Road, Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 224 (新北市瑞芳區豎崎路5號)
- Ah-Zhu Peanut Ice Cream Roll (阿珠雪在燒花生捲冰淇淋) No. 45, Jishan Street, Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 224 (新北市瑞芳區基山街45號)
- Jiufen Old Noodle Soup (九份老麵店) No. 45, Jishan Street, Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 224 (新北市瑞芳區九份基山街45號)
- Wu Di Taiwanese Sausage (無敵黑豬肉香腸) No. 85, Jishan Street, Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 224 (瑞芳区基山街85号)
- Ah Lan Hakka Glutinous Rice Cake (阿蘭草仔粿) No. 90, Jishan Street, Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 224 (瑞芳区基山街90号)
- A Gan Yi Taro Balls 阿柑姨芋圓 No. 5號, Shuqi Rd, Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 22448 or Grandma Lai’s Taro Balls (賴阿婆芋圓) No. 143, Jishan Street, Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 224 (新北市瑞芳區基山街143號)
The rest of the trip would have been spent wandering and exploring the charm of this old mining town. Of course, with a lot of photos taken as well.
The day would’ve ended in Raohe Night Market where the locals generally visit. Here, there are many Michelin hawkers who promise appetizing foods.
Address: Raohe Night Market Raohe St, Songshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 105
These were a few places that we would’ve liked to try.
- Mochi Baby 111 Raohe Street, Songshan District, Taipei, Taipei & Taichung
- Fuzhou Black Pepper Bun 249 Raohe Street, Songshan District, Taipei, Taipei & Taichung
- A Kuo Lu Wei [Duck Wings] 226 Raohe Street, Songshan District, Taipei, Taipei & Taichung
Day 5: RUYI SUNNY CAKE, CHIATE BAKERY
On the final day in Taipei, we ended up doing a bit of souvenir shopping to bring back to Singapore.
We checked out at 11 am but we were allowed to leave our luggage at the hotel. We collected it later on before we brought it to the airport.
Tip: Check with your hotel or Airbnb about an early check-in/ checkout or an alternative to leave your luggage early/ later at the hotel so you can start exploring the city right away.
Food is the highlight of the trip so it only made sense that we brought it back to share with everyone. We looked at Ruyi Tai yang Bing (Ruyi Sunny Cake), jelly and Chiate pineapple cake.
Address: Ruyi Sunny Cake Taipei Kaifeng Store No. 22號, Section 2, Kaifeng St, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 108
Address: Chia Te Bakery No. 88, Section 5, Nanjing E Rd, Songshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 105
After we came back and packed everything into the luggage, we took a taxi, which the receptionist kindly booked for us, and headed for Taipei Main Station to take the Express Train to the Airport.
It was pretty late by the time we reached the airport, so I’d suggest having something to eat before you make the journey.
CONCLUSION
And that concludes the 5 Days 4 Nights trip to Taipei City. This guide is great for those who want to have a quick getaway. Let me know down in the comment some of the must-visit places that I didn’t mention in the comments!
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