Taipei Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best Taipei tours and things to do in Taiwan’s buzzing, friendly capital: ride to the top of Taipei 101, graze through electric night markets, escape to the lantern-lit hillside town of Jiufen, marvel at the wind-carved rocks of Yehliu, soak in Beitou’s hot springs, and journey to the marble cliffs of Taroko Gorge. Compare top-rated experiences and plan your perfect Taiwan trip.
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Explore Taipei by interest
Whatever brings you to Taipei — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Top attractions in Taipei
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Taipei 101
Iconic tower.
Jiufen
Lantern town.
Yehliu Geopark
Queen’s Head rock.
Night Markets
Street food.
Taroko Gorge
Marble canyon.
CKS Memorial
Grand landmark.
Beitou Springs
Hot springs.
Sun Moon Lake
Mountain lake.
Taipei in 3 days
- 1Day 1: the city
- 2Day 2: Jiufen & Yehliu
- 3Day 3: Beitou & food
- 4Night markets
Taipei for foodies
- 1Dumplings
- 2Raohe night market
- 3Bubble tea
- 4Local market tour
Taipei with kids
- 1Sky lantern Shifen
- 2Yehliu rocks
- 3Taipei 101
- 4Night market treats
Jiufen & the northeast coast
- 1Yehliu Geopark's Queen's Head
- 2Sky lanterns at Shifen
- 3Jiufen's lantern-lit old street
- 4Houtong Cat Village & railway
Nature day trips
- 1Sun Moon Lake by the shore
- 2Taroko Gorge's marble cliffs
- 3Alishan forest & sunrise
- 4Yangmingshan volcanoes & Beitou hot springs
~1 hr awayJiufen
Lantern town.
~1 hr awayYehliu Geopark
Rock formations.
Hualien awayTaroko Gorge
Marble canyon.
~30 min awayBeitou
Hot springs.
Central awaySun Moon Lake
Mountain lake.
~1 hr awayShifen
Sky lanterns.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Taipei visitor asks before booking.
Autumn (Oct–Nov)
The best time to visit, with comfortable, dry, sunny days ideal for sightseeing and day trips.
Spring (Mar–Apr)
Mild and pleasant with some rain and blossom, a good time before the summer heat arrives.
Summer (Jun–Sep)
Hot, very humid and rainy, with possible typhoons; hot springs and indoor sights offer relief.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
Mild but often grey and damp, a pleasant time for hot springs and fewer crowds.
Lantern Festival
The Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival in late winter is magical but very busy — plan ahead.
Watch for typhoons
Typhoon season runs roughly July to September; keep an eye on forecasts for day trips.
One day
Taipei 101, temples and a night market.
Two days
Add the Jiufen and Yehliu day tour.
Three days
Add Beitou hot springs and food tours.
Nature lovers
Add a Taroko Gorge day trip.
A week
Add Sun Moon Lake and central Taiwan.
With kids
Mix sky lanterns, rocks and the tower.
MRT metro
Taipei’s spotless, efficient MRT is the easiest way around; an EasyCard works on metro, bus and more.
Tours & transfers
Day tours with pickup are the easiest way to reach Jiufen, Yehliu and Taroko Gorge.
High-speed rail
The HSR speeds to Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung, handy for trips beyond Taipei.
Taxis & apps
Taxis and ride apps are affordable and convenient for shorter trips around the city.
Central base
Staying near an MRT line or Taipei Main Station keeps sights and transport close.
Getting there
Taoyuan Airport links to the city by the airport MRT in about 40 minutes.
Taiwan dollars
Taiwan uses the New Taiwan dollar (NT$); cards work in cities, but carry cash for markets and small shops.
Get an EasyCard
An EasyCard makes the MRT, buses and convenience stores easy and cheap — buy one on arrival.
Book day trips ahead
Jiufen, Yehliu and Taroko tours fill up, especially at weekends — reserve in advance.
Bring an appetite
Night markets are the heart of Taipei — go hungry and try a little of everything.
Pack for rain
Showers are common year-round, so bring an umbrella or light rain jacket.
Friendly & safe
Taipei is very safe and welcoming, with helpful locals and easy English signage on transport.
Jiufen day tours
The top day trip sells out at weekends — book ahead.
Taroko Gorge trips
Long day tours have limited spots — reserve early.
Food tours
Small-group night-market tours fill up — book ahead.
Taipei 101
Buy observatory tickets ahead to skip the queue.
Hot-spring trips
Beitou and Yangmingshan tours are popular — reserve early.
Lantern Festival
The Pingxi festival is extremely busy — book well ahead.
Jiufen day tour
Around $40–80 for a group Jiufen, Shifen and Yehliu tour.
City tour
About $40–90 for a half- or full-day Taipei city tour.
Food tour
Roughly $40–70 for a guided night-market food tour.
Taroko Gorge
Around $90–160 for a full-day Taroko Gorge trip.
Hot-spring trip
About $35–80 for a Beitou or Yangmingshan tour.
How to save
Use the MRT, join group day trips and eat at night markets.
Taipei through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Mild, blossom.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Some rain.
- Best for
- Indoor sights.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Hot, typhoons.
- Best for
- Best weather.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Ideal time.
- Best for
- Hot springs.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Grey & damp.