Taipei is a city of wonderful contrasts, where sizzling street-food markets, soaring towers and steaming natural hot springs all sit within an easy metro ride of one another. Friendly, safe and remarkably convenient, it makes an excellent short-haul escape for Malaysian travellers. Begin by choosing your dates, then Traveloka Malaysia to set up a smooth few days in Taiwan’s capital. From world-class museums to mountain temples and bustling markets, Taipei packs an enormous amount of variety into a compact, walkable city, all underpinned by some of the warmest hospitality in the region.
Night Markets and Street Food
Taipei’s night markets are the stuff of legend, and spending an evening grazing through the sprawling Shilin or the more local Raohe is an essential experience. Sample crisp pepper buns fresh from clay ovens, bubble tea in every imaginable flavour, oyster omelettes, scallion pancakes and the famously pungent stinky tofu if you are feeling brave. Following the longest queues usually leads to the best stalls, and prices are pleasingly low. Come hungry, pace yourself across several small dishes, and treat the whole market as one long, delicious, walkable dinner.
City Sights
Ride to the observation deck of the iconic Taipei 101 for sweeping views over the city and surrounding mountains, ideally near sunset as the lights come on. Explore the world-class collection of Chinese art and treasures at the National Palace Museum, allowing a few hours to do it justice, and wander the atmospheric, lantern-lit lanes of historic Jiufen on the city’s hilly fringe. The efficient, spotless metro links it all together, making the capital wonderfully easy to navigate even on a short visit, with clear English signage throughout the system.
Hot Springs and Nature
A short metro trip to the Beitou district brings you to natural hot springs tucked among wooded hills, where a choice of public and private bathhouses offer a wonderfully relaxing soak after a day of sightseeing. For a longer day out in nature, the volcanic landscapes of Yangmingshan National Park reward hikers with steaming vents, sulphur fields, grassy meadows and seasonal flowers, all within easy reach of the city. These green escapes provide a soothing balance to Taipei’s urban buzz and show how close the capital sits to the mountains.
Easy Day Trips
Taipei’s excellent transport makes day trips effortless. The old mining towns of Jiufen and Shifen, where visitors release sky lanterns along the railway tracks, are perennial favourites, while the dramatic rock formations of Yehliu’s coastal park are just a bus ride away. Tea lovers can ride the gondola up to the hillside plantations of Maokong for a pot of locally grown tea with a view. These outings add scenic and cultural variety, letting you combine the energy of the city with the calm of the surrounding countryside.
Practical Tips
Pick up a rechargeable EasyCard for seamless travel on the metro, buses and even some shops, and carry a small umbrella, as showers come and go quickly. Autumn and spring bring the most comfortable weather, while winters are mild and summers warm and humid. Convenience stores are everywhere and genuinely useful for snacks, drinks and services. With its fabulous food, friendly people, efficient transport and easy day trips, Taipei punches well above its weight as a relaxed and rewarding city break.
