The capital of Taiwan is a short flight away from Singapore and the one-way journey takes only 4 hours and 40 minutes. Taipei might not be as geographically near as its neighbours i.e. Bangkok and Hong Kong, but the Asian city’s cultural attractions are worth a special trip.
From eating fresh seafood from Addiction Aquatic Development, marvelling at award-winning National Palace Museum’s vast collection of artefacts to visiting the grand Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, here are 10 Touristy But Interesting Taipei Attractions That You Should Visit.
#1 ADDICTION AQUATIC DEVELOPMENT
Developed by Mitsui Food and Beverage Enterprise Group, Addiction Aquatic Development is a modern fish market with multiple concepts under its roof. Over here, you can shop for live seafood, purchase fresh sashimi and dine at one of their multiple on-site restaurants.
No. 18, Alley 2, Lane 410, Minzu E Rd
Zhongshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 104
Tel: +886 2 2508 1268
Daily: 6am – 12am
Nearest Station: Xingtian Temple
#2 CHIANG KAI-SHEK MEMORIAL HALL
The grandeur of historical landmark Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall will leave you in awe. The octagon-shaped monument houses a massive bronze statue of Chiang and it is protected by military personnel. These armed guards change their shift every hour via a ceremony.
No. 21, Zhongshan S Rd
Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan 100
Tel: +886 2 2343 1100
Daily: 9am – 5pm
Nearest Station: Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
#3 HUASHAN 1914 CREATIVE PARK
Huashan 1914 Creative Park was once a deteriorated factory, but has since then been revamped into a multi-purpose recreational park. Its revamp has drawn many local artists and many exhibitions, events, installations and performances are held here throughout the year.
No. 1, Section 1, Bade Road
Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan 100
Tel: +886 2 2358 1914
Daily: 24 hours
Nearest Station: Zhongxiao Xinsheng
#4 LUNGSHAN TEMPLE OF MANKA
Founded in 1738, the Lungshan Temple of Manka was set up by the immigrants from Fujian, China during the Qing dynasty. The site is dedicated to the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy but you will notice many other deities here too. The government proclaimed the temple a historical site of second grade in 1985 and it will be preserved for future generations.
No. 211, Guangzhou St
Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 10853
Tel: +886 2 2302 5162
Nearest Station: Longshan Temple
#5 NATIONAL PALACE MUSEUM
Taiwan’s National Palace Museum boasts a permanent collection of approximately 700,000 artefacts and artworks – yes, it has more ancient antiques than Beijing’s Forbidden City! A must-visit for those who have a keen interest in Chinese culture and history.
No. 221, Section 2, Zhishan Rd
Shilin District, Taipei City, Taiwan 111
Tel: +886 2 2881 2021
Mon to Thu: 8.30am – 6.30pm
Fri and Sat: 8.30am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Shilin
#6 NATIONAL TAIWAN MUSEUM
The National Taiwan Museum is the oldest museum in Taiwan; it has been around for more than a century. The museum was constructed during the Japanese colonial era and remains in its original site. It is designed by Japanese architects Ichiro Nomura and Eiichi Araki.
No. 2, Xiangyang Rd
Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan 100
Tel: +886 2 2382 2566
Closed on Mondays
Tue to Sun: 9.30am – 5pm
Nearest Station: Ntu Hospital
Raohe Street Night Market is one of Taiwan’s oldest night markets and the 600-metre street is lined up with a vast number of vendors. There are so many hawkers that you will be absolutely spoilt for choice. Food aside, visitors can also expect old-school game stalls and hip fashion apparels.
Raohe St
Songshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 105
Tel: +886 2 2763 5733
Daily: 5pm – 12am
Nearest Station: Songshan
#8 SHILIN NIGHT MARKET
Shilin Night Market is one of Taiwan’s most famous night markets. Foodies can dig into a plethora of Taiwanese snacks such as deep-fried chicken cutlets, bubble milk tea and oyster omelette, while shoppers can put their bargaining skills to test at the various retail shops.
Lane 101, Wenlin Rd
Shilin District, Taipei City, Taiwan 111
Mon: 4.30pm – 12am
Tue to Sun: 12am – 12pm, 4.30pm – 12am
Nearest Station: Jiantan / Shilin
#9 SUN YAT-SEN MEMORIAL HALL
The construction of Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Xinyi District was completed in 1972 and it pays tribute to the founder of the Republic of China, Dr. Sun Yat-sen. The hourly ceremony – where the stoic guards formally change their shifts – itself is a popular tourist attraction.
No. 505, Section 4, Ren’ai Rd
Xinyi District, Taipei City, Taiwan 110
Tel: +886 2 2758 8008
Daily: 9am – 6pm
Nearest Station: Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall
#10 TAIPEI 101
Taipei 101 is the most iconic landmark in Taiwan’s skyline. Standing at 508 metres, the tower is almost impossible to miss. The infrastructure is exceptionally sturdy; a gigantic pendulum is mounted between the 88th and 92nd storeys, hence allowing it to withstanding both earthquakes and typhoons. Fun fact: It was the world’s tallest green building until 2011.
Taipei 101, No. 7, Section 5, Xinyi Rd
Xinyi District, Taipei City, Taiwan 110
Nearest Station: Taipei 101
Read our guide on 25 reasons why we love Taipei.