Taiwan is a favourite holiday destination in Asia for many reasons. Besides indulging in endless amounts of sweet and savoury street snacks, there are also many places of interests to visit.

You can also experience a little more of the Taiwanese culture by taking a trip down to the more rural areas of the country, such as Hualien—known for their beautiful mountainous areas and landscapes.

Whether it’s your first time visiting the land of night markets, or even if you have already been there multiple times, Taiwan will always retain its charm and city life that will leave you wanting more. Here’s a condensed 6D5N itinerary of our trips, where we explored beyond Taipei and the 22 things to see, do and eat in Taiwan.

DAY ONE IN TAICHUNG

#1 GET THE FAMOUS TAIWAN MILK TEA

3.15pm: You’ve seen them sell out rapidly on Singapore’s 7-11 shelves but in Taiwan, these bottles of milk tea are constantly available in vast quantities. The drink comes in various flavours, such as Café Au Lait, Matcha Latte, Sumiyaki and more. The best part? They’re at least two times cheaper than what you’ll find here in Singapore.

Besides that, the convenience stores stock up on amazing amounts of microwaveable food, chips, pastries and more that make for great midnight snack stashes.

#2 VISIT FENGJIA NIGHT MARKET

7.30pm: The experience here was (and always will be) crazy, to say the least. The crowd—especially during dinner hour—was unbelievable. We had to squeeze through the people-packed streets, but the street food such as the huge takoyaki, sweet potato puffs and taro chips made it all worth it. You could easily spend hours walking up and down the street and trying everything!

Fengjia Road, Xitun District
Taichung City 407
Daily: 4pm – 2am

DAY TWO IN HUALIEN

#3 CHECK INTO PAPAYA RIVER B&B

This B&B is tucked away in a serene, quiet spot in Hualien. It doubles up as an alpaca farm and is also home to two dogs and a cat. These domesticated pets are friendly, so you can even pet them if you like!

The host themselves also offer guide services, and they brought us around Hualien while we were there. Plus point: the incredible landscape around the B&B makes for amazing pictures.

No. 176 Guanghua 8th Street
Hualien County 97357
Tel: +888-3-842-1122

DAY THREE IN HUALIEN

#4 FEED THE ALPACAS

9.30am: If you’re staying at the B&B, you can wake up bright and early and request to feed these alpacas—for free! Start your morning right by getting upclose and personal with these fluffy creatures!

#5 STROLL AROUND NATIONAL DONG HWA UNIVERSITY

10.45am: Just a 20-minute ride from The Papaya River B&B, the school is open to the public, and boasts beautiful scenic views that are perfect for pictures.

University Road Section1
Shoufeng Township, 974

#6 TAKE IN THE SCENIC VIEWS AT LIN TIAN SHAN FORESTRY PARK

1pm: You can’t find any mountains in Singapore, but Hualien is littered with them. The forestry park is relatively quiet, and provides you with an opportunity to trek through the trees. Entry is free!

No. 20, Linsen Road, Fenglin Township
Hualien County 975

#7 TREK AROUND LIYU LAKE

2.30pm: This lake is a must-visit when you’re in Hualien. It is quiet, peaceful, and looks over the beautiful mountainside. There’s a footpath that stretches across 2.4km leading you from one end of the lake to the other, and you can either walk that length or rent bikes.

It’s the perfect place to take in the fresh air and take in the nature surrounding you.

Huantan North Road, Shoufeng Township
Hualien County 974

#8 HAVE DINNER AT EAST GATE NIGHT MARKET

7.30pm: This night market is the most popular one in Hualien, simply because it is huge, and even has little game stores for you to try out. Some of the food we tried included cheese omelettes, grilled squid, and even a kebab wrap!

No. 50, Zhongshan Road
Hualien Country 970
Daily: 6pm – 12am

DAY FOUR IN XIMENDING, TAIPEI

#9 TAKE THE TAIWAN METRO

12pm: The Taiwan Metro is a quick and fuss-free way to get around Taipei and beyond! Similar to the trains we have here in Singapore, their cabins are also clean!

#10 VISIT SUN YAT-SEN MEMORIAL HALL

1.30pm: What is a trip to Taiwan without making a pit stop at the iconic Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall? Paying tribute to Dr Sun Yat-sen, who is affectionately named as China’s founding father, this is where you can learn more about his revolutionary career.

No. 505, Section 4
Ren’ai Road, Xinyi District
Taipei City, Taiwan
Daily: 9am – 6pm
Nearest Station: Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall

#11 SOAK IN A HOT SPRING AT BEI TOU

3pm: Relax your muscles and enjoy a thermal hot spring bath at Bei Tou, a popular tourist destination in Taipei. Just a stone’s throw away from Xinbeitou station, the area has a mix of both public and private baths featuring mineral-rich water. Do note that it is recommended for you to book the private baths before heading over.

Nearest Station: Xinbeitou

#12 SHOP AT XIMENDING

6.30pm: With your bellies filled, you can now shop around the vast shopping district that is Ximending. If you’re a shoe-lover, you’re in luck—the area is home to a myriad of shoe stores like Nike, Adidas, and ABC Mart (this is a multi-label store with tons of amazing shoes). Besides that, there are tons of more souvenir shops selling Taiwanese snacks that you can bring home.

108, Taipei City
Nearest Station: Ximending

DAY FIVE IN TAIPEI

#13 TAKE A WALK AT DA’AN PARK

11am: Just a 15-minute ride from Ximending Station on the metro line, Da’an Park is apparently one of the ‘richer’ parts of Taiwan, but the scenery is no less beautiful. It is located right outside Da’an Park metro station. You can even have a morning run along the park!

Section 3, Xinyi Road, Da’an District
Taipei City 106
Nearest Station: Da’an Station

#14 GO SHOPPING AT ZHONGXIAO DUNHUA SHOPPING AREA

3pm: This is the Southern region of Taipei—within walking distance from Da’an Park—and is arguably the ‘hipster-haven’ of Taipei which is popular among Taiwanese youths.

You’ll find a huge range of stores with different styles to shop from. Look out for a huge Forever 21 outlet located right outside the train station.

Section 4, Zhongxiao E. Road, Da’an District
Taipei City 106
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Zhongxiao Dunhua Station

#15 VISIT TAIPEI 101

7pm: A must-do for all Taiwan first-timers. But if you don’t fancy paying extravagant prices to go up the tower, try hanging around the vicinity around the building instead. It is equally as beautiful.

Xinyi District, Taipei City 110
Nearest Station: Taipei 101 Station

DAY SIX IN TAIPEI

#16 HAVE BREAKFAST AT AH CHUNG MIAN XIAN

10am: The store along Ximending is often populated with people standing around and eating their piping hot bowls of mian xian—which are thin flour noodles cooked in rich broth and topped off with pig intestines.

No. 8-1, Emei Street, Wanhua District, Taipei City
Mon to Fri: 10.30am – 10.30pm
Sat to Sun: 10.30am – 11pm
Tel: +886-2-2388-8808
Nearest Station: Ximending

#17 BUY PINEAPPLE TARTS AT CHIA TE

3pm: Honestly, no Taiwan trip is complete without buying back some tasty treats from Chia Te. The only outlet in Taiwan is located in Nanjing where snaking queues outside the storefront is a common sight.

Be prepared to queue for about 20-30 minutes but fret not, for the wait will be worth it as their biscuits and pastries taste amazing. If you’re not sure what to get, try their Sun Cakes, Milk Cakes, and Pineapple Tarts.

No. 88, Section 5, Nanjing E Road, Songshan District
Taipei City 105
Daily: 8am – 9.30pm
Tel: +886-2-8787-8186
Nearest Station: Nanjing Sanmin

#18 FEAST AT RAO HE NIGHT MARKET

6pm: This night market might just be one of the better ones in Taiwan, offering a huge selection of different kinds of food such as fried squid, baked cheese potatoes, and the famous Fuzhou Pepper Buns.

Roahe Street, Songshan District
Taipei City 105
Daily: 4pm – 12am
Tel: +886-2-2763-5733
Nearest Station: Songshan

DAY SIX IN TAIPEI

#19 TAKE A DAY TRIP TO JIUFEN

9am: Bus services up to Jiufen are available from Taipei. You can either book a private bus, or go on a public one (which is cheaper). The ride takes about 3 hours.

Jiufen 224, Ruifang District, Taipei City

#20 TRY THE FAMOUS A-ZHU PEANUT ICE CREAM ROLLS

You’ve probably heard of these peanut ice cream rolls. After all, they’ve been flooding Instagram feeds for a long time now. These ice cream rolls are made of taro ice cream, topped with peanut shavings and wrapped in spring roll skin.

No. 45, Jishan Street, Ruifang District

#21 SNACK ON LAI AH PO YU YUAN

These are traditional handmade taro, sweet potato and green tea balls mixed with sweet soup, and can be eaten hot or cold. They cost just NT$40 (S$1.72) per bowl!

No. 143, Jishan Street, Ruifang District

#22 SPEND YOUR LOOSE CHANGE ON GRAB-CLAW MACHINES

Ximending has stores that house many different grab-claw machines, and they’re relatively easy to win too! If you have any extra loose change before you head home, you can try your luck at these machines and see whether you can bring home any adorable plushies or toys.

In fact, you’re likely to find shops dedicated to grab-claw machines at literally all the night markets scattered around the city.

Taipei might as well be known as the city of night markets, deep fried goodies and shopping districts. But throughout the extensive selection of street snacks to feast on, there is definitely a couple that stands out and deemed as what you must try.

If you ever find yourself in Ximending—otherwise known as the hipster area of Taipei—look out for Ah Chung Mian Xian.

Yes, you would probably have heard of it and many of you may have already tried it. But if you haven’t, here’s why you should.

At first glance, the stall appears inconspicuous. It is a small little outlet, with interiors that don’t necessarily scream ‘viral food location’. But you will still see crowds of customers and eager patrons standing around, slurping from disposable bowls and spoons.

Mian xian directly translates to the mee sua that we have here in Singapore—only this one in Taipei is served up with rich, thick gravy, and is accompanied with braised pig intestines. You can even choose to add as much condiments as you wish; parsley, vinegar and chilli oil…

You can choose from a small bowl which costs NT$50 (S$2.15) and a big bowl which costs NT$60 (S$2.58).

These noodles are best eaten piping hot, and they taste exceptionally warm and lovely in winter.

Ah Chung Mian Xian
No. 8-1, Emei Street, Wanhua District, Taipei City
Mon – Fri: 10.30am – 10.30pm
Sat – Sun: 10.30am – 11pm
Tel: +886-2-2388-8808
Nearest station: Ximending

No trip to Taiwan is complete until you have checked out the bustling night markets which boast a plethora of street food and retail options. There are many night markets across Taipei and Shida Night Market is one of the places that you should include in your itinerary.

Located in a university area, Shida Night Market is exceptionally popular amongst the local youth community. But Shida Night Market is not limited to just the natives; it is also a tourist attraction on its own. There are many vendors here – and they do have a tendency to relocate within the compound itself, so keep your eyes peeled as you make your way through the market!

From Arnor Crepe’s cooked-to-order crisp crepes, Hsu Ji’s pan-fried pork buns to Niu Lao Da’s aromatic beef noodles, here is our guide To Taipei’s Shida Night Market.

#1 ARNOR CREPE

A long queue is formed outside Arnor Crepe and you can choose from a wide selection of sweets and savouries. Upon placing your order, the batter is poured onto the griddle and cooked till golden brown. Sauces and toppings are added onto the crispy crepe and viola, these fragrant crepes are good to go.

#2 DENG LONG LU WEI

Deng Long Lu Wei might be pretty difficult to locate for those who do not know traditional Mandarin, but you can easily identify the stall with its hanging red lanterns.

The concept is similar to Yong Tau Foo i.e. pick whatever ingredients you fancy (the variety is amazing!) and place them in a basket. The food will then be chopped up and cooked in a savoury broth.

#3 HSU JI

Established in 1984, Hsu Ji sells only Sheng Jian Baos aka Pan-fried Dumpling stuffed with Minced Pork. The relentless queue formed outside Hsu Ji is a testimony to its popularity—which is unsurprising, given how it has been featured in so many media publications.

#4 LAO TIAN TIAN

Lao Tian Tian specialises in homemade desserts and over here, you can treat yourselves to refreshing grass jelly and shaved ice dessert.

#5 NIU LAO DA

When directly translated, Niu Lao Da literally means Beef Boss. The eatery is best known for its beef noodles, but its other chef-recommended dishes such as handcrafted dumplings and beef roll pancakes are equally well-received too.

#6 SHENG CHAO HUA ZHI

Drop by Sheng Chao Hua Zhi for some wok-fried sliced fresh squid. The succulent and chewy seafood is served in a viscous stock alongside bamboo shoot, carrots, garlic and red pepper etc. The soup is characterised by a distinct sourness.

#7 SHI YUN

Shi Yun has been around for more than three decades and its deep-fried chicken is arguably the most famous dish. But take a closer look at the display and you will see a display of beancurd, mushrooms, vegetables and more.

Place your desired ingredients into the basket, hand it over to the chef and he/she will fry them into a glorious mess.

#8 SINGAPORE CURRY

Venture into one of Shida Night Market’s smaller alleyway and you might chance upon Singapore Curry.

The mini eatery is also known as Ah Li Ma Ma. Already craving for Singaporean cuisine after all that deep-fried chicken cutlets and bubble tea? Well, visit Singapore Curry to satisfy your cravings.

#9 YU BAN BU NENG

Yu Ban Bu Neng piqued our attention with its seemingly dodgy set up and snaking queue formed around it. Initially, we were mistaken that they might have been selling raw boneless chicken—but it turns out that the makeshift stall is selling Salted Water Chicken served in plastic takeout bags. You can choose from a handful of ingredients to complement the chicken.

#10 SHOPPING

The trailing retail stores actually constitute a huge component of Shida Night Market. There are many trendy fashion stores selling accessories and apparels for both men and women. It is also worth mentioning that a significant number of stores are dedicated to mobile gadgets.

Shida Night Market
Lane 39, Shida Road
Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan 106
Closed on Mondays
Tue to Sun: 5pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Taipower Building

For more recommendations, read our food & travel guides to Taipei.

Taipei might just be one of the most underrated cities to visit. It doesn’t matter whether you are a foodie, a shopper, or if you simply enjoy marvelling at the wonders of nature – Taipei will have you covered.

So many street snacks to love, so many night markets to roam at, so many more karaoke sessions that we need, so many cultural centres to visit. Taipei is one destination in Asia you must visit.

Here are 25 Reasons To Love Taipei.

#1 THE CITYSCAPE AND ITS ORGANISED MESS

You’ve longed to see iconic skylines in cities like Paris and New York, but Taiwan’s scenic cityscape also holds its own charm. Signboards are everywhere, mostly with Chinese characters that we can’t read – but this mess is precisely what we appreciate.

#2 TAIWAN MILK TEA

Taiwan is home to many good milk teas. They come in bottles of all sizes and patterns, and can be easily found at all the convenience stores. Just pick one up at random and chances are it won’t disappoint.

#3 STEAMED DUMPLINGS

Taiwan might not be the origin of dumplings, but you will be able to find tons of these all over the streets. A plate of piping hot steamed dumplings are what we yearn for the most when we visit in the cold December.

#4 THE EFFICIENT METRO SYSTEM

Getting around the country is easy, especially when their metro system is clean, organised and very efficient. And inexpensive, of course.

#5 THE SHEER NUMBER OF NIGHT MARKETS

This goes without saying. Taiwan’s sheer number of night markets means every night will be occupied and fulfilling. We love roaming these markets and hunting for the best street hawkers and snack stalls.

#6 DIN TAI FUNG

Taiwan is, after all, the birthplace of the world-famous Din Tai Fung. Take things up a notch by visiting the brand’s very first outlet in Xinyi road.

#7 THE ARRAY OF CONVENIENCE STORES AT THE READY

Sounds silly, but if you’ve stepped in to one at Taiwan, you would realize how much it eases your life! Apart from the usual routines like picking up a snack or a drink, you can pay your utility bills, buy movie tickets, use the ATM, have your blood pressure measured, print documents and so much more – all within one convenience store.

Read more about the 12 Things That Make Taiwanese Convenience Stores So Awesome.

#8 YONG KANG STREET – A DINING DESTINATION IN TAIPEI

Yong Kang Street is a dining destination in Taipei. Whether its cheap and delicious Taiwanese snacks like ‘cong zhua bing’, shaved ice mountain or beef noodles; nice and chic cafes where you can get a cup of good coffee and desserts; or niche boutiques selling lifestyle products – there are plenty of options at Yong Kang Street. You can easily spend a day wandering in the alleys.

#9 TAIPEI 101 TOWER

When in Taipei, the Taipei 101 Tower is a must-see. The magnificent giant houses offices and many retail shops. Going up the tower will allow you to get an aerial view of the entire city too.

#10 CHIA TE’S SUNCAKCES AND PINEAPPLE TARTS

Chia Te makes some of the best Taiwanese pastries, and the queues outside their stores – comprising both locals and tourists – is proof of that statement.

#11 THE BEAUTIFUL STREETS OF JIUFEN

Jiufen retains an old-world charm; think bright red lanterns and cobbled pavement. The narrow, snaking streets are made up of souvenir and snack stalls. Jiufen is also a popular filming spot for Taiwanese TV programmes!

Read about the 7 Must-try Local Food at Taiwan’s Jiufen Old Street.

#12 PETS ARE PART OF BOUTIQUES

It is not every day that you get to play with Toy Poodles while shopping for your clothes in a local boutique. Taiwanese sure love their pets and they bring them along to work!

#13 FUJIN STREET – THE OTHER YONGKANG STREET

This is the other Yongkang Street you never knew about.

Primarily a residential area, Fujin Street is an upcoming area in Taipei that is littered with coffee shops and lifestyle boutiques. It is still pretty untouched by tourism, and the quaintness is exactly what we appreciate.

Read our guide on What To See & What To Eat at Fujin Street.

#14 SMITH & HSU TEA & SCONE SALON

For us, no trip to Taipei s complete without visiting the renown tea salon. They serve some of the best scones we’ve ever tasted, along with a myriad of fragrant tea flavours to choose from.

#15 XIMENDING

Ximending is probably the most bustling area in Taipei. This is where youngsters head to for some shopping fix and food. While the retail aspect is pretty acquired, we love Ximending for its food options.

#16 ALPACAS

Alpaca Cafe is real, and Oia Cafe is where you need to be at.

Oia Cafe is home to a few alpacas and they roam around freely in the cafe. Play with these adorable white creatures and feed them with carrots or food that are approved by the cafe’s owner—this is also the best way to get the alpacas to take a selfie with you.

#17 THE ENDLESS STREET FOOD

Fried squid, fried XXL chicken, sweet potato balls, taro chips, Taiwanese hot dogs, pork buns, milk tea, bittergourd juice… and the list goes on and on. Taipei is not for those who are on slimming diets.

And we say just eat to your heart’s content. The myriad of street food options is simply mind-boggling!

#18 ADDICTION AQUATIC DEVELOPMENT

Addiction Aquatic Development is a massive space that houses fresh seafood and aquamarine products, a large Japanese-style supermarket, and many themed restaurants and food kiosks under one roof.

It stands head and shoulders above other famous seafood markets in the world such as Tokyo’s Tsukiji Fish Market, Seoul’s Noryangjin Fish Market, Sydney’s Fish Market, and Perth’s Fremantle Market.

Watch our video of Addiction Aquatic Development on our Facebook page.

#19 KARAOKE SESSIONS

Because karaoke sessions are the best in Taipei. Holding personal concerts are what we do best, especially when the karaoke systems and rooms in Taipei are so impressive.

The song list is unbeatable too, for after all, Taipei is home to Mando-pop.

#20 AY-CHUNG MEE SUA

Yes, it is touristy. And yes, there are better mee sua in Taipei. But you know what? We still go to Ay-Chung Mee Sua every time we are in Taipei. It always hits the spot.

#21 THE PHOTOGENIC CITY STREETS

Let’s face it—Taipei has clean streets and you like your nice OOTD shots taken against the iconic background of motorcycles and yellow taxis, yes?

#22 DUNHUA SHOPPING AREA

This district in Taipei is home to a huge amount of stores selling new-age clothing. It is where the shoppers should know about.

#23 THE NEVER-ENDING AMOUNT OF SHOE STORES

Taiwanese seem to be really into the sports-luxe trend. Bagging home a pair of sneakers or two is easy peasy with the sheer number of options availabile—New Balance, Nike, Adidas, Ked’s and more.

#24 SUN YAT-SEN MEMORIAL HALL

It is almost like a ritual for all first-timers to Taipei—a visit to Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, who was the National Father to The Republic of China. It is a multi-purpose centre to learn more about Dr Sun’s contribution and his life.

The main entrance to the hall also contains a statue of Dr Sun Yat-sen. The renown guards-changing ceremony takes place hourly at the memorial hall’s entrance too.

#25 TRAIN RIDES ACROSS THE COUNTRY

You can take train rides to get from the city to more rural areas like Hualien. The trains are very comfortable, making the ride so much more painless. The trains will go past forests and mountains and rivers, and we love admiring those scenic landscapes along the way.

FOR MORE RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHERE TO GO, READ OUR TAIPEI’S FOOD AND TRAVEL GUIDES.

Oh, the glorious Taiwanese Oyster Omelette, or orh-ah-jian as they call it. Where do we even begin about this? As much as we love the Oyster Omelettes in Singapore, the ones found in Taiwan has undoubtedly racked it up a few notches.

Whether we are talking about the heavenly union of the gelatinous sweet potato starch and the pan-fried omelette with the freshly poached oysters that will melt in your mouth or the signature red sauce that you can only find in Taiwan – we are extremely certain that once you try them, you cannot (and will never want to) go back.

Not only is it a crowd favourite dish amongst the locals in Taiwan, many tourists have also sworn by it.

HOW IS IT PREPARED?

Primarily, the 3 main ingredients of this dish are Sweet Potato starch, Eggs and Oysters. Yes, three simple ingredients that will deliver a truly amazing concoction. The sweet potato starch is first mixed with water, topped off with salted and pepper before pouring into the heated pan.

After which, fresh oysters are gently added in to the mixture then stir-fried. The finishing step involves cracking in a beaten egg and tossing the ingredients together before they become a delicious mess.

However, the addition of a key ingredient makes the oyster omelettes served in Taiwan different. A sauce made from tomato ketchup, soy paste and sweet chilli is then drenched over the oyster omelette, giving the dish a harmonious combination of sweet and savoury. Sometimes, Taiwanese A-Choy vegetables are mixed in for a healthier choice.

HOW MUCH IS IT SOLD FOR?

Most Taiwanese Oyster Omelettes are sold at an affordable price of NT45 to NT60, which translates to approximately S$1.60 to S$2.80 per plate – depending the exchange rate. It might not be the cheapest Street Food around, but we assure you it will be worth every penny (and calorie) once you take a bite into this irresistible plate of goodness.

For those who have a penchant for spicy food, you can request for additional dollops of chilli and they will kindly add it for you.

WHERE CAN YOU FIND IT?

It can be found almost everywhere, whether is it in their restaurants, popular shopping districts such as Xi Men Ding, or even at their local night markets. You can spot tourists and locals consuming it almost everywhere, so why not take the leap and join in the crowd? We promise you will not be disappointed.

When it comes to night markets in Taipei, most people are familiar with the famous ones such as Shilin, Raohe and Shida. However, not many know about Linjiang Street Night Market (also known as Tonghua Night Market) which is located on the fringe of a residential area in Da-an District, near to Taipei 101 and Xinyi.

For first-timers to Taipei, stick with Shilin and Shida night markets as they are bigger in scale and much more accessible. However, if you have been to the other markets before, you might want to check out Linjiang Night Market.

One of the most popular street food in night markets is yan su ji (Taiwanese salted crispy chicken). Small chunks of chicken are deep-fried and sprinkled with pepper salt, and they are offered with a variety of other ingredients such as Taiwanese tempura, fish ball, pig’s blood, squid, mushroom, tofu, and intestine. At the intersection of Linjiang street and Tonghua street, you can find this stall which has been around for 20 years.

Just across the street, there is a popular yan shui ji (steamed salted chicken) stall. It offers side dishes like vegetables, intestines, and different parts of chicken. Everything is chopped into small pieces and stirred with a pepper sauce.

Lu wei, or braised food, is also another must-try. A lu wei braised snacks stand typically offers a good selection of food such as vegetables, bean curd, intestines, and meat. Pick your preferred ingredients and the chef will cook it in a special sauce.

My favourite in Linjiang Street Night Market is this stall (pictured above) selling Cong You Bing (scallion pancake), a savoury flat bread with green onions and pork. It is greasy and sinful, but oh so delicious.

Besides having the usual oyster omelette, tian bu la (Taiwanese tempura), pig’s blood rice pudding, Taiwanese sausage and stinky tofu, Linjiang Night Market also has several stalls which offer something different. The appearance of German’s pork knuckle in a night market seems like a stroke of genius as it combines two favourite things: deep-fried food and pork knuckle.

Over at a corner, you can find an old lady making zhuang yuan bing (scholar’s cake), a traditional Chinese cake that comes with either peanut or sesame filling.

Surprisingly, I spotted two stalls selling Vietnamese street food such as banh mi sandwiches, salad and pho. It is really fascinating how different cuisines from around the world can be found in Taiwan’s night markets.

Other than street food, there are also steak restaurants and teppanyaki eateries. You can get a huge steak on a hotplate for NT$150 (S$6.50), while a delicious teppanyaki meal starts from as low as NT$100 (S$4).

If you are staying in the Da-an or Xinyi district – well, even if you are not, there is absolutely no reason to not pay Linjiang Street Night Market a visit.

For more recommendations, read my Guide to Taiwanese Night Markets and Street Food

Mention Taiwan and anyone would immediately think of night markets and street food. In Taipei alone, there are many night markets that offer an amazing array of mouth-watering street food. Below, we explore three of the most popular night markets in Taipei – Shilin, Raohe, and Shida.

Let’s eat our way through Taipei night markets!

Shilin Night Market

Shilin is probably the most well-known name in Taipei. While some people do not like Shilin because the market is perpetually packed with tourists, it is definitely the place to start if this is your first time visiting the city.

Walk around the market and you will see a few stalls selling Da chang bao xiao chang – a Taiwanese sausage sandwiched in sticky rice bun – which is one of the most popular street food in Taipei.

A few stalls down, we made a pitstop for orh ah mee sua – another must try Taiwanese snack – a bowl of hearty oyster vermicelli that can be enjoyed at any time of the day.

And of course, nobody leaves Shilin Night Market without having the famous Hot Star large fried chicken (Hao Da ji pai): crispy and delicious fried chicken cutlets that go best with bubble tea. Nothing beats the combination of greasy ji pai and bubble tea.

Most of the stalls have moved to the underground basement “food court”, and they are still as crowded as usual. Orh ah jian (fried oyster omelette), ru rou fan (braised pork rice), sheng jian bao (pan-fried pork bun) and guan cai ban (coffin shaped bread) are just a few of the options that you would be tempted with.

Raohe Market

The Raohe Night Market, a stone’s throw away from Wufenpu wholesale market, is one of the oldest night markets in Taipei. You can find the usual Taiwanese street food like oyster vermicelli, fried chicken and stinky tofu, but what you must not miss is the famed hujiao bing (pepper pork buns). There are several stalls selling the same thing, but for the best, you have to go to the one located at the entrance of the night market, which is not difficult to spot as there is always a long queue.

Some of the other things that we tried include waffles, grilled mushrooms, and spare ribs stewed in herbal soup. Wash everything down with bitter-gourd juice, which is surprisingly not bitter.

Shida Night Market

Of the three night markets in this post, my favourite is Shida Night Market – located near National Taiwan Normal University – with niche fashion boutiques, cute cafes, and affordable street food catering to the students.

There have been rumours that Shida Night Market has closed down due to complaints from residents, but that is not true. While a part of the old market was forced to shut down, the main market is still around, and they cover several small streets along the main Shida Road.

Start off by having tian bu la (tempura soaked in sweet gravy), and share a serving of aiyu bing (jelly served with lime) – a refreshing dessert that is perfect to go along with everything. Also, you must try the sizzling giant steaks with noodles and sunny side-up. They are so cheap and good!

There are several hot stew stalls in Shida Night Market, but one of the most prominent names is Lantern Hot Stew where you can choose from a variety of food – including fishballs, vegetables, different parts of duck and pig like innards, and pig’s blood cake – and it is served in a braised sauce.

If you are still hungry, there are other night markets in Taipei like Liaoning market, Huaxi Street market, and Ningxia night market. But that’s a story for another day.

For more recommendations, read my guide on where to eat in Taipei