Spring into Action: Five Diversified Tours to Explore Taipei
Not too hot, not too cold and not too wet; spring is truly the best time to visit Taipei. Winter is behinds us and the sweltering summer has yet to arrive, resulting in the perfect conditions for getting out and exploring what this wonderful city has to offer. A bustling capital with a diverse range of options on offer for tourists: whether its food, culture or outdoor activities you’re looking for, Taipei has it all, and spring is an ideal season to be here. Want to see everything Taipei has to provide but don’t know where to start? We’ve hand-selected five tours for visitors to Taipei that show different sides of the city and give a true representation of what’s going on in the Taiwanese capital. (Read more: How to Dress for Spring in Taiwan: March, April and May)
1. Taste of Taipei Tour
ROUTE: ❶ A traditional Taiwanese breakfast youtiao, shaobing & doujiang ➔ ❷ Sample authentic Taiwanese xiaolongbao & beef noodles ➔❸ Try DIY bubble tea in the afternoon ➔ ❹ A night market tour at night
Taipei is famous for its food, and you can’t come here without trying the local delicacies and dishes. Hop on this food tour and start your spring trip by filling your belly. The first stop must be a traditional Taiwanese breakfast of youtiao (油條), a sort of Chinese churro, a type of flatbread known as shaobing (燒餅), and a big bowl or glass of warm soy milk, referred to as doujiang (豆漿), for dipping. This is a breakfast that’s been enjoyed across Taiwan and is the perfect way to start your Taipei culinary journey on a beautiful spring day. Take a walk through a classic Taipei market, and then for lunch sample a couple of the country’s most famous dishes: xiaolongbao (小籠包), delicious world-famous soup dumplings, and beef noodles. And it doesn’t stop there! In the afternoon, it’ll be all about bubble tea as you take part in your own DIY class where you’ll learn how to make Taiwan’s most famous drink. Round off your day as a Taipei foodie by getting dinner at one of the city’s many brilliant night markets — if you still have room, that is! (You might also like: Taipei Foodie Tour)
RECOMMENDATION
Traditional Taiwanese Breakfast
- Ho’s Soy Milk | 7:00am – 11:30am (Closed on Wed. & Thu.)
- Miss Chin’s | 5:30am – 1:30pm
Xiaolongbao
- Shengyuan Luffa Xiao Long Bao | 11:00am – 9:30pm
- Hang Zhou Xiao Long Bao | 11:00am – 10:00pm (Sun. to Thu.), 11:00am – 11:00pm (Fri. & Sat.)
Beef Noodles
- Yong-Kong Beef Noodle | 11:00am – 3:30pm, 4:30pm – 9:00pm
- Lin Dong Fang Beef Noodle | 11:00am – 3:00am
Bubble Tea DIY
Night Market
- Raohe Street Night Market
- Ningxia Night Market
2. Taipei Great Outdoors Tour
ROUTE: ❶ Hiking in Yangmingshan ➔ ❷ Flower viewing during the Calla Lily and Hydrangea season ➔❸ Bike to explore the city
Make the most of Taipei’s spring weather with an outdoor tour of the city. A hike up the glorious Yangmingshan (陽明山) in Yangmingshan National Park between Taipei and New Taipei City will get your blood pumping and fill your lungs with fresh spring air. It’s an ideal time of year to visit Yangmingshan as the wild flowers will be blooming, especially calla lily and hydrangea at the Zhuzihu (竹子湖). The flower festival will be held from late March through June, where you can enjoy creative market, concerts, and guided tours while enjoying flower viewing. Following your flower field frolicking, it’s time to explore Taipei by bike. Hop on a YouBike, one of the many yellow share bikes accessible to the public around the city, and find out just how cyclist-friendly Taipei can be. Designated cycle lanes all across the city make navigating Taipei by bike a piece of cake, while the riverside cycle routes such as park near Dadaocheng (大稻埕) is not to be missed. (You might also like: Taipei Riverside Bike Tour)
RECOMMENDATION
Hiking Trail in Yangmingshan
- Juansi Waterfall Trail: Take bus 303 or S15 at MRT Jiantan Station. Get off at Juansi Waterfall Station.
- Zhuzihu Circular Trail: Take bus 128 or S8 at MRT Shipai Station, or take bus 129 or S9 at MRT Beitou station. Get off at Zhuzihu Station.
2020 Zhuzihu Calla Lily & Hydrangea Festival
- March 27 – June 21
Biking Site
- Dadaocheng Wharf: (Yengping Riverside Park) 10-min bike from MRT Beimen Station
- Shezi Daotou Park: 40-min bike from Dadaocheng Wharf
3. Taipei Chill-Out Tour
ROUTE: ❶ Visit the top of Taipei 101 ➔ ❷ Soak in the hot spring in Beitou to relax on a spring day ➔❸ Enjoy a great meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant ➔ ❹ End the day with a relaxing foot massage
Get a taste of Taipei affluence this spring with a tour of the city’s most posh hotspots. Literally experience the high life with a trip up the iconic Taipei 101 skyscraper, formerly the world’s tallest building and to this day the most recognizable landmark in Taipei. Head next to the hot springs of Beitou (北投) for a healing soak in the city’s world-renowned hot spring water before going for some fine dining at one of the Taipei’s many Michelin-starred restaurants. Then end your day with a relaxing foot massage at one of the capital’s premier spas. A day of luxury definitely worth treating yourself to. You deserve it. (Read more: Hot Springs, Spas and Spa Hotels Around Taiwan)
RECOMMENDATION
Taipei 101
- Observatory Deck at 89th floor | 9:00am – 10:00pm
- Skyline 460 (Out-door deck at 101th floor) | Limited Time at 1:00pm, 2:00pm and 3:00pm
Hot Spring in Beitou
- Marshal Zen Garden
- Radium Kagaya International Hotel
Michelin-Starred Restaurant
- Longtail | 6:00pm – 12:00am
- Mingfu Taiwan Seafood Dishes | 12:00pm – 2:30pm ; 6:00pm – 9:30pm
Foot Massage
- Six Star Foot massage Taipei Nanjing Branch | Opened 24-hours
- Sasyunkan| 9:30am – 11:00pm
4. LGBTaipei Tour
ROUTE: ❶ Visit Treasure Hill Artist Village in Gongguan ➔ ❷ The Witch House ➔ ❸ Ximending area ➔❹ Bar Hopping to experience the night life
This May will mark one year since Taiwan legalized same-sex marriage, and once you visit some of the city’s various LGBTQ-friendly venues, you’ll see why we became the first country in Asia to pass the law. Your first stop will be Treasure Hill Artist Village (寶藏巖國際藝術村), a small community on the banks of the Xindian River (新店溪) in Gongguan (公館) housing resident artists from all over the world who frequently curate exhibitions or create artworks to voice for LGBTQ rights. Peruse the installations, stores and houses of the charming area that has stood in its present from since the 1970s. A visit to The Witch House (女巫店), a multipurpose venue known for its live music, will give you a further taste of Taipei’s LGBTQ culture before you hit the streets of the city’s famous Ximending (西門町) area and have an unforgettable bar hopping tour to experience the local nightlife in well-known LGBTQ-friendly bars such as Commander D, Karen Bar and Mudan. (Read also: Ultimate Taipei LGBT Map)
RECOMMENDATION
Treasure Hill Artist Village
LGBTQ-Friendly Bar in Ximending
- Commander D | 9:00pm – 3:00am
- Karen Bar | 9:00pm – 2:00am (Sun. to Thu.), 8:00pm – 3:00am (Fri. & Sat.)
- Mudan | 5:00pm – 1:00am (Sun. to Thu.), 5:00pm – 2:00am (Fri. & Sat.)
LGBTQ-Friendly tour
- 【LGBT+ Tour】Underground Taipei Tour
- 【LGBT+ Tour】Taipei Hipster Tour
- 【LGBT+ Tour】Taipei Hipster Tour With Monthly Special Drag Queen Show
5. Taipei Culture Vulture Tour
ROUTE: ❶ A historical tour in Dadaocheng ➔ ❷ Tea tasting & tea ceremony ➔❸ Visit Baoan Temple
Taipei is a city loaded with culture, and no visit here is complete without a tour in Dadaocheng. As the area was the biggest center to trade Taiwanese tea in the 1800s, you can find various tea houses there to patriciate an authentic tea ceremony and sample a few of the country’s best tea. Spring time also coincides with the Baosheng Cultural Festival (保生文化季). As part of your tour, you’ll also visit the historic Baoan Temple (保安宮) and join the festival to both celebrate the birthday of Baosheng Emperor (保生大帝) and experience the local cultural traditions. The structure was also recognized by the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Culture Heritage Conservation back in 2003. The festival is a symbol of Taiwan’s folk religious celebrations as well as architectural legacy, and has inspired similar festivities in places such as Singapore and China. (Read more: Vintage Taipei in Dadaocheng)
RECOMMENDATION
Tea Houses in Dadaocheng
- WANG TEA | 9:00am – 7:00pm (Closed on Sun.)
- South St. Delight | 11:00am – 7:00pm
2020 Baosheng Cultural Festival
- March 28 — June 28
How to prepare to visit Taipei in the spring
As previously mentioned, springtime, in terms of weather, is pretty pleasant in Taipei. In terms of other clothing, you’ll be comfortable in long pants, but shorts, skirts and dresses etc. may be more comfortable, especially during the daytime. During the night, however, might be a little chilly but a light jacket will do. The average temperature during spring in Taipei is around 25 degrees Celsius. The energy-sapping humidity of summer won’t have arrived, yet rainy season might start at the end of May, so prepare for rain just in case by packing some waterproof clothing (you can pick up a cheap umbrella at any convenience store). It’s also highly recommended that you bring adequate sun protection, such as sun cream, as even in the springtime, the sun in Taipei can be intense. (Read Also: Dressing for the weather in Taiwan)
WORDS BY Adam Hopkins
PHOTOS BY Gao Zanxian, Taiwan Scene, Yenping Yang, Department of Economic Development, Taipei City Government, MyTaiwanTour, Francesca Chang, Mashal Zen Garden, Longtail, bhakpong, Mudan, Xu Yirong, Department of Information and Tourism,Taipei City Government, Liu Jiawen, Baoan Temple
This article is reproduced under the permission of TAIPEI. Original content can be found at the website of Taipei Travel Net (www.travel.taipei/en).