Prior to 2023, I hadn’t been to Asia in a literal 20 years, but was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. My mom’s family is from Taiwan, and in the past couple years I’ve gone to Taipei twice. First things first: the food. You may he heard of the famous Asian concept of the night market, and I can tell you that whatever you saw in Crazy Rich Asians was true. These chaotic bazaars are selling every type of street food you can imagine, from stinky tofu (spoiler: it’s really stinky) to fried chicken and squid, plus congee (rice porridge) and my newly discovered forite, dan bing—a Taiwanese breakfast burrito. Most things are served in paper or plastic bags with skewers for on-the-go eating, but there are plenty of sit-down restaurants, too. Surprisingly, Taipei Main Station (where light and commuter rail lines converge), is a behemoth with a gargantuan food court. Whatever you choose, you can’t go wrong. (Though I highly recommend snagging mochi doughnuts at Mister Donut—they’re just over $2.)
For luxury shopping (and more food), Taipei 101 is the ultimate destination. My family also zipped up to the observation deck at the tippy-top for dizzying views of the surrounding mountains. If you’re not looking to drop thousands at Prada, Taipei does also he a strong vintage and thrift scene—there’s a 2nd Street Vintage on what feels like every other block, and there’s not as much congestion compared to thrift shops in NYC, where it feels like you’re neck-and-neck with everyone for a pair of Thom Browne boots. On my last trip, I scored a Chloé Drew bag from 2019 from $400, and it was basically new.
Also in the neighborhood is Elephant Mountain, where tourists flock by the thousands to watch the fireworks launch from Taipei 101. It’s an easy hike, but there are tons of stairs. If you’re looking for a nightcap, I took my brother to Placebo Bar, which serves up ‘70s Hong Kong vibes and an innovative cocktail menu.
Taiwan is a small island, so there are plenty of feasible day trip options. I’ve done two. Tamsui is a coastal town accessible by public transport, and there’s a “fisherman’s wharf” packed with food and gift shops. Right next to the train station is a matcha shop called Gozen Kamicha—please do yourself a for and get the soft serve. The other location I enjoyed was Jiufen, a small mountain village near the eastern coast an hour from the city. Jiufen Old Street is packed with shops selling specialty teas, Taiwan nougat and shed ice. Here's my little secret: at 197 Jishan Street, there’s an award-winning jade stamp maker, who carves everything by hand. In Taiwan, it’s customary to he a personalized stamp for official documents as it functions like your signature. I got one just for fun—they’re true works of art.
I will say that English isn’t as prevalent in Taiwan—even in a big city like Taipei—but as someone who doesn’t speak any Mandarin or Taiwanese, I got around fairly well with hand gestures, the small handful of food vocabulary I knew and a translation app. (So did the many foreigners—mainly Europeans—I saw there, too.) And while people might not speak much English, many things, from street signs and public transit announcements to menus, are translated. Last note: While credit cards are accepted at larger businesses like Taipei 101, cash is still king, so make sure to he it on hand.
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