5-Day 4-Night Taipei Travel Itinerary

Entry for the Free Exploration Travel Writing and Photography Contest by Phan Thu Nga, sharing the Taipei travel experience with friends.

Taiwan is a hot destination for young Vietnamese. Whether you love beautiful natural scenery, delicious food, traditional or modern architecture, Taiwan has it all. And I love all of those things, plus one more—the low cost of a trip to Taiwan, so taking advantage of our days off, my friend and I from Japan had a wonderful and affordable trip to northern Taiwan.

We went during the holiday period of April 30th and May 1st. Except for some light rain on the first morning, the weather was sunny with clear blue skies. Generally, Taiwan offers beautiful scenery for enjoyment and exploration throughout the year, just be cautious of typhoon season from June to August for safety reasons.

Panoramic view of Bitou Cape

Taiwan has a visa exemption policy allowing 15 days of entry within 3 months for those holding valid visas or residence permits from the US, Canada, Japan, the UK, Schengen countries, European Union, Australia, and New Zealand. Since I already have a multiple entry visa from Japan, I plan to take advantage of it XD. Simply register at http://nas.immigration.gov.tw/nase, print out the acceptance along with the visa or residence permit + return flight ticket within 30 days and you're good to go.

If you don't fall under the above category, you can still easily apply for a Taiwan tourist visa following Klook's guide.

There are many ways to travel from Vietnam to Taiwan. I flew from Ho Chi Minh City with Vietjetair for just over 3.5 million VND/round-trip ticket. Alternatively, you can check fares from Eva Air, Hahn Air, China Airlines... ranging from nearly 3-8 million VND/round-trip ticket.

For transportation between Taoyuan Airport and Taipei city center, taking the bus is recommended, priced at 125 TWD/one way, easily purchasable from vending machines or at the counter.

Instead of heading straight to Taipei, I went to Sanxia first. Bus number 1968 takes 30 minutes, priced at 75 TWD purchased at the counter.

Within Taipei city, we opted for the EasyCard for both MRT and bus rides. Upon purchasing the card, a deposit of 100 TWD is required, which can be refunded along with any remaining balance up to -40 TWD. Refunds for the deposit are available at MRT stations, but not at 7Eleven stores. However, the card from 7Eleven is fancier as a souvenir.

The EasyCard is available at 7Eleven.

The MRT system is incredibly convenient, fast, and safe, running from 6 AM until late at night. Note that eating and drinking are not allowed in the station area or on the trains unless you want to incur fines.

Buses in Taipei are also very clean, frequent, and cheap, costing only about 15TWD per ride while offering a scenic view of the city.

We booked rooms through http://www.booking.com/.

In Taipei, we stayed at Next Taipei – Taipei Main Station, a female dormitory located 400m from Taipei Main Station and 600m from Ximending. It's very convenient with shared bathrooms, free laundry and drying facilities, lockers, and a kitchen, priced at 422TWD/night/bed.

In Keelung, we stayed at Yung Feng Hotel, located 100m from Miaokou Night Market, 400m from Keelung Port, and 800m from Sankeng Station. The private room had 2 queen-size beds accommodating up to 4 people, with a private bathroom, priced at 1,580TWD/night.

Every accommodation is clean and convenient, with incredibly friendly and helpful staff, so we were all satisfied.

The SGN-TPE flight landed at 5:55 local time. It was rainy and quite cold.

Sanxia old street

The first destination on the itinerary is Sanxia Old Street (三峽老街) pronounced as Sānxiá Lǎojiē – Tam Giáp Lão Nhai, located in the southern part of New Taipei City. Take bus 1968 from the airport and walk an additional 5 minutes. The well-preserved street reveals itself as one of the best-preserved areas in our opinion.

Previously, this was a bustling trading hub for all kinds of goods. Fortunately, arriving early allowed us to avoid tourists, and the shops were not yet open, so we could fully appreciate the architectural beauty of this place.

The architecture here blends Baroque, Japanese, and Taiwanese styles. Buildings in Taiwan are all built with awnings to shield from rain and sun, a characteristic style called Din-a-ka. Houses in Sanxia are distinctive with their red brick construction. 'The daughter’s wall' is a detail on the roof used for decoration, displaying product names and the homeowner's name on the door.

Along the streets are benches for resting. Even the manhole covers are noteworthy, as each one is uniquely designed by painters, sculptors, and politician Li Mei Shu.

He is also responsible for renovating the Qingshu Zushi Temple for the third time. The temple, built in 1767 during the Qing Dynasty, is made of wood, stone, and bronze, dedicated to Zushi Gong. The bronze paintings outside the four temple gates depict the Four Heavenly Kings. The temple has 165 meticulously carved stone columns. The main hall's ceiling is adorned with symbolic carvings representing the ascent to heaven, trapping demons, and the sun.

Qingshu Suzhi Temple

Leaving Sanxia by bus number 5005 to Yingge Station then taking a train to Taipei Main Station to return to the hotel and store luggage. The next destination is 228 Peace Park. This is a monument commemorating the 228 Incident in 1947. How to get there: Take the MRT to NTU Hospital station or bus number 15, 22, 220...

By chance, I stumbled upon the Taiwan Handicraft Promotion Center, showcasing and selling Taiwan's handmade products. From pottery, jade, and stones to calligraphy, puppets, gold, and silver... all exquisitely crafted and... extremely pricey, so I could only admire them from afar. How to get there: Bus number 88, 588... or walk 400m from 228 Peace Park.

If you're in Taipei on a Sunday, you should visit the Jian Guo Flower market and Jian Guo Jade market; they're closed on other days. At the flower market, you'll find all kinds of flowers, plants, decorative items, gardening supplies... and even artificial flowers. It's bustling with buyers and sellers, offering a variety of rare and beautiful species. As for the Jade market, it's a dazzling array of jade, rubies, quartz... However, photography is not allowed. How to get there: Take the MRT to Daan Park station.

Leave the market and head to the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. This is a memorial to Sun Yat-sen, the founding father of the Republic of China. Make sure to catch the changing of the guards every hour. How to get there: Take the MRT to Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall station.

Love sign beneath Taipei 101

Since I was traveling alone, I didn't go up Taipei 101 but went to Xiangshan (Elephant Mountain) to admire the skyscraper and the panoramic view of the city. How to get there: Take the MRT to Xiangshan station. The hike up the mountain is not too difficult or high, but the sunset was later than expected, so I almost froze waiting. Tip: Bring a thin scarf to fend off the cold, sun, wind, and cover up if you end up wearing something short when entering temples. Despite the wait, amidst thick clouds, I still got to witness the sunset and see the city light up, and luckily, even caught a fireworks display from above.

View of Taipei 101 and Taipei city at night from Xiangshan

The itinerary on the first day concludes at Raohe Night Market, one of Taipei's most famous night markets. How to get there: Take the MRT to Songshan station. At the market's entrance stands the Songshan Ciyou Temple (Tongshan Ciyou Temple), which is especially striking at night. As we exited the station, we were treated to traditional Taiwanese opera, reminiscent of Chinese opera and Vietnamese tuong. This bustling 600-meter stretch is lined with food stalls and merchandise, akin to the Old Quarter night market but on a larger scale. We tried fried doughnuts, winter melon tea, deep-fried squid, lotus seed paste cakes, herbal pork ribs, and sesame cakes; we were full but still wanted more because they were so delicious.

The second day began early as my friend flew in from Japan at 3 a.m. and was eager to start exploring. We had breakfast at a noodle shop and enjoyed traditional dumplings recommended by the hostel staff before visiting Longshan Temple.

Built in 1738 (the third year of the Qing Dynasty Emperor Yongzheng's reign), the temple is now a national heritage site and a tourist attraction. Upon entering the temple gates, visitors encounter the Tinh Tam Waterfall and the Fountain Pond. The temple venerates the deities of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, primarily divided into three halls: the front hall, the main hall, and the rear hall. How to get there: Take the MRT to Longshan Temple station.

After leaving the temple, we visited the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall, built in 1976 and inaugurated in 1980 to commemorate Chiang Kai Shek. The area is part of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Square, which includes the National Concert Hall and the National Theater. Here, the changing of the guards ceremony, held every hour, is quite spectacular. How to get there: Take the MRT to Shandao Temple station.

Entrance to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Square

In the afternoon to evening, we visited the National Palace Museum, although the ticket price is 250TWD, it's definitely worth it. The museum houses over 690,000 artifacts spanning 10,000 years of Chinese history, many of which are exceptionally well-preserved. Please note that photography is not allowed inside the museum. How to get there: Take the MRT to Shilin station then catch bus number 304.

That evening, we explored the Shilin Night Market, which offers a much wider array of culinary delights and goods compared to the Raohe Night Market we visited the previous day. We indulged in grilled beef, sausages, skewered meats, stinky tofu, and oyster pancakes.

The next day, we traveled to Keelung via an early morning train from Taipei Main Station, priced at 39TWD. After storing our luggage at the hotel, we proceeded to Pingxi to hike Xiaozi Shan (Filial Son Mountain). The mountain boasts steep peaks that require cable car ascents for spectacular 360-degree views. However, the strong winds and precarious footing may deter those without nerves of steel or a fear of heights.

Xiaozi Shan with cable car ascent on its steep peak

With few fellow hikers, the mountain trails were often covered in slippery moss, but the lower slopes were manageable, allowing us to descend fairly quickly, visit Pingxi station, and release sky lanterns. This area also hosts the annual sky lantern festival during the Lantern Festival. Leaving Pingxi, we headed to Jiufen, famous as the inspiration for the Spirited Away movie setting. How to get there: Take the train to Ruifang Train Station then ascend the mountain by bus or taxi.

Jiufen

That evening, we explored Miaokou Night Market, indulging in fried spring rolls, sandwich, seafood skewers, taro cakes, and delicious bubble tea.

On our final day, we hiked to Bitou Cape. How to get there: Take bus number 791 from Zhongsi Road. The lush green hillside is adorned with wooden steps and handrails, creating a serene and picturesque scene. The trail is not steep, but we spent a lot of time here because... it's just too beautiful, every few steps we took led to another round of photo-taking.

In the afternoon, we returned to bustling Ximending in Taipei, where we savored the famous beef noodles, shaved ice, and enjoyed street performances.

Street art performances in Ximending attract a large audience for enjoyment.

Our Vietjetair flight TPE-SGN departed early in the morning. Since we wouldn't make it to the airport the next day, we spent a night at Taoyuan Airport. The modern airport is equipped with all amenities, including free bathrooms located on floors 1, 2, and 4 of Terminal 1 arrival hall, floors 1 and 4 of Terminal 2 arrival hall. Additionally, there is a rest area with plenty of power outlets. Just bring an extra blanket for a comfortable night at the airport.

– Airfare: 3.5 million VND,

– Train and bus: 640,000 VND,

– Accommodation: 970,000 VND.

– Dining: 1.2 million VND,

– Sightseeing tickets: 175,000 VND,

– Travel insurance: 270,000 VND