5 Days in Taipei: A First-Timer’s Itinerary
Taipei night markets, Taipei 101, and a mountain village in the clouds — the perfect first trip to Taiwan.
- Trip length
- 5 days
- Best season
- October–April (mild, less humid)
- Budget
- Mid-range
Taiwan packs an absurd amount into a small island: a world-class food capital, mountain villages wrapped in fog, and a marble gorge you can walk straight into. Five days is enough for a satisfying first taste — one that will almost certainly bring you back. This is the route I send friends who are going for the first time.
Before you go
Grab an EasyCard (Youyou Card) at any MRT station or convenience store. It works on the metro, most buses, and even for small purchases at 7-Eleven and FamilyMart. It removes almost all of the friction from getting around. Note: As of July 2026, the Taipei MRT now supports tap-2-pay.
The route at a glance
- Days 1–2: Taipei — temples, night markets, and Taipei 101
- Day 3: Jiufen & the northeast coast day trip
- Day 4: Dadaocheng
- Day 5: Slow morning in Taipei + Beitou hot springs
Arrive in Taipei & ease in
Temples by day, your first night market by night.
- Afternoon
Longshan Temple
Taipei’s most atmospheric temple and a gentle introduction to the city’s rhythm. Watch, don’t rush.
Wanhua DistrictFree - Early evening
Bopiliao Historic Block
Restored Qing-era streets a two-minute walk from Longshan — great for photos before dinner.
Wanhua DistrictFree - Night
Raohe Street Night Market
Start with the black-pepper pork buns at the entrance, then graze. Compact and walkable — ideal for jet-lagged first-timers.
Songshan District~$10–15 to eat your way through
Classic Taipei
The big hitters, paced so it never feels like a checklist.
- Morning
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
Go early for the changing of the guard and the empty plaza light.
Zhongzheng DistrictFree - Midday
Din Tai Fung (original branch)
Yes, it’s famous for a reason. Order the xiao long bao and the truffle dumplings if they have them.
Xinyi District~$20 per person - Late afternoon
Taipei 101 Observatory
Time it for about an hour before sunset to catch both day and night views from the top.
Xinyi District~$20
“The best thing about Taiwan is the people. There’s a real air of friendliness and hospitality from the locals.”
— Eric Lin
Jiufen & the northeast coast
A classic day trip into the hills above the sea.
- Morning
Bus to Jiufen
Take the 1062 bus from Zhongxiao Fuxing station. Sit on the right for coastline views.
From Taipei~$3 each way (EasyCard) - Midday
Jiufen Old Street
Try the taro balls and a pot of high-mountain tea in a teahouse overlooking the valley.
Ruifang District~$10 - Afternoon
Shifen & the waterfall
Release a sky lantern on the old railway line, then walk 15 minutes to Shifen Waterfall.
Pingxi Line~$5 for a lantern
Dadaocheng & Tamsui
The showstopper — marble cliffs and turquoise water.
- Midday
Tamsui
Bustling riverfront area that is incredibly bike-able. You can rent bikes for uber cheap (and even tandem bikes if you’re partner is nervous around bikes. Plenty of shops and food to go around. Just take the MRT red line to the last stop up top.
TamsuiFree - Afternoon
Dadaocheng
A small bustling market area filled with lots of unique shops. Souvenirs, food, temples, medicine (like traditional Chinese medicine, not a pharmacy), street snacks, etc.
DadaochengFree
Getting to Tamsui
Taipei’s MRT is world class, and to no one’s surprise, you can take the Red Line all the way to the North for easy access to Tamsui.
Slow morning & Beitou hot springs
Wind down before the flight home.
- Morning
Breakfast at a local dan bing shop
Dan bing (or egg crepes) and cold soy milk — the quintessential Taiwanese breakfast.
Anywhere local~$120NTD / $4 - Midday
Beitou Thermal Valley & public baths
Beitou has public hot springs where you can fight old men wearing skimpy swimsuits for access to the pools, or you can find a private hot spring (hotel or similar). Either way, rejuvunation is guaranteed.
Beitou District~$2 for the public baths
What I’d change with more time
If you have a week or more, add Tainan for the food and history, or take the uber convenient high-speed rail (THSR) south to Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s famous southern port city. Sun Moon Lake is also a popular destination for some truly amazing views
Written by
Eric LinEric grew up in America but visited Taiwan often as a kid and has continued to do so as an adult. Taiwan is his home away from home
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