Taipei, Taiwan

DAILY TRAVEL INSPIRATION: Taipei

Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, is a modern city home to dizzying skyscrapers, high tech start ups and super-efficient transport systems. It also has a troubled and difficult history, having been passed back and forth between it’s neighbours Japan and China. As a result, the city has a mish mash of different cultures that make it a thrilling and interesting place to visit.

The Taiwanese love to eat out, and many smaller apartments in Taipei don’t even have a kitchen as going out for food is such a part of daily life. You’ll find high end dining in Taipei, but the most fun way of exploring the city is through the street markets and themed restaurants. Taipei has some of the oddest restaurants in the world; there’s a hospital themed diner where drinks are served in drip bags and an airline style cafe where a waiter dressed as cabin crew brings your food on a trolley. Oddest of all is a toilet themed restaurant where you can eat soup from a urinal shaped bowl while sitting on a loo. Luckily they are just props! For a more traditional style meal, check out Tonghua night market for a huge range of snacks, meals and bars as well as some bargain souvenir hunting.

Taipei is also home to Taipei 101, the second tallest building in the world. There are observation decks on the 88th and 89th floor, and a balcony on the 91st floor, although this is only open in good weather. As well as seeing Taipei, you’ll also get good views over the city to the surrounding mountains. Try to go at sunset to see the city by both day and night.

Read more on Taipei below with flight options, current weather, maps, and activities to try while you are there.

Taipei is just one of many featured destinations part of our Daily Travel Inspiration series. Discover more at Daily Travel Inspiration or add it as part of your flash briefings on your Amazon Alexa device. Search 'Daily Travel Inspiration' on your alexa app or check out our Alexa page for more information.