Destination Guide: Taiwan

Taiwan has been one of my favorite places to travel with Hayden so far. It’s extremely safe, convenient to get around (even with a stroller), affordable, delicious and super kid-friendly. We have spent a lot of time living / traveling there so I hope this post is helpful for people visiting, with or without kids!

If you have any questions, let me know via DM on IG (@seejessicago). 

This document contains some affiliate links, where I will get paid a small commission if you purchase through the link. Thanks for your support! 

GETTING THERE

  • Flight

    • We have flown redeye 2x and a midday flight 1x. When Hayden was younger, redeye was the best because he slept the majority of the way (~5-9 hours). Now that he’s older, he watches movies and only naps a little during the daytime flights. 

    • If your baby is small enough, reserve the bassinet seats. Hayden was already over the weight limit when we went the first time. 

    • I bought an inflatable footrest so that the seat + footrest became a bed. Then made a canopy with airplane blankets above. This only worked when Hayden was younger and now we use this seat hammock. This gives him room to stretch his legs and prevents toys from falling down as much. 

    • Bring some diapers, wipes, clothes, sleep sack and other essentials with you on the plane in case needed during the flight or worst case, luggage is delayed/lost. Also remember to bring clothes for yourself. I learned the hard way because Hayden threw up on me during our most recent flight and I only brought extra clothes for him.  

    • Random tip: If you need to dispose of a diaper, you’re supposed to use the barf bag or throw it away in the bathroom (we didn’t know and got lectured). 

  • Taxi/shuttle to/from airport

    • Taxis are available from Taoyuan Airport. The taxi kiosk has car seats that the taxi drivers install in their car when a passenger needs it (I think the taxi drivers just brings it back during a later trip). That said, I’m not sure the seats are great or the way they install them is very secure, but we were fine with it for the trip to/from airport during our stays. 

    • You can also book shuttle service to/from airport with private drivers who have car seats. I would recommend this if you’re traveling with a lot of luggage. The first time we went we had to get 2 taxis to take us to our quarantine hotel bc we had so much luggage it wouldn’t fit (we had no choice bc we had to take government mandated quarantine taxis). Second time we booked a shuttle service. 

      • LINE ID: 柯明輝, need to use google translate or speak mandarin to communicate with him. I think it was ~$45-60 USD for the ride (there’s a little bit more if they pick you up from the airport vs drop off I think (like $5 difference or less). 

WHERE TO STAY

  • We have been to Taipei 3 times and we always stay in the Eastern District (Dong Qu), using this MRT station as a landmark. I love it because it balances having lots of department stores with boutiques, local restaurants and bars. Transportation is so convenient too. 

  • We generally looked for 3-bedroom apartments with elevators, modern interiors, AC, good washer/dryers and here is where we have stayed:

    • We had a great experience with a company called Kolette. We booked the first time through airbnb and the second time directly with Kolette to save airbnb fees. They only do 30+ day rentals. I note to book directly, you need to know someone in Taiwan to wire money to Kolette. 

    • We also stayed here more recently for just a week and loved it. I note this place didn’t have a dryer, but it had an exterior facing balcony that got sun so clothes dried quickly. Also, I note the study room has a glass door, so we used the slumperpod in there so Hayden could sleep while we were up. 

WHAT TO BRING / BUY THERE

Jing pushing all our bags for our first 3-month stay in Taiwan

  • What to Bring: see my post about our travel gear! We brought all of the items listed to our trips to Taiwan.

  • Buy There

    • Depending on length of your trip, you may want to consider buying diapers and wipes there. I was able to find diapers at supermarkets. One chain is called “Carrefour” and there were lots in the central Taipei area we stayed in. Sometimes they are underground and the entrance is very small. 

    • I was able to find baby wipes at 7-11/Family Marts and Carrefour (a relief because we couldn’t find them anywhere in Japan for some reason!). 

GETTING AROUND

  • It’s so easy to get around! Because Taipei has a pretty large elderly population and the subway system is relatively new, almost everything is very accessible, especially in the newer Eastern part of the city.

  • Subway (MRT)

    • We frequently took Hayden on the subway during rush hour traffic with his travel stroller and had no issues though it can be a little overwhelming. People were nice and helpful though.

    • Elevators/escalators were very clean and at every station, though not every exit (if you look at the signs, it’ll say which exits have elevators, though escalators you may just need to look, but at least every station has one). 

    • It says you’re not supposed to take strollers on escalators, but because ours is small we did anyway by either turning around backwards and tipping the stroller back to go back or tipping it back to go up. No one said anything but we left enough space so ppl can walk by on the left still. 

  • Uber/Taxis

    • We chose not to bring a carseat to Taiwan. For the first two trips, we held Hayden in our arms during short uber/taxi rides. Now that he’s bigger and more mobile, we use these super convenient ride safer vests (for ages 2+). 

    • They also have ubers with car seats! It’s only a little bit more, but you may need to wait a few minutes longer. 

    • We don’t take regular taxis much, because it’s sometimes hard to describe a destination / address. That said, generally taxi drivers are very honest and don’t try to take advantage of you. 

  • Bus

    • The bus system is very convenient, sometimes more so than the MRT. We lived near a huge hub so we took it more frequently than the MRT. 

    • The entry/exit for buses do not have steps, so you can get strollers up/down more easily. 

    • I generally would just wheel Hayden on and keep him in the stroller then wheel him back down.

WHAT TO DO

Here are some things we loved to do, which mostly revolve around food and shopping… It also rains quite a bit in Taipei (though usually light rains) so I categorized based on the weather. 

Releasing a painted lantern during a daytrip to Pingxi (you can also do this in Shifen)

  • Non-Rainy Days

    • Maokong Gondola and Taipei Zoo (went once when it was sprinkling and it was ok actually)

      • If you have lots of time, I would take the Maokong Gondola all the way to the top and walk around that area. There are tea houses and hikes. If you’re short on time, just take the gondola up to the 2nd zoo entrance higher up the hill. 

      • The Taipei Zoo has two entrances, one at top of hill and one at bottom. I would recommend entering the zoo from the entrance up the hill. Then you get to ride a tram to the zoo entrance and you go in and work your way down. We have been to the zoo 2x and started from the bottom and it’s really tiring to walk uphill so the third time we did this and it was so much more pleasant, especially when it’s hot. 

      • I didn’t realize that Taipei Zoo is the biggest in Asia and there were some really cool enclosures where you get super up close to pelicans and cranes and there are cool animals! 

    • Visit Da’an Playground after putting your name down for Din Tai Feng Xinsheng Branch

    • Eat at Tamed Fox Da’an and visit this local park

    • Get Tian Jing scallion pancake or other goodies around Yong Kang Street and then play at the Yong Kang playground 

    • Huashan 1914 Creative Park - they used to have this Wooderful play center where there was a baby zipline but it looks (temporarily??) closed now =( They always have special exhibits going on though, so check their website. 

    • Explore Xinyi area (Taipei City Hall MRT (Blue line) or Taipei 101 MRT (Red line)

      • Taipei 101 Observatory - Tall building with views, it’s ok. Can combine with exploring the Xinyi area. 

      • There is a play center in a department store Yukids Island Kids' Playground - same floor also sells clothes, toys, and kids haircuts (they are so good!)

    • Hiking - Elephant Mountain (lots of stairs)

    • Night Market - Raohe is a pretty famous one.

    • Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall - If it's your first time in Taipei, you should probably stop by here. 

    • Rongjin Gorgeous Time - I have wanted to walk around here, but not been yet. 

    • Dadaocheng Wharf Container Market - This area by the water has containers that they turned into bars/snack shops. Later at night it’s mostly adults (saw some kids), but I imagine earlier in the day there are kids too (open 4pm).  

    • Ximending Walking District - like the Times Square of Taipei, up to your interpretation of whether that’s good or bad… My mom liked this place from her childhood Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle and there are some museums in the area too (The Red House).

    • Zhongshan District - another shopping / commercial area to explore/eat/shop/walk around. Jiancheng Park playground in that area

  • Hot / Rainy Days

    • Museum of Miniatures - Honestly thought this would be lame, but Hayden was really into it and so were lots of other adults there. It let us kill an hour and it was relaxing for me because everything is behind plexiglass so I didn’t have to supervise him. 

    • Rich Daddy - play center with cafe where parents can eat while kids play in foam covered areas

    • Swim Classes - If you’re staying long-term, consider swim lessons! Link is to the one we did 2x.

    • Wooderful life 裕隆城店-報名DIY活動可入木育森林體驗 Amusement Park - This used to be located in central Taipei but it looks like they moved to Xindian in New Taipei City. This was one of our favorite places to take H when it was too rainy/hot outside. They even have a baby zipline! It’s a little far from central Taipei, but you can combine with a visit to Xindian’s little river area Bitan Tourist Attraction which is kind of a boardwalk next to the river. You can rent a boat or walk across the bridge to the other side. 

  • Other

    • Massage – If you have someone who can watch kid while you go out, definitely get a massage!!! This is our favorite place, we have been 10x times. Do the 2 hour course and call ahead to reserve! Cash only. 

    • KOR Taipei - my favorite night club. 

    • There are so many cute cocktail bars in Taipei, many require reservations b/c they are so small. Washu, Ukitsu, etc. 

    • Shrimping - we did this most recently and it was fun though we were bad at it. Just sit around and drink beer while slowly catching fish. Some families were catching so many and having a bbq feast there. 

    • Rent a YouBike and bike around Taipei! The main roads have bike lanes on the sidewalk. I was a very very weak biker and got so much better learning to bike in Taipei. It’s practically free ($1 for 30 minutes or something). Download the YouBike app and choose “Single Ride” and connect your credit card to the app. Then you can ride by scanning the QR code on the bike. 

    • My favorite area to shop were the boutiques in Eastern District (Dong Qu) where our airbnb was, near this cafe Café Costumice

WHAT TO EAT

  • Food – if you ask what people in Taipei like to do, it’s mostly eating!

  • Random tips

    • At proper restaurants, you probably need to make reservations, even on weekdays. Even small mom/pop type places may require reservations. 

    • Most proper restaurants have high chairs, but you can call ahead and ask. For places that didn’t, we used to feed Hayden in his stroller when he was too young to sit on a regular chair using his silicone bib as a catch-all/tray. Now, he sits in a regular chair and sometimes we’ll use the portable fabric harness. 

    • Hayden ate out in Taiwan 7 days a week for many months so he got used to it. Our secret to eating out with H is to bring some food we know he’ll like to eat so he can eat that while we take our time to order and then he’ll eat more when the restaurant’s food comes out. Sometimes it’ll just be a banana bc that’s easy or we’ll pack food my mom makes for him at home or like a pork bun we buy from the street vendor, etc. Now that he’s older, we do this less since we want him to learn to be patient… Other times, we would just buy food to go and eat in the comfort of our airbnb. 

  • Here is a short list of personal favorites that we have tried when in Taipei:

    • Kid Friendly

      • Din Tai Fung Xinsheng Branch - this is our favorite one, based on food/vibes/location. Walk up to get a number and wait in line. Can be really long on weekends. We waited ~35 mins on a Monday night. All DTFs are great though.

      • TAMED FOX DAAN– such a delicious cafe with healthy food and great drinks/smoothies/acai bowls. We usually walk in on weekdays but try to make reservations on weekends or come earlier in the day. We go at least 1x/week when there (if not more).

      • Halal Chinese Beef Noodles (Da'an) - delicious beef noodle soup and also these pancakes that you wrap meat in. We usually walk in but they probably take reservations too. 

      • Fu Hang Soy Milk - famous Taiwanese breakfast spot, but haven’t been in a while because I am tired of waiting in lines, esp with a toddler. If you’re jet lagged though and can come early it is worth it. 

      • My Stove at Songjiang Nanjing Station– classic Taiwanese food in a nicer restaurant setting (with high chairs!). Make res. 

      • Tian Jin Onion Pancake - street food stall, get food here and eat at Yong Kong Park. 

      • Orange Shabu 1 Orange Shabu 2 - Favorite shabu place, definitely need reservations. A little fancy but Hayden has been 2x and loves it. 

      • Gyukatsu Motomura Xinyi - steak katsu with a stone for cooking. From Japan but usually no wait and they have booster chairs. Inside a mall / movie theater. 

      • ODD ONE OUT Dunnan Shop - I don’t drink boba much now, but this place is the best. Super delicious teas and homemade toppings. 

      • Snow Bro - dessert shop, yummy! 

      • 頂好紫琳蒸餃館 Zi Lin Steamed Dumpling - locally famous dumpling shop in the basement of maybe the oldest department store in the area. I would take out and bring back home to eat. 

      • Ching Cheng Hainan Chicken Rice - delicious, casual place people visit for lunch. The owner/cashier is a little gruff though so be prepared. 

      • Addiction Aquatic Development - fish market for sushi / seafood. Like in Tokyo nuy much smaller and more approachable. Never been with Hayden, but he would probably like seeing all the live sea animals before they “go to sleep” (his words). This article seems to give some tips.

      • 享鴨 烤鴨與中華料理 台北忠孝東店 Xiang Duck - restaurant that does duck 3-4 ways, super yummy and was close to our airbnb. 

      • GARDENh - My favorite sit down restaurant in Yonghe district in New Taipei City (further away from the city center). You need a reservation and a lot of their best dishes require pre-ordering, including the delicious rice. Lmk if you plan to go and need tips on what to order ahead. 

      • There are lots of great restaurants in all the department stores, so if we didn’t have a plan, we’d usually just pick one in a SOGO, Shinkong, Breeze that has decent google map ratings.

    • Not as kid friendly

      • Takumi Dumplings- the best dumplings, though very small / crowded and not kid friendly. We fed Hayden here using a stroller/bib strategy but would probably get take out in the future.

      • 大村武串燒居酒屋-大安店 - favorite Izakaya place, not quite kid friendly because they are known for AYCD plum wine specials. Need to make reservations. 

      • Sunny Hills Taipei Minsheng Park Store - Pineapple cakes. Cute store where you can go get tea/pineapple cake for free and relax before buying. Just walk in. 

      • Taihu Brewing Da’an - we have taken Hayden here, though it’s not quite kid friendly. All high top tables, we left Hayden in his stroller and fed him below while we ate above him haha. Delicious beer and amazing burgers/bar food. Can make reservations online. 

      • 柑橘Shinn - Soba - favorite ramen. Come 15 minutes before opening to line up.

      • Longtail - came here before for a cocktail/food tasting menu for our anniversary 2022, super delicious!

      • Taïrroir - 3 michelin star restaurant we went for our anniversary 2024. Delicious but such a long meal.

      • 大腕燒肉Da-wan - Heard from friends this yakiniku place is great, I think Michelin starred restaurant. 

    • Cafes

      • We worked remotely in Taipei for 4 months so visited many coffee shops

      • Dreamer’s - if you need somewhere open early, this chain was the only one that seemed to be open at 7am. Some locations are newer/fancier, like this one. DREAMERS COFFEE ROASTERS 仁愛店 

      • Tamed Fox - my favorite, 2 hour time limit, has really good food. There are a couple locations in Taipei — link is to the one we visited most often in Da’an area.

      • CURISTA COFFEE Taipei City Hall Shop - fancy looking, reliable wifi. 

      • Café Costumice - cafe with cool vibes, lots of ppl here taking IG pics. We like to come here to do more light work or just hang out.

DAY TRIPS OUTSIDE OF TAIPEI

Biking around Sun Moon Lake

Hire a driver and take a daytrip to Jioufen/Shifen/Houtong Cat Village - I would recommend going on a weekday. You can definitely get there using public transit, but we opted for a driver since it’s easier with a kid and not super expensive (~$200 for a day).

  • Jioufen: Beautiful former coal mining towns at the top of the mountain with ocean views, tea houses, old streets with food, etc. Recommend getting to Jiufen 10am to avoid the crazy crowds. It was so nice / peaceful when empty. Most tours do 2 scenic stops on the way to Jiufen and arrive around 11am or later and it gets CRAZY crowded. We had tea/snacks here:A-MEI Tea House

  • Shifen Old Street: old coal mining town built on the train tracks. Can pay vendors to paint sky lanterns and release them. If you go on a weekend, consider going to Pingxi down the road for likely less people. 

  • Houtong Cat Village: Village with lots of cats. I think there are more in the morning, but in afternoon I think they were napping away from the center of town. Only stayed like 20 minutes. 

  • Let me know if you want contact info for the driver we used. They speak Chinese, so if you do not, you may want to consider an English tour. I like having our own car because they provided a car seat and we could adjust the itinerary for however we were feeling given toddler naps/eating schedules/interests. For example, we skipped a lot of the scenic lookouts that people do on the way to Jiufen to get there early.

  • You can also take local buses/trains to these locations, but we were not as adventurous and more on a time crunch. We left Taipei at 9am and went to all the above and got back by 5pm. Our driver cost $225 for the day and we had 5 adults + 1 toddler in the Mercedes sprinter van. 

  • Visit Taicheng and Sun Moon Lake - went with Hayden and it was fun! It’s like a Lake Tahoe type place, where you can rent bikes and bike on bike paths (with infant attachment) and there is also a gondola and some scenic points. Next time we would just stay in Taicheng and not at Sun Moon Lake – everything closes early and there’s nothing to do, we almost couldn’t find a decent place for dinner. We drove the entire way from Taipei, but you could also take the High Speed Rail (HSR) to Taicheng then rent a car or hire a driver from there (or maybe uber). Taicheng itself is a beautiful and fun city, so I would enjoy spending a couple nights there. 

  • Other Day Trips

    • Yilan - still haven’t been, on my list for next trip

    • Taroko Gorge - went with Jing before Hayden, haven’t gone with a kid. Did a bus tour and wasn’t into it, would drive ourselves next time. 

    • Kenting - national park at southern tip of Taiwan. Jing rented a car and drove us around the island before and we stayed here. 90 degree white sand beaches in December!

    • Let me know if you have questions about renting a car / driving in Taiwan.

OTHER

  • Medical Care

    • It’s extremely easy to see a doctor in Taipei. Offices are everywhere and you usually go/call to get a number and come back at a designated time. Hospitals also have foreigner-friendly departments where they speak English. My mom once fell and needed stitches in her head and just asked someone on the street where to go and was directed, so it seems pretty easy to find. This is a hospital I went to once for me and Hayden to get health checks for reference. I have been sick in Taipei many times and have been to the ER in a hospital and also been seen in small clinics. It’s insane how cheap and convenient it is.

  • Jetlag

    • Each time we’ve visited, Hayden gets over jetlag much better than we do (going and coming back), I think because he naps regularly. He probably takes about 3 days and us about 1 week. I got this 1mg kids melatonin that we ended up mostly taking for ourselves and give him now that we are back in the US. I also tried this app called Timeshifter which gives recommendations on when to get sunlight/caffeine which has helped me a lot on our 2024 trip.

  • Gym

    • If you need a gym, there are so many nice gyms where you swipe your EasyPass (the card for MRT/bus) and they charge by the minute like a few cents. Basically your 1-2 hour workout will only be a few dollars. Here is the one we went to: Soulfit

  • Let me know if you have any other questions about traveling in Taiwan and I can update this!

Destination Guide, TravelJessica Chen