Things to Do in Taipei

Discover 10 activities and experiences in Taipei, Taiwan — from outdoor adventures to cultural events. Curated from real traveler recommendations.

Taipei, Taiwan 10 activities
  1. Ferris Wheel

    '''Miramar''' (美麗華), 22 Jinye 3rd Road (敬業三路22號). This up-scale shopping mall in the suburb of Dazhi operates a large ferris wheel that offers great views over the city. It is especially spectacular at night, when not only the city is lit up, but the ferris wheel itself is illuminated. It is open from 11AM to 12 midnight, and the fifteen minute ride costs NT$150 on weekdays and NT$200 on weekends. The same complex also houses a '''3D Imax movie theater''' and a multi-screen Warner Village cinema. Free shuttle buses run to the mall from Jiantan MRT Station on the half hour during week days and more frequently at the weekend and on national holidays.

    More info
  2. Spot - Taipei Film House

    The former residence of the U.S. Ambassador has been transformed into an art center that focuses on independent films. In addition to screenings, the house also has great cafes and restaurants that spill out onto balconies and into the garden. The bookstore offers a good selection of hard-to-get art/independent films on DVD, though for other movies, prices are lower at regular DVD rental stores.

    Zhongshan North Rd, Sec. 2
    Tu-Su 11AM - 10PM
    Free
    More info
  3. National Theater Hall and National Concert Hall

    Located in the grounds of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial, it is an are excellent place to see performances of a Taiwanese play or a dance troupe. They also host many international events. [http://nso.ntch.edu.tw/ Taiwan's '''National Symphony Orchestra'''] performs at the National Concert Hall. The building's neo-classic Chinese architecture is especially stunning when flood-lit at night.

    More info
  4. Taipei Water Park

    (自來水園區) 1 Shiyuan Street is situated in Gongguan area and was newly opened in 2007. The park is built around the '''Museum of Drinking Water'''. Many facilities are all about water. The most popular are water slides and swimming spas. But the facilities are open only in summer (entry included with the museum ticket)

    More info
  5. Elephant Mountain Hiking Trail

    A short walk from Taipei 101 in Xinyi District. Steep steps lead up into a shaded, forested hill overlooking the city. The entrance is poorly signposted. Elephant Mountain, about 200M high, is one of the Four Beasts Mountains, and paths from here go up to higher peaks in Nangang.

  6. Children's Recreation Center

    Is an amusement park located on Zhongshan North Road Sec. 3, nearest MRT station is 'Yuanshan' on Danshui Line. The center was created by city government in 1991. It has old-fashioned rides, folk art museum, IMAX theater and more. This place is great for younger kids.

    More info
  7. Golden Horse Chinese Language Film Festival

    Often referred to as the Oscars of the Chinese film world, while films in the awards section are all in Chinese, they have English subtitles and there is also a large non-competition foreign language section.

    More info
  8. Taipei Film Festival

    An international festival with two award sections – Taipei Award Nominees and International New Talent Nominees. Films are shown at several venues throughout the city.

    More info
  9. Museum of Drinking Water

    The Museum of Drinking Water was completed in 1908, and is the first pumping station and filtration plant in Taipei. The museum is in Taipei Water Park.

    49 Nanhai Rd
    9AM-6PM (tickets offer till 5PM), closed Mon
  10. Tianmu Miramar Cinema

    4F, sec 2, Tianmu. (忠誠路二段202號4樓). A very modern facility with eight screens.

    202 Zhongcheng Rd

Exploring Taipei: A Traveler's Guide to Activities

Taipei rewards curious travelers with an exceptional range of experiences. Whether you have a weekend or several weeks, the city's 10 documented activities cover the full spectrum — architectural landmarks and world-class museums at one end, local neighborhood festivals and underground cultural scenes at the other. The activities listed on this page come from Wikivoyage contributors who have personally explored Taipei and written detailed, practical descriptions to help you plan your visit.

The most rewarding way to experience Taipei's activities is with company. Solo travelers who arrive without plans often find that meeting a fellow traveler at a hostel, cafe, or through the Nomax app opens up entirely new itineraries — a museum visit becomes a half-day exploration, a street food crawl turns into an evening of discovery, a day trip to a nearby site becomes an adventure. Taipei has an active traveler community, and the city is designed to reward those who explore it with open curiosity.

When planning what to do in Taipei, consider mixing well-known attractions with neighborhood-level experiences. The city's most photographed sights are popular for good reason, but Taipei's character lives in its quieter corners too — the local markets, the parks where residents spend their weekends, the small performance venues where the next generation of artists and musicians are finding their voice. The 10 activities on this page include both categories, ordered by the richness of their traveler-written descriptions.

How to Get the Most from Taipei's Activities

Timing matters in Taipei. Many of the city's best attractions have shorter queues and better atmospheres on weekday mornings. Major cultural sites — museums, galleries, historic monuments — often run free admission windows on certain days or evenings; check before booking. Outdoor activities and walking tours are best enjoyed in the morning before the city heats up or fills with tour groups.

Budget-conscious travelers will find that Taipei has a strong free-to-access layer. Public parks, open-air markets, architectural walking routes, and many community events cost nothing. The price information included with activities on this page (where available) helps you plan a realistic daily budget. A mix of free and paid activities across a week in Taipei is entirely feasible for most traveler budgets.

For travelers who want to do more than just sightseeing, Taipei offers organized activities through local guides, tour companies, and traveler apps like Nomax. Group activities — cooking classes, cycling tours, kayaking excursions, photography walks — are a natural way to meet people while experiencing the city. Many travelers who use Nomax in Taipei coordinate these types of group experiences together, splitting costs and building memories that last beyond the trip itself.

Activities for Different Travel Styles

Not every traveler wants the same experience. History enthusiasts will gravitate toward Taipei's museums, heritage sites, and guided historical walks that reveal the layers of the city's past. Outdoor and adventure travelers will focus on the parks, cycling routes, climbing areas, and day trips to surrounding natural areas. Food travelers will treat Taipei's markets, restaurants, and food tours as the primary activities of each day. Culture seekers will fill evenings with concerts, theater, gallery openings, and street performances.

The 10 activities documented on this page span all these categories. Use the numbered list above to browse in order of description quality — longer descriptions generally mean more detailed, firsthand traveler knowledge. For each activity, the address and opening hours (where available) give you everything you need to plan your visit without needing to search elsewhere.

Connecting with Travelers in Taipei

One of the best things about traveling to Taipei is the community of international travelers already there. Backpackers, digital nomads, long-term expats, and short-trip tourists all share the same city at any given moment. Nomax makes it easy to find who is in Taipei right now, see what activities they are joining, and coordinate plans. Whether you want a hiking companion, someone to split museum entry with, or a group for an evening out — the app connects you to people with the same itinerary in minutes.

Download Nomax before your trip to Taipei to set your travel dates and start discovering who else will be there at the same time. The app is free, requires no subscription, and works across all the major traveler destinations worldwide — meaning the community you build in Taipei often extends to your next destination too.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best things to do in Taipei?

Taipei offers 10+ activities and experiences for travelers. Top highlights include Ferris Wheel, Spot - Taipei Film House, National Theater Hall and National Concert Hall, and much more. This page lists every documented activity in order of description quality, so you can find both the major attractions and the hidden gems.

Are there free things to do in Taipei?

Yes — Taipei has a strong selection of free activities. Public parks, open-air markets, walking routes through historic neighborhoods, and many cultural institutions offer free admission on specific days. Scroll through the list above and look for activities marked with free or no price information — these are often the city's most authentic experiences.

How do I meet other travelers while exploring Taipei?

Download Nomax — a free travel companion app that shows you other solo travelers currently in Taipei. You can join group activities, chat with travelers at the same spots, and plan outings together. Many travelers in Taipei use Nomax to find companions for day trips, museum visits, and evening activities.

What activities can I do with travel companions I meet in Taipei?

Taipei has activities for every interest — guided tours, food experiences, outdoor adventures, cultural events, and nightlife. Use Nomax to coordinate with other travelers: join a group for a walking tour, split a day-trip cost, or simply explore the city together. The app makes spontaneous plans easy.

Explore Taipei with fellow travelers

Download Nomax — find travel companions, join group activities, and chat with solo travelers in Taipei right now. Free forever.

Travel tips by Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA 3.0). Content may have been updated since publication.