Why Honeymoon in Taipei
Taipei gives you big city energy at a gentle pace. Mornings can be quiet in a museum or a temple courtyard. Afternoons can be spent in a private hot spring room in Beitou with your own tub of steaming water. Evenings belong to the night markets, where you share fried chicken, pepper buns and mango shaved ice while the crowds flow around you.
The food scene runs from street stalls to serious fine dining. The city has its own Michelin guide and Din Tai Fung, which began here as a cooking oil shop, still draws lines for its soup dumplings.
It also feels personal. Locals will walk you to the right bus stop. Small independent cafes and bookstores fill neighborhoods like Da'an and Zhongshan. You never feel processed through a tourist machine, which makes the city easy to love in a few days.
When to Go
October, November and early December bring the most comfortable weather, with highs in the 70s and lower humidity. March and April are also pleasant, though spring showers are common and the haze can soften views from Taipei 101.
January and February are cool and damp, with highs around the low 60s. That sounds dreary but makes hot spring soaking far more appealing. Hotel rates are moderate outside Lunar New Year.
Late May and June bring the plum rains. July through September is hot and humid, often in the 90s, with afternoon thunderstorms and the risk of typhoons. A storm can shut the city for a day or two. If you travel then, plan indoor days around museums, malls and food halls. Keep the itinerary flexible.
Where to Stay
Xinyi is the modern district around Taipei 101, full of department stores, rooftop bars and big hotels with skyline views. The W Taipei and the Humble House sit here and suit couples who want sleek rooms and easy evening plans.
Zhongshan has a more grown-up feel, with tree-lined lanes, design shops and hotels such as the Regent, with the Mandarin Oriental a short ride east. It sits between the old west side and the newer east.
Da'an is the leafy residential choice, close to Yongkang Street for food and Da'an Forest Park for morning walks.
For a night or two of pure relaxation, book a hot spring hotel in Beitou, at the end of the red MRT line. Many rooms have private tubs filled with spring water. The Grand Hotel, the red-columned palace on a hill near the Shilin night market, is worth a drink even if you stay elsewhere.
Romantic Things to Do
Climb the steep stone stairs of Elephant Mountain about 40 minutes before sunset. The lookout faces Taipei 101 head on. The city lights come up as the sky goes pink.
Take the Maokong Gondola from the zoo station to the tea hills. Teahouses there serve oolong and Tieguanyin with snacks. Some stay open late, so you can watch the city lights from a terrace.
Spend an afternoon in Beitou. Visit the free hot spring museum in an old Japanese bathhouse, walk past the steaming Thermal Valley, then retreat to a private soaking room.
On a clear day, head up Yangmingshan for fumaroles, grassland trails and calla lilies in spring.
For something quieter, wander Dadaocheng's restored trading houses near the river, sample dried fruit and tea, then catch the sunset at Dadaocheng Wharf with a beer from one of the shipping container bars.
Getting There and Around
International flights land at Taoyuan (TPE), which has nonstop service from many US gateways on EVA Air, China Airlines, Starlux, United and Delta. The airport MRT express reaches Taipei Main Station in under an hour and costs very little. A taxi takes a similar time and is a comfortable option after a long flight.
The Taipei MRT is the easiest metro system most Americans will ever use. Signs and announcements are in English, trains are frequent and an EasyCard covers every ride. YouBike public bicycles cover the flat neighborhoods and the river paths.
Taxis are plentiful, metered and inexpensive, though drivers may speak little English, so have your destination written in Chinese. Uber also operates.
For onward travel, Taipei Main Station is the hub for High Speed Rail to Taichung, Chiayi and Kaohsiung, plus regular trains to the east coast.
Food and Drink
Start with the basics: beef noodle soup, braised pork rice, scallion pancakes and soy milk with fried crullers for breakfast. Din Tai Fung and its many rivals do excellent xiaolongbao.
Night markets are the city's living room. Raohe is compact and famous for black pepper buns baked in a clay oven at the entrance. Ningxia is small and food-focused. Shilin is the biggest and busiest. Go hungry and share everything, since portions are designed for grazing.
Taipei's cocktail bars have earned an international reputation, often using local tea, fruit and herbs. Craft beer and Taiwanese whisky are worth trying too. Kavalan single malts are sold everywhere.
Tea culture deserves a dedicated afternoon. Look for high mountain oolong and Oriental Beauty, a sweet honeyed tea. Many shops will brew a tasting flight at a slow pace if you show interest.
Honeymoon Tips
- Book private hot spring rooms in Beitou by the hour if you do not want to spend a night there; many hotels offer this and weekday afternoons are quietest.
- Visit the National Palace Museum on a weekday morning, before tour groups arrive. Head straight for the jade cabbage.
- Carry small bills for night markets; most stalls do not take cards.
- For the Jiufen and Shifen day trip, leave early or go on a weekday. Jiufen's lanes get extremely crowded by late afternoon.
- Download a translation app with a camera function for menus.
- Taiwan's convenience stores are excellent. Grab snacks, drinks and even tickets there, especially late at night.
- Pack a compact umbrella in any season.
