Taiwan was part of a larger Asia trip for us, sandwiched between Japan and South Korea, and Taipei ended up feeling like a really interesting bridge between the two.
We stayed in the Xinyi District near Taipei 101, which turned out to be a great base for exploring the city. Taipei immediately felt modern, easy to navigate, safe, and very food-oriented — which, unsurprisingly, worked well for us.
Most of our time was spent doing a mix of the classic Taipei experiences: visiting Taipei 101, exploring temples, wandering through different neighborhoods, and eating our way through as many local specialties as possible. The night markets were probably the most memorable part of the city. Walking through crowded streets filled with steam, grills, neon signs, and endless food stalls felt like the version of Taipei we'd always imagined before visiting.
The food really was excellent. Beef noodle soup, soup dumplings, scallion pancakes, skewers from the night markets — Taiwan quickly became one of those places where it felt difficult to eat badly. Even simple meals somehow ended up being memorable.
One thing I appreciated about Taipei was how approachable it felt compared to some larger Asian cities. Tokyo can feel overwhelming in scale at first. Seoul feels incredibly fast-paced. Taipei felt slightly calmer and easier to settle into while still having the energy of a major city.
At the same time, I think Taipei worked best for us as part of a broader Asia itinerary rather than as a standalone destination. We really enjoyed our time there, but compared to places like Tokyo or Kyoto, the city didn't leave quite as strong of a long-term impression on us personally.
That said, I would absolutely recommend including Taiwan on a multi-country Asia trip. The people were friendly, the city was clean and efficient, the food was outstanding, and three days felt like a great amount of time to experience the highlights without rushing.
If there's one thing I remember most from Taipei, it's this: nearly every great memory somehow involved food.