It’s 2023! New year means new places to visit. If you haven’t been to Taipei yet, this is the year to finally see Taiwan’s capital city.
As the center of economic and cultural activities in the country, Taipei is home to both modern and ancient structures that draw tourists all year round. The city is also known for its shopping districts, street food, night markets, and the famous Taipei 101.
I’ve already been to Taipei twice and still can’t get enough of the place. I especially like the city’s many beautiful parks and, of course, the authentic milk tea shops you can find on almost every street corner. Some of Taiwan’s best tourist spots are also found in Taipei.
So, I encourage you to book your flights now and discover the city’s best attractions for yourself. To help with your trip preparations, I’m sharing these six Taipei travel tips in 2023.
Follow COVID-19 Protocols
Although Taiwan has long since removed the mandatory quarantine for inbound travelers, there are still some COVID-19 protocols in place.
Upon entering the country, you are required to follow the 7-day self-initiated prevention policy. You’ll be given 4 Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) kits at the airport. You must self-administer one test during your first day in Taiwan, then every other day onwards for a week.
It’s important that you do the antigen test because you can only go out of your accommodation after producing a negative result within 2 days. Speaking of accommodation, only one person is allowed per room whether you’ll be staying in a hotel or a friend’s home.
After 7 days of testing negative for COVID-19, you are free to enjoy the best Taipei destinations for the rest of your visa duration. Just remember to put your mask on every time you’re heading outdoors.
Book Your flight to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport
There are two airports servicing flights to Taipei: Taipei Songshan Airport (TSA) and Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE). As the name suggests, the latter services international flights, so make sure get your booking right.
Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport is located 40 kilometers west of Taipei in Taoyuan City. It has two terminals and from either one, you can hop on a train on Airport Express Line (purple line) to reach Taipei Main Station. The trip will take around 40 minutes and cost NT$ 160.
Another train line that connects the airport to Taipei is the Airport Commuter Line (blue line). However, it has more stops and will take you 50 mins to Taipei. But if you’re in no hurry, this is a good alternative ride that will help you get acclimated to Taipei transport.
Get your New Taiwan Dollars at the Airport
This list of Taipei travel tips will not be complete without a suggestion about Taiwan money. Although many shops and restaurants around the city accept credit cards, it’s best to have some cash handy when traveling around Taipei.
So, the first thing you should do before leaving the airport is to get your money changed to New Taiwan Dollars (NTD). I know that in other cities, currency exchange shops outside the airport have better rates. However, in Taipei, there is no difference.
Hence, don’t hesitate when you see the first currency exchange store right after you get off the plane. There’s one at the airport right before you reach the immigration check. Get your NTD right away so you don’t have to worry about it later.
Buy an EasyCard
Aside from cash and credit card, EasyCard is a must-have if you want to wander around Taipei with ease. It’s a smart card that you can top up with money for contactless payments for goods and services in the city.
Where can you use an EasyCard? For almost every transport you’ll need to visit all Taipei tourist attractions. That includes Taipei MRT, buses, taxis, public bicycles, and parking spaces. If you plan to extend your trip outside of Taipei, you can also use EasyCard to ride Taiwan Railway, Taiwan High-Speed Rail (THSR), and ferries.
This smartcard, which uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, is also accepted in most supermarkets, convenience stores, gift shops, cafes, milk tea stores, restaurants, food courts, pharmacies, and shopping malls.
You can purchase an EasyCard at Taipei MRT Airport Terminal 1 or Terminal 2 Station immediately after your arrival. The card costs NT$ 100 plus the amount you wish to top up. You can also recharge at any convenience store metro station or bus station.
Alternatively, you can buy an EasyCard online before your flight to Taipei, then claim it conveniently at the airport.
Use the iTaiwan FREE Internet
Connecting to the internet is essential nowadays when traveling to any city. Whether to check your hotel booking, get directions from Google Maps, or buy Taipei Tour tickets on Klook, you’ll need internet access on your phone.
Well, I have good news for you! Public areas in Taipei offer FREE internet to tourists. These places include metro stations, bus stations, the airport, and government offices. You can also access the web at many restaurants, cafes, and shopping malls.
The FREE internet network is called iTaiwan and is provided by the government. No registration is required.
To set your expectations, the reliability of Taipei’s free internet is OK but not great.
If you’re a content creator or a remote online worker, you’d be better off renting a pocket wifi. Buying a local sim with data is also a good option.
Choose an accommodation near the MRT Red Line
If you’ll be traveling to Taipei for just a few days, you’d probably want to see as many tourist attractions as possible. So, the best advice I can give you is to find a hotel near any MRT Red Line station.
The reason is many Taipei tourist spots are situated close to the red line stations. These tourist attractions include Taipei 101, Liberty Square (where you’ll find Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall), and Daan Forest Park.
This trick will also get you closer to the Presidential Office Building, 2/28 Peace Park, and National Taiwan Museum. The Sun Yat-Sen Memorial House, Shilin Night Market, Beitou Hot Springs, and Tamsui Fisherman’s Wharf are also near the stations.
The red line also crosses Taipei Main Station, which will be your central access to all tourist spots in the city. Aside from the MRT, a good alternative to see all these Taipei tourist spots is to hop on a double-decker sightseeing bus.
Always bring your reusable water bottle
Last on this list of Taipei travel tips is a pretty basic one but often neglected. Touring around a large city like Taipei requires a lot of walking. Hence, you need to be well-hydrated at all times.
And although you can purchase bottled water at any street corner in Taipei, you should bring a reusable water bottle instead. That’s because the MRT and bus stations around the city have free drinking fountains where you can fill your reusable bottles. Doing this will help you save some money on your trip.
Travel to Taipei this 2023
So, there you go. The Taipei travel tips I highly recommend, whether you’ll be on a solo trip or a holiday with your family.
2023 is the year to get caught by a travel bug once more and Taipei is a nice city to start exploring the world.
If you’ve been to this wonderful place before, what do you think about this list of travel tips? Do you have anything to add based on your previous trips? Let me know your thoughts and leave a comment.
