The Far East’s chaotic metropolises beckon for different reasons: petite soba joints hiding in the alleyways of Tokyo’s Ginza, luminous Hong Kong skyscrapers glimpsed on a transporting Star Ferry ride across Victoria Harbour, and colonial-style Shanghai buildings savored during a stroll along the Bund. With such fabled cities luring tourists, it’s easy to overlook Taipei as an equally dynamic destination. Don’t. Buoyed by a bucolic backdrop of mountains, the capital of Taiwan is both cosmopolitan and welcoming. This is why your next Asian sojourn should include a stopover there.
Markets Are Energizing Forms of NightlifeSo much of Taiwan’s glorious culinary scene is dictated by simple, satisfying street food. Night markets, a Taipei institution, are the best places to binge on such specialties. The most famous of these sensory enterprises is the expansive Shilin, but less intimidating and flaunting much more personality is Raohe in the Songshan district. A visit should always begin with a peek into the gilded 18th-century Ciyou Temple. People of all stripes, from backpackers to elderly local couples, spend hours wandering through this vendor-lined alfresco bazaar, where the air is scented with the pungent aromatics of stinky tofu and questionable lingerie shops vie for attention with fresh-from-the-fryer pork and chive dumplings. After the black pepper buns, deliciously gelatinous oyster pancakes, and juicy, schnitzel-like spiced chicken patties, you can cool off with a honey-spiked lemonade.
Taiwanese Dining Is a Convivial, the More-the-Merrier AffairSeafood-loving diners will especially dig Taipei’s restaurants, where the highlights of a menu often run the gamut from squid to scallops to abalone. There are a number of slick eateries in which to share these dishes served on spinning lazy Susans, such as the dark, sexy Trésors de la Mer—home of tableside-made sushi rolls presented in nori cones—inside the Songshan fish market Aquatic Addiction Development. A quartet of West Coast locations has now made Din Tai Fung a beloved restaurant for stateside dumpling fixes, but this circa-1958 Taiwanese-bred brand remains a joyfully manic hub for baskets of xiao long bao and pork chops over rice. Ban Mu Garden, in the charming Da’an district, is another buzzy lunch-perfect locale for large groups to feast on beef rolls and bean-paste noodles.
The Whisky Is WonderfulIn recent years, Americans with a penchant for Scotch and bourbon also have also become besotted with Japanese whisky, ordering it both neat and in quenching highballs. Now, thanks to the quality liquid produced at the family-owned Kavalan Distillery since 2008, they are also starting to appreciate Taiwanese single malts. Founded by the prolific King Car Group, which manufactures motley goods from instant noodles to bottled water, Kavalan, about an hour’s drive from Taipei in Yilan County, is a worthwhile field trip. The grounds are pretty, with artful barrels on display, and informative tours reveal how the brown spirit is made. Watching casks lap up the flames that add flavor to maturing whisky is especially thrilling. Hang out in the tasting room and sample drams of the rum cask and peaty expressions from the Distillery Reserve line unavailable anywhere else. Revive yourself with the killer root beer found on-site at Mr. Brown Coffee, one of the cafés in the groovy chain that is fittingly part of King Car’s empire.
The Art Is ImpressiveSome 700,000 Chinese artifacts fill the maze of galleries inside the National Palace Museum, a massive space with an imposing red-carpeted staircase. Among the treasures is the must-see jade cabbage—just look for the iPhone-snapping throngs—salvaged from a 19th-century royal dowry. A whole day could be devoted to perusing the delicate ivory sculptures, porcelain vases, striking Buddha statues, calligraphy scrolls, and ornate rosewood furniture. A more contemporary alternative is Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, a converted tobacco factory anchored by the Taiwan Design Museum in the Xinyi district. The eye-opening “Zaha Hadid Architects: Global Design Laboratory” exhibition (through October 10) should be a part of any design lover’s fall getaway.
Ceramics Make Fine GiftsYingge district, approximately an hour’s detour from Taipei, is a ceramics mecca. First, get grounded at the New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum, which captures Taiwan’s deep, historic connection to this art form. A 10-minute walk leads to Shu’s Pottery, where shelves are stocked with a collection of colorful, clean-lined bowls and mugs. Sign up for a session at the potter’s wheel, and then reward yourself after the clay throwing with a peanut butter cookie in the upbeat café.
It’s Easy to Find CalmWellness is an integral part of the Asian lifestyle, and Taipei brims with plenty of good spas inviting spontaneous hour-long back rubs. None, however, are quite as alluring as Villa.like, which has two neighboring outposts in the Da’an district. Treatments—the Thai massage conducted in billowing drawstring pants is particularly popular—begin with foot-bath massage combinations. Here, the hushed Southeast Asian–style décor is all dark wood and embroidered cushions, a cozy place to linger with a warm ginger tea and sesame biscuit.
Tea Is a RitualSerenity can be found in myriad ways, and for many Taipei locals relaxing with a cup of loose-leaf tea frequently does the trick. Wistaria Tea House is a perennial favorite for a restorative break, but Eighty-Eightea Rinbansyo, close to the Red House cultural hub, also has inspiring, old-fashioned flair. Kick off your shoes, enter the neutral-hued tatami room, and spend a well-deserved hour accompanied by just a pot of herbal oolong and a book.
Sleep in a Literary ParadiseTaipei’s hotel landscape is cluttered with boutique properties, some starkly minimalist, others quirky. One that stands out is Eslite Hotel, the first hospitality venture for the iconic local bookstore chain—insomniacs may want to head to the 24-hour Da’an branch—at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park. Adjacent to yet another location of the bookstore, Eslite Hotel amplifies the bibliophile theme with a wall of books dominating one corner of the lobby, which is so quiet it almost feels like a library. Pore over pages with an iced tea at the communal wood table. The 104 guest rooms are just as soothing, with high ceilings, leather chairs, and a refreshing palette. Spring for the tome-lined Library Suite, though, and you might never see the outdoors.
