2 Days in Taipei Taiwan 4K | Night Market, Temples & Street Food
We’re going on a two-day trip to Taipei! It’s my very first time in Taiwan! We’ll visit wonderful temples and cultural sites. … and of course, eat delicious food along the way ☺️ Taipei is such a magical city, I fell in love instantly! Please enjoy! Good morning! Today is really sunny, what a good day to travel! This city is also very walkable! We start our tour from the Presidential Office. It was built under Japanese rule in 1919. Oh look, it’s Taipei 101! We’re going there tomorrow 🙂 This is the Constitutional Court (Judicial Yuan). You can come here if you have a constitutional complaint. Take a look at that historic gate, marvelous! Our next stop is the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. The pigeons just left from a day tour hahaha. Wow what an amazing traditional building. This is the National Theatre & Concert Hall. It looks more like a palace in the Forbidden City. What a massive square, human for scale. This square is called the Democracy Square. Let’s make our way to the memorial hall! There’s not that many visitors, which is great. This memorial hall is massive. There are 89 steps going up. They represent Chiang’s age at his death. Wow, even more massive from up close. What a huge square, ideal for a military parade. I’m pretending to be the president looking at my troops. This is not a mausoleum, but a memorial hall. Chiang was the leader of Chinese nationalists during World War II. There he is! He also led the evacuation to Taiwan during the Civil War. What a beautiful ceiling, btw. Thanks for having me, Chiang 🙂 Around the mausoleum is a relaxing garden. Wow, this is what I call… harmony! The bird is standing there like a model haha. This garden is so relaxing. Wait. That’s not a normal frog. It’s huge. And it’s peeing? This place is a sanctuary amid the city bustle. If I worked close to here, I would come here every day. That was a great start, but I’m getting hungry. I want to save money, so I’ll have lunch here. I’ll get something Chinese in a Japanese konbini! It costs only NT$ 79 (USD$ 2.55)!! Sichuan Mapo Tofu. It’s so well-designed, you pour it right into the rice. It doesn’t look spicy at all. WOW DELICIOUS! It’s not spicy at all. But the Sichuan pepper taste is still strong. It also has a nice citric taste. This huge chunk is minced pork. I can’t believe this meal is less than 3 bucks! 10/10!! Now let’s continue our exploration. We found another relaxing place! We’re now at the Taipei Botanical Garden. Check out all the lotus leaves! It’s an ideal place to do qigong 😊 Feels like the city disappeared. This is Nanmon-cho, a Japanese-style house! Exactly like in Japan! In fact, this botanical garden was built by Japan! Taiwan was ruled by Japan from 1895 to 1945. This is the Guest House of Imperial Envoys. Oh no, this one is closed 😢 Let’s continue to the next spot. We’re now at the Bopiliao Historic Block. This used to be a busy trade street in the Qing Dynasty. The red-brick shophouses are really unique. A cat on a leash, how adorable 😍 Walking here really feels like stepping back in time. I’m walking under the arcades to avoid the sun haha. Now let’s find a temple located nearby. On the way, we encountered this lively market at Xichang Street. It feels so different from the places we saw before. Do you also like street markets in Asia? This section is called Herb Lane, selling traditional herbs and herbal products. The market maintains a centuries-old tradition of herbal medicine. Now I’m at Lungshan Temple, the oldest temple in Taipei! The temple was built by settlers from Fujian in 1738. Wow, the first time I see a waterfall inside a temple! There’s a ceremony happening right now. Here, people are casting moon blocks called bwah bwey. You throw the bwah bwey to ask the gods yes-or-no questions. Their landing tells you if your prayers or plans are favored. It’s a fascinating ancient practice and part of the temple’s daily rhythm. The chant fills the air, blending with the scent of incense. Spirituality is very well alive in Taiwan!! This temple blends Buddhism, Taoism, and folk beliefs. This temple is dedicated mainly to Guanyin, the bodhisattva of mercy. They start singing! The energy changes instantly. This is truly a wonderful temple!! BTW, this incense burner depicts Dutch people 😂 Now heading to a second temple. Bangka Qingshan Temple, check out the lanterns! Built in 1856, this temple is home to the god King Qingshan. King Qingshan apparently chose this spot himself. Here, people are also throwing the moon blocks. That must be altar for King Qingshan! Inside, two guardians: General Hsieh Pi-an and Fan Wu-ti. People say they patrol the streets at night 😮 Imagine living in a place where the security is supernatural! What a day, time to have dinner! We’re heading to a place called Mala Hot Pot. This is my first time trying Taiwanese hot pot! We paid NT$898 each for all you can eat dinner. We ordered two types of broth: sukiyaki and spicy hot pot. The system: you scan a QR code and order with your phone. What’s that???? Is that real??? We ordered many things, but no chicken testicles!! On the left is wagyu, a very expensive beef. Let’s try wagyu with spicy hot pot! It took only 3 minutes to cook. Wow my first wagyu. I think the hot spicy sauce didn’t fit the wagyu. So let’s try sukiyaki this time. Yummy! They also have buffet, but it’s a trap to make you eat less wagyu. Spicy duck blood… scary!! Angus beef curry. Alright, we’ll enjoy our meal now. … and order wagyu nonstop 😈 Look at the meat cooking 😋 We’re now in a lively neighborhood called Ximending. Time to burn all the wagyus we ate haha. Look at all the neon lights. They remind me of Tokyo or Osaka! Lots of street food, but we’re full already hahaha. It’s quite crowded here, the street is too small. People really love grilled food here 🙂 This one is quite fancy with dancing animation cats. Wow, an Indomie stall… Indonesians would be proud. It really feels like Tokyo, including the shops! What’s this? This store is super packed. I think it’s a bubble tea place. What the?? Is the guy being angry at someone? hahaha Hahaha, this is hilarious! 🔥 It’s so crowded, yet I feel relaxed. Ah, this place is really famous in recent years. This is one of the two rainbow crossings in Taipei. You can see some political messages. Contrasting politics with anime hahaha. Woops, not a family friendly souvenir! Alright, we’re going back to the hotel to rest… See you tomorrow! Good morning, we had a good rest. We start our second day from Dihua Street. This street is an important center of medicinal herbs. Can these herbs cure my Wanderlust? These arcades protect you from the rain. For today, they protect me from the scorching sun. I’m Asian, so we avoid sunlight 😎 Dihua is the oldest street in Taipei. Incense fragrance, I’m addicted to it!! I’m impressed by how crowded the temples here are. Just look at the number of offerings! This is a very picturesque street. Trying my best not to look like a tourist 😆 Fun fact: Dihua is the old name of Ürümqi in Xinjiang! I hope I’ll be able to visit Xinjiang one day. More stores selling medicinal products, but they look fancier. Should I buy one for my co-workers? Hahaha. Ohhh, there’s the owner of this herbal store! This owner must be a billionaire! Alright, time to head to the next spot! I’m now going inside the Confucius Temple! Wow, this is impressive! Let’s go further inside. Wow, this temple is so quiet! That’s the memorial tablet of Confucius. Here they don’t have statues, but memorial tablets. What an intricate ceiling… Why are there no worshippers here? There’s a folk Chinese temple on the other side. The architecture here is also stunning. Wow, that’s really wonderful. This one has many worshippers, unlike the Confucian one. This is the Dalongdong Baoan Temple. The temple was founded in 1760 by immigrants from Fujian. The main resident god is Emperor Baosheng. He is revered for his medical skills. I’m going to pray for good health ☺️ Wow, check out the beautiful mural. The deity with the green shirt must be Guan Yu. The rear shrine is dedicated to Shennong, the god of agriculture. I’m now in Family Mart for lunch. Shall I have Japanese curry? So cheap, only USD$2.86!! Ohh, omelette katsudon!! This meal costs only USD$3.19!! Wow, so satisfying for a 3 dollar meal. I love konbini food. We’re now heading to Taipei 101! It’s far from here, so we’ll take the metro. The metro ticket only costs USD$0.97!! Woow!! I love Taiwan, I’m definitely coming back! The metro is quite crowded, but very clean! We just arrived in Taipei 101 Station. Wow, a vending machine to buy wedding rings 😮 I guess this is a great spot to propose! This is Taipei 101, once the world’s tallest building. We’re going to climb the Elephant Mountain to enjoy the skyline! I hope I can survive the climb. I’m yet to see a single elephant hahaha. I’m now acting like the climb isn’t a big deal. But it actually is… I’m gasping for air!! But the reward… WOOW!! Taipei 101 stands 508 m tall (1,667 ft). I’m really enjoying the view. But we’re not at the top yet 🙁 Wow it gets really steep here. Almost there… look at the elephant ☺️ We made it… what a view! I’m so glad to be here. I also found a chair to pose 😂 Alright, now it’s time to go back. For some reasons, there’s nobody on this particular path. How did they get up here?? Heyy, don’t fight!! The path ends in a temple… how neat! It’s nice to end the hike with the aroma of incense. Back to the modern area of Taipei 101. The sun is setting, and it gets really crowded. We decided to relax in Cat Cafe MOCHA. This cat is sleeping so tightly ☺️ Orange cat is always so derpy hahaha. The cats won’t come to you unless you bribe them with food. Look at the nose of this one hahaha. This place is so relaxing, also for the cats! The system here is all you can drink. Of course I’ll drink as much as I can 😈 I’m having a Taiwanese drink: milk tea. This milk tea is to die for… so good!! Even without the cats, I would come just for the milk tea 😀 This cat is so unique, looks like a lynx! The cats just jump wherever they want. This one is walking in a really derpy way. The cats here are all so beautiful 🥹 The night falls, time to eat!! We first decided to go to Tonghua Street. Here you can find the Linjiang Night Market. Waow, it’s so crowded here. The street is quite small for the number of visitors. Wow durian cheese pie. Something putrid for dinner? Durian does contain lots of calories haha. But I prefer something savory for dinner. We didn’t find anything interesting, so we ended up in Kura Sushi. This is a famous sushi chain from Japan! You can order what you want from the tablet. Alternatively, you can take directly from the conveyor belt. My first batch of sushi, itadakimasu! This is the best thing ever… seared salmon with cheese! This one is seared salmon with mentaiko. There’s a gacha game every time you return 5 plates. Nooo, we lost 😞 Well, time to greedily eat more until we win! 😈 Yay, we finally won 😄 Oh, this is nice. It’s like a kawaii decorative pin. This is so good and cheap btw… I couldn’t stop ordering. Wow my stomach is going to explode… but I’m really satisfied! This city is MAGICAL!! I really fell in love within 1 day and will definitely come back! Tomorrow, we’ll continue our journey to Tainan in the south. Thank you for joining us ☺️
Taipei City Walk (4K): Two days of immersive travel featuring Taiwan’s famous Night Markets, historic temples, and delicious street food. Enjoy the authentic ambient sounds of Taipei with no narration and minimal music.
This travel vlog takes you through Taipei’s must-visit locations. From hiking up Elephant Mountain for incredible city views to savoring local cuisine, discover what makes Taiwan a top destination for solo travelers.
Watch as we explore historic sites like Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall and indulge in treats at Mala Hot Pot and Kura Sushi, while also relaxing in Cat Cafe MOCHA.
✅ Where to go in Taipei:
Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall
國立中正紀念堂
臺北市中正區中山南路21號
Taipei Botanical Garden
臺北植物園
Longshan Temple
艋舺龍山寺
Ximending
西門町
Dihua Street
迪化街
Confucius Temple
臺北孔子廟
Taipei 101
台北101
Elephant Mountain
象山登山步道
✅ What to eat in Taipei:
Mala Hot Pot
Kura Sushi
7 Eleven and Family Mart to save money
✅ What to drink in Taipei:
Unlimited milk tea in Cat Cafe MOCHA
✅ Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:14 Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall
03:33 7 Eleven Lunch
04:25 Taipei Botanical Garden
06:02 Xichang Street
06:28 Longshan Temple
07:53 Bangka Qingshan Temple
08:33 Mala Hot Pot
10:23 Ximending
12:19 Dihua Street
13:53 Confucius Temple
14:37 Dalongdong Baoan Temple
15:29 Family Mart Lunch
16:49 Taipei 101
16:57 Elephant Mountain
18:41 Cat Cafe MOCHA
20:05 Linjiang Night Market
20:38 Kura Sushi