Issue 04 · Destination 11
TaipeiTaiwan
"Nobody's ruined it yet. Dense, walkable, brilliantly cheap."
Last visit: January 2026 · 3 nights, returning
DisclosureThis guide contains affiliate links. We earn a commission if you book — you pay nothing extra. We only recommend things we've personally tried.
02
Should you actually go?
Yes — Taipei is the city Singaporeans consistently underestimate. 4h 30m direct, roughly half the cost of Tokyo, MRT cleaner than ours, and a long weekend gets you a real trip with no jet lag (UTC+8, same as home).
October to December is the consensus best window: low-to-mid 20s, low humidity. January/February can be drizzly but manageable. June to September is hot, humid and typhoon-prone — outdoor plans need contingencies.
03
The experience
Night markets are not tourist attractions in Taipei — they're where everyone eats dinner. Anchor at Raohe (compact, locals' choice, the black pepper buns at the temple entrance), expand to Shilin once for the spectacle, end at Ningxia for the traditional Taiwanese stuff. Daytime: Beitou hot springs, Elephant Mountain at sunset, and a weekday morning in Jiufen before the tour buses arrive.
01 · via GetYourGuide
Taipei night market food tour
3 hours, two markets, 8–10 tastings — stinky tofu, oyster omelette, scallion pancake. The local guide knows which stalls to queue and which to skip.
Book on GetYourGuide02 · via Klook
Jiufen + Shifen sky-lantern day trip
Combines the Spirited-Away-adjacent old street with the Shifen lantern release. Skip the DIY train and let the bus handle the logistics.
Book on Klook03 · via Viator
Beitou hot springs + Yangmingshan half day
Public Beitou bath is SGD 2.50; the half-day tour adds Yangmingshan volcanic crater views and the Geothermal Valley. Worth it on a winter trip.
Book on Viator04
Where to stay
Three picks at three price points. All affiliate-linked to Expedia — same price as going direct, helps keep this site running.
Budget
Star Hostel Taipei Main Station
~SGD 55 / ~USD 41 per night
Plant-filled common space, twin private rooms with bathrooms, and an across-the-road MRT entrance. Best-rated hostel in the city for a reason.
Check rates on ExpediaMid
Hotel Proverbs Taipei, Da'an
~SGD 195 / ~USD 145 per night
Design-led boutique on Renai Road, walking distance to Da'an Park MRT and the East District. The rooftop bar is the best in this price bracket.
Check rates on ExpediaSplurge
Mandarin Oriental Taipei
~SGD 720 / ~USD 535 per night
Marble lobby, garden suites with the city's largest standard rooms, Bencotto for Italian and Ya Ge for Cantonese. The pool is genuinely 20 metres long.
Check rates on Expedia05
Logistics from SEA
- Visa
- Singapore passport: 90 days visa-free, no application. The Taiwan Arrival Card is online and free; ignore third-party sites charging for it.
- Flights from SEA
- Scoot daily from Changi T1 to Taoyuan (TPE), 4h 30m. Singapore Airlines, EVA Air, China Airlines for full-service. Fares from SGD 140 return on 6–8 week advance.
- eSIM (Klook)
- Klook's Taiwan eSIM is SGD 8 for 5 days, unlimited data. Switch on at Taoyuan — coverage is strong even on the Pingxi line out to Jiufen. Get the eSIM →
- Money
- TWD. SGD 1 ≈ TWD 23. Use 7-Eleven or Mega Bank ATMs — the lowest fees. EasyCard (TWD 100 deposit at any MRT station) handles MRT, buses, YouBike and most convenience stores.
SGD → TWD converter
Open full converter →Loading climate…
Loading forecast…
Checking advisory…
06
The honest verdict
Worth it
- Black pepper bun at Raohe Night Market entrance — TWD 55, perfect
- Elephant Mountain sunset hike — 30 minutes from MRT, free, the Taipei 101 photo
- A Beitou public hot spring on a cold weekday morning
Overrated
- Taipei 101 observation deck — the view from Elephant Mountain is better and free
- Maokong Gondola — fine, not unmissable
- Themed restaurants (toilet, hospital, jail) — exactly as bad as they sound
"Three nights minimum, a long weekend works. Taipei rewards the walker, punishes nobody, and is the cheapest 4-hour flight from Changi that still feels like a different country. Go before everyone catches on."
Plan & book Taipei
Affiliate links01 · Expedia
Find a stay
Compare hotels, apartments and resorts in Taipei.
Open Expedia02 · Trip.com
Search flights
One-way and return fares to Taipei from Asia.
Open Trip.com03 · GetYourGuide
Top tours
Skip-the-line tickets and small-group tours.
Open GetYourGuide04 · Klook
Activities & passes
Day trips, transit cards and attraction passes.
Open Klook05 · Viator
Excursions & day trips
Guided experiences and small-group excursions in Taipei.
Open ViatorRead next
Affiliate disclosure
Some links on this page are affiliate links — if you book through them we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend stays and experiences we've personally used. All opinions, photographs and prices are our own. FTC-compliant disclosure.