April 2 – 9, 2026

A Week in
Taiwan

Tuan & Lenka · Taipei & Beyond
Dates
Apr 2–9
Nights
6 Nights
Hotel
Ifinn Hotel
District
Datong, Taipei
At a Glance
Trip Overview

Week at a Glance

Apr 2 Thu25/18° • ClearNormalArrival night
Apr 3 Fri27/20° • Patchy rainHolidayNeighborhood food crawl
Apr 4 Sat24/20° • Light rainHolidayDatong + Wanhua
Apr 5 Sun25/19° • OvercastHolidayXimending + farewell
Apr 6 Mon25/19° • OvercastLast hol.Beitou hot springs
Apr 7 Tue17/17° • Heavy rainWeekdayMuseums & indoors
Apr 8 Wed20/18° • OvercastWeekdayBig attractions & departure

Cost Summary

Flights (2 pax return)~7,451 Kc
Hotel 1 — 3 nights, 3 guests8,655 Kc
Hotel 2 — 3 nights, 2 guests3,744 Kc
Total~19,850 Kc

Travelers

Tuan Anh Phung & Lenka Simonova
+ Friend (kamaradka) — Apr 2–5 only

April is Yangmingshan flower season — cherry blossoms and azaleas at their peak. Apr 3–6 are holiday crowds, so stay in neighborhood spots. Apr 8 = fewest people all week — save the big attractions.
Transport
Flights
Jin Air · Booking ref: AP5RNA

Outbound → Taipei

Flight
LJ765
Date
Apr 2, 17:10 → 18:40
Route
ICN → TPE (Taoyuan)
Duration
2h 30m · Direct · Economy

Return → Seoul

Flight
LJ734
Date
Apr 9, 01:25 → 05:00
Route
TPE → ICN (Incheon)
Duration
2h 35m · Direct · Economy

E-tickets & Baggage

Lenka
7189490216204
Tuan Anh
7189490216205
Carry-on
1 personal item + 1 bag (20x40x55 cm, max 10 kg)
Checked
1 bag (max 15 kg) per person per direction
Accommodation
Ifinn Hotel
No. 197, Section 2, Yanping North Road, Datong District, Taipei · +886 2 2553 2133

Booking 1 — Apr 2–5

Room
Superior Family Room (max 4)
Guests
3 (Tuan, Lenka, friend)
Check-in
Apr 2, 15:00–00:00
Check-out
Apr 5, by 12:00
Confirmation
5486108125
PIN
6015
Price
8,655 Kc (TWD 12,966)

Booking 2 — Apr 5–8

Room
Executive Suite (max 2)
Guests
2 (Tuan, Lenka)
Check-in
Apr 5, 15:00–00:00
Check-out
Apr 8, by 12:00
Confirmation
5956443895
PIN
6927
Price
3,744 Kc (TWD 5,609)
Day by Day
Itinerary
1
Arrival Night
Thursday, Apr 2 · 25/18°C · Partly Cloudy
  • 14:00 Head to Incheon Airport (ICN)
  • 17:10 Depart ICN → TPE (Jin Air LJ765)
  • 18:40 Land at Taoyuan International Airport
  • 19:30 Get EasyCard at 7-Eleven — load NT$500 each. Grab eSIM
  • 19:45 Airport MRT Express (35 min, NT$160) → Taipei Main Station
  • 21:00 Check in Ifinn Hotel — Family Room
  • 22:00 Ningxia Night Market (10 min walk) — oyster omelet, sesame oil chicken, bubble tea
  • 23:30 Back to hotel, rest
Ningxia is the closest night market to your hotel — perfect for a tired arrival night.
2
Neighborhood Food Crawl
Friday, Apr 3 · 27/20°C · Children's Day Holiday
  • 09:30 Dadaocheng Lu Rou Fan — “best lu rou fan ever” + danbing (egg crepe)
  • 10:30 Dihua Street — oldest commercial street. Browse Yongle Market. Buy souvenirs, dried mango, pineapple cakes
  • 12:00 Lunch at Yongle Market food court — gua bao, fish ball soup
  • 13:00 Dadaocheng Wharf — riverside park, quiet even on holidays
  • 14:00 Wang Tea Taipei — nitro cold brew tea, carbonated tea, tea beer
  • 15:30 Bopiliao Historical Block — 200-yr-old Qing Dynasty lanes, free. Covered walkways
  • 16:30 Longshan Temple — most important temple in Taipei (1738). Moon block divination. Free
  • 17:30 Huaxi Street Night Market — Wang's Broth, snake alley history
  • 18:30 MRT to Ximending — Yu Lin Chicken King, Iung Flour Rice Noodle (65 NTD, Michelin)
  • 22:30 MRT back to hotel
Rain plan: Dihua has covered arcades, Bopiliao is covered, Ximending has covered areas. You're good.
3
Food Legends & Walking Tour
Saturday, Apr 4 · 24/20°C · Light Rain Holiday
  • 08:00 Fuhang Soy Milk — queue 30-60 min, worth it (Michelin). You tiao + scallion flatbread + soy milk + fan tuan
  • 09:30 CKS Memorial Hall — Liberty Square. 10:00 Changing of the Guard ceremony (~15 min)
  • 11:00 Yongkang Street — Tianjin Scallion Pancake, Yongkang Beef Noodles, Smoothie House mango shaved ice
  • 13:00 Songshan Cultural & Creative Park — old tobacco factory, design shops, exhibitions
  • 16:00 Back to hotel, rest
  • 18:00 Raohe Night Market — Pepper buns (first stall, huge queue, eat immediately!), sausage in rice, stinky tofu, papaya milk
  • 21:00 Keelung River night walk — lit-up bridges, Taipei 101 views. Cross Rainbow Bridge
  • 22:30 MRT back to hotel
4
Friend's Last Day
Sunday, Apr 5 · 25/19°C · Tomb Sweeping Holiday
Logistics: Check out Hotel 1 by 12:00 · Check in Hotel 2 after 15:00 (conf: 5956443895, PIN: 6927) · Friend must leave by 21:30 for her 00:30 flight
  • 09:30 Breakfast at a local danbing shop near hotel
  • 10:30 Taipei Expo Park farmers' market + Taipei Fine Arts Museum
  • 11:30 Check out Hotel 1 — leave bags at front desk
  • 12:00 A Cheng Goose — smoked goose, bamboo soup, noodles (~NT$300 for 2-3)
  • 13:30 Zhongshan Underground Street — indie shops, cool murals
  • 15:00 Check in Hotel 2 (Executive Suite)
  • 17:00 Farewell dinner — Din Tai Fung (Zhongshan) / Baxian Grill / Hot pot
  • 21:00 Send friend to Taipei Main Station for Airport MRT
5
Beitou Hot Springs
Monday, Apr 6 · 25/19°C Last Holiday
  • 10:00 Sleep in — you deserve it
  • 11:30 MRT Red Line north to Xinbeitou (~30 min)
  • 12:00 Xinbeitou Historic Station → Beitou Hot Spring Museum → walk through the park
  • 13:00 Lunch near Beitou station
  • 14:00 Thermal Valley (Hell Valley) — 90°C sulfurous water, dramatic steam clouds. Free
  • 14:30 Military Hospital Museum — Reddit hidden gem! Secret foot spa NT$50, free barley tea
  • 15:30 Hot spring soak — Millennium Hot Spring (~NT$40) or private hotel bath
  • 18:30 Dinner: Ningxia or Shilin Night Market (Good Friend Noodles, Michelin beef noodles)
  • 22:00 Sleep
6
Museums & Indoor Day
Tuesday, Apr 7 · 17/17°C · Heavy Rain Empty!
  • 10:00 Sleep in (it's pouring, no rush)
  • 11:00 National Palace Museum — 700,000+ Chinese imperial artifacts. 2-3 hrs. NT$350
  • 14:00 Lunch at museum cafe
  • 15:00 Zhongshan underground bookshop street, or Taipei Museum of Drinking Water (Blade Runner vibes!)
  • 16:30 Shopping — Zhongshan/Taipei Main underground malls, Uniqlo, MUJI
  • 18:00 Hot Pot dinner! Perfect for cold rainy night. ~NT$300-500/person all-you-can-eat
  • 20:00 Cozy cafe, tea house, or cinema in Ximending
  • 22:30 Sleep. Tomorrow is your last full day!
Coldest day of the trip — bring a jacket! But weekday + bad weather = empty attractions. Great museum day.
7
Best Day & Departure
Wednesday, Apr 8 · 20/18°C Fewest Crowds
  • 09:00 Taipei 101 Observatory — opens 9 AM, go first thing. 89F + 91F outdoor deck. NT$600
  • 10:30 Simple Kaffa on 88F — world barista champion cafe. Reserve the night before!
  • 11:30 Elephant Mountain hike — 20 min up. THE classic Taipei 101 photo
  • 12:30 Lunch at Zhuangjing Street (local prices) or Din Tai Fung at 101 B1
  • 14:00 Yongkang Street — mango shaved ice, scallion pancake, last souvenirs
  • 15:30 Final walk — Dadaocheng / Dihua Street. Buy pineapple cakes, dried fruit, tea
  • 17:00 Back to hotel, pack everything
  • 18:00 Last dinner in Taipei — one final night market run or revisit your favorite
  • 21:00 Leave hotel → MRT to Taipei Main → Airport MRT Express
  • 22:00 Arrive Taoyuan Airport. Check in LJ734. Booking ref: AP5RNA
  • 01:25 Depart TPE → ICN (Apr 9)
  • 05:00 Land at Incheon. Home!
Don't cut it close! Last Airport MRT Express ~23:00. Leave hotel by 21:00 latest.
Eat Everything
Food Guide

Night Markets

Raohe Night Market
Green Line → Songshan Station
Pepper buns (eat immediately!), Da Chang Bao Xiao Chang, stinky tofu + kimchi, sweet potato balls, papaya milk, oyster vermicelli at 100-year-old Dong Fa Hao
Ningxia Night Market
10 min walk from hotel
Oyster omelet — Yen One Pian (Michelin, NT$95). Sesame oil chicken vermicelli (NT$170). Shanay Chicken (Michelin). Compact, local, retro
Shilin Night Market
Red Line → Jiantan Station
Biggest in Taipei (500+ stalls). Best food in the basement. Good Friend Noodles (Michelin beef noodles). Charcoal-grilled chicken (Michelin)

Street Food Hall of Fame

DishWhereNotes
Pepper BunsRaohe (first stall)Clay-oven baked, pork + pepper. 65 NTD. Eat while HOT
Brown Sugar BobaZhen Tang (Ximending), 50 LanBirthplace of bubble tea. Blowtorch caramelized sugar
Stinky TofuAny night marketDeep-fried + Taiwanese kimchi. Smells wild, tastes great
Oyster OmeletNingxia — Yen One PianMichelin Bib Gourmand. Oysters, egg, homemade sauce. NT$95
Beef Noodle SoupYongkang, Good Friend, Law Shan DongTaiwan's national dish. Rich soy broth, tender beef
Scallion PancakeTianjin (Yongkang Street)Legendary stall, always a line. Layered, flaky, crispy
Mango Shaved IceSmoothie House (Yongkang)April = mango season starting! Famous mountain of ice
You Tiao + Soy MilkFuhang Soy MilkMichelin breakfast. Queue 30-60 min. Get fan tuan too
XiaolongbaoDin Tai Fung (101 or Zhongshan)Watch open kitchen. 18 precise folds per dumpling
Lu Rou FanDadaocheng (near hotel)Braised pork rice — Reddit: “best I've ever had”
DanbingBreakfast shops everywhereRolled egg crepe. Classic morning food. ~30 NTD
Gua BaoNight marketsTaiwanese hamburger — braised pork belly in steamed bun
Sweet Potato BallsRaohe, most marketsDeep-fried puffs. Airy, donut-like, addictive
Peanut Ice Cream RollJiufen, XimendingShaved peanut brittle + ice cream in thin crepe. Cilantro optional

Restaurants & Cafes

Din Tai Fung
Taipei 101 B1 / Zhongshan branch
Taiwan's most famous restaurant. Xiaolongbao, pork fried rice, shrimp dumplings. ~$20-30/person. Watch open kitchen
Fuhang Soy Milk
Shandao Temple Stn, Exit 5, 2F Huashan Mkt
Michelin breakfast. You tiao, scallion flatbread, fan tuan, warm soy milk. Queue 30-60 min. Go before 8 AM
Simple Kaffa 88F
Taipei 101, 88th Floor
World Barista Champion cafe. Brown sugar latte, honey castella cake, whiskey butter toast. Reserve ahead! Views of Songshan Airport
Wang Tea Taipei
Dadaocheng (near hotel!)
Historic tea factory turned modern bar. Nitro cold brew tea, sparkling tea, tea beer on tap. Never seen anywhere else
A Cheng Goose
Near Ningxia area
Smoked goose with sauce, bamboo shoot soup, noodles. ~NT$300 for 2-3 people. Local favorite
Iung Flour Rice Noodle
Ximending
Silky noodle soup, 65 NTD. Michelin. Standing room only. Impossibly cheap and impossibly good
Yongkang Beef Noodles
Yongkang Street
The benchmark. Rich broth, tender beef, thick noodles. The classic beef noodle experience
Baxian Grill
Taipei
Reddit: “food and vibes are immaculate”. Great farewell dinner option. Visited twice in one week

Drinks

DrinkWhereNotes
Brown Sugar BobaZhen Tang (Ximending)Blowtorch caramelized. Stir before drinking. Long line, worth it
Classic Milk Tea50 Lan (everywhere)Perfect sweetness/fragrance/pearl balance. 50-60 NTD
Chun Shui TangZhongxiao Dunhua flagshipOriginal bubble tea inventor. TP Tea is their casual branch
Ching Fu TangVarious locationsLocal boba recommendation
Papaya MilkNight markets, street standsClassic. Also try guava + avocado milk

Daily Budget (per person)

CategoryNTD~CZK
Breakfast50–10022–45
Lunch100–20045–90
Dinner / night market200–40090–180
Transport (MRT)100–20045–90
Attractions0–4000–180
Bubble tea / snacks50–10022–45
Daily total500–1,400~220–630
Where to Go
Top Attractions
Ranked by frequency across 11 YouTube travel videos and Reddit recommendations.
#1 · 10/11
Taipei 101
Landmark · Observatory
World's fastest elevator (37 sec to 89F). 660-ton tuned mass damper. Simple Kaffa on 88F. NT$600. Go at 9 AM opening
#2 · 8/11
CKS Memorial Hall
Landmark · History
Free. 89 steps. Changing of the Guard every hour 9AM-5PM. Beautiful gardens + Liberty Square
#2 · 8/11
Elephant Mountain
Hike · Viewpoint
Best free viewpoint. 20-min hike. THE classic Taipei 101 photo. Spectacular at sunrise or sunset
#4 · 7/11
Jiufen Old Street
Day Trip · Historic
Lantern-lit hillside alleys. Spirited Away vibes. A-Mei Teahouse. Taro balls + peanut ice cream roll
#4 · 7/11
Ximending District
Shopping · Entertainment
Taipei's Shibuya. Vibrant pedestrian zone, street food, nightlife. Best after dark
#6 · 6/11
Beitou Hot Springs
Hot Springs · Day Trip
30 min from Taipei. Thermal Valley (90°C!), free museum, public baths, temples, parks
#6 · 6/11
Raohe Night Market
Night Market
Famous pepper buns (clay oven). Songshan Ciyou Temple at entrance. Green Line → Songshan
#6 · 6/11
Shifen
Day Trip · Activity
Sky lanterns ($8 for 4 people). Railway through town. Shifen Waterfall. Best paired with Jiufen
#9 · 4/11
National Palace Museum
Museum
700,000+ Chinese imperial artifacts. One of the world's greatest. NT$350. Half-day minimum
#12 · 3/11
Longshan Temple
Temple
Most important temple (1738). Moon block divination. Walking distance from hotel. Free
#12 · 3/11
Dadaocheng
Historic · Culture
Your neighborhood! Qing Dynasty architecture. Dihua Street. Wang Tea. Herbal medicine shops
2/11
Maokong Gondola
Activity · Nature
Gondola over tea hills. NT$60. Crystal cabin with clear floor. Taipei Zoo midway. Tea houses at top
Hidden Gems from Reddit
Military Hospital MuseumBeitouSecret hot spring foot spa, NT$50, free barley tea. Almost no tourists
Museum of Drinking WaterGongguanUnderground “water palace” — like Blade Runner. Check limited opening hours
Fuhe Bridge Flea MarketZhongheOld Taiwan treasures. Unique souvenirs. Mostly weekends
Keelung River at nightSongshanAmazing view of 101 with lit-up bridges. Best spot near skate park
Bopiliao Historical BlockWanhua200-year-old Qing Dynasty lanes. Free. Very photogenic. Covered walkways
Beyond Taipei
Day Trips

Jiufen + Shifen

Northeast coast · 6/11 videos · Full day (8-10 hours)

Getting there: Day tour ~$26 all-in (easiest) · DIY: Train to Ruifang → Pingxi Line to Shifen / Bus 825 to Jiufen · Bus 965 direct to Jiufen

Shifen: Coal mining town with railway through the street. Sky lanterns (~$8, fits 4 people, get biodegradable). Shifen Waterfall.

Jiufen: Narrow lantern-lit hillside alleys. A-Mei Teahouse (Spirited Away). Peanut ice cream roll, taro balls. Magical in rain — bring poncho, not umbrella (alleys too narrow).

Do Shifen first (morning) then Jiufen (afternoon/evening) for best light and lantern atmosphere.

Yangmingshan National Park

North · 4/11 videos · Half or full day · Combine with Beitou!

Getting there: Bus 260 → Red Bus 108 · Or MRT to Jiantan then bus S12

Xiaoyoukeng fumaroles (largest active fumaroles in Taiwan). Qi Xing Mountain hike. Free hot spring foot soaks at Lengshuikeng. Qingtian Grasslands (water buffalo!). April = peak azalea + cherry blossom season!

Sun Moon Lake

3 hrs from Taipei via HSR · 3/11 videos

Taiwan's most visited landmark. Electric bike 30km loop ($20/day). CNN Top 10 cycle path. Wenwu Temple, Ci'en Pagoda. Best as overnight trip

Alishan National Forest

5 hrs from Taipei · 2-3 days ideal · 3/11

Ancient cypress forests (3,000 years old). Sunrise train to Zhushan Mountain ($7 RT). Buy tickets day before, queue 1 hr early

Taroko Gorge

2.5 hrs by Taroko Express · 3/11 videos

Marble gorge, crystal rivers. Shakadang Trail, Eternal Spring Shrine. Check closures — 2024 earthquake damage!

Yehliu Geopark

North coast · Part of combo day tour ($26)

Alien-like mushroom rock formations. Best as part of the Yehliu+Jiufen+Shifen group tour via Klook

Hot Springs
Beitou District
MRT Red Line → Pink branch line → Xinbeitou Station (~30 min from city center). Everything is walkable from the station.

Free Attractions

Xinbeitou Historic StationRestored 1916 Japanese railway station. Museum + gift shop. Quick 15 min
Hot Spring MuseumFormer Japanese bathhouse. Tatami rooms. Learn about Hokutolite — a rare slightly radioactive mineral
Thermal ValleyTHE highlight. 90°C boiling water, dramatic steam, vivid blue-green. Surreal and free
Ketagalan Culture CenterAboriginal peoples museum. Ceremonial dress-up experience. Worth 45 min
Beitou Public LibraryFamous sustainable architecture with beautiful balconies
Beitou ParkLotus Pond (geothermal area), art installations, lush greenery
Foot Dipping PoolFree geothermal pool past the museum. No swimwear needed. Very relaxing
Puji Temple Trail10-min walk. 1900s Buddhist temple. Kobo Daishi Rock shrine carved into mountainside
Market HallLocal food market. Best fried chicken in the area. Milk tea 40 NTD. Authentic + cheap

Hot Spring Options

Millennium Hot Spring

Public outdoor, ~NT$40-150. Women: one-piece required. Men: Speedo-style. Long lines on weekends — best on weekdays or rainy days

Military Hospital Museum

Reddit hidden gem! Foot spa only NT$50. Free barley tea. Run by volunteers, almost nobody knows about it

Private Hotel Bath

Rent by the hour (~NT$500-1,000). Book via Klook. Royal Seasons or Asia Pacific Hotel recommended

The water: 3 spring types — sodium bicarbonate (clear), white sulfur (milky, slightly radioactive Hokutolite — extremely rare), green sulfur (acidic). All smell of sulfur. Makes skin incredibly soft. April mornings are cool enough to enjoy comfortably.
Know Before You Go
Practical Tips

Getting Around

Airport → City

OptionTimeCost
Airport MRT Express35 minNT$160 (~$5)
Airport Bus 1819~55 minNT$140-164
Taxi / Uber40-60 min~$40-50

Within Taipei

EasyCardReloadable smart card. MRT, buses, YouBike, 7-Eleven. ~NT$100. Top up anywhere
Day Passes1-day NT$150 / 24-hr NT$180 / 48-hr NT$280 / 72-hr NT$380
MRTFast, clean, affordable. Color-coded lines. English announcements
UberAvailable + reliable. Better than taxis when drivers don't speak English
YouBikeBike-sharing. EasyCard to unlock. Great in Datong area near hotel

Between Cities

HSRTaipei → Taichung ~50 min (~$20). Buy at station or app
TRA trainsFor east coast. Buy reserved seat at ticket office, not machines
Buses260/108 for Yangmingshan. 965 for Jiufen. 1819 24hr airport bus

Essential Apps

Google MapsWorks perfectly in Taiwan (unlike Korea!)
EasyWalletCheck EasyCard balance
Taiwan eBusReal-time bus tracking
KlookDay tours, attraction tickets, hot spring bookings. Often cheaper than gate price
Google TranslateCamera mode for instant sign/menu translation. Essential in rural areas

Key Reminders

Community Resources

Google Sheets — places to eat + things to do, curated by a 1-year Taipei resident:

Open Spreadsheet →

Google Maps — bookmarked spots from the community:

Open Map →

Before You Leave
Packing List
  • Umbrella — rain almost every day
  • Light jacket — Apr 7 is only 17°C
  • Comfortable waterproof walking shoes
  • Type A/B plug (same as US/Japan)
  • Slippers for hot spring (or rent)
  • Swimsuit for public hot spring
  • eSIM or SIM card (buy at airport)
  • EasyCard (get at airport 7-Eleven)