Expert travel storyteller Jordan Adkins, founder of InspiredByMaps.com, brings a decade of adventures across 101 countries and 450+ UNESCO sites into rich, off-the-beaten-path narratives, melding ecological expertise with genuine, seasoned travel insights. His full bio can be found here.
It’s likely that Taipei’s not on your ‘Places To Go ASAP’ list yet – we can understand that. However, it needs to go on that list! Taiwan’s unassuming capital city is endlessly welcoming, historically and culturally fascinating, and completely unique.
Where else would you find a strip-tease marionette in the puppet museum? Or would go quite as wild for pineapple cake? What other cities would proudly promote ‘stinky’ tofu as its specialty dish? And, seriously, is there another place where the metro offers free umbrellas to commuters on rainy days?
These are only small samples of the cute and quirky things you can discover about Taipei (all with a mouthful of pineapple cake, of course!) whether you have on a stopover here, 3 full days to explore or – if you are lucky – even longer.
The city also has a fascinating past, a past that’s still evident in the mansions, temples, and memorials that can be found throughout the streets. The Japanese, Southeast Asian and American influence on the largely Chinese culture has created a fascinating blend and there’s always something new to discover.
In between eating All The Food (it’s amazingly cheap and convenient to eat out here, whether you’re heading to the night markets for a snack or to a fast food joint with friends), you might also want to do some sightseeing.
Things, like soaring to the Observatory in Taipei 101, getting pleasantly lost in the National Palace Museum and treating your inner child at the Miramar Entertainment Park, shouldn’t be missed as you explore the city.
But if you’re the kind of person who gets a headache just thinking about planning an itinerary, or you hate queuing to buy tickets and navigating fees on an unfamiliar transport system, how are you going to get the most out of your trip? This is where the Taipei Fun Pass comes it – an absolute lifesaver for keen explorers who hate to plan!
We’re big fans of city cards like these and have also used the NYC CityPass, Oslo Pass, and Copenhagen Card — but this is one of the better ones we’ve come across. Although the initial outgoing might seem steep, you’ll find you can quickly make the money back. Especially if you make the most of the available attractions and transport options.
So, what exactly is the Taipei Unlimited Fun Pass? The Taipei Fun Pass comes in various different forms, but in our humble opinions, the Unlimited version is the one to go for. It’s a tourist card that not only gives you access to 16 top attractions around Taipei, but also gives you unlimited rides on the Taipei Metro, City Buses and even most Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Buses (not ones with four-digit numbers).
Seriously, is there any reason not to go for it?
The 16 attractions included on the card are those that you’re guaranteed to want to see – aside from the three mentioned above, you’ll also get access to the quirky Miniatures Museum of Taiwan, the city’s zoo, the famous Juming Museum, and the Tamusi Fisherman’s Wharf cruise, among others.
As an added incentive to invest in the pass, over 100 shops, hotels, and restaurants around Taipei give you discounts with the Taipei Fun Pass. That means that even while you’re shopping for souvenirs or enjoying that famous Taiwanese food, you’ll be saving money. Win-win.
As well as saving you money, we found at this Pass saves you huge amounts of time and hassle. With the Taipei Unlimited Fun Pass, there will be no more wasting time, trying to figure out which attractions you can see to stay within your budget; you can go and see them all!
You also don’t need to worry about buying transport tickets as all you’ll need to do is whip out your Pass and you can get basically everywhere you want to go.
Those of you who like to get prepared can buy the pass in advance, but you’ll need to pick it up within 10 days of purchase, so don’t be too organized! You can get a one, two or three-day card, which costs NT$1,200, NT$1,600 and NT$1,900 respectively (these are technically sale prices, but the sale seems to be pretty much continuous!).
Note that unlike other tourist cards, the Taipei Unlimited Fun Pass validity is measured in calendar days, no 24-hour periods. That means that if you use it for the first time at 3 pm, your first day of use finishes at midnight.
Our advice? Start early!
You’ll certainly want to start your sightseeing early with this much to see and do in Taipei. Here are some of our top choices, to get you started with your itinerary – but remember, there’s plenty more you can add to the list!
Taipei 101
Price without Pass: NT$600
Did you even go to Taipei if you didn’t go up Taipei 101? It’s definitely a highlight of the Taipei experience, although very expensive. That’s why it’s a must-do with the Taipei Fun Pass. It soars above the city at a height of 508m and until 2011 was the world’s tallest green building (pipped to the post by the 828 meter Burj Khalifa). Designed to look like a bamboo stalk, Taipei 101 is a striking part of the city skyline.
Even more striking, however, is the view from the observation deck. The famous pressure-controlled lifts shoot you up to the 89th floor at 1010 meters per mi