I had a 16-hour layover in Taipei on my flight from Vancouver to Manila, and instead of staying at the airport, I had planned to head out and explore. I didn’t have a fixed itinerary going into it, just a rough idea that I wanted to make the most of the time I had.
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| Longshan Temple |
My flight arrived around 5:30am, which is still quite early for the city, so I didn’t rush out right away. My luggage was already checked through, so I only had my carry-on and a small backpack with me, which made things a lot easier.
Since I had time to spare, I decided to freshen up first. There are free showers at the luggage claim area before the arrivals hall, which was honestly one of the best decisions to start the day. After that, I headed out to arrivals to see what my options were.
Free Taipei Transit Tour
At the arrivals area, I found out about the free half-day transit tour offered for eligible passengers. The tour was leaving around 8am, which gave me enough time to grab coffee, exchange some cash, and store my luggage in a locker.
There were plenty of slots available, so I signed up without any issues. The tour is done via bus and comes with a guide, which makes it a really convenient way to see a few key spots without planning everything myself. The itinerary for my tour included Longshan Temple, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, and Yongkang Street, though this can vary depending on which tour is being offered that day.
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| Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall |
Longshan Temple
This was our first stop, and it was already active early in the morning with people coming in to pray. The atmosphere felt calm but busy at the same time, and it was a nice introduction to the city.
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
The scale of this place really stood out, especially the open square leading up to the main hall. We had enough time to walk around, take photos, and just take in the space without feeling rushed.
Yongkang Street
This was the last stop on the tour, and it felt more like a food and shopping area compared to the earlier stops. There were a lot of small streets branching out, which made it easy to continue exploring beyond the tour.
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| Yongkang Street |
The bus was scheduled to return to the airport around 12:30pm, but I decided to stay behind at Yongkang Street. I signed a waiver to separate from the group so I could explore on my own.
Exploring on My Own
Since I was already in Yongkang, I went straight to try the famous Yongkang Beef Noodles, which has a Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition. It was busy, but as a solo diner I got a table quite quickly. At NTD240, it ended up being one of the best bowls of noodles I’ve had – the beef was really tender, and the noodles had a good bite to them.
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| braised beef noodles at Yongkang Beef Noodles |
I spent a bit more time walking around Yongkang Street before heading to the MR going to Xiangshan Station. My next stop was Takemura Izakaya, which is known for its view of Taipei 101 framed by an alley. It took about a 15-minute walk from the station, but it was straightforward to get to.
After that, I made my way to Ximending. I had been there before during a Taipei trip in 2019, so this time I didn’t have any specific plans. I mostly just wandered around, looked at shops, and took my time.
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| Ximending Youth District |
I did stop at a small local place for xiao long bao or soup dumplings. It was good for the price at NTD150, but not the best I’ve tried. Then I grabbed some milk tea and also picked up a cute boba tea holder and some chocolates as souvenirs.
Heading Back to the Airport
At around 8pm, I headed to Taipei Main Station to take the train back to the airport. Once I got there, I retrieved my bags from the locker, which cost around NTD90, and took another shower before going up to departures.
Since I already had my boarding pass from check-in in Vancouver, I was able to go straight to the departure area. I got hungry again, so I went to the food court on the 4th floor of Terminal 2 to grab something to eat.
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| wonton soup and more beef noodles at the airport |
My flight wasn’t until around 7am the next day, so I found a spot near the boarding gates with recliner chairs and managed to get a few hours of sleep before boarding.
FAQs
Who is eligible for the free transit tour?
Transit or transfer passengers with 7 to 24-hour layovers before their next connecting flight, who have valid R.O.C. visas or come from countries eligible for visa-exempt entry.
Do I need a transit card for the MRT?
No, not really. I just bought single-journey tickets since I was only there for the day.
Do I need to pass immigration?
Yes, you go through immigration upon arrival and again before entering the departure area.
How much money do I need for one day?
It depends on your spending habits. Taipei accepts cashless payments, but I exchanged CAD50, which was around NTD1,150 at the time, and it was enough for what I spent that day.
What if I can’t get into the transit tour?
That’s fine. Taipei is very easy to explore on your own using Google Maps. I’d suggest taking the Airport MRT to Taipei Main Station and starting from there. It helps to have a rough itinerary prepared.
How did I stay connected?
I used a one-day eSIM from Klook, which worked well for navigation and getting around.
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| view of Taipei 101 at Takemura Izakaya |
Overall, the layover ended up being more than enough time to explore Taipei at a relaxed pace without feeling rushed. It didn’t feel like I was just passing through, and I was able to see a mix of cultural spots, food areas, and neighbourhoods.
I spent roughly NTD1,130 or around PHP2,000 for the entire day, including food, transport, and small purchases, which felt reasonable for everything I was able to do. If you ever find yourself with a long layover in Taipei, it’s definitely worth stepping out of the airport and exploring the city.
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