Suggested Itinerary

Day1 National Museum of History -> Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall -> The Presidential Office Building -> 228 Memorial Peace Park -> National Taiwan Museum -> Longshan Temple -> Huaxi Street Night Market

Day2 Taipei Zoo -> Zhinan Temple -> Pinglin Tea Museum

Day3 Bitan Scenic Area

Taipei is an internationalized city of immigrants, and all kinds of restaurants have sprung up to satisfy the diverse appetites of its different residents. Cuisine of all nations is available here, along with all of the regional foods of mainland China and snacks from the different parts of Taiwan--and, of course, vegetarian food too. For visitors, dining in Taipei is convenient and something to be eagerly anticipated, for the city can satisfy whatever palate the gourmand brings to the table.

Yongkang Street, Tianmu, Ximending, the East District shopping area, and Fuxing South Road (which specializes in rice gruel and small accompanying dishes) are all major culinary concentrations in Taipei. Tianmu (with its foreign atmosphere) and Yongkang Street, especially, are home to vast arrays of restaurants that offer an infinite variety of eats including dishes from all over the world as well as traditional Chinese foods and the tastes of different parts of Taiwan.

The Chinese food available in Taiwan covers the gamut from palace cuisine to street-stall snacks, and all have their characteristic--and delicious--flavors. The palace-style dishes served at Din Tai Fong and King Join attract numbers of tourists every day, and the allure of the snacks sold in Taipei's night markets makes them truly irresistible--Lungshan Temple and the night markets at Huasi Street, Shilin, Tonghua Street, Raohe Street, Liaoning, and Jingmei, among others, all have their own special snacks giving off aromas that draw in diners from far and wide.

Huasi Street is the most famous night market in Taipei, and every day it sees numbers of both domestic and foreign tourists. The best-known snacks available here, probably, are snake meat and snake wine; other prominent delicacies include potside stickers, Tainan danzai noodles, bowl rice, water-turtle meat, and seafood. Compared with other night markets this one has a greater emphasis on attracting tourists; so its class is not very low, and its prices are also a bit higher than others. The nearby Longshan Temple has a row of blind masseurs in front waiting to loosen you up, and "Herb Lane" just next door is another point that you will not want to miss.

If you want a taste of aborigine flavors, though, you will have to go to Wulai in suburban Taipei where local delicacies such as soft millet cakes and bamboo-tube rice offer distinctive tastes. While at Wulai you can also enjoy aborigine singing and dancing, you can soak in hot-spring water, you can view the waterfall, or you can cross the gorge in a cable car. To get from the scenic area entrance to the waterfall you can take one of the unique push carts-the only ones left in Taiwan, but motorized now-up the hill. This may not be the most practical way to travel, but it imparts its own special exotic feeling.

Travelers with an interest in tea-tasting can go to the Muzha tourist tea plantations, which mainly serve Tie Guanyin, or "iron Goddess of Mercy," tea. They can also move on to the neighboring Maokong to savor their tea with a casual chat.

In addition to these attractions, the National Museum of History, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Presidential Office Building, Feb. 28 Peace Park, National Taiwan Museum, Taipei Zoo, Zhinan Temple, and Green Lake Scenic Area are among other spots that you might consider visiting while you are in the area.