Taipei Travel

(Photo / Marshal Zen Garden)

★ LGBTaipei Tour

ROUTE

Visit Treasure Hill Artist Village in Gongguan ➔ The Witch House ➔ Ximending area ➔

Bar Hopping to experience the night life

(Photo / Xu Yirong)
 

This May will mark one year since Taiwan legalized same-sex marriage, and once you visit some of the city’s various LGBTQ-friendly venues, you’ll see why we became the first country in Asia to pass the law. Your first stop will be Treasure Hill Artist Village ( 寶藏巖國際藝術村), a small community on the banks of the Xindian River ( 新店溪) in Gongguan ( 公館) housing resident artists from all over the world who frequently curate exhibitions or create artworks to voice for LGBTQ rights. Peruse the installations, stores and houses of the charming area that has stood in its present from since the 1970s. A visit to The Witch House ( 女巫店), a multipurpose venue known for its live music, will give you a further taste of Taipei’s LGBTQ culture before you hit the streets of the city’s famous Ximending ( 西門町) area and have an unforgettable bar hopping tour to experience the local nightlife in well-known LGBTQ-friendly bars such as Commander D, Karen Bar and Mudan.

(Photo / Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government)
 

★ Taipei Culture Vulture Tour

ROUTE

A historical tour in Dadaocheng ➔ Tea tasting & tea ceremony ➔ Visit Baoan Temple

(Photo / Liu Jiawen)

Taipei is a city loaded with culture, and no visit here is complete without a tour in Dadaocheng. As the area was the biggest center to trade Taiwanese tea in the 1800s, you can find various tea houses there to patriciate an authentic tea ceremony and sample a few of the country’s best tea. Spring time also coincides with the Baosheng Cultural Festival ( 保生文化季). As part of your tour, you’ll also visit the historic Baoan Temple ( 保安宮) and join the festival to both celebrate the birthday of Baosheng Emperor ( 保生大帝) and experience the local cultural traditions. The structure was also recognized by the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Culture Heritage Conservation back in 2003. The festival is a symbol of Taiwan’s folk religious celebrations as well as architectural legacy, and has inspired similar festivities in places such as Singapore and China.

(Photo / Baoan Temple)

How to prepare to visit Taipei in the spring
As previously mentioned, springtime, in terms of weather, is pretty pleasant in Taipei. In terms of other clothing, you’ll be comfortable in long pants, but shorts, skirts and dresses etc. may be more comfortable, especially during the daytime. During the night, however, might be a little chilly but a light jacket will do. The average temperature during spring in Taipei is around 25 degrees Celsius. The energy-sapping humidity of summer won’t have arrived, yet rainy season might start at the end of May, so prepare for rain just in case by packing some waterproof clothing (you can pick up a cheap umbrella at any convenience store). It’s also highly recommended that you bring adequate sun protection, such as sun cream, as even in the springtime, the sun in Taipei can be intense.