Taipei, Taiwan’s capital city, offers fascinating history and culture, highly developed infrastructure, and the buzz of constant activity that comes with a big population… Yet it’s often overlooked in favor of places like Singapore, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. This is a mistake.
Taipei offers everything its Asian-metropolis counterparts offer, plus its own inimitable charm. It’s a case study in balancing modernization and thoughtful innovation, and nothing symbolizes that more than Taipei 101—the city’s most iconic landmark.
The skyscraper is famous for its bamboo-stalk shape and flexible, earthquake- and typhoon-resistant design. It boasts several high-tech features, like elevators that travel at 60 kms per hour.
More importantly, though, it was designed with an eye to sustainability. It’s the world’s tallest green building, with windows that block 50% of external heat and a roof that recycles water.
Taipei embeds technology into life in ways you didn’t realize were possible until you visit… But this hasn’t sterilized its culture. Amid all modernity, pockets of the ancient endure, like the centuries-old Longshan Temple or the City Gates that date to the Qing Dynasty.
Night markets, parks, and shopping districts give a glimpse of Taipei’s edge.
Its population distinguishes itself from the rest of Asia with its open-mindedness. On May 24, 2019, Taiwan became the first nation in the continent to legalize same-sex marriage.
If you still don’t feel impressed by Taipei, it also has museums, galleries, landmarks, parks, temples, a zoo, hiking trails, and hot springs to offer you… In short, this city deserves to be noticed just as much as its neighbors.
