Taipei: First Impressions
Taipei packs more than 2.6 million residents into just 272 square kilometers—one of the highest urban densities in the world.
With nearly 2.6 million residents packed into just 272 square kilometers, Taipei is among the most densely populated cities in the world. Yet when I arrived in October 2024, my first time in Taiwan, the city didn’t feel overwhelming. Instead, it unfolded slowly—block by block, meal by meal, smile by smile.
Across Taiwan, there are over 14.6 million registered scooters—more than one scooter for every two people.
The first thing I noticed was how modern and seamless life felt. The MRT glided from station to station with quiet precision, spotless and efficient. Streets hummed with scooters—hundreds of thousands of them—but there was rhythm, not chaos. Neon lights bounced off glass towers while, just steps away, incense curled through temple courtyards. Taipei seemed at ease with itself, balancing old and new without effort.
Taiwan has more than 12,000 temples, with Taipei home to some of the oldest and most visited, including Longshan Temple.
And then there was the food. Breakfast wasn’t an afterthought but an event: hot soy milk, fried breadsticks, pork buns steaming in paper bags, even braised pork belly over rice before noon. At night, the city’s pulse gathered in its markets, where stalls sold oyster omelets, grilled squid, stinky tofu, and endless variations of bubble tea. Eating in Taipei wasn’t just about filling up—it was about joining a crowd, sharing a space, tasting history and innovation on the same plate.
Taipei is home to dozens of night markets, part of a network of more than 300 across Taiwan.
What struck me most, though, was the warmth of the people. Whether it was a stranger helping me navigate the metro, a vendor explaining how to eat something new, or simply a smile exchanged on a crowded street, Taipei felt welcoming in the most human way. It didn’t matter that I was a visitor—I never felt like an outsider.
Taipei is home to more than 20,000 eateries—most of them small, family-run places like this one, where sharing food isn’t just a meal but a way of connecting, celebrating, and welcoming others.
In the essays to come, I’ll linger longer over the meals that defined my days, the architecture that revealed the city’s layers, and the people whose kindness gave the city its heartbeat.
For now, I’ll just say this: Taipei is a city that lingers. It doesn’t demand your attention—it earns it. And once it does, it stays with you.
To see more photos & videos from my travels visit the links below
happy traveling,
~Sean
