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 rather than overwhelm, the city reveals itself slowly — block by block, meal by meal, and conversation by conversation.
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 in Taipei felt. The MRT glided from station to station with quiet precision, spotless and efficient. More than 2 million people use it every day, but stations remain calm, and trains run with punctuality that rivals the best in the world. Streets hummed with scooters — more than 80% of households in Taiwan own one — yet there was no chaos, only rhythm.
Taiwan has more than 15,000 temples, with Taipei home to some of the oldest and most visited, including Longshan Temple.
Neon lights reflected off glass towers while, only steps away, the smoke of incense curled through temple courtyards. Taipei felt like a city at ease with itself, balancing old and new in a way that felt natural, not forced. With more than 15,000 temples and shrines across Taiwan, tradition remains a living presence, even in the capital.
Taipei is home to dozens of night markets, part of a network of more than 300 across Taiwan.
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. Taipei is a city where more than half of all meals are eaten outside the home, and you feel it in the energy of bustling breakfast shops and crowded night markets. Eating here wasn’t just about filling up — it was about joining a crowd, sharing a space, and tasting history and innovation on the same plate.
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.
What struck me most, though, was the warmth of the people. Whether it was a stranger helping me navigate the metro, a vendor patiently explaining how to eat something new, or the simple ease of a smile exchanged on a crowded street, Taipei felt welcoming in the most human way.
Numbers sketch the outlines of Taipei — its density, its scooters, its temples, its appetite. But numbers alone can’t capture the feeling of ease, the friendliness, or the way the city lingers in memory. That part isn’t measured — it’s experienced.
This essay is the beginning of a series about my time in Taipei. In the pieces that follow, I’ll explore the food that defined my days, the architecture that revealed the city’s layers, and the people whose small acts of kindness shaped my experience.
For now, I’ll just say this: Taipei 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
