Where Water and Coffee Flow: TAIPEI
Beyond its renowned culinary delights and vibrant night markets, Taipei is a city symbolized by hot springs, rivers, the sea and even its rainfall. Barista Berg Wu guides us through this metropolis, highlighting locales where coffee and water, nature and urban sophistication coalesce.
- Berg Wu, winner of the World Barista Championship 2016, is also the founder of Simple Kaffa, Taipei’s celebrated specialty coffee establishment. Having traversed the city with a mobile café fashioned from a custom-built tricycle, his affection for both coffee and Taipei is profound.
Huashan 1914 Creative Park
⚑ No. 1, Section 1, Bade Rd, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City
Huashan 1914 is a multifaceted cultural space artfully repurposed from an old brewery constructed in 1914, when Taiwan was under Japanese rule. It serves as a vibrant convergence point for Taipei’s local creative sensibilities, home to an array of pop-up stores, independent bookshops, art markets and design fairs, making it an ideal locus for experiencing the city’s dynamic energy.
- TIP Near Huashan 1914, the Syntrend Creative Park is an integrated cultural complex and shopping mall, which offers a diverse spectrum of brands and creative works centered around digital culture encompassing gaming, photography and music.
Taipei 101 Observatory
⚑ No. 7, Section 5, Xinyi Rd, Xinyi District, Taipei City
An icon of Taipei and the centerpiece of its urban vista, the Taipei 101 tower once held the distinction of being among the world՚s tallest skyscrapers. While the observatories on the 89th and 101st floors are renowned, the café situated on the tower՚s 88th floor offers a slightly more tranquil setting to enjoy coffee while taking in a panoramic sweep of the city. Reservations are essential, but the extraordinary experience of sipping coffee above the clouds is virtually guaranteed.
- TIP After your visit, consider a short hike up nearby Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan). A different, yet equally stunning, perspective of Taipei’s landscape will unfold before you.
Dihua Street
⚑ Section 1, Dihua St, Datong District, Taipei City
One of Taipei’s most historic thoroughfares, Dihua Street is considered the birthplace of Taiwanese trade, a place where traditional architecture and contemporary sensibilities harmoniously coexist. Amid venerable structures, some over a century old housing traditional herbal medicine shops and purveyors of dried goods, chic local cafés lie hidden, offering the delightful thrill of unexpected discovery. A diverse array of design shops and souvenir stores, imbued with creative flair, also punctuates the streetscape.
- TIP Follow the street towards the Yongle Fabric Market. Its popularity among travelers stems from the opportunity to purchase traditional Taiwanese textiles in small quantities.
Xinbeitou
⚑ 112 Beitou District, Taipei City
Xinbeitou, a unique hot spring town in northern Taipei, may be compact, but it is a destination of remarkable density. From the geothermal steam rising from Beitou Thermal Valley (also known as “Hell Valley”) to the Beitou Hot Spring Museum, which preserves Japanese-era architecture, and the Beitou Public Library, Taiwan’s first eco-friendly library, one can effortlessly fill a day with a rejuvenating hot spring bath, a pleasant stroll and quiet reading. It’s a perfectly self- contained locale for a brief, restorative escape.
- TIP Alongside the traditional, century-old Takinoyu (Long Nice) hot spring, modern spa facilities abound, ensuring a therapeutic soak tailored to every preference.
Lengshuikeng Public Hot Springs
⚑ No. 175號, Lane 101, Jingshan Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City
Venturing north from Taipei to Yangmingshan, one discovers natural hot springs area not far removed from the urban bustle. The Lengshuikeng Hot Springs are open to the public, providing a perfect opportunity to enjoy a soak alongside local residents. Requiring only a towel, it’s a place where one can comfortably experience the city’s generous spirit.
- TIP In the vicinity is the esteemed National Palace Museum, showcasing the essence of Taiwanese history and art. Immerse yourself in its elegantly understated structure and its vast collection before indulging in a restorative hot spring visit.
Jiufen
⚑ Jishan St, Ruifang District, New Taipei City
The town of Jiufen, perched on a mountainside, boasts some of the most romantic vistas in Taipei’s environs. With a history rooted in its prosperity as a gold mining town during the Japanese colonial era, it now greets travelers with its iconic Old Street, adorned with cascading red lanterns, and its charming teahouses and souvenir shops tucked into every alleyway. Known as an inspiration for the setting of the film Spirited Away, Jiufen imparts a palpable sense of stepping into another world, as if entering the very realm of the movie.
- TIP Should time permit, extend your journey to Jinguashi to view the striking landscapes of the Golden Waterfall and the Yin Yang Sea. The harmonious interplay between the vestiges of mining history and the majesty of nature is a spectacular sight.
Wulai
⚑ Wulai, New Taipei City
Approximately an hour’s drive from Taipei, Wulai is a village enveloped by valleys and forests. This area is the ancestral home of Taiwan’s Atayal indigenous people, who continue to preserve their unique language, cuisine and craft culture. With its hot spring street nestled along the valley, scenic walking paths offering breathtaking views and natural hot springs bubbling up along the riverbanks, Wulai is a village possessing some of Taipei’s most distinctive and picturesque scenery.
- TIP When seasonally accessible, the riverside open-air hot springs offer an unparalleled opportunity to experience a soak in the closest possible communion with nature.
- Korean Air operates direct flights between Incheon and Taipei 14 times a week.
