District · Taipei
Wanhua and Longshan萬華
Taipei’s oldest port district: Longshan Temple, Bopiliao and the Huaxi Street night market; the edges are rough after dark.
Key facts
- Suits
- Temples, old streets, herbal shops
- Sights here
- 2
- Eats here
- 1
What it's like
- Feels:
- Old, incense-filled and full of daily prayers
- Suits:
- Temples, old streets, herbal shops
- Best time:
- 06:00–09:006:00 AM–9:00 AM
- Watch out for:
- Side lanes after dark.
- In short:
- Taipei’s oldest port district: Longshan Temple, Bopiliao and the Huaxi Street night market; the edges are rough after dark.
About these names
Four areas cover a first visit, all on or near the MRT: Ximending and Wanhua in the old west, Zhongzheng around the memorial hall and Taipei Main Station, Zhongshan and Datong to the north for cafés and Dihua Street, and Xinyi in the east for Taipei 101. The Songshan-Xindian (Green), Bannan (Blue) and Tamsui-Xinyi (Red) lines link them; most rides are under 20 minutes.
Where exactly
This district is highlighted. Shapes follow this guide's walking areas and places, not official boundaries.
Wanhua and Longshan萬華
seeeat
Taipei’s oldest port district: Longshan Temple, Bopiliao and the Huaxi Street night market; the edges are rough after dark.
Suits: Temples, old streets, herbal shops
On the map: Bopiliao Old Street, Longshan Temple
District guideWalk: Longshan Temple & BopiliaoIn the districts table
Not drawn yet (no coordinates in this guide): Da’an and Yongkang Street, Shilin, Beitou. See the table above.
Where’s what, as a list:
- Ximending (西門町): A pedestrian shopping district beside Ximen Station with the Red House and a Japanese-era grid; crowded and loud at night. Suits: First visit, snacks, cinemas, late nights. Price band $$.
- Wanhua and Longshan (萬華): Taipei’s oldest port district: Longshan Temple, Bopiliao and the Huaxi Street night market; the edges are rough after dark. Suits: Temples, old streets, herbal shops.
- Zhongzheng and Taipei Main Station (中正): Government buildings, the memorial hall and the rail hub for the airport, high-speed rail and Taiwan Railways. Suits: Transport links, the memorial hall and museums.
- Zhongshan and Datong (中山 / 大同): Larger hotels along the Red line and a young café scene; Dihua Street in Dadaocheng sells tea, herbs and cloth. Suits: Quiet stays, cafés, Ningxia night market, Dihua Street. Price band $$$.
- Da’an and Yongkang Street (大安): Restaurants around Dongmen Station and Da’an Forest Park; a good lunch area, easy from CKS Hall. Suits: Beef noodles, dumplings and the park.
- Xinyi (信義): A modern business and shopping district; air-conditioned and easy to walk between malls. Suits: Taipei 101, malls, evening views.
- Shilin (士林): In the north; the Palace Museum is a bus ride from Shilin Station and the night market is a short walk from the station. Suits: Night market, National Palace Museum.
- Beitou (北投): A thermal valley in the north; day trip by MRT Red line. Suits: Hot springs.
- Sleep area Ximending: suits First visit, snacks, cinemas, late nights, price band $$.
- Sleep area Zhongshan: suits Quiet stays, cafés, Ningxia night market, Dihua Street, price band $$$.
- Taoyuan International Airport (TPE), about 29 km18 mi from the centre, 40–55 min by the usual route.
Stay here?
Not a base in this guide
See
Opening hours and prices from each place page; (check) means typical hours, not yet verified.
- Longshan TempleBook a time
Go before 09:00 for incense and prayers, or after 17:00; 45 minutes; keep to the side aisles during services.
- Hours:
- 06:00–22:006:00 AM–10:00 PM(check)
- Entry:
- Free
- Bopiliao Old StreetBook a time
Walk it as a 30-minute add-on to Longshan Temple, in the morning before the school groups; the history block is free.
- Hours:
- 09:00–18:009:00 AM–6:00 PM(check)
- Entry:
- Free
Open now in this district
Checking the time in Taipei…
Eat
What to order and what locals pay, from each eat page. Prices are estimates; check the menu.
- Huaxi Street Tourist Night Market
A covered, short night market near Longshan Temple; go at 18:00 for snacks and herbal soups, stay on the main lit street, and carry cash.
Order: 蚵仔煎 o-a-jian: Say 'o-a-jian, yi ge'.
Price: NT$50–100 (≈ US$2–4) for a snack; NT$30–70 (≈ US$1–3) for braised pork rice.
Shopping
Markets and shopping streets from the Taipei buying guide that name this district.
- Herbal and dried goods · Dihua Street, Wanhua · About 09:00–18:00About 9:00 AM–6:00 PMCheck import rules for herbs and meat products before you fly home.
Getting there and around
Where to get off
- Longshan Temple Station (Blue line), exit 1, then walk 6 minutes · for Bopiliao Old Street
- Longshan Temple Station (Bannan line), exit 1 · for Longshan Temple
Walks inside the district
- Longshan Temple → Bopiliao Old Street: 6–10 min on foot (Walk to the old street)
- Longshan Temple → Huaxi Street Tourist Night Market: 9–14 min on foot (Walk to the Huaxi Street market)
- Bopiliao Old Street → Huaxi Street Tourist Night Market: 12–18 min on foot (Walk west to Huaxi Street)
On to the next area
- MRT or walk east: about 15 min to Ximending & Red House
- MRT: about 12 min to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall & Liberty Square
From other sleep areas
- From Ximending: 15–22 min walk to Longshan Temple & Bopiliao
Nearest arrival point: Taoyuan International Airport (TPE): about 28 km in a straight line; the usual ride to the centre takes 40–55 minTaoyuan International Airport (TPE): about 17 mi in a straight line; the usual ride to the centre takes 40–55 min.
Minutes are this guide’s typical walking and ride times (p50–p90); traffic and heat stretch them.
Walking loop
A loop that starts and ends at the same place, through this district's sights and eats. Pick a length; download it for Organic Maps, OsmAnd or Google Earth.
About 82 min in all: 27 min on foot, the rest at the stops. 3 stops, back to where you started.
- Longshan TempleStart here · stop about 25 min
- Bopiliao Old Street6 min walk · stop about 15 min
- Huaxi Street Tourist Night Market12 min walk · stop about 15 min (snack, or note it for later)
- Back to Longshan Temple: 9 min walk
Walking minutes come from this guide’s route graph where it has one; “estimate” means straight-line distance plus a quarter for street detours at an easy pace. Opening hours are not checked: look at “Open now” below before you set off.
Half-day walk
In the day plans: Day 1 — Longshan at dawn, Bopiliao, a 11:30 noodle bowl (Taipei in 3 days)
Photo and sunset spots
Light: Early morning
Incense smoke in the sun is best at 07:00; do not use a flash near worshippers.Incense smoke in the sun is best at 7:00 AM; do not use a flash near worshippers.
Safety at night and noise
Longshan Temple and Bopiliaoday: oknight: caution
Quiet lanes and some adult venues around the temple after dark; stay on lit main streets.
Nearby districts
Built from this guide’s Taipei districts table, place, eat and sleep pages, route graph and city notes. Hours, prices and rules change: anything marked (check) is typical, not verified. checked: 2026-09.