Taipei
Free things to do in Taipei
Taipei is one of Asia's easiest cities to fill for nothing: temples, the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall plaza, riverside bike paths, night-market browsing and mountain trailheads all cost NT$0. Go on a weekday morning for trails and temples, evenings for markets and the riverside; rain pushes you indoors to free museum halls and malls.
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GuideTaipei
Key facts
- Typical free day
- Temple + memorial hall + riverside bike path + night market browsing = NT$0 (bike rental extra)
- Best free hours
- Temples and trails early morning; markets and riverside after 17:00
- Rain plan
- Free-entry museum halls, bookshops and underground malls; many venues close on Mondays
- Getting around
- MRT fares NT$20–65 per ride (2026 estimate); a day pass pays off only on 4+ rides
- YouBike
- First 30 minutes free with a registered EasyCard; otherwise a small fee
- Best months
- Oct–Dec and Mar–Apr: dry, mild, good for trails and riverside
- Typhoon season
- Jul–Sep; trails and cable cars close on typhoon days
Top picks
These are the free stops that reward the walk between them. Most sit on the MRT, so you can chain three or four in a day without paying more than the fare.
Temples are the strongest free category. Longshan Temple and Dalongdong Baoan Temple are working places of worship with incense, chanting and fortune slips; entry is free, and dusk is the best hour. The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall plaza is free to walk, with the changing of the guard inside the hall on a fixed schedule.
For green space, the riverside bike paths along the Tamsui and Keelung rivers run for kilometres, and the trails above Beitou and Xiangshan are free and reachable by MRT. Night markets cost nothing to browse; you pay only for what you eat.
- Best free morning: temple, then a trail before the heat
- Best free evening: riverside sunset, then night market browsing
- Best free rainy hour: a bookshop or a free-entry museum hall
| Place | Price | Hours | Age fit | Indoor | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Longshan Temple | Free | Daily, roughly 06:00–22:00 | All ages | Partly | MRT Longshan Temple |
| Dalongdong Baoan Temple | Free | Daily daytime | All ages | Partly | MRT Yuanshan, 10 min walk |
| Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall plaza | Free | Park open daily; hall hours vary | All ages | No | MRT Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall |
| Xiangshan (Elephant Mountain) trail | Free | Open 24 h; go in daylight | School age+ | No | MRT Xiangshan, 10 min walk |
| Beitou hot spring area walk | Free to walk; baths paid | Daytime | All ages | Partly | MRT Beitou |
| Riverside bike paths | Free; bike rental extra | Open 24 h | All ages | No | MRT stations along the rivers |
| Night market browsing | Free to walk; food paid | Evening, roughly 17:00–24:00 | All ages | No | MRT to each market |
| Songshan Cultural Park | Free grounds; exhibitions vary | Park daily; halls vary | All ages | Partly | MRT Taipei City Hall |
| Huashan 1914 Creative Park | Free grounds; some shows ticketed | Daily | All ages | Partly | MRT Zhongxiao Xinsheng |
Prices are 2026 estimates; free entry can change for special exhibitions.
Map
The free stops cluster in three bands. West: Longshan Temple and the riverside. Centre: Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Huashan and Songshan parks. North: Beitou and the Yangmingshan trailheads, all on the MRT plus a short bus or walk.
Coordinates below are approximate; use the MRT station exits as your anchor.
- All stops reachable by MRT; add a bus for Yangmingshan trailheads
- Walking between central stops takes 15–25 minutes each
| Stop | Approx. location |
|---|---|
| Longshan Temple | 25.0372, 121.4998 |
| Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall | 25.0347, 121.5216 |
| Xiangshan trailhead | 25.0270, 121.5710 |
| Beitou | 25.1370, 121.5030 |
| Songshan Cultural Park | 25.0440, 121.5600 |
| Huashan 1914 Creative Park | 25.0442, 121.5290 |
Practical tips
Free in Taipei usually means free to enter, not free to reach. Budget MRT fares of NT$20–65 per ride (2026 estimate) and load an EasyCard, which also works on buses and YouBike.
Temples ask for quiet and covered shoulders; some halls restrict photography of worshippers. Trails need water, grip shoes and daylight; the Xiangshan steps are steep and busy at sunset. Night markets are free to walk but crowded; keep bags in front.
Rain is common from May to September. Free indoor options include bookshops, department stores and museum halls with free entry; many venues close on Mondays, so check days before you plan around them.
- Carry an EasyCard; top up at any MRT station
- Start trails before 09:00 to avoid heat and crowds
- Check Monday closures before planning indoor stops
- Typhoon days: trails, cable cars and some venues close
When to go
October to December and March to April give the best free-outdoor weather: mild, drier, clear enough for the Xiangshan view. Summer is hot and wet, so shift to early mornings and evenings. Winter is cool and often damp in Beitou, which suits hot-spring walks.
Weekday mornings are quieter at temples and memorial halls; weekends fill night markets and riverside paths. Lunar New Year and long weekends bring closures and crowds at some free sites.
| Season | Free-outdoor verdict | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Oct–Dec | Best | Dry, mild; good for trails |
| Mar–Apr | Best | Mild, some rain |
| May–Sep | Harder | Heat, rain, typhoons |
| Jan–Feb | Mixed | Cool, damp; holiday closures |
Questions people ask
Free things to do in Taipei?
Temples such as Longshan and Dalongdong Baoan, the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall plaza, the Xiangshan trail, Beitou's hot-spring area, riverside bike paths, night-market browsing and the Songshan and Huashan park grounds all cost nothing to enter. You pay only MRT fares and anything you eat or rent.
How much does it cost in Taipei?
A free-focused day can cost just MRT fares of NT$20–65 per ride (2026 estimate). Meals at night markets run from about NT$50–150 per dish (2026 estimate); temple and trail entry is NT$0. Budget extra for bike rental or paid hot-spring baths.
What is the best time to visit Taipei?
October to December and March to April are best for free outdoor stops: mild, drier and clear enough for the Xiangshan view. Summer is hot and wet with typhoon risk; winter is cool and damp but fine for temple and hot-spring walks.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialTaiwan Tourism Administration
- officialTaipei City Government
- officialTaipei Metro
- secondaryWikivoyage – Taipei