Like Shanghai it rewards aimless exploration on foot or by bike; like Bangkok gritty and glam coexist side by side; like Tokyo there’s an intoxicating sense that you’ll never quite know it all; and it’s surrounded by stunning green mountains to rival Hong Kong. Everyone comes here to eat (it edges out even Bangkok in the street food stakes), but once you’re done with the night markets—of which Raohe (beside the Songshan MRT station) is the current foodie darling—there’s plenty more to keep you busy.

 

Taipei’s a great place to wander at will, but to cover more ground it’s well worth renting a bike. The public YouBike (youbike.com.tw) system is easy to use (just NT$10 [B10] for four hours), and there’s a huge network of cycle paths across the city, with the riverside routes among the most rewarding.

 

Start with: Dihua Street, one of the city’s oldest thoroughfares. This grubby lane of crumbling shop-houses and Chinese medicine vendors close to the river is no secret. But long-established fabric retailers and tea merchants are now competing with cafes, galleries and co-working spaces, making it a great mix of old and new. It’s especially packed around Chinese New Year.

 

Move on to: Fujin Street, a quiet, leafy boulevard tucked away near Songshan Airport. It’s home to—you guessed it—a host of charming cafes, galleries and design stores. FujinTree355 (www.fb.com/FujinTree355), which stocks colorful, lightweight womenswear and gorgeous Japanese-inspired homeware, is a great place to start—there’s even an offshoot cafe at no.353.

Other worthwhile stops include FunFunTown (www.fb.com/FunFunTown), full of retro toys and traditional woodwork, and 3,co (www.3co.com.tw), which serves artisan coffee alongside a range of beautiful tableware.

 

Look down any street in Taipei and chances are there’ll see mountains looming on the horizon, meaning easy access to both well-trodden routes and some truly world-class hiking.

 

Start with: The Four Beasts. On the southeast edge of the city—only a 15-minute walk from Taipei 101—are Tiger, Elephant, Leopard and Lion Mountains. Their proximity to the center and the fact that the paths are paved, well-signposted, well-lit and relatively easy-going, means there are few better places for an evening stroll looking back over the city. The annotated Google Maps at is .gd/fourbeasts are pretty helpful, too.

 

Move on to: Maokong, where a glass-bottomed gondola from the Taipei Zoo MRT station in the south whisks you up to tea country, with stunning views across the city. As well as tramping around the plantations, hillside temples and wooded slopes, you can put your feet up in one of dozens of charming teahouses, though be warned they get overrun at weekends.

 

Off-the-shelf beers aren’t up to much here, although draft Taiwan Beer, only served for up to 18 days after production, is worth seeking out. But the first hints of a craft beer revolution are afoot.

 

Start with: Beer&Cheese Social House (www.fb.com/beerandcheese), a popular spot near Da’an Park, with eight brews on rotation on the taps (from NT$180 [B185]), a stacked fridge with plenty more and a delicious array of grilled cheese toasties (from NT$250 [B257]). As well as beers from local microbrewery 886 (www.fb.com/886brewing) they recently partnered with gypsy brewer Jeppe-Jarnit BergsØ of Evil Twin to produce a Made in Taiwan IPA and a local edition of the ironically named Hipster Ale.

 

Move on to: SomethingAles (195 Roosevelt Rd., Section 3, Shida District), a simple neighborhood bar, open till 1am, which has a loyal army of followers and a great selection of American beers. Or KidSorrow (www.fb.com/kidsorrow), a cult spot in the far north of the city serving rare ales and lots of Mikkeller.

 

Thai Airways and AirAsia are the only airlines flying direct from Bangkok to Taipei. THAI flights start at B10,770, while AirAsia is B10,127. A taxi into the city from the airport takes around 45 minutes and costs

NT$1200 (B1,235).

Unless you already hold a US, UK, Australian, New Zealand or Canadian visa, Thai nationals require a visa to enter Taipei, which starts at B1,500 for single-entry. See more at www.taiwanembassy.org/TH

NT$1 = B1

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GRAND OPENING: MANDARIN ORIENTAL TAIPEI