I spent five days in Taipei in late May — the first leg of a longer trip that would take me to Seoul after. I landed on the morning of May 24, and it was also my birthday. Small surprise at Changi: the immigration screen had a little animation that said happy birthday. Nice touch.

Day 1 — Arrival + LCP Tournament

First order of business after checking in: find a spot to watch the LCP BO5 between DCG and SHG. This is the kind of thing I’d never plan for on a normal trip, but there’s something about being in a new city and finding a place to watch esports. It set the tone — this trip wasn’t going to be a rigid itinerary.

Day 2 — Yilan Tour

Booked a Klook tour to Yilan. The animal farm was genuinely great — better than I expected. The tour guide made a big difference, keeping things engaging without being overbearing. The bubble tea museum was… meh. One of those stops that sounds more interesting than it is. After the tour ended I wandered around Ximending, which was the right kind of chaotic for a Saturday evening.

Day 3 — Chill Day in Xinyi

Kept it simple. Walked around Xinyi, had Din Tai Fung, caught 給約嗎 show. No rushing. Just the kind of day where you let the city set the pace and follow along. Taipei is good for this.

Day 4 — Yangmingshan / Beitou Tour

Hot. Really hot. But the tour group was friendly, and somewhere along the hike I realised that group tours are actually a solid way to meet people when you’re travelling alone. I say this as someone who usually prefers solo wandering — but there’s a different kind of value in sharing the experience with strangers who become acquaintances by the end of the day. Socialised more than I normally would, and it was worth it.

Day 5 — On to Seoul

Last morning in Taipei, then a flight to Seoul in the evening. Five days felt like the right amount — enough to settle into a rhythm, not so long that the novelty wore off.

Some closing thoughts. GOMO’s free roaming was more than enough — didn’t even need to think about connectivity. The MTR is clean and intuitive. Night markets are best when you wander without a list. And I’ve learned that the best trips aren’t the ones where everything goes right — they’re the ones where you find the right pace for yourself.

Taipei, I’ll be back.