Getting to and around Taipei
Most international flyers come into Taipei through Taoyuan International Airport (TPE), which is actually a roughly 45-minute drive away. The fastest way to get to the city is by taking the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) train from the airport to Taipei Main Station, which takes a little over half an hour. There are also several bus lines and the option to hail cabs or call a rideshare. Once you’re in the city, the Taipei metro will take you where you need to go, and densely populated districts such as Da’an, Xinyi, and Zhongzheng are easily walkable.
Should you find yourself flying in from East Asia, you may find yourself at Songshan Airport (TSA) instead, which has direct international flights from Tokyo and Seoul. As TSA is located within Taipei itself, getting to Taipei Main Station is a fairly straightforward matter; simply hop on the Taipei Metro, and you’ll arrive within 20 minutes.
Where to go out in Taipei
The heart of Taipei’s queer communities wraps around the historic Ximending Red House, which originally housed a government-operated public market when it was built in 1908, but in the century (and then some) since has transformed into a hub for creatives and Taipei’s queer life. The central exhibition hall is structured like a cross and is home to 16 studios where craftspeople, artists, and designers display and sell their work. Stop by Square Studio, a lifestyle brand which adorns items ranging from water bottles to pop sockets to power cord covers with its adorable cloudlike mascots based on the emotions of, “joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness,” in a classic embodiment of Taiwanese culture’s love for all things cute (real collectors can even purchase a tote bag exclusive to their location at Ximending Red House). Or if it’s clothes you’re truly after, peruse the collection at Taiwanize, which is stocked with garments patterned with hallmarks of Taiwanese culture and history, from traditional characters to references to the ancient art of jianzhi, or Chinese paper-cutting. Don’t forget the iconic photo op outside Exit 6 of the Ximen MRT Station—this is Taipei’s famous rainbow crosswalk, a locale that’s ripe for an Abbey Road moment.