Nature & outdoors
Nature
In the city
Sandiaojiao Lighthouse — A lighthouse built in 1935 with panoramic views.
Dahu Park — 25-minute MRT from the center of Taipei. It has a large lake and is close to several hills and hiking trails.
Dajia Riverside Park — Great for bike rides along the river.
Xinsheng Park Area of Taipei Expo Park — The food court and farmer’s market happen on the weekends.
Outside the city
Day trip (<1 hour drive from the city) Jiufen — A beautiful town in the hills northeast of Taipei, famous for its food (particularly fish and meatball soup!) You'll get there within an hour by car, but it's 1:30mins by bus.
Beitou — An easy train ride out of the city center to Yangmingshan National Park with its Beitou district, famous for open-air hot springs.
Wulai — Natural springs, waterfalls, and extensive traditional delicacies served up by the local Atayan people.
Weekend trip (>1 hour drive from the city)
Kaohsiung City — Take the Highspeed Rail, train, or bus to visit the beach.
Fitness & wellness
Gyms and studios
World Gym Cocoon Lab Yoga Taipei Da-an Sports Center 1st Fitness Fitness Factory
Popular sports in the area
T'ai chi ch'uan & taekwondo
You'll notice Tai Chi being practiced in parks individually or in groups. There are a lot of schools where you can learn the practice, like the Inner Research Institute.
Volleyball
There is an active group of expats gathering regularly to play beach or grass volleyball, here's a map of their locations.
