Exploring Ximending: Taipei’s Trendy Lifestyle District

Andi Dela Torre Griffiths | Memento Vivere Blog
Jan 20
3 min read

It was a rainy morning when we arrived in Ximending (Taipei) to get to our hotel. The streets were empty, and all we could hear was the sound of rain and the wheels of our luggage. Since we went ahead of my family for this Taiwan family adventure, we had a few days to ourselves and decided to explore the area.

I think we made the best choice staying in Ximending because there’s so much action here in the afternoon and at night. If it’s quiet and calm in the morning, it’s quite the opposite when it gets dark. It’s full of life, tourists, and all sorts of talented performers- circus talents, artists, musicians, and more. It’s also close to the Ximen MRT station- a transfer station for the Blue and Green Lines.

Ximending during the day

During the day, the surroundings almost look like a good setting for an Asian action movie.

Along Hankou Street, you’ll find a cute Sanrio 7-Eleven where you can withdraw, get some snacks, grab coffee, or get Sanrio souvenirs.

Sanrio 7-Eleven at Ximending (Taipei, Taiwan)

Getting around can be confusing at first because there are a lot of alleys and streets that look similar (especially in the evening), but once you do a few rounds, you’ll get familiar with them. There are fashion boutiques and restaurants you can use as landmarks.

Ximending in Taipei, Taiwan (Wanhua District)

A popular landmark within the area is the large PopMart building, which stands out with its colorful theater-like exteriors. Here's ma and pa in front of the cute PopMart building.

PopMart building in Ximending (Taipei, Taiwan)

Ximending at night

At night, the district is lit and loud. We had to raise our voices to hear each other because vendors blasted music everywhere to attract customers.

As I have mentioned, there are street performers in various spots within the area. Most of them start to set up in the late afternoon to prepare for the evening shows. You can find painters, musicians, rappers, spray paint artists, magicians, and more. They perform for everyone to see, and it is up to you to give them tips (recommended) if you like their work. We enjoyed the circus performers the most- the one who did the balancing act on the chairs and the one with the hoops.

Street performers at Ximending in Taipei, Taiwan

Ximending at night | Taipei travel diary

Claw machines and Gashapons are everywhere. These are some of the cutest ones we’ve seen.

Takara claw machines | stuffed toys at Ximending

Food and drinks

You’ll find all sorts of street food here- fried stuff, cheese, desserts, drinks, and more. Here are some of my favorites:

The cheese corn was so addictive. The seller made a heart, too! Look, it’s so cute.

Delicious cheese corn at Ximending (Taipei travel diary)

While walking around, we came across a dumpling restaurant packed with locals, and we decided to check it out. There was no English menu, so we pointed at a few items at random to order. Thankfully, we were satisfied with our orders.

Dumping and noodle house in Ximending | 八方雲集萬華漢口店

We kept coming back to this place for lunch and dinner because the noodles were very delicious (the noodle soup in the photo below was my top pick). The meals are also reasonably priced.

Here are the details if you want to check it out (you can just Maps to navigate):

Store Name: 八方雲集萬華漢口店

Address: No. 56號, Section 2, Hankou St, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 108

Xing Fu Tang Milk Tea | Taiwan’s Best

As expected, there were milk tea stores on almost every block, but the most popular seems to be Xing Fu Tang, a local brand known for their creamy Brown Sugar bubble tea with fresh tapioca pearls. My classmates in grad school and I have tried this before, back in the Philippines when they still had a branch at The Podium, and in fairness, it does taste good. But here, it's nicer, because well, it's originally from Taiwan, and it feels fresher.

Xing Fu Tang Milk Tea at Ximending (Taipei, Taiwan)

Ximending (Taipei) Accommodation Options

If you want to stay within the Ximending area, you can check these out and book whichever you like the most via Klook. It's quick, easy, and hassle-free.