ExploreTravel GuidesPlan a trip
    de|en
    All Places & RegionsAbout FernwehFAQPrivacy PolicyImprint
    ExploreTravel GuidesPlan a trip
    • Neighborhoods & highlights
    • Walking tours
    • Eat & drink
    • Food culture
    • Culture
    • Getting around
    • Accommodation
    • Plan trip
    • Nearby
    Wanhua and Ximending
    Volksabstimmung / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0

    Taiwan

    Wanhua and Ximending

    CityCultureNightlife

    Wanhua, formerly Bangka, is Taipei's oldest commercial district. Its heart is the Longshan Temple (1738), and shops in the surrounding alleys sell incense, herbs, and traditional remedies.

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Taiwan
    7. Taipei
    9. Wanhua and Ximending
    Wanhua, formerly Bangka, is Taipei's oldest commercial district. Its heart is the Longshan Temple (1738), and shops in the surrounding alleys sell incense, herbs, and traditional remedies.Just north is Ximending, the youth entertainment district: pedestrian zones offer fashion, street food, and cinemas, and evenings at the Red House feature open-air bars.
    Wanhua and Ximending are right next to each other, showing two faces of Taipei. Around the Longshan Temple and Bopiliao's restored shophouses, you'll feel the old trading city; just a few minutes north, young people throng Ximending's pedestrian zones in the evenings. Both areas are accessible via the blue Metro line, with only one station between Longshan Temple and Ximen.

    Sights in Wanhua and Ximending

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Red House (Red House)
    Historic Landmark

    1Red House (Red House)

    The 1908 octagonal brick building, once a market house, is now a cultural center with a teahouse, design shops, markets, and stage. Evenings, the open-air bars behind it fill up, among Taipei's best-known queer scene hangouts.
    Open in Google Maps
    Bopiliao
    Historic Landmark

    2Bopiliao

    The restored street area, just minutes from Longshan Temple, features Qing and Japanese-era shophouses with arcades and brick facades. Here you get a glimpse of how old Bangka once looked.
    Open in Google Maps
    Ximending Pedestrian Zone
    Attraction

    3Ximending Pedestrian Zone

    The network of pedestrian streets around Exit 6 of Ximen Metro Station is Taipei's youth culture district: fashion boutiques, sneaker shops, cinemas, street artists, and street food. Evenings and weekends are its busiest times.
    Open in Google Maps
    Longshan Temple
    Place of Worship

    4Longshan Temple

    Settlers from Fujian founded the temple in 1738 in honor of Guanyin. Today, devotees also worship Mazu, Guan Yu, and the God of Love Yue Lao here. The roofs are adorned with dragons and phoenixes made of porcelain and glass mosaic. Free admission, daily 6 AM to 10 PM, directly at Longshan Temple Metro Station.
    Open in Google Maps

    City walks in Wanhua and Ximending

    Curated walking tours through the city's highlights, handpicked by experienced travel journalists.

    From Longshan Temple to Ximending

    From Taipei's oldest part to the youth district: approx. 1.5 kilometers, including sightseeing, two to three hours. Best from the afternoon to experience Ximending in the evening, when street artists and street food stalls fill the district.

    Open in Google Maps
    Stops (4)

    Restaurants in Wanhua and Ximending

    1

    Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle (阿宗麵線)

    The small stall in Ximending sells just one dish: thin rice noodles in a thick, savory broth with pig intestines, eaten standing on the street. A classic of Taiwanese snack cuisine, the queue moves quickly.
    Show on Google Maps
    2

    Ximen Mango Shaved Ice

    Shaved Ice with fresh mango right in Ximending's pedestrian zone – the classic summer refreshment in the district.
    Show on Google Maps

    Food and Drinks

    Ximending is a street food district, around the temple there are traditional food stalls.

    Rice Noodle Soup at Ay-Chung

    Thin noodles in thick broth, eaten standing up, a classic in Ximending.

    Open-air bars at Red House

    Evenings, you sit outside behind the Red House with a drink.

    Temple, Market and Youth Culture

    Bangka was the city's first trading hub on the Tamsui River, and the Longshan Temple, dating from 1738, remains one of Taipei's most significant temples. In the alleys surrounding the temple, you'll find herbal shops and spirit paper stores.During the Japanese era, Ximending evolved into an entertainment district with cinemas and theaters. The octagonal Red House, built in 1908, is now a cultural center and a hub for the queer scene.

    Journey and On the Go

    Metro: Blue Line to Longshan Temple (Temple, Bopiliao) or Ximen (Pedestrian Zone, Red House), Ximen is also on the Green Line.On Foot: From Longshan Temple to Ximending is about 15 minutes.

    Accommodations in Wanhua and Ximending

    Find perfect stay in Wanhua and Ximending

    Booking.com* (Affiliate link)
    Search Hotels
    Agoda* (Affiliate link)
    Search Hotels
    Airbnb
    Vacation Rentals

    * Affiliate link: if you book through it, we earn a small commission. The price stays the same for you.

    Plan your trip to Wanhua and Ximending

    Save places, build a route and plan your city trip, all in one place.

    1. 1
      1234

      Round trip

      12 days · 4 stops

      Saved

      Pick a route

      Pick a ready-made one or save places and plan your own.

      Open bookmarks
    2. 2

      Trip to Wanhua and Ximending

      Live
      • 1Red House (Red House)3 days
      • 2Bopiliao4 days
      • 3Ximending Pedestrian Zone5 days
      Budget

      Plan your trip

      The planner sorts stops, days and budget. Plan together in real time.

      Start trip planning
    3. 3
      9:41 No signal
      Available offline

      Use it on the road

      Download the guide to your phone and use it on site, even offline.

    Nearby

    Zhongzheng

    Zhongzheng

    Zhongzheng is Taipei's political and historical heart. On Liberty Square are the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, the National Theater and the Concert Hall; here, 1990 student protests paved the way for democracy. The Taipei Main Station area forms the city's main transport hub.In the district's east, the former 1914 distillery has become the Huashan 1914 Creative Park, a cultural complex with exhibitions, cafes, a cinema, and pop-up shops.
    Dadaocheng

    Dadaocheng

    Dadaocheng on the Tamsui River was Taipei's wealthiest commercial district from the 1850s. In the old shophouses of Dihua Street, merchants still sell dried goods, herbs, and tea, interspersed with cafés, bookstores, and design shops.The Xiahai City God Temple from 1859 is the district's focal point; in the evenings, people gather at Dadaocheng Pier on the river or at the Ningxia Night Market.
    Zhongshan and Chifeng Street

    Zhongshan and Chifeng Street

    Zhongshan is Taipei's district for a stroll: Around Zhongshan MRT Station, a green strip of park stretches, lined with boutiques, department stores, and cafés. In the alleys west of it lies Chifeng Street, where old car repair shops and hardware stores now stand alongside vintage shops and small cafés.Further north, things get cultural: The Municipal Art Museum and the Expo Park are located on Zhongshan North Road, and at Xingtian Temple, you'll experience one of the city's most vibrant religious centers.
    Da'an and Yongkang Street

    Da'an and Yongkang Street

    Da'an District is Taipei's green, well-kept residential and university neighborhood. Right by Dongmen metro station begins Yongkang Street, not a night market alley, but a street full of good restaurants, tea shops, and small stores, known for mango shaved ice and beef noodle soup.A few minutes' walk away is Da'an Forest Park, the city's green lung, and further south, National Taiwan University.
    Shilin

    Shilin

    Shilin in northern Taipei combines three reasons for a visit: the Shilin Night Market, the city's most famous; the National Palace Museum with its imperial treasures; and the Shilin Residence, the former home of Chiang Kai-shek with a large garden.From Shilin, one can also ascend to Yangmingshan National Park with its extinct volcanoes.