Celebrating the most weird and wonderful attractions Taipei has to offer, there are so many unique and unusual things to do in Taipei, Taiwan’s capital.
From a ‘crap’ restaurant to a cat village, rude pineapple cakes to wonky post boxes, Taipei is utterly unique in the unusual tourism sector.
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With something to suit all tastes (stinky tofu included), it’s time to take on Taipei’s more unusual and surreal sights, both by day and at night.
Featuring Taipei’s most unusual mascot to a viral signpost, here is our guide to the most weird, wonderful and unusual things to do in Taipei.
You might like – 25 things to do in Taipei at night >
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Unusual things to do in Taipei
1. Modern Toilet Restaurant
We start our weird Taipei list with certainly one of the ‘cr@ppiest’ things to do but in a very fun way – Taipei’s Modern Toilet themed restaurant is so popular, they are ‘flushed’ with success (sorry not sorry – please get used to it!)
No sh*t – there are actually two toilet themed restaurants in Taipei, with a Modern Toilet branch near Shilin Night Market, plus Modern Toilet Ximending which reopened in 2024 after a lengthy closure (and everyone hates it when toilets are closed).
A meal at Modern Toilet is like no other, with food and drinks served in toilets – this is one time when it is fine to lick your ‘bowl’ clean in public. The turd shaped ice-cream (chocolate of course) is particularly memorable and even your seat is a toilet.
Something to do in Taipei at night (or if you just like sh*tty restaurants), Modern Toilet is open in both Ximending and Shilin.
Read more in our guide to Modern Toilet restaurant in Ximending >
You might like – Our guide to Zhonghshan, Taipei’s trendiest neighborhood >
2. Viral Digital Signpost
Taipei’s digital signposts have gone viral on social media and are a fun thing to do in downtown Xinyi, even if you have Google Maps.
Recently installed in key spots like the outside concourse of Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Xinyi Place, these Taipei digital sign posts work in several languages – use the keypad on the touch screen tablet to enter where you want to go.
The signpost then magically rotates in the direction you need to, also showing the distance on the LED direction arrow. Very smart!
Lots of people have filmed themselves using the Xinyi digital signposts and posted their videos on Tik Tok and Instagram – and they didn’t get lost in the Xinyi district either (bonus).
You might like – 25+ things to do Xinyi, Taipei >
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3. Taipei themed 7-Elevens
The world is never short of 7-Eleven convenience stores but did you know there are over 100 themed 7-Elevens all over Taiwan, most of which are in Taipei?
Taipei has so many unusual, weird and wonderful 7-Elevens. There are even themed 7-Elevens in Taipei that look like an airplane or a Coca-Cola Museum (yes, this is a Real Thing!) and a Maserati supercar 7-11!
Check out all our themed 7-Eleven stores in Taiwan guides:
• Coca-Cola
• Hello Kitty
• Mofusand
• Snoopy / Peanuts
• Pokémon
• Ultraman
• STARLUX
• Sumikko Gurashi
You might like – 14 reasons why Taiwan 7-Eleven is the best 7-11 in the world >
4. Damper Baby @ Taipei 101
Taiwan’s most iconic building standing at 508 meters tall over 100 storeys high, inside Taipei 101 you’ll find one of the rather more unusual cartoon characters, Damper Baby!
To assist with earthquake resistance, Taipei 101 has the world’s biggest mass damper which is on display, like a huge ball.
However, in a unique twist, they’ve even created a cute cartoon character out of it, Damper Baby (which has merchandise across the several gift shops). An epic mascot of engineering if ever there was one!
Book your Taipei 101 admission online so you can see Damper Baby for yourself >
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5. Xinyi Apple Store
Mac stores are normally nothing special (unless you are a super Apple admirer) but the Xinyi Apple store is pretty unique.
We spotted this purely by chance when having a drink in Simple Kaffa Sola at the top of Taipei 101.
As we were looking down from the 88th floor, we almost spat out our coffee when we realized the Xinyi Taipei Apple store was actually shaped like a Macbook – very cool! No word yet though on how many USB points it has coming out of the roof.
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6. Weird and unusual Taipei EasyCard designs
If you are planning to use public transport in Taipei, from the Taipei Airport to Taipei MRT train or the buses and Metro, make sure you buy an EasyCard and read this simple guide about how to use them and top it up.
However, whereas in most countries, travel cards are very mundane and meh, EasyCards in Taipei feature a range of cute / weird designs, everything from a miniature Korean fried chicken to tiny vintage TVs.
We even bought a miniature food panda travel card after a drunken night in a 7-Eleven bar.
Check out these 30 cute, weird and unusual Taipei EasyCard and Taiwan iCash card designs>
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7. Shiba Says posters and decals on the Taipei MRT
Following on the Taipei transport theme, nowhere in the world are travel safety posters delivered in such a delightful manner as the Shiba Says public transport campaign (actually, Pengsoo the giant road safety penguin in South Korea is pretty cool too).
Shiba Says is Taiwanese cartoon character with over 1 million followers on Instagram. The other popular Taiwanese cartoon character you might see a lot of is Bugcat Capoo (Bugcat even has their own themed 7-Eleven).
The super-cute Shiba dog and friends appear on all the safety posters on the Taipei Metro, advising such sage advice as not to wear big backpacks or don’t run. They were also at the forefront of the COVID campaign to encourage train passengers to wear masks – good dog!
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8. Taipei dogs in prams and strollers / Taipei MRT Pet Day
Dog Day Afternoon. We’ve become a little obsessed with all the dogs in prams we’ve spotted on every trip to Taiwan – from Keelung Night Market to Jiangao Jade Market, we’ve seen so many pampered pooches in prams – and we are here for it!
Taiwan top dogs can often be seen in the daytime being wheeled around in strollers, often with visors and sun shields to protect them or at Taipei’s night markets in the evening.
Did you also know that one day a year, the usually pet-free Taipei Metro opens to dogs and cats one Sunday in March on the Xinyi – Tamsui line.
We were lucky enough to be in Tamsui in 2024 and got to ride on the pet express on National Pet Day on March 31 2024.
We were surrounded by cute dogs and cats, plus Taipei Metro laid on special cleaners and staff in case of pet mishaps. It was kinda weird and unusual but also adorable to see.
Try this – Top Taiwan tours with Viator or Klook
9. Houtong Cat Village
Keeping on the pet-theme, a ‘purrfect’ day-trip from Taipei and easy train ride away is Houtong Cat Village.
A former mining town in the mountains outside of Taipei, it is now more famous for looking after lots of cats, with lots of paw-some themed cat cafes (check out Hide and Seek Cafe) and stores.
The Houtong train station has resident cats (there used to be station master moggy) plus even the railway bridge is shaped like a cat.
There are over a 100 cats living in and around the Houtong Village and local residents have built them little kitty shelters plus feed them.
Houtong Cat Village is a direct train from Taipei Main Station or can be combined with a day along the famous Pingxi Line, where you can release lanterns on the railway in Shifen, or see numerous waterfalls.
Read more in our guide to Houtong Cat Village >
You might like – Our guide to the natural wonders of Wulai, an easy day-trip from Taipei >
10. Taipei’s wonky post boxes
Special delivery – meet the most famous wonky post boxes in Taiwan, ‘Little Red’ & ‘Little Green’! In 2015, typhoon Soudelour devastated Taiwan, including bending these postboxes in downtown Taipei.
After the storms, these two tough mailboxes featured on the local news and locals began to take pictures & selfies with them.
The imperfect postboxes became a symbol of resilience so the Taiwanese mail service left them as is, wonky stands and all – you can still post letters in them today and everything posted in these two boxes gets a special postal stamp.
If you want to visit, the Taipei post boxes can be found here >
You might like – Our guide to Dihua Street and Dadaocheng District in Taipei >
11. Hello Kitty trains, planes and airport
Hello Kitty in Taiwan is big business! Sanrio’s cutest cat and cartoon character, Hello Kitty in Taipei is everywhere – and we aren’t just talking about merchandise or shops.
As Hello Kitty is celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2024, there are a heck of a lot of Hello Kitty Taiwan things to do.
There is a Hello Kitty train station in Taipei (Nanjing Fuxing) where all the gates are branded Hello Kitty Friends, plus you can pose in a super-cute selfie spot or buy Sanrio shizz in the onsite gift-shop complete with unique Taipei Metro Sanrio souvenirs.
Bigger and better, there are even Hello Kitty branded trains that run along the Tamsui-Xinyi Line until December 2024 – who needs the cat bus?
Or fly in the Hello Kitty Eva Air plane or check in at Taipei Taoyuan Airport via the Hello Kitty Lounge.
Alas, it is not in Taipei but there is also an official Hello Kitty themed maternity hospital in Taiwan!
You might like – 10 Hello Kitty things to do in Taiwan >
12. Unusual Taipei manhole covers
Taiwan is one of the most beautiful countries in the world but not just because of its scenic landscapes or natural wonders.
Look down towards the sidewalk / pavement and you’ll see creative and intricately designed manhole covers with awesome artwork and a kaleidoscope of colors.
Whilst not as widespread as the colorful manhole covers of Japan, Taipei manhole covers are worth looking out for.
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13. Get up close to a capybara
Located a little way out of downtown Taipei, Capybara Knight is one of the more unusual pet cafes in Taipei – who needs cat cafes when you can visit a capybara cafe?
The world’s largest rodent, capybaras are now popping up in cafes all over Asia. Capybara Knight is home to Ba La (girl) and Ga Ba (boy) capybaras plus ducks, rabbits, a cat and dog – quite the menagerie.
It costs NT$100 to get access to the cafe where there are lots of themed Mochi capybara cakes and treats (like waffles) plus an additional fee to then spend time in the capybara enclosure.
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14. Stinky Tofu
Love it or loathe it, you can’t escape stinky tofu at the night markets in Taipei (mainly because the smell hits you from meters away).
This iconic snack is made from cubes of firm tofu marinated in a brine (that usually includes dried fish, meat and fermented milk) and left for months, then deep fried or steamed to serve.
The flavor is a bit of an acquired taste – slightly sour, and some say the worse it smells, the better it tastes (there are 13 different grades of stinky tofu).
Some may say it’s weird, many find it wonderful so at least make sure you try stinky tofu for yourself when in Taipei.
You might like – Our guide to Keelung Night Market, an easy train / bus ride from Taipei >
15. Ximending’s Tattoo Street
If you want a more lasting unusual souvenir from Taipei, you could always head to Tattoo Street in Ximending.
There are several tattoo shops located in one covered lane, all of which have tattoo ‘menu boards’ outside.
On our last visit, one tattoo shop was proving particularly popular as it had a rather cool cat out front drawing attention from passers by.
So if you want to get inked in Taipei, Ximending has a good choice of tattoo shops to choose from.
To find Tattoo Street in Ximending, just keep an eye out for the huge golden statue (a bit like a giant Oscar statue) that is holding a massive tattoo needle – quite the unique Taipei tourist attraction!
You might like – Our guide to Ximending’s Red House and bars >
16. Taipei stamps
Pretty much every attraction in Taipei (and across Taiwan) has their own stamp and ink set, often as part of a trail.
Grab a leaflet (or take your own book) and ink up the stamp, before pressing it down in your book – some attractions also offer free gifts if you find the full set of stamps.
The other great thing about collecting Taiwan ink stamps is that they are very light to carry so make a cool souvenir to take home that doesn’t take up too much luggage space.
You might like – Our guide to Taipei’s Pokemon Center or Taipei’s flagship Pop Mart store
17. UFO Claw Machines
Taipei has loads of gaming centers and arcades and along with gachapon toy capsule machines, one of the most common sites is the UFO catchers (also known as claw machines in some countries).
Whilst they can be quite hard to win at (who said ‘fixed’?), common prizes include plushies, watches, games or jewelry.
However, on our regular visits to Taipei over the years, we have seen some truly unusual UFO Claw machine prizes, from a kettle to liquid detergent. We also really liked the Ferrero Rocher UFO claw machine – choc-tastic!
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18. Big c*ck pineapple cake
Taipei is famous for its pineapple cake but if you want to try a slightly more unusual version, a few shops (including a famous Ximending branch) sell pineapple cakes in the shapes of willies (talk about big d*ck energy).
Honestly, this is a thing – we aren’t making up a ‘c*ck and bull’ story – this pineapple cake might not be for the prudish and probably not the ideal gift to take home to your daily or colleagues (unless your work-place is every open).
P*nis pineapple cakes ‘come’ in all sizes, from small to very ‘schlong’ – but remember, it’s always cake quality over quantity (probably).
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19. Dadaocheng Cisheng Temple Food Street
We think this might be our favorite thing to do in Dadaocheng – it is unusually wonderful that it is a fine food court in the grounds of the temple.
The Cisheng Food Street must be one of the most serene street food settings in the world, with a huge outdoor seating area, surrounded by banyan trees and next to the temple.
There are around 20 or so stalls selling traditional Taiwanese tidbits, from pig trotters to congee, fried oysters to Sishen soup.
Cisheng Temple Market Food Court featured on the recent Taipei episode of Somebody Feed Phil on Netflix. Phil explores the Dadaocheng neighborhood and meets up with Instagrammer Charlene Yang to eat at the Usu-Tasi Pork Noodles stall.
When we visited, it was a warm sunny afternoon and most of the tables were busy, with local groups of elderly gentlemen, many of whom seemed to be enjoying big bowls with big beers – ganbei!
20. Keelung hot dog bus stop / themed bus stop
Located a short train/bus journey from Taipei – Keelung Zhengbin Fishing Harbour is a popular photo shoot spot with an American diner / hot-dog themed bus stop.
This particular Keelung bus-stop is covered in American diner style graphics and is a homage to the hotdog. There are several other themed bus stops in Keelung including a technology themed one down the road at City God Temple.
In case you are wondering, the hotdog themed bus stop in Zhengbin Fishing Harbor is actually sponsored by Taiwan Farm Industry Co and shows different cuts of meat.
It is to encourage tourism and selfie pics but also create funds for Keelung’s transport infrastructure through bus-stop sponsorship.
Our final unusual and weird thing to do in Taipei
21. Treasure Hill Artist Village
A short walk from Gongguan MRT Station, Treasure Hill Artist Village is an interesting place to visit (free to walk around too). It is an old settlement with many abandoned houses and areas that have been turned into artists studios (and many residents still live there).
From robot workshops to neon light installations, Treasure Hill Artist Village is a ‘treasure trove’ of street art, fun installations and a few outdoor sculptures. Even the squash courts near the river are adorned with vibrant murals.
The whole area feels a little run down and abandoned and is all a bit curious (albeit quirkily creative).
The best bit is just wandering around the village without a plan, discovering artworks in out-houses or on tree-covered terraces – just remember some people still live here so try to be respectful of their privacy and homes.
Incidentally, another unusual attraction nearby Treasure Hill is the Taipei Museum of Drinking Water – a former pump station now open to the public and a popular wedding photography spot.
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