For the past few years, the hipster way of life has exploded in popularity in Taiwan, especially in Taipei. While hipsters are easily recognizable with their oversized vintage jackets and round metal glasses, it is quite hard to spot them in usual places such as shopping malls and McDonald’s.

In fact, all the hipsters I know tend to avoid crowded and noisy sites at all costs, and instead gather at places that are tranquil and not overly commercialized such as small cafes and underground bookstores.

So, if you are wondering where hipsters go in Taipei during their free time, or if you want to act like one for a day, here is a list of popular hipster areas.

Huashan 1914 Creative Art Park

Located in the heart of Taipei, Huashan 1914 Creative Art Park is every hipster’s dream. Once the largest wine-producing factory in Taiwan during the 1920’s, it was abandoned for a nearly a decade before being rediscovered by a group of artists. They started using the factory as an inspirational work space, often staging small shows and exhibits until they caught the attention of a local organization, which ended up restoring the place into a proper arts center and named it Huashan Creative Art Park.

Image source: Michelle Lee

Today, it is a huge venue for all art-related events including mini concerts and cultural and art exhibitions; it is also home to an independent cinema, a range of specialty stores and hipster cafes. The art park is usually packed with families and students on weekends, but it is the perfect place for a stroll on a sunny weekday!

SPOT Huashan Cinema/ Image source: traveloriented

How to get there: Get off the MRT at Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station (on the blue line). Go out from exit 1 and follow the signs

Songshan Cultural Park

Located in the bustling East District, Songshan Cultural Park sits on the grounds of a former tobacco factory established by the Japanese back in 1937. It is now the biggest creative hub of Taipei, regularly hosting cultural and creative exhibitions which all take place in the old tobacco warehouses. Most exhibits are free and bilingual, don’t hesitate to check them out.

Image source: Jennifer Yin

At the northern end of the park is Eslite Spectrum, a huge four-storey shopping mall filled with fancy restaurants, cultural and creative stores and DIY workshops. This is not your typical shopping experience because unlike most malls in Taipei, this one caters to unique, artistic brands that can’t be found in most places. CNN even listed it among “world’s coolest department stores”!

Image source: bangdoll

The second floor named “Crafts and Creations” is especially worth a visit, showcasing many designer crafts and creative products ranging from wooden jewelry and handmade clothing to cruelty-free skincare and scented candles. There is a workshop for couples and newly-weds to make their own matching rings, how cool is that?

Nobody goes to Eslite Spectrum without visiting the exceptional Eslite Bookstore. Fusing the line between reading and living, Eslite is a widely-known bookstore chain in Taiwan that aims at enriching people’s reading and lifestyles, through a carefully-selected collection of books, magazines, stationery, vinyl and even home decors. Its welcoming atmosphere also sets it apart from elsewhere – created by the neat wooden interior, inviting chairs and huge windows that let in sunlight, one can easily spend hours here.

Image source: Hellolulu

How to get there: Get off the MRT at Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall Station (on the blue line). Go out from exit 5 and follow the signs.

Fujin Street

Hidden away from the bustling city center, in a quaint residential neighborhood called Minsheng Community, the tree-lined Fujin Street is one of Taipei’s best-kept hipster secrets. This enchanting avenue, although not very long, offers a tranquil getaway from the city madness and is home to a handful of vintage furniture stores, Japanese-style cafes and elegant multi-concept boutiques.

Image source: manginwu

Run by the lifestyle-focused Fujin Tree Group, Fujin Tree 353 Café by Simple Kaffa is the landmark of the area, a new-style café serving handmade desserts and award-winning coffee. Try their green tea roll cake, it is one of the must-haves!

(my own image)

Funfuntown is yet another spot that you can’t miss, a one-of-a-kind select shop ideal for both adults and children to go on a treasure hunt: toys, kitchenware, handicrafts... there is something for everyone.

(my own image)

How to get there: Get off the MRT at Songshan Airport Station (on the brown line). From exit 3, it is about a 10-minute walk.

Dihua Street and Dadaocheng

Dihua Street was once the central trading marketplace in Taipei for Chinese herbal medicine, rice and wholesale fabrics. Many of the old shops still remain today, selling traditional products such as dried fruits and beef jerky, but there are also a handful of art studios and lifestyle stores that have sprouted since, which in return gives the area that extra bit of charm.

Image source: tenz1225

For those visiting Taipei around February, be sure to join the “big party of the year” on Dihua Street. While being relatively calm during most times of the year, the street becomes jam-packed with thousands of people in the days leading up to Lunar New Year Eve, squeezing into shops to buy supplies for the week-long festival.  

Image source: C.楊

If you have enough time, definitely check out Dadaocheng Wharf. Located just south of Dihua Street, it is a fascinating old district that was once the most important trading port in Taiwan during Japanese colonization. With its classic red-brick walls and historic West-meets-East buildings, the place has a nostalgic atmosphere that will bring you right back in time.

(my own image)

How to get there: Get off the MRT at Daqiaotou Station (on the orange line) and go out from exit 1. From there, you can either walk or take Bus 206 to Mingsheng West Intersection.