The Beitou area of Taipei is renowned for its high concentration of thermal spa centres. There are establishments to fit any budget, from the low-priced open-air Public Hot Spring (modest swimwear required) to private hotels and resorts uphill, all offering hot spring baths at various price points. One option most resorts offer is renting a private room with a large bath that can be filled with hot spring water. The Spring City Resort in Beitou is a great mid-range option. A session here includes access to about a dozen thermal pools of varying water temperature (from seemingly boiling-hot to rather chilly), plus robe, towel, and slipper rental. They even offer a free shuttle bus to the metro station. For a luxurious spa treatment, look into the offerings of Hotel Regent Taipei, for example. Wellspring Spa offers a wide range of relaxing treatments including massages, body wraps, skin polishing and facials. Take the elevator to the top floor and unwind at this urban sanctuary.

Channel your inner Tom Sawyer and visit these impressive rock formations inside the Arikok National Park. Between stalagmites hanging over your head and natural limestone columns, you will also catch a glimpse of cave art by the Arawak indigenous people, dating back to the first millennium BC. Visitors are only allowed to explore the entrance area, but the cave spreads for miles inside the rocks. A short guided tour is available.

The National Palace Museum holds the world’s largest collection of Chinese art including antiquities, paintings, calligraphy, and rare documents spanning 5,000 years. The museum is known as the treasure house of Chinese culture. The museum offers multilingual guided tours.

Taipei Zoo is a very nice place for families with children, there are lots of things to see and a wide variety of animals to admire. The zoo is very big with plenty of room for the animals, and you can easily wander around the whole day. Taipei Zoo is, in fact, one of Asia's largest zoos.