Wanhua (萬華), the old Monga or Bangka, is where Taipei began: the old riverside trading town around Longshan Temple (龍山寺). Today it is the city's most traditional corner, with working temples, herb sellers, old shophouses and a night market, rough around the edges and full of life. Come for the temple at dusk, stay for the food.
- MRT Longshan Temple Station (Blue Line, BL10)
- Best time late afternoon into the evening
- How long half a day, or an evening combined with Ximending
Getting there
Take the Blue Line to Longshan Temple Station (BL10). The temple faces the station's park, so you are there the moment you come up the stairs. Ximen Station (BL11), for Ximending, is the next stop toward Taipei Main Station.
What to see
Longshan Temple. The reason most people come: Taipei's best-known temple, busy with worshippers from early morning to late at night. → Longshan Temple guide
Bopiliao Historic Block (剝皮寮歷史街區). A short street of restored shophouses a few minutes from the temple, with buildings from three eras: the Qing dynasty, the Japanese period and the post-war Republic of China. Restoration was completed in 2009, and the block now hosts exhibitions. It is a quiet, photogenic counterpoint to the temple crowds.
- Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 09:00 to 21:00 (indoor spaces close at 18:00). Closed Mondays.
- Address: Lane 173, Kangding Road, Wanhua District.
- MRT: Longshan Temple Station (Blue Line, BL10).
Herb Lane (青草巷). A narrow lane right beside Longshan Temple lined with stalls selling fresh medicinal herbs, the same ones that go into the bitter herbal tea (青草茶) sold by the cup. A cold cup after the temple is the local move.
Qingshan Temple (艋舺青山宮). A small, ornate temple on Guiyang Street, founded in the 1850s for the Qingshan King. It is quiet most of the year, but its festival over three nights around the 20th to 23rd of the 10th lunar month (usually November or December) brings some of Taipei's biggest processions to these streets.
Huaxi Street Night Market (華西街觀光夜市). A night market street a short walk from the temple, with traditional Taiwanese snacks and old-style restaurants. NightMarket.tw has the details: → Huaxi Street Night Market on NightMarket.tw
Where to eat
Three of Taipei's 2026 MICHELIN Bib Gourmand picks are within a few minutes of the temple:
- Yuan Fang Guabao (源芳刈包), inside Huaxi Street Night Market (No. 17-2, Huaxi Street, stall 161): a 60-year-old shop selling buns filled with marinated pork belly, pickles, ground peanuts and coriander.
- Wang's Broth (小王煮瓜), also on Huaxi Street: steamed minced pork with pickled cucumber, served in broth, the dish in its English name.
- Su Lai Chuan (蘇來傳), at No. 4, Lane 176, Section 3, Heping West Road: known for ba-wan (meat dumplings in a translucent wrapper) and taro cake, made by the third-generation owner the way his grandparents did.
A short walking order
- Come up at Longshan Temple Station and visit the temple.
- Step into Herb Lane for a cup of herbal tea.
- Walk to Bopiliao (before 18:00 if you want to see inside).
- Loop past Qingshan Temple on Guiyang Street.
- End with dinner on Huaxi Street, then walk or ride one stop to Ximending.
Good to know: Bopiliao is closed on Mondays. Wanhua is one of Taipei's older, more working-class areas: it is safe for visitors, but it is not polished, and that is a large part of its charm.
→ All neighborhoods · Ximending · Taipei's temples · Night markets
Sources
Bopiliao hours, address and history from the Bopiliao Historic Block official site. Qingshan Temple and its festival from TaiwanPlus. Restaurants from the MICHELIN Guide 2026 Bib Gourmand list: MICHELIN Guide: Yuan Fang Guabao, MICHELIN Guide: Wang's Broth, MICHELIN Guide: Su Lai Chuan; Chinese names from Business Today. Station codes from the Taipei Metro station list. Checked October 2026.