8 Strange and Cool Taipei Experiences

Take a Walk on the Wild Side of Taipei

There is something exciting at every corner in Taipei! Something new, something cool, something you may want to try or something you may want to keep distance from it.

Get lost at night wandering through night markets, snake alleys and massage parlours. Try a snake soup or enjoy a dinner in a toilet restaurant!  8 strange and cool Taipei experiences.

“What I love most about this crazy life is the adventure of it.” – Juliette Binoche

The Snake Alley

Dare to venture to the “Snake Alley” for some snake blood or snake meat, or even deer penis wine?!

The “Snake Alley” or the Huaxi Street Night Market is located near the Longshan Temple in the oldest district of Taipei, Wanhua.

The snake restaurants are aligned on both sides of the alley. There are more snakes than customers. The live snakes, small and big – including cobras and pythons – are inside glass or wire cages. Bottles of snake wine are displayed on shelves.

Snake Alley

Snake Alley

Snake food

Snakes ready to be cooked as requested

Snake head

Python head

After a second visit to the area, I decided to try something “snakey”. The only affordable choice in the menu was the snake soup. What kind of snake? I don‘t know. The owner of the restaurant wasn’t too welcoming. “Shut up and eat.” And I eat.

Snake Restaurant

The snake restaurant I visited

Snake wine

Snake wines and other “healthy” drinks

Snake soup

Snake soup

How the snake tastes? Not bad at all! More like chicken with many small bones.

Turtle restaurant

Turtle restaurant

Note: taking photos of the snake restaurants is not normally permitted. A small point and shoot camera, such as Ricoh GR helps a lot in going unoticed.

The Toilet Restaurant

Eating out of a bathroom toilet may not be your fine dining dream, but for sure it is one of a kind experience.

Modern Toilet Restaurant

Modern Toilet Restaurant, Taipei

Ice cream at the Modern Toilet Restaurant

Ice cream “poop”

The Phallic Waffles

Naughty souvenirs: fresh baked penis-shaped waffles! Found at Shilin Night Market and Ximending area.

Phallic waffles ad, Ximending

Phallic waffles ad, Ximending

One-of-a-kind waffle

One-of-a-kind waffle

Gayke

Gayke = Gay + Cake

Frog Eggs Drinks

These drinks are called “Wow Frog Eggs”. Are the drinks really made from frog eggs? Hmm, let it be a surprise!

Frog eggs drink

“Wow Frog Eggs” drink

Sexy Soya Milk Bottles

At Shilin Night Market I found these man and woman body shaped containers of soya milk.

Sexy soya milk bottles

Sexy soya milk bottles

Dining with Teddy Bears

Big teddy bears can be found in many places in Taipei, sitting alone or in pairs at a table in a restaurant or bar.

Teddy bears dinner

Teddy bears dinner

Lonely teddy bear

Come in! I am lonely.

Naked Frogs & Other Strange Food

Easy to photograph, hard to touch and unthinkable to eat!

Naked frogs

Naked frogs

Comestible frogs

“Fashionable” frogs

Strange Taipei food

Strange creatures

Know Your Toilet Status

Cool use of technology! An electronic display of the availability of the toilet seats, both for men and women washrooms: ‘in use’, ‘not in use’, ‘not available’ and ‘investigation alert’.

Taipei toilet status

Taipei toilet status

Other Stories from Taipei