What to Do on a Rainy Day in Taipei: 6 Indoor Activities

Taipei’s frequent showers may occasionally disrupt your outdoor plans, but they do not have to bring your sightseeing to a halt. The city offers plenty of museums, shopping arcades, bookstores, sports facilities, and hot-spring retreats where you can comfortably wait out the rain.

Since some activities are concentrated around MRT stations or connected by sheltered walkways, getting around can also be relatively manageable in wet weather. Keep an umbrella in your bag, wear shoes that can handle slippery pavements, and save these six activities for a rainy day in Taipei.

Read an intriguing crime novel at Eslite Bookstore

Image credit: Chia Ying Yang

Book lovers can escape the rain at Eslite Spectrum Songyan, home to Taipei’s current 24-hour Eslite bookstore.

Located beside Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, the bookstore stocks Chinese and foreign-language titles alongside stationery, design products, lifestyle goods, and gifts. The wider complex also includes restaurants, cafés, shops, and exhibition spaces, making it easy to spend several hours in the area without relying on clear skies.

While visitors are welcome to browse the store’s extensive selection, remember that it remains a retail space rather than a public library. Handle books carefully and follow any signs concerning sealed titles or reading areas.

Shop ‘til you drop at an underground metro mall

Taipei’s underground shopping areas are particularly useful when the weather turns wet. Taipei City Mall, beneath the Taipei Main Station area, stretches through a network of shops selling clothing, accessories, electronics, toys, games, and souvenirs.

The underground passages also connect Taipei Main Station with several surrounding transport facilities and shopping areas. However, the network is extensive and can be confusing for first-time visitors, so pay attention to the numbered exits and signs as you explore.

Another option is East Metro Mall, which runs beneath part of Zhongxiao East Road between MRT stations in Taipei’s eastern shopping district. Its sheltered location makes it possible to browse shops or stop for a meal without spending too much time outside.

Sweat off a few calories at a sport centre

Image credit: Bevis Chen

A rainy day can be an opportunity to fit some exercise into your trip. Each of Taipei’s 12 administrative districts has at least one publicly accessible sports centre, with facilities varying by location.

Depending on the centre, visitors may find swimming pools, fitness rooms, badminton courts, climbing walls, table-tennis facilities, or other recreational spaces. Many facilities can be used without committing to a long-term membership, although admission fees, equipment requirements, and reservation policies differ.

Check the individual centre’s official website before travelling, especially when hoping to use a specialised facility. Some areas may be reserved for classes, competitions, or scheduled maintenance.

Soak in a hot spring in Xinbeitou

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Few activities feel better on a cool, rainy day than soaking in a hot spring. Take the MRT to Beitou Station, transfer to the short Xinbeitou branch line, and continue on foot towards Beitou Park and the district’s hot-spring hotels.

The area offers a range of private bathing rooms, public pools, hotel spas, and overnight hot-spring stays. Facilities have different rules concerning swimwear, gender-separated bathing, time limits, and reservations, so check the conditions before choosing one.

Public hot-spring facilities may occasionally close for renovation or maintenance. Rather than travelling specifically for one pool, confirm its current status or reserve a private bath at one of the surrounding hotels.

While in the neighbourhood, stop by the Taipei Public Library’s Beitou Branch, a distinctive timber building overlooking Beitou Park. Beitou Hot Spring Museum and Thermal Valley are also nearby, although these attractions may require brief outdoor walks.

Browse the Jianguo Holiday Flower and Jade Markets

Image credit: Morgan Calliope

When your rainy day falls on a weekend, head beneath the Jianguo elevated roadway for the Jianguo Holiday Flower Market.

The covered market brings together vendors selling orchids, bonsai trees, cacti, gardening supplies, cut flowers, and a wide variety of ornamental plants. Although the roof provides protection from most rainfall, the market is not fully enclosed, so an umbrella may still be useful near its entrances and exposed sections.

The neighbouring Jianguo Holiday Jade Market is another interesting place to browse. Vendors display jade, jewellery, stones, antiques, handicrafts, and collectibles, although shoppers should evaluate expensive purchases carefully and ask questions about authenticity before buying.

Both markets generally operate on Saturdays and Sundays, including many public holidays, but schedules may change during major events or severe weather.

6. Spend the day around Taipei 101 and Xinyi

Image credit: Chia Ying Yang

For an easy rainy-day itinerary, head to Xinyi District, where several malls, restaurants, cinemas, and entertainment venues sit within a relatively compact area.

ATT 4 FUN continues to offer dining, shopping, and leisure options, but its mix of tenants has changed considerably since the original article was published. Instead of planning your day around particular international fashion stores or nightclubs, check the mall’s current directory to see what is available during your visit.

You can also move between nearby destinations such as Taipei 101 Mall, Shin Kong Mitsukoshi, Breeze Songgao, Breeze Xinyi, and other Xinyi shopping complexes. Some buildings are linked by covered walkways, although not every part of the district can be reached without stepping outside.

Spend the afternoon shopping, catch a film, stop for hot pot or dessert, and finish with views from the indoor Taipei 101 Observatory if visibility remains reasonably clear. Heavy cloud may obscure the skyline, so save the observatory for another day when the tower is completely surrounded by mist.

Enjoying Taipei despite the rain

Rain may change your Taipei plans, but it can also encourage you to experience a different side of the city. Browse books late into the night, explore an underground shopping maze, try a public sports facility, or retreat to the warm waters of Xinbeitou.

Operating hours and weather-related closures can change at short notice, particularly during typhoons or periods of extreme rainfall. Check official announcements before setting out and avoid unnecessary travel whenever the authorities issue severe-weather warnings.