Taipei Zoo and Maokong Gondola Guide (2024 Revisit)

On my second day in Taipei, I decided to revisit Taipei Zoo. It was the same Taipei Zoo and Maokong Gondola combo that made my 2019 trip so memorable. It felt less like a standard tourist stop and more like catching up with an old friend. That first visit left its mark on me. I couldn’t wait to step back into the park and glide over the green slopes once more.

Stepping through the gates five years later, the familiar sights brought back an instant wave of nostalgia, yet everything felt pleasantly refined. Returning in 2024 gave me the chance to slow down, notice the smaller details I missed the first time, and experience how the journey up to Maokong Village elevates a simple zoo visit into an immersive full-day mountain escape.

Quick Facts: Taipei Zoo and Maokong Gondola

Taipei Zoo Commute from Taipei Main Station

From Taipei Main Station, I took the Red Line to Daan Station, transferred to the Brown Line (Wenhu Line), and rode it to Taipei Zoo Station, the last stop on the line. The ride itself felt familiar, like flipping through an old photo album.

Admission to the zoo was still just NT$100, one of the most affordable ways to enjoy a full day in Taipei. I spent the whole day wandering through its lush paths and animal zones. There was no rush this time; the familiarity of the place set the pace instead of a checklist.

Taipei Zoo and Maokong Gondola: What to Expect

Coming back to Taipei Zoo and Maokong Gondola felt different from my first visit, not because the places had changed much, but because I had. In 2019, I came from Zhinan Temple and added the zoo almost as an afterthought; everything was new, and I was discovering its paths for the first time. This time, the zoo was the plan from the start, and the gondola ride up to Maokong Village was the reward waiting at the end of it.

If you’re planning your own visit, expect a similar rhythm: start at the zoo, spend a few hours exploring its animal zones, then head to the gondola station near the entrance for the ride up to Maokong Village. The hillside views open up gradually as you climb, and by the time you reach the top, the pace of the day naturally shifts from “sightseeing” to “unwinding.”

🚡 Quick Tip: If you’ve done this combo before, don’t skip Maokong just because you’ve “seen it.” The gondola ride and the hillside tea houses hit differently once you’re not rushing to check boxes. More relaxing, less of a checklist.

Things Worth Doing at Taipei Zoo

With so much ground to cover, it helps to know which stops are worth prioritizing before your legs (or your patience) start to give out. Here’s what stood out most on this visit:

None of these are exclusive; they are mix-and-match based on how much time and energy you’ve got left in the day. Even hitting half this list still makes for a solid, well-rounded visit.

🚂 Quick Tip: If it’s hot or humid, or you’re visiting during rainy season, plan your route around the indoor stops (Koala House, Penguin House, Insectarium) during the peak-heat hours, and save outdoor walking for early morning or late afternoon. The shuttle train is also worth hopping on, at least once; NT$5 is a small price for skipping the longest uphill stretch.

Maokong Village: Tea Houses and Hillside Views

After the zoo and the gondola ride up, Maokong Village was less about sightseeing and more about finally sitting still. Tea houses line the hillside here, and the views stretch out over Taipei in a way that feels worlds away from the city below, even though it’s barely a gondola ride from it.

Honestly, though, what I remember most clearly is the milk tea ice cream. After a full day of walking, it was exactly the kind of small, simple reward that makes a trip memorable, not because it was fancy, but because it hit at exactly the right moment.

🍵 Quick Tip: Don’t rush through Maokong. Even if you don’t have time for a full teahouse sit-down, grab a milk tea and ice cream and just enjoy the view for a few minutes. Sometimes that’s enough.

Fitting in Taipei 101 and a Railway Bento

By the time I reached Taipei 101, I wasn’t there for the observation deck; I’d been up before, plenty of times. This stop was more about just being near it again, strolling around the building from outside, taking it in without needing to go up.

The drizzle started not long after, and between that and the hunger creeping in after a full day of walking, I didn’t linger. I headed back to the MRT toward Taipei Main Station, ready to sit down and eat.

Stepping off the train at Taipei Main Station, I spotted a TRA bento stand with a line already forming, and I couldn’t resist joining it. I got a drumstick bento for about NT$80, the classic railway meal that somehow tastes better after a long day of walking. Right nearby, I also spotted a Coco Milk Tea stand, my beloved go-to, and grabbed a black tea for NT$60 to round out the meal.

🍱 Quick Tip: If you end up back at Taipei Main Station hungry, look for the TRA railway bento stands right in the station. They’re a Taipei classic for a reason, and if there’s a line, that’s usually a good sign. Just don’t wait too long; they’re usually sold out by the time afternoon rolls around.

Rainy Night in Ximending

After dinner at my accommodation, the bento and the milk tea, I headed out again toward Ximending, hoping to slow down and catch some street performers on my last night in Taipei. I didn’t stay long. Heavy rain rolled in not long after I arrived, and I ended up missing Xin Fu Tang, which meant no second milk tea of the day, though I can’t say I didn’t try.

☔ Quick Tip: Taipei’s weather can turn quickly, even in the evening. If a specific spot or stall is high on your list, especially in areas like Ximending, try to get there earlier rather than leaving it for a “maybe later.”

What This Day Actually Cost Me

Here’s roughly what the day added up to, broken down by when it happened:

MRT fares were relatively inexpensive throughout; depending on the starting station, I used my EasyCard for all of it. All in, this stayed a fairly affordable day out in Taipei, especially compared to organized day tours covering the same spots. Actual costs will vary depending on your own spending habits and lifestyle.

FAQs: Taipei Zoo and Maokong Gondola

Taipei Zoo and Maokong Gondola: A Reflection

This visit didn’t have the same element of surprise as 2019. I knew where the gondola station was, I knew the zoo’s rhythm, and I even knew to expect Taipei’s weather to shift without warning. But somehow, knowing all of that didn’t make the day feel any less worth having.

If 2019 was about stumbling into something unplanned, 2024 was about choosing to come back on purpose. Pandas, gondola views, milk tea, rain, and all. Some trips are memorable because they surprise you. Others are memorable because you chose them again, even when you already knew what to expect. This one was the second kind.