Ximen

Cool youth culture versus bygone times

Noteworthy for: Taipei's gay-friendly bars, clubs and shops are clustered around the Red Theatre on the edge of Ximending.
Taipei's westernmost district is home to two dramatically different worlds; one populated by the cutting edge youth and the other still belonging to a Taipei of old. The trendy, neon-lit streets of Ximending are where Taipei's teens converge in creative costumes to buy the lastest fashions, music and food. The iconic Red Theatre here is the heart of Taipei's gay community who eat, drink and dance at the clubs and restaurants that surround it.

Just a few streets over however, are a cluster of quiet neighbourhoods that haven't changed much on their exterior since the Japanese occupation ended in 1945. Prostitutes still work the streets along with the occasional betel nut beauty, but not much else happens here after dark. The classic teashops, Chinese medicine shops and religious article stores and temples close up shop in the early evening. Longshan Temple, the 2-28 Museum and a street of fortune tellers are all worth a visit.