Called xiao chi''''''''s, or small eats, these include fried chicken and oyster omelets. Here diners eat at a crowded counter in the night market in the Shilin neighborhood.

A view of the city with Taipei 101 rising in the distance.

The northern town of Beitou is renowned for its hot springs resorts, some modeled after those in Japan. Here visitors stroll by the public springs.

One of the newest of the spas in Beitou is Villa 32. It has all the atmosphere of a luxury spa in a uniquely Taiwanese setting, with outdoor pools of different temperatures shielded by wooden awnings and the shade of leafy trees, the contours of northern Taipei''''s mountains visible against the sky.

Elderly women take shelter from the rain and play cards in a cave in Yangmingshan National Park. The park is named for the gently sloping dormant volcano that sits in its midst.

 Visitors pass by an old movie poster in Taipei Storyland, Asia''''s biggest retro-style street scene museum.

Food abounds in the city of Taipei and you can find it in many unexpected places. A woman grabs some roasted corn from a taxi during rush hour.

There''''s no avoiding Din Tai Fung, a mandatory stop on Taiwan''''s restaurant scene. This crowded, brightly lit restaurant specializes in xiao long bao, or steamed soup dumplings.

Visitors outside the National Palace Museum in northern Taipei. Considered by many to be the finest repository of Chinese art in the world, it houses artifacts dating as far back as the earliest days of Chinese civilization.

Shoppers stroll the Taipei 101 mall. The first five floors, with stores like Armani, Louis Vuitton and Sogo, should satisfy any shopping urge.

A guest walks through the Grand Hotel, which was built in Qing Dynasty style. It has been a centerpiece of Taipei''''s luxury hotel scene for years.