Taipei Zoo

The zoo occupies a wide bowl of hillside in Muzha, and its size is the first surprise: it is one of the larger zoos in Asia by area, laid out along a valley with a shuttle train for people who do not want to walk the whole loop. The section worth the most time is the Formosan Animal Area, which keeps species found nowhere else, including the Formosan black bear with its pale chest crescent, sika deer, serow and pangolin. The giant panda house draws the longest queue and is timed at busy periods. There are also nocturnal and insect houses, a large bird section, and a subtropical rainforest zone that is essentially the surrounding hillside fenced in.

What you actually see

• The Formosan Animal Area - black bear, sika deer, serow and pangolin, species particular to the island.
• The panda house - giant pandas in a climate-controlled hall, with the longest queue in the zoo.
• The nocturnal house - bats and small mammals under reversed lighting, cool and dark on a hot day.
• The hillside shuttle train - a small train up the valley that saves a long uphill walk.

When to go

Cooler months are much better, since most of the site is open and uphill and summer afternoons are brutal. Arrive at opening to see the animals active and the panda queue short. Weekends and school holidays are heavy. Allow extra time if you plan to ride the gondola from the adjoining station afterwards.

Honest expectations

It is very hilly and the walk between sections is long, so a full circuit is tiring in heat. Many animals sleep through the middle of the day and some enclosures are visibly dated compared with the newer sections. The panda hall moves people through quickly and you get a short look. Weekend crowds are large and the food options inside are basic.

Nearby

The gondola to the Maokong tea ridge starts beside the zoo entrance.