The Pandas of Taipei Zoo

We woke up early the next morning in Taipei and headed out on the MRT to get breakfast.

This morning, we were going to eat at Sihai Soy Milk, a traditional breakfast joint that usually attracts a long line of both local and foreign visitors. We had to wait in the queue for about fifteen minutes, but finally we were taken to a small corner table tucked in the very back of the restaurant.

For breakfast we ordered a steamed bun stuffed with an omelette and grilled pork, "salty soy milk" which was basically a bowl of fried dough soaked in a savory warm soy milk served alongside a cup of chilled soy milk and a generous serving of crispy fried dough.

This was my favorite Taiwanese breakfast!

We also ordered a basket of xiaolongbao, or "soup dumplings," which were delicate parcels of thin dough pleated around a savory filling of minced pork and a pocket of hot fragrant broth that spills out at the first bite.

Read more:

• Legendary 8-Flavor "Rainbow" Xiaolongbao Soup Dumplings by Paradise Dynasty (Specialty Dynasty Xiǎolóngbāo 小籠包) (theworldofstreetfood.com)
• Xiaolongbao (Chinese Soup Dumplings) in Macau (theworldofstreetfood.com)
• Din Tai Fung: Noodles, Soup Dumplings, Wontons, and Mango Pudding at a Michelin Award-Winning Taiwanese Restaurant (theworldofstreetfood.com)

After breakfast, we got back on the MRT and transferred to the brown line towards Taipei Zoo.

Taipei Zoo is generally recognized as one of the best, if not THE best, zoos in all of Asia. The zoo was established as Maruyama Zoo in 1914 during the Japanese colonial era and currently is a leader in international zoological conservation and research. And the best part is that entrance to the zoo is only $60 New Taiwanese Dollars, or about $2 USD!

The exhibits were incredible, rivaling any of the best zoos I've ever visited! But my favorite exhibit, and the most popular exhibit at the zoo by far, is the giant panda habitat.

I love pandas. I think they are hilarious! Every time I've ever seen a panda, all it's ever been doing is sleeping... not so today!

As we were walking through the zoo, we saw a huge crowd gathered around one habitat, laughing. We curiously approached to see what was going on and saw a lumbering panda slowly climbing a tree out onto a tiny branch, desperately trying to reach a tuft of leaves. I'm not sure why he was so interested in those particular leaves, as the tree was full, but it was so funny to see how serious he was about trying to reach them.

The panda was doing some pretty impressive acrobatics trying to get the leaves he so desired. He was surprisingly dexterous for his size, and I was amazed that the tiny branch was able to hold his weight, yet it seemed like he knew what he was doing.

It was one of the most hilarious things I've ever seen, and we must have stayed for nearly an hour watching him try to reach his coveted leaves.

Because giant pandas are native only to China, the Chinese government technically claims ownership over the species worldwide. As a result, any panda living outside of China is not actually a permanent gift, but part of a long-term lease arrangement: foreign zoos pay substantial annual fees, and any cubs born abroad legally remain Chinese property and are eventually returned. This practice is a cornerstone of China’s so-called "panda diplomacy," blending conservation, soft power, and international relations.

Taiwan occupies a unique and politically sensitive exception. Due to the One China policy, pandas sent to Taiwan are not treated as foreign leases in the same way. Instead, they are framed as a domestic transfer within a single country, meaning Taiwan does not pay the standard leasing fees that other nations must. This makes Taiwan the only place in the world that, in technical and legal terms, truly owns its pandas rather than renting them, making it an odd zoological loophole that neatly mirrors the island’s broader political ambiguity.