That was such an incredible memory to capture! Watching Alex Honnold free solo Taipei 101 Brought to you by Netflix. Taiwan did not diasappoint. At the base of Taipei 101 was crowds of people and News crew already present since dawn getting a spot on the ground and camera pointed to the sky , The netflix drone flew by the crowd cheered to let the world know we are here to witness it.
The world is still buzzing about his Netflix "Skyscraper Live" special from Taiwan Time Sunday 25th.If you were in Taipei on January 25, 2026, you felt the electricity in the air. We weren't just watching a Netflix special; we were watching a man make history on the world’s most iconic "stacked bamboo" skyscraper. It’s the first time any of us ever saw a guy scale a building as iconic as Taipei 101 in our lives and you couldn't just sit on a couch and stream, you have to see it live. Luckily our Taipei residence just south of Taipei 101 gives a unique experience of seeing the event in every which way possible, from the foot of Taipei 101 to the rooftops of the 12-storey balcony. We arranged to meet at Taipei 101 early before Alex Honnold stated the climb at 9am to avoid having to squeeze through the crowds of people onlooking at street level. Our friends were made up of all international people living in Taiwan , Australian, German, Taiwanese , American and others. We originally wanted to stream it in the living room but ,it wouldn’t be great running back and forth from rooftop to room so we just skipped the couch and head to the rooftop for front room view of Taipei 101. Luckily one of our friends also had Netflix on his phone so we watched it side by side with real view.
As they say, "a once in a lifetime event needs a great location," and we definitely had the best seats in the house. Watching from our residence near the tower, we didn't need the 10-second Netflix delay—we had the real-life, heart-pounding view.
Originally scheduled for Saturday , the climb was famously postponed due to the typical Taipei winter drizzle. So had to quickly inform many of my friends who were on the way to the share house to return the next day and sure enough they did. But on Sunday morning, January 25, the skies cleared just enough for Alex Honnold to do what he does best: the impossible. Even though Alex Honnold is a legendary climb , climbing a structure as iconic as Taipei 101 requires , a lot of focus and things to go smoothly as possible and luckily the weather on Sunday was a clear sky ,bright sun , warm streets completely different from the damp Taipei weather over the winter period. Seems like even the Weather Gods wanted to see Alex Honnold complete his historic climb.
The Start: At 9:00 AM, Honnold began his ascent of the 508-meter (1,667-foot) giant.
The Style: True to his Free Solo roots, he used no ropes, no harness, and no safety gear—just his climbing shoes and a chalk bag. From over view it look like spider man scaling a wall in a matter of minutes ,every time you turn you feel like you would miss the next move.
The Climb: He maneuvered through the "bamboo boxes," pulling himself up by the horizontal metal beams and architectural outcroppings.
The Moment: We could actually see him from our rooftop! At several points, he even paused to wave at the crowds gawking through the glass of the observation deck and the fans watching from the streets below.
There’s something surreal about seeing a tiny red speck moving up the side of a building that usually dominates your morning coffee view. After exactly 1 hour, 31 minutes, and 43 seconds, Alex reached the top of the spire.
Watching the broadcast with friends while looking at the actual tower in front of us was an experience I'll never forget. While the Netflix commentators—including WWE's Seth Rollins and pro-climber Emily Harrington—were losing their minds on screen, the neighborhood around us was dead silent in anticipation.
This is exactly why I tell everyone to move to this neighborhood. When major global events happen—whether it’s the New Year’s Eve fireworks or Alex Honnold making history—your home becomes the epicenter. With spacious living rooms equipped with streaming services, kitchen to prepare food and acessible rooftops to enjoy Taipei view with your international friends .
Living in a community where you can grab your binoculars, run to the roof with your friends, and scream as a guy scales a skyscraper is an experience you just can't get in a dorm or a lonely apartment. Check out our Instagram and Facebook for more events if you don't want to miss out and join us at Taipei share house to connect and make international friends.
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