IIf you haven’t already thought about exploring beyond Taipei, now’s the time to start. Smaller than Taipei, Danshui (also known as Tamsui, Danshuei, and Tamshui) is at the end of the MRT line, but at the beginning of a lot of this area’s history. Formerly a shipping and commerce centre in 19th century northern Taiwan, Danshui has emerged as a fascinating place to visit, full of tradition, history, culture, authenticity, and food (of course!). We’ll take you on a Danshui tour that will open your eyes to this wonderful little spot on the river.
We set off from the Danshui MRT station, tracing the history and transformation of Danshui with every step, beginning with the origin of Danshui – the water. We’ll also check out the Shell Warehouse, set up during British colonisation and now functioning as Community University.
At the heart of Danshui is its traditional market, local temple, and old street, which we’ll explore in depth. Locals often snag their daily supplies at the market, and there continues to be a healthy amount of local farmer trading in the market as well. Visiting the market is one of the best ways to understand the lifestyle and living habits of locals in Danshui. Next we’ll visit Danshui Longshan Temple, a well-known temple located in the middle of the market. Not far from here is another temple, Danshui Master Temple, which has several god statues and very fine and exquisite carvings.
After checking out the market and temples, we’ll head over to the ‘rebuild street’ (Old Street), designated so because the buildings along this street are built with red bricks. The government of Taiwan actually planned to restructure and rebuild this old street at one time, but Danshui residents, together with historical and cultural workers wished to keep the streets and the red brick buildings as they were, as a way to preserve Danshui’s unique historical background and culture. Now, the old authentic street is preserved, and has become one the most unique attractions in town!
From history to transformation, we pay a visit to the Little White House, the former residence of the Danshui Tax Division, and Fort San Domingo, a red fort built by the Spanish. Both buildings demonstrate progression and different historical eras in Danshui, offering an interesting juxtaposition from our earlier, more historical sights.
By this point, you’ll probably be pretty hungry. Good thing it’s time to eat! The most famous and authentic local dish in Danshui is ‘Ah Gei’, or fishball soup, made with a sheet of bean curd stuffed with bean thread noodles, eaten with sweet or spicy sauces. In addition to the soup, there are other local snacks available to sample, like grilled squid, local biscuits, and an array of desserts to catch your eye. With full bellies and minds we’ll head back to Danshui MRT station, where you can head back into downtown Taipei, or feel free to continue your evening exploring Danshui at your leisure.
Come on this Taipei food tour with an open mind and a ready stomach, because once you catch sight of Ningxia Night Market, you’ll be drooling! Have your taste buds at the ready for this Asian food adventure with a local, the perfect opportunity for you to learn all about Taipei food (as well as eat plenty of it, of course). Plus, this area is full of incredible street food vendors, so it’s worth sticking around after the tour to make sure you don’t miss a single bite.
To give you a taste of what’s in store for you at Ningxia Night Market, we’ll give you a few examples of mouth-watering dishes you’ll find there, just the whet your appetite. You’ll be given plenty of yummy options to choose from, but pick wisely – you can only choose three! Perhaps you want to get your chops around some fried yam balls to start, or maybe you’d like to try some karasumi, or mullet roe, which is made from the eggs of mullet fish, baked until rosy red and considered a delicacy in Taiwan. If you’re into some more traditional meat, try some tender pork leg served with rice and shrimp soup, or a chicken roll with rice and barbeque sauce, packed with flavour.
If you have more of a vegetarian persuasion, never fear! There’s so much at Ningxia Market for you, too. There is a vegetarian stall that sells all kinds of things - a popular choice is sticky rice with mushrooms, or perhaps you’d like to hit up some Taiwanese tofu dishes. You can also pick up some taro balls with egg, served from one of the most popular stands in the market, or maybe just some simple yet scrumptious rice balls, boiled in sugar soup and served up with peanut or red bean soup to balance out the sweet flavours. If you feel like even more soup after that, why not a bit of a mix of everything together and order yourself some herb soup, which is especially good after you’ve eaten a lot and want to give your digestive system a bit of relief. Yam or taro balls are added to this herb soup to create a traditional Taiwanese dessert (it might sound weird for dessert, but you should definitely try it!).
We’ll end the tour with a bizarre, yet memorable, food challenge. If you dare to try three of the local delicacies we pick for you, you’ll get a special reward at the end of the tour.
With a local to guide you through Ningxia Night Market in Taipei, you’ll not only get to try all the delectable dishes on offer, you’ll also learn about the local connection in the market. Discover Taiwanese food from the perspective of a local, with an expert who will be able to give recommendations, explain the significance of the dishes in Taiwanese culture, and give you an experience above and beyond the usual in Taipei.
Want to really experience Taipei like a local? This unique Taipei city tour will take you through the main streets and back streets of Taipei, with a local taxi driver as your guide. Sit up beside the driver and learn about a typical day while also observing local Taiwanese people and culture. Chat with passengers and the driver, learn more about Taipei, and even make new friends! Locals are, after all, the best tour guides. Get advice on sites to see, places to eat, and experiences to have, and learn about Taipei, all from those who know best: Taipei’s own people!
Unlike a typical car-based tour, this Taipei city tour will take you right into the heart of the community. Local residents can still hail your taxi and ride along with you, enabling you to interact with them and see Taipei from different perspectives. You’ll see streets not mentioned in guidebooks and have a true city adventure, filled with characters as well as sites on a tour that’s never the same thing twice.
For those taking the morning tour, there will be a lunch stop where you can buy local street food before continuing on your Taipei drive.
Wulai is a famous mountain village in northern Taiwan. Residents are most aboriginal people. The place is famous for hot springs, trail train, waterfalls.
Neidong National Forest Recreation Area
This area is surrounded by waterfalls, streams and forests. Neidong Creek is narrow, and rapidly flowing water cuts the valley into a steep ravine. The result is a three-tier waterfall with an abundance of silk-like water flowing adjacent to the forest.
Wulai aboriginal Tribe Tour
The aboriginal culture center across Wulai Waterfall is a remodeled museum of aboriginal folk art. It introduces the aboriginal culture, customs and habits of Atayal Tribe and demonstrates the historical artifacts.
The famous Wulai Waterfall is about 80 meters high. It is magnificent like a white silk cloth coming down from the sky.
Bitan green lake - night view
Bitan is one of the eight famous attractions in Taiwan for people to relax and enjoy their vacation. The lake's steep cliffs and aquamarine water make it one of Xindian's scenic spots.
Jiufen Gold Rush Town
Jiufen, perfectly situated up in the hills and straddles the Pacific Ocean, was once a prosperous gold rush town before the 1970s. Today, with its picturesque stone walls, narrow cobblestone streets, and tea houses, the ancient city has become an inspirational mecca for artists, writers, and movie directors like Hou Hsiao-hsien (A City of Sadness) and Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away).
Jiufen & Jiufen Old Street
The most memorable part of being in Jiufen, without doubt, is the long and narrow night market street which stretches through the entire town.
The golden waterfall
Although there is no actual gold flowing forth from these falls, the name reflects their appearance: the combination of regular rainfall in this mining area and abundance of heavy metal elements deposited in the riverbed radiate a gold-like color.
Heping Island Park
Heping Island is the doorway to Keelung Harbor. Inside the park, you will see important terrain of marine abrasion, including marine cliff, abrasion platform and abrasion fosse as well as the famous “bean curd rock” and pedestal rock.
Keelung Miaokou Night Market
The food market in Keelung has been renowned for more than 40 years. There are many eateries here and more than 200 food stands gather in the area of 400 sq. meters.
Pingxi Town today is probably equally best-known for a romantic movie You are the Apple of My Eye and sky lanterns and Taiwanese Niagara Waterfall. However, thanks to the movie, many Taiwanese people has come to Pingxi the old town hoping to bring their good old times back. As for the visitors from abroad, the town is extraordinarily special with its cozy atmosphere and early culture of Taiwan.
Taiwan’s Northeast coastline is full of beautiful rocky shores, shallow sandy beaches with algae, sea cucumbers, seashells, hermit crabs, and more coastal wildlife than you can shake a stick at. Rock climbing and fishing are two extremely popular activities to undertake on Taiwan’s Northeast coastline, and our tours of the coast cater specifically to those outdoor adventure loving types whose idea of a great day involved both rock climbing and photographing beautiful seascapes.
Back to the Old Times -The Pingxi Railway was originally built to transport coal. Now it is used for tourists to experience the life that Pingxi's miners previously led. Enjoy a relaxing ride back through history, and soak up the early culture of Taiwan clearly on display here.
Let's Make a wish - Make a wish, write it on the lantern and let it fly. The sky lantern festival has long been used for people to pray for their wishes. During the Lantern Festival, around February and March each year, lanterns cover the entire sky of Pingxi. If you're an artist, writer, or photographer, we highly recommend you see this festival for yourself.
Taiwanese Niagara Falls - Shifen has the best waterfall in Northern Taiwan, sometimes referred to as ""Taiwanese Niagara Falls"". Want to decide whether or not the name is justified for yourself? Come on down to Pingxi and check it out for yourself!
Points of interest/ itinerary:
Bitou Cape Trail & Nanya Rocky Shore
Visit an old town of railway
Shifen Waterfall
Make a wish with Lantern
Miner's story
At 1,000m above sea level, Yangmingshan is famous for its sulfurous rocks and natural hot springs, volcanic fumaroles, and extensive network of hiking trails. Yangmingshan is great for relaxation in the hot springs, or a hike through seasonal plants and flowers to soak up some of Taiwan’s most traditional local culture.
As Seen on the New Taiwan Dollar - As a part of the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall complex, the Zhongshan Building serves as a hub for conferences. The Building was designed by a female architect featuring white walls and green tiles after the style of traditional Chinese court architecture. Zhongshan Building is also the building featured on the back side of the 100 New Taiwan Dollar bill, and is located inside Yangmingshan National Park.
Valley of the Sun - Qingtiangang Meadow is known as ‘the Backyard of Taipei.’ At 750m above sea level, this former lava field is now covered with lush green pastures that welcome its visitors with a view of sunshine-filled grassy meadows, and cattle grazing on rolling pastures
Unprecedented Beauty - Have you ever considered going off-trail to come across a tranquil, hidden piece of paradise? Located right in the touristic national park Yangmingshan, Bajen Village hides one of the most picturesque scenery and maintains Taiwan's former agricultural lifestyle. Soaking in this little-developed countryside, visitors will find the local way of life beautifully cultvated by its natural surroundings.
Points of interest/ itinerary:
Zhongshan Building
Qingtiangang Meadow
Unprecedented Beauty: Ba-Yien Village
The cultural kaleidoscope of Taiwan's capital city pulses. Incense-veiled temples dating back to dynastic times blend seamlessly with a neoned street life of a decidedly more modern era.
The Great Eastern Philosophy -Confucius Temple
This temple honors one of the greatest philosophers and teachers of all time, Confucius, as well as other philosophers. Confucius’ teachings and philosophy have deeply influenced the Chinese thought and life in almost every way.
The Tallest Skyscraper in Taiwan:Taipei 101
Taipei City’s skyline is unique. When you overlook the low-rise city landscape of Taipei, you’ll see that it’s clearly worth waiting in line to take Taipei 101's elevators up to grab a God’s-eye-view of the city.
Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall
The massive commemorative monument, with its blue-tile roof, white marble wall, and clusters of red colored flowerbeds stand as the symbol of Kuomintang and its leader: Chiang Kai Shek, well-known as the founding father of Republic of China.
Encountering a Healing Deity - Bao-an Temple
This 200-year-old historical site was deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it has been maintained and repaired through the ages with traditional techniques, preserving ancient knowledge and culture.
Points of interest/ itinerary:
Taipei 101
Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall
Lunch: Din Tai Fung Restaurant, XiaoLongBao (??????)
Confucius Temple (??)
Bao-an Temple (???)
Tamsui is surrounded by mountains and rivers. Hongmao Castle is a historical site in Tamsui with historical meaning. It was built by the Spaniards in 1626 and restored by Dutch.
Yehliu National Geo Park
Yehliu lies in one of the most remarkable geological coastal areas in northern Taiwan, and is well-known for its rocky promontory overlooking the bay.
Fort San Domingo
This is Danshui's most prominent monument to foreign involvement in Taiwan. First built in 1629 by the Spanish and was captured by the Dutch in 1642. It is known as the "Hongmao Castle" in reference to the colorful locks of its Dutch occupants.
Danshui old street and local delicious food
Walking on the old streets along the riverbank, visitors may view the old buildings and may try the tasty local dishes, such as fish dumplings, Agei (fried meat pastry) and hard eggs, etc.
Danshui Fishermen's Wharf
There are magnificent floating piers and a spacious park, with a bridge in the shape of a boat spanning across the harbor and a wooden path stretching over 300 meters at the waterfront.
Admire the stunning natural beauty of Taroko Gorge with a full day trip from Taipei. Spectacular mountains, marble canyons and steep cliffs stretch along the Liwu River creating impressive natural scenes.
HIGHLIGHTS:
* See towering marble cliffs at the Taroko Gorge
* Travel along the Tunnel of Nine Turns
* Admire the Eternal Spring Shrine
* Take in the beauty of Qixing Lake
From Taipei you hop on a train bound for Haulien, from where we drive to the Taroko Gorge, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Asia to the Eternal Spring Shrine.
The tortuous course of the Tunnel of Nine Turns reveals a gorge of many curves with a highway carved out of the cliff face. It is so narrow that only a narrow width opens up to the heavens, and you take a 30 minute walk through the enchanting scenes of the gorge, river and tunnel whilst observing its ecology.
Following the Central Cross-Island Highway, at Yanzikou (Swallow Grotto) the rock cliffs of the Liwu River gorge seem to reach to heaven, almost seeming to touch each other. Swallows also nest on the cliffs and will fly back and forth above your head in what is a magical experience.
At Qixing Lake, located in Beipu Village, see clean and blue seawater and crystal black stones where sea valleys have been formed by faults and elegant bays with rich natural landscapes that are simply breathtaking. Before heading back to Taipei by train the tour stops at Hualien Stone Sculpture Park and a local marble factory.
Think you can’t see Taipei in a day? Then think again! Get ready for a crash course on everything Taipei! From the famous architectural feats of Taipei 101 and its surrounding busy city center to the ancient, elaborately designed temples and old streets of Taipei.
HIGHLIGHTS:
* Marvel at the liveliness of the Longshan Temple, one of Taiwan’s most visited
* Visit the Presidential Office Building, the Chang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, the Lin An Tai Historical House and the Yangmingshan National Park
* Pass by The Grand Hotel
From the night markets, street food and soothing hot springs that make Taiwan so famous to the must-see National Palace Museum. For the business, or simply busy, traveler with only a short stay in Taiwan, this is catered for you, and will blow your mind. What’s Taipei famous for? This tour has the answers.
Come explore the northern wonders of Taipei where within an hour you will be surrounded by verdant mountains and stunning scenery of the East China Sea. Jiufen, agold mining town in the days of yore, is where everything begins. The golden shrine atop the mountains, Japanese-style buildings, to name a few, are still gracing the area telling their stories.
At the foot of the mountains, brace yourself for the magnificent Gold Falls, a gold-laced waterfall you won’t find anywhere else in Asia. No need to struggle choosing between historical towns, nature views, or outdoor activities, as this tour will cover them all.
Join us for a magical tour to the little, culturally rich town of Pingxi. We’ll travel along the historic old rail line from Jingtong to Pingxi. Guests will enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way as the train winds through rivers, wooded gorges, and more. Built nearly 100 years ago, this little chugger continues to attract visitors for its richness and charm.
But this tour is not just for idly watching from afar, we’ll also traverse the lush and hilly landscape of the Crags of Pingxi. These trails offer spectacularly rich views of the surrounding hills and forests. While in Pingxi, there is something that cannot be missed.
Pingxi owes some of its fame to the annual Sky Lantern Festival, where thousands of visitors release their wishes written on lanterns into the sky. Don’t miss out on this magical and lovely tradition.
If you’re lucky enough to have visited Taiwan, then wherever you go, it stays with you, for all of Taiwan is a moveable feast. Be astounded at the variety of dishes and snacks at Old Street. Appreciate the world’s most popular drink in one of the world’s supreme tea-growing regions. Enjoy the beautifully lush landscapes of the Bagua tea plantations and the fertile backdrop of Qiandao Lake located in the upper reaches of the Jade Reservoir. And be swept away in a gondola through the mountains of Maokong.
This excursion will take us to the northern paradise of Taiwan. Famous for its sea-eroded landscapes and hoodoo stones, Yehliu Geopark offers a wide range of geological goodies. Capture the famous Queen’s Head, Ginger Rocks, Mushroom Rocks, and other spectacular features in this sightseeing wonderland.
In the summer (May - October), explore the breathtaking ocean views at fun-filled Pacific Emerald Bay Summer time Paradise (Pacific Green Bay) where you can enjoy the beach time in one of the most popular beach of Northern coast.
During the winter (November - April), relax in the soothing baths at Baian Hot Spring Resort. This charming, elegant resort attracts visitors for its stunning mountain views and crisp, fresh air while soaking in the sensuous, mineral-rich water.