Northern Taiwan

“Northern Taiwan” refers to the following seven counties and cities: Taipei City, New Taipei City, Keelung City, Yilan County, Taoyuan City, Hsinchu County and Hsinchu City. You may enjoy a birds-eye-view of the capital from Taipei 101, the Taiwan’s tallest building, go to National Palace Museum for appreciating historic objects, or take a walk on old streets in Jiufen, Tamsui, Yingge and Sanxia to immerse in old-time charm.

Taipei City
Taipei is Taiwan’s largest city as well as its economic, political, and cultural center. It is a modern cosmopolitan metropolis with a lively and diversified face, filled with exuberance.

From the world’s tallest building (2004~2010) to the biggest collection of Chinese art, Taipei invites you into a world of fascinating contrasts – a mix of the modern and traditional, with a generous dash of energy and friendly smiles to make this one of your most memorable trips to Asia.

The cultural kaleidoscope of Taiwan’s capital city pulses wherever you go. Incense – veiled temples dating back to dynastic times blend seamlessly with a neon street life of a decidedly more modern era. Taipei has dozens of world – class restaurants where gourmets can sample the best regional Chinese cuisine; and for the gourmand, there are plenty of night markets serving up scrumptious evening snacks in an environment of chaotic excitement and fun.

The polarities of Taipei are vividly present as well in the joining of the urban and natural. Just a few minutes from the heart of the city you can soak away the cares of the world in mineral – rich hot springs nestled in the lush mountain foothills ringing the Taipei Basin. And throughout the city there are plenty of trails, parks and other oases of tranquility to lift and invigorate your spirits.

Whether you’re just stopping over en route to another Asian destination, or planning a longer stay, Taipei is a many-faceted treasure that will call you back again and again.

Discover the heart of Asia in beautiful Taipei!

New Taipei City
The life of any region arises out of its historical past, its remembrance of culture, and its hold on the future. The New Taipei City government has established museums of tea culture, pottery and ceramics, and other sites to help preserve the memory of the common history and culture.

New Taipei City is rich in cultural resources. It’s a major cultural county that hosts a rich variety of cultural activities. Come! Join us as we trace our cultural roots. The confluence of the Tamsui (Danshui), Xindian and Keelung Rivers gave rise to New Taipei City, which expanded gradually inland from the smallish river mouth to achieve its present scope. The meeting ground of the rivers stretches away in a scene of grandeur as the seashore, its terrain carved out by the hand of time, faces off with the low mountains standing peacefully in the distance of New Taipei City.

Keelung City
Keelung belongs to northern Taiwan, with mountains surrounding on three sides, while Donghai (The Eastern Sea) in its north front. Serving as a natural harbor with immense water, Keelung has its bay cut into downtown deeply.

Within the city are much more slopes than planes, and moreover, the protective Keelung Islet and Hoping Islet screen on both sides of the water. These factors mentioned above have contributed to this natural and strategically difficult point, which combines roles of commercial, military, and fishing harbor, yet most importantly, keeps guard at the gates of the whole Taipei area. Famous foods in Keelung include the night market in front of the temple gate, Lienjen Cake Store, Lihu Cake Store, and Taiyanggu (Sun Valley) Honey Store.

Yilan County
The city of Yilan is located in the central and most favored part of the Lanyang Plain. Streams and rivers provide a constant source of replenishment for the nutrients in the soil here, making Yilan a breadbasket county.

Yilan looks out to the sea on Taiwan’s Northeast Coast, with mountains on the three other sides forming a unique geography that has nurtured an equally distinctive cultural landscape and human warmth. The county is home to Asia’s second longest highway tunnel, the Hsuehshan Tunnel, which has reduced the driving time between Yilan and Taipei to less than 50 minutes. From natural environments and cold and hot springs to a wealth of ocean recreation resources and verdant country scenes, Yilan offers the perfect setting to slow down and enjoy nature at its best.

The Land of Sacred Trees
Among Yilan’s diverse arboreal attractions, the Qilan Sacred Trees Garden is one of the most unique. The garden is home to a hundred indigenous trees over a millennium old, including Formosan red false cypresses and Taiwan hinoki false cypresses. Each tree is named after a famous person contemporary with the birth year of the tree, adding a note of historic interest for visitors.

Whale and Dolphin Watching
Surrounded by submarine hot springs that emit steam all year round, Guishan Island is a rare sight in the Pacific. The sea area here is a favorite haunt for whales and dolphins. The dolphins can often be seen jumping and spinning above the water in groups like ballet dancers, presenting a spectacle far different from what one sees at marine parks.

Night Market Snacking
Taiwan has a plethora of popular snacks, from soy-marinated foods and stuffed starch ball desserts to oyster omelets and Chinese angelica mutton soup. All of these tasty dishes and more can be enjoyed at the Luodong Night Market and Yilan Night Market. There are also plenty of shops here selling inexpensive clothes and shoes.

Cold and Hot Springs
For a relaxing hot spring soak, visitors to Yilan County can choose between the lowland hot springs of Jiaoxi Township and the carbonic acid cold springs in Su’ao Township, one of only two cold springs in Southeast Asia. The clear and tasteless spring water pampers your skin and embraces you, body and mind, in a world of relaxation

Yilan: A Natural Paradise with a Human Touch
Yilan offers a welcome escape from the urban bustle with the tranquility of rustic B&Bs and the down-to-earth hospitality of farmer hosts.

Taoyuan City
The narrow-shaped Taoyuan City is a plateau lies in the northwestern part of Taiwan Main Island, with Taipei and Yilan counties adjacent to it.

The cultural diversity of Taoyuan City is paralleled by an equal abundance of natural attractions, earning the county the nicknames of the “flower kingdom” and “land of a thousand ponds.” The scenic sites along the Northern Cross-Island Highway and the historic Chiang Kai-Shek and Chiang Ching-Kuo Cultural Park are just a few of the many good reasons to visit Taoyuan.

Over the past two years, the Chiang Kai-Shek and Chiang Ching-Kuo Cultural Park has attracted over three million visitors a year. The park is a successful example of efforts by the Taoyuan City Government to create tourism value, promote innovative and high-quality visitor services with private sector partners, and develop locally unique attractions that present the “Taiwan Experience.”

Taoyuan also has developed other distinctive attractions, such as the county’s Hakka culture, military communities, rustic areas, trails, bikeways, and local industries, hoping to attract more visitors to discover the story of Taoyuan.

Hsinchu County
Hsinchu County is home to the largest Hakka community in Taiwan. Most of the early Hakka immigrants to this region landed at Hongmao Harbor and Nanliao Harbor, the majority coming from Haifeng and Lufeng in China.

The Hakka residents in Hsinchu have unique dialects, customs and religious practices that reflect differences of environment. The Hakka people have traditionally lived in areas with poor farming conditions and inconvenient transportation links, forcing them to continually migrate into new lands. They are known for their diligence, respect for the teachings of their ancestors, and commitment to education. At the same time, the insular quality of their communities has traditionally limited opportunities for exchange and integration with other cultures, with the result that many Hakka communities have preserved their traditional dialects, culture and customs.

In recent years, Hsinchu County has enjoyed a thriving economy with support from the Hsinchu Science Park and Hsinchu Industrial Park. The county government has also vigorously promoted growth through infrastructure building and the development of the Hsinchu Biomedical Science Park, High Speed Rail (HSR) Hsinchu Station special district, third-phase development of the Hsinchu Science Park, Puyu Development Plan, HSR underpass roads, a sports stadium and biotech park. These projects are honing Hsinchu’s competitive edge in scientific fields and injecting new growth momentum into the region.

Hsinchu City
The town of Hsinchu, now famous for its Science-based Industrial Park, was first developed in 1723. It was first called Hsinchu in 1875, and was upgraded to a provincial city in 1982.

The Hsinchu administrative district includes Xiangshan and covers an area of about 104 square kilometers. It has gained considerable prosperity and an international reputation since the creation of the Hsinchu Science-based industrial Park. Hsinchu City is located in the northwestern part of Hsinchu County, its highest point rising only 120 meters above sea level. The Hsinchu plain slopes upward to the east, and merges into Eighteen Peaks Mountain and Niupu Mountains. Most of the eastern part of the county is covered with foothills and small mountains.