Gangshan's Skywalk Bridge (aka Xiaogangshan Skywalk Park) is a tourist attraction in Gangshan District of Kaohsiung, which features great views of Agongdian Reservoir and norther Kaohsiung City. The bridge is in the shape of a violin, and there is constant music playing here. If you visit Kaohsiung, this place should definitely be on your list.
Background: Siaogangshan Skywalk Park was completed in 2018 at the price of 128,000,000 NT. It is 40 meters tall and 88 meters wide. It officially opened February 14th, 2018. The main pylon resembles a violin and includes 24 suspension cables that look like violin strings. It's Chinese name literally means "the eye of Gangshan." Hours: 9 AM to 9 PM, closed Mondays Price: 60 NT per person Tickets are free until the end of December 2020! How to get there: By Car/Scooter: Take Jiaxing East Road east out of Gangshan until it becomes Dazhuang Road, then park at the parking lot in front of the dam. There is a shuttle bus that will take you to the top of the mountain for 25 NT per trip. Vehicle traffic is not allowed up the mountain. The shuttle bus comes about every half hour. By Bus: From Gangshan MRT Station, take buys R68 A or B to Siaogangshan Station. The trip takes over an hour. Map: Please see below:
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Kuolai Old Trail was a major intersection along the Danlan Old Trail that connects Keelung to Yilan through the mountains of New Taipei. There are three pedestrian bridges, multiple camping locations, lots of swimming spots, and beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. Also, there are some great hiking trails along multiple sections of the original Danlan Old Trail to discover.
Background: Kuolai was originally a small village create in the late Qing Dynasty. In the early days during the Qing Dynasty, the Han Chinese settlers here mainly grew tea and leeks. During the Qing Dynasty, Kuolai was an important stop along the Danlan Old Trail (淡蘭古道 which means the road between Tamsui and Yilan), which was split into three paths, and Kuolai was on the middle path. The middle path winded from Nuannuan to Shifen, then to Kuolai, and then finally over the mountains to Wai'ao in Yilan. Part of section connecting Kuolai to Wai'ao through Wantan is known as the Wantan Old Trail. Kuolai also intersects with the Beishi River Old Trail which connects Shuangxi to Pinglin. During the Japanese Era until the 1980s, the major industry in the area besides tea growing was coal mining, The coal mining industry winded down in the 1980s and 90s in Taiwan. Currently Kuolai is a popular stop near National Highway 5 in northern Pinglin. Besides the history, there is also some great hiking trails and scenery nearby. Price: Free Hours: About 8 AM to 5 PM. How to get there: By Car: Go east on National Freeway 5, then get off at the Pinglin interchange. Continue north east on Pingshuang Road, which follows the Beishi River Old Trail. You can find the many suspension bridges on the side of the road. By Scooter: From Taipei, take highway 106 east from Shenkeng toward Shiding, pass over the mountain to Pinglin, then once in Pinglin continue north east on Pingshuang Road, which follows the Beishi River Old Trail. You can find the many suspension bridges on the side of the road. By Bus: From Taipei City Call MRT station, you can take bus 912 to Bafenliao Station, the switch to bus 923 to Pinglin Station. The ride should take about 2 hours. From Pinglin, you can take the F721 bus up along the Beishi River Old Trail. This will take up a lot of time. Map: Please see below. 
Lovers Lake is a small lake a recreation area in Anle District of Keelung City. It has some easy trails, bridges, and a tower that looks over the area. The lake trails also connect to Dawulun Fort. Overall it is a nice scenic spot for a day trip in Northern Taiwan.
Background: The name "Lovers Lake" comes from the fact that there are actually two lakes, one larger and one smaller, so they are a like a couple in love. The sandstone that forms the area was created between 10 and 20 million years ago, and was pushed out of the sea along with northern Taiwan thousands of years ago. In the past the area was run by a private company, which went out of business. Recently the Keelung City government has taken over control, and has installed a trail that circles the lake. There is also a suspension bridge, windmill, and stone tower overlooking the lake. Nearby you can hike to Dawulun Fort or Eagle Rock that provide great views of the north coast. Currently the lake is popular with hikers and intagrammers, as well as wedding photographers. On the weekends it can get quite busy and parking can be hard to find. Hours: 24/7 Price: Free How to get there: By car/scooter: Take provincial highway northwest out of Keelung, and take a right on Jijin First Road toward Keelung Chang Kung Hospital. The Lover's lake parking lot is at the top of the hill before the road turns into one lane. There is limited parking, and you may have to park further away. The trail is not wheelchair or stroller friendly. However there is always plenty of scooter parking. By bus: Unfortunately there are no buses that directly get there, so you will have to walk from provincial highway 2, or take a taxi. Map: Please see below: 
Chukou Village in Fanlu Township (番路鄉) of Chiayi is a pleasant stop along the Alishan Highway, It features multiple suspension bridges, mountain temples, rivers and waterfalls, and lots of hikes. If you have time you should definitely stop here and enjoy the scenery.
Background: Fanlu gets its name from the Cou Tribe that named the area Fan Village, and was an important trading spot between Han Chinese settlers and indigenous tribes-people. Fanlu Township was briefly a part of Tainan county after WWII, but was moved back to Chiayi county in 1951. Currently it has 11,000 residents. When the Alishan Forest Railway is damaged, this placed becomes an important stop for many travelers along the Alishan Highway. Hours: 24/7 Price: Free How to get there: By Car/Scooter: From Chiayi, take provincial highway 18 east until you reach the first switchbacks up the mountain. Chukou Village is at the base of the mountain; it's hard to miss. By Bus: From Chiayi Bus Station, take bus 7216A to Chukou Station (about 1.5 hours). Map: Please see below: 
Bitan is a slow moving part of the Xindian River in Xindian District of New Taipei. It is also known as Bitan Lake, or Bitan Scenic Area (碧潭風景區). Here you can bike ride, paddle boat, go hiking, and shop at Xindian Old Street (新店老街). With convenient transportation via Taipei MRT, it is definitely worth a stop on your trip to Taipei.
Background: The name Bitan means "green lake" in Chinese, which was coined by Sun Ke, vice chairman of the KMT after WWII. It is also known as Chibi Lake (赤壁潭)、Shibi Lake (石壁潭)、and Shishan Big Lake (獅山邊大潭). Bitan suspension bridge was completed in 1937. Before that time, ferry boat was the best means of transport. In 1997, the National Freeway 3 bridge was completed across the lake. In 2000, Bitan Suspension Bridge was refurbished. It is also known as one of Taiwan's top 12 or top 8 sights. It is also a very popular recreational spot for Taipie residents on the weekend. Near Bitan is Xindian Old Street (新店老街), which sells street food, fruits, and vegetables. It has been the main acrigultural market in Xindian for over a hundred years. The Changxing Temple on the Old Street (長興宮) is over 150 years old, and is dedicated to the Earth God. Price: Free entrance Ferry boat: 20 NT one way Paddle boats: 300 NT for a two person boat, more for more people or electric boats Bike rental: 15-70 NT per hour depending on the bike Hours: About 8 AM to 10 PM. How to get there: By MRT: Take the Green Line MRT south to Xindian Station, or Xiaobitan Station. Xindian Old Street is within walking distance of Xindian Old Street. From Xiaobitan Station, you can rent a bike and ride up the river to Xindian Old Street. By car/scooter: From Taipei, go south on provincial highway 9 until you reach Xindian Old Street. There is paid parking near the old street. Map: Please see below: 
Pudu Changsheng Bridge is known as the most beautiful bridge in northern Taiwan. It is an old stone bridge that was built in 1953 to connect two small villages in the mountains of Shiding District. Now it is a popular spot for hikers and photographers.
Background: Puduchangsheng Bridge was finished in July 1953, to connect two mountain villages: Yuguiling Village (玉桂嶺村) and Fengtou Village (峰頭聚落) in Shiding. People had been living in these mountain villages since1887 during the Qing Dynasty. The trail between the two villages is about 650 meters long. The cost of the bridge construction was donated by the local villagers. Even though Yuguiling Road has now been built to connect the villages, the bridge still stands as a beautiful monument to the past. Hours: 24/7 Price: Free How to get there: By Car Scooter: Take highway 106 east through Shiding until you reach the large U shaped bridge before Yongding Village. Do not get on the bridge, and take a right under the bridge up the mountain valley. Keep going straight until you reach Yuguiling Road, and turn left. Keep going until you see the bridge on your right side after about 500 meters. By Bus: Take bus 795 from Shiding until you reach Tengliaokeng 藤寮坑 station. From there it is about 4 KM or one hour to get to the bridge, not ideal. Map: Please see below: 
Nantou's Houtanjing Sky Bridge (aka just Sky Bridge) is a tourist attraction near Nantou City, which features great views of Yuanlin and Changhua county. If you visit Nantou, this place should definitely be on your list.
Background: Nantou Sky Bridge was built in 2009 at a price of 20 million NT by the Houtanjing National Scenic area. It is 204 meters long, and sits 70 meters above the valley below. Only 150 people are allowed on the bridge at a time. Hours: 8:30 to 5:30 Price: 50 NT per person How to get there: By Car/Scooter: Take highway 139 from Nantou City up the mountain until you reach the bridge. By bus: From Yuanlin TRA Station, you can take Changhua Bus 6925A to Xiaping, and from there it is about a ten minute walk to the bridge. Map: Please see below: |
Author 作家We are US Expats that have extensive experience living, working, and travelling in Taiwan. In our day, we had to learn many things about Taiwan the hard way. But we have come to learn that Taiwan is one of the best places in the world for Foreigners to live. Our blog does not represent the opinions of every foreigner in Taiwan. We are just trying to help others learn more about this beautiful country. Archives 檔案
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