The Pingxi Lantern Festival in New Taipei has some of the most popular attractions in Northern Taiwan, and is known as one of the best festivals in the world. Thousands of lanterns are set off during the festival, to celebrate the traditional Chinese Spring Lantern Festival Holiday. It is definitely worth experience if you are in Taiwan during Lantern Festival.
Background: The practice of lighting off sky lanterns in Taiwan began in Shifen, when during the Qing Dynasty local villagers would flee into the mountains during raids from bandits. Once the bandits had left, the remaining villagers sent sky lanterns into the air to let the fleeing villagers know that it was safe to come down from the mountains. The people of Shifen send off sky lanterns as a symbol of peace, and celebrate every year during Lantern Festival (元宵節), a Chinese holiday. Setting off sky lanterns as a tourist attraction began in the 1990's and you can find people lighting off lanterns every day from Shifen. Since 1990 the Lantern Festival has been held every year (expect 2021 due to COVID-19). The Pingxi Lantern Festival is part of larger festivities around Taiwan at the time, known as the Taiwan Lantern Festival. Because of the hundreds of sky lanterns set off every day, this creates an environmental problem with lantern trash piling around the forests and mountains of Pingxi District. The local people and volunteers help to clean up, but because of the tourism allure associated with lighting off the sky lanterns, it seems that this practice is not going away anytime soon. Hours: The Lantern Festival is usually held for the entire week that Lantern Festival falls on, which is the 15th day of the first month of the Lunar New Year. Setting off hundreds of lanterns at night is usually done during the evenings. In 2023 the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival will be held Sunday February 5th from 6 PM to 8:30 PM. 
Website:
https://2023skylantern.ntpc.gov.tw/#/info Price: Free How to get there: By Train: Take the TRA to Ruifang Station, buy the Pingxi Railway line one day pass, and then switch to the Pingxi Railway line. Get off at any station! The main lantern setting is done at Shifen Square, which is right next to the Shifen Waterfall parking lot. By Car/Scooter: Take provincial highway 2 east toward Pinglin, then get off the main highway once you reach Shifen. You can drive right or left to reach all of the stations on the Pingxi Railway line. But please know there is limited car parking around the stations. Map: Please see below:
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Four Four South Village (aka Forty-Four South Village) is a former military dependents village that has been converted into a cultural park in Xinyi District of Taipei City. Now it is home to cafes, arts and crafts stores, bookstores, and a community center. Also, it has great views of the Taipei 101. It is worth visiting if you are in the area.
Background: Four Four South Village was named and built for the 44th Arsenal of the Combined Logistics Command and their families in 1948, after the ROC military retreated to Taiwan following defeat in the Chinese Civil War. The houses were cheaply built out of wood, concrete, bamboo, and tiles. The houses were small, and everyone had to share a communal bathroom. There was also no running water when it was built. Part of the village was destroyed in a fire in 1999, and the whole village was planned to be demolished in 2001, but local residents and cultural experts persuaded the government to preserve part of the village as a cultural heritage site. Now it sits as an important historical site close to the Taipei 101. Hours: 24/7 Price: Free: How to get there: By MRT: Take the MRT red line to the Taipei 101/World Trade Center station. The village is just a short one minute walk south. By Car/Scooter: The village is just south of Xinyi Road, southwest of the Taipei 101. There is paid parking nearby. Map: Please see below: 
Bogart's Smokehouse is an authentic American barbeque restaurant in Nangang District of Taipei. Run by Americans, it is a taste of home for many foreigners in Taiwan.
Background: From their website: "Our story starts with an big idea and a little conversation. Having worked for Dalie’s Smokehouse in Valley Park Missouri, and gaining a true respect for their process of smoked meats and side dishes, an idea to bring that sweet flavor over to Taiwan began. Over a hearty conversation, and a few beers, planning stages were prepared to bring over a direct translation of what real Bar-B-Que is produced from the best of what local farms in Taiwan can provide. The result, is something truly special indeed. Influenced by the legend, Executive Chef Skip Steele of Pappy’s Smokehouse Saint Louis, with Mr. Peter Brickler of Tempus Saint Louis, and Chef Hunter we bring a style of BBQ unheard of in Taiwan. We hope you enjoy!" Website: http://bogartsbbq.com/ www.facebook.com/bogartssmokehousetaipei/ Price: Ribs: 600 NT for half, 1100 NT for whole Sandwiches: 260-350 NT including sides Hours: Tue. to Sat. 11:30 – 20:00ish or till they are sold out. Sun. 11:30 – 16:00 or till they are sold out. So get there early. How to get there: By car/scooter: The restaurant is right on Nangang Road in front of the train station. There is parking on the side of the road or at Nangang Station. By MRT/TRA: The restaurant is within five minute walking distance of Nangang TRA/MRT station. Map: Please see below: 
Yongkang Street is home to some of the best food in Taipei. Neither a night market nor an old street, it is just a street with good food. The street is mostly geared to the tastes of tourists and foreign travelers. Besides food, there are also art shops, clothing shops, bookstores, tea shops, and many other specialty shops.
Background: Yongkang Street sits in front of Dongmen MRT station and ends at Lishui Street. It is surrounded by sites such as the CKS memorial, Da'an Forest Park, and NTU. The Street has become a popular place for foreigners, especially from Japan and Korea to try out Taiwan's local delicacies such as Mango Ice and Beef Noodle Soup. I think this can be attributed partly to foreign media and blogging, and partly to the Taiwan Tourism Bureau. Price: Free Hours: 24/7, but most shops are only open until about 9 PM. How to get there: By car/scooter: It is not hard to find from central Taipei, but parking is hard to find, so I do not recommend driving here if you can avoid it. By MRT: Right in front of Dongmen MRT station. Map: Please see below: 
Taiwan's Pizza Hut 歡樂吧 all you can eat buffet is every American pizza lover's dream, at a reasonable price.
Let me reiterate this clearly: Pizza Hut has buffets in Taiwan. For about 400 NT, you can have all you can eat pizza. This is cheaper then buying a small Pizza Hut pizza from their delivery locations. And you can sample all the new weird pizza hut flavors without having to buy an entire pizza. Pizza Hut's Buffet is my favorite restaurant in Taiwan, and the world actually. I am a sad American who still loves his pizza more than anything. Pizza Hut has been my favorite since childhood. Sadly, there are no Pizza Hut Buffets in the USA, but there are some in Taiwan. Honestly it has been a major contributing factor in me deciding to move to Taiwan permanently, I visit at least four times a year. The local Pizza Hut Huanleba in Nangang has stood for over 10 years while all other restaurants around it have closed down, because it is the best, and people keep coming back. Price: (as of August 2022): 319 NTD on weekdays, 369 NTD on weekends. Website: ppb.pizzahut.com.tw/ppbmeals.php#openhour Locations: Currently there are only four locations in Taiwan. Taipei Dunhua, Taipei Guangfu, Taipei Nangang, and Kaohsiung Dram Mall: ppb.pizzahut.com.tw/ppbmeals.php#openhour Map: See the four Taiwan locations below: 
Every time I see a stock photo of Taipei shot from Elephant mountain, a little part of me dies inside because Taipei has so many other beautiful viewpoints and vistas. If you are looking for stock photos of Taipei, consider going to one of the following locations to take a less cliché photo.
The following blog is a list of places I have been with the best views of Taipei. When I say Taipei, it means the Taipei 101 is somewhere in the photo, so you could say these are the best views of the Taipei 101 or something like that. There are literally infinite views of Taipei for you to discover, this is only a list of some. I am also sure that I will add to this list in the future. Map: Please see a map of most of the places in this blog below: 
Fudekeng/Liuzhangli Graveyard is the largest graveyard area in Taipei, and also happens to provide amazing views of Wenshan and Xinyi Districts. Nearby you can also find many hiking trails. It is a great place for a bike ride or hike if you are not afraid of ghosts.
Background: Currently the Fudekeng Graveyard is run by the city of Taipei's funeral and cremation department which has over 200 employees. It started in 1942 under Japanese rule, and in 1945 it became a public cemetery. Due to many families making illegal structures to hold the remains of their ancestors, Taipei City allocated more and more land for graves in the 1950s to 1970s. There are two areas the provide mortuary services in Taipei: one near Xingtian Temple, and the other behind Fuzhoushan Park. Nowadays a funeral plot is very expensive, so most people choose to cremate their dead and keep them in Spirit Bone Towers. Hours: 24/7 Price: Free How to get there: By car/scooter: From central Taipei, drive on Heping East Road to MRT Liuzhangli Station, then head up Chongde Street. The graveyard lies all along this street. I do not recommend driving a car up there, the road is very narrow. During tomb sweeping festival, the roads are closed and you can only visit via shuttle bus. By Youbike: Get a Youbike from MRT Liuzhangli Station, then head up Chongde Street. The graveyard lies all along this street. By Bus: Bus S12 visits the cemetery. Map: Please see below: 
Baiyun Police Station is an abandoned police station in Xizhi District of New Taipei that was first established during the Japanese era in Taiwan. Later it was used as an outpost as part of Taiwan's White Terror by KMT police who were looking for communist spies nearby, and ended up killing and imprisoned many innocent people. Currently it has been turned into a historical park for all to enjoy.
Background: Baiyun Police Station was completed in 1920 by the Japanese. It was also known as Shisanfen Police Station, because the area there was also known as Shisanfen at the time. The police station was also added on to in 1939. Two brothers, Chen Pen-chiang and Chen Tung-ho (陳通和), created an armed communist party holdout in the Luku village of Shiding District. They also organized a youth group consisting of underage villagers, however this group did not participate in any illicit activity. In response, on Dec. 28th, 1952, about 10,000 police officers and ROC armed soldiers used Baiyun Police Station as a base to raid the village over the space of four months, blocking off roads and arresting everyone while trying to remove the communists. Around 400 people in the surrounding areas were arrested, with 200 of those people being tortured and 35 killed. According to the Taipei Times: "Among the 200, 12 were not indicted or released for turning themselves in, while 98 were given prison sentences, 19 of whom were underage." Due to the terrible injustice dealt to the village and the surrounding people, the Luku Incident Memorial was erected in the year 2000. For more information on the incident, check out the articles written by the Taipei Times here and here. You can also check out the Wikipedia article in Chinese here. After use by the KMT, the police station was abandoned in 1980 and the roof collapsed. It was restored and the roof rebuilt in 2019. Currently it is a relatively unvisited historical site, but we did find a group of Instagrammers when we visited there. Hours: 24/7 Price: Free How to get there: By Car/Scooter: Travel south on Academia Sinica Road in Nangang, and then take Dongshi Street (東勢街) all the way up the mountain. The police station sits near border between Taipei City and New Taipei City, in between Forest Elementary School (森林小學) and Fuan Temple (福安宮) on Xiding Road (汐碇路). By Bus: You can also take bus F903 to this location, get off at Forest Elementary School stop. *note: if you get lost, look for the brown sign that says "白雲派出所" in Chinese on the side of the road. Map: Please see below: 
Nangang's Bottle Cap Factory, now POPOP Taipei, was a Japanese era factory built 80 years ago and stopped production in 2004. Now it has been converted into a space for meetings, exhibitions, seminars, workshops, musical performances etc.
Background: Nangang's Bottle Cap Factory was built during the Japanese era in 1943, and continued operating until 2004, providing bottling parts for over 14 wine manufacturers. It was then abandoned until 2010 when Taipei City chose the spot for urban revitalization. The bottle cap factory renovation was completed in 2020. Currently there is space for meetings, exhibitions, seminars, workshops, musical performances, a night market, and more. On weekends it attracts hundreds of visitors especially when there are special events. Hours: 10 AM to 6 PM every day Price: Free How to get there: By Car/Scooter: Take Civic Boulevard or Nangang Road to Nangang Station. The bottle cap factory is just north of the station, across the street. There is paid parking at Nangang Station. By TRA/HSR/MRT: Take the TRA/HSR/MRT/inter-city bus to Nangang Station. The bottle cap factory is just north of the station, across the street. Map: Please see below: 
The Dragon Boat Festival (aka Double Fifth Festival) is a special time of year, during which Taiwan gets a major holiday vacation and there are Dragon Boat Races. During this time, people also must eat Zongzi. We have created this guide for you to see the official dragon boat races all around Taiwan and understand more about this special cultural festival.
Historical Background: Originally Dragon Boat Festival may have started during the Qin Dynasty as a day to remove evil spirits and bad luck that were thought to appear on the fifth day of the fifth month. The best known origin story for the Dragon Boast Festival is that it commemorates the death of Qu Yuan, a famous poet and official of the Chu Dynasty during the Warring States Period. He opposed the Chu Dynasty joining an alliance with the Qin, and therefore was banished. When the Qin Dynasty finally took over the Chu Dynasty, he committed suicide by entering the Miluo River (汨羅江 Mìluójiāng) and drowning himself. It was said that the local people went looking for him by rowing dragon shaped canoes, and threw sticky rice balls into the water so that the fish would eat the rice and not Qu Yuan's body. Because of this, during Dragon Boat Festival everyone eats stick rice, or Zongzi, and holds dragon boat races to commemorate Qu Yuan's memory. Another tradition is for people to balance eggs, which is thought to bring good luck during the "unlucky" holiday. Dragon Boat races usually involve a team rowing together, while someone beats a drum to keep rhythm and someone else stands at the front of the boat to catch the flag. Dragon Boat Festival is an official holiday in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, China, and is celebrated by Chinese heritage communities throughout Asia and the world. When is Dragon Boat Festival? The fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar. 2022: June 3rd 2023: June 22nd 2024: June 10th 2025: May 31st 2025: June 19th 2026: June 9th When are Dragon Boat Races in Taiwan? Training starts about a month before Dragon Boat Festival The actual races begin a few days before or on Dragon Boat Festival, and can last a few days after as well. Races usually last the whole day. Where are Dragon Boat Races in Taiwan? Taipei International Dragon Boat Championships: 國際龍舟錦標賽 Dates: (June 3-June 6 2022) Location: Dajie Riverside Park 大佳河濱公園 (under Dazhi Bridge going to Neihu near the airport along the Keelung River. There is parking at the riverside park, but it can get very crowded late in the day). Keelung Dragon Boat Festival 基隆龍舟競賽 Dates: (June 3 2022) Held at Badouzi Harbor 八斗子 Hsinchu County Dragon Boat Festival 新竹縣縣長盃龍舟競賽 Dates: (June 3 2022) Held at No. 156 Chifu Road Hsinfeng Township, at the pond in front of Chihe Temple. 新豐鄉新豐村十五鄰池府路一五六號池和宮前池和湖舉行 Miaoli Dragon Boat Races 苗栗龍舟賽 Dates: (June 3 2022) Held at dragon boat ferry dock along the Zhonggang River in Zhunan. 竹南鎮港墘里中港溪畔的龍舟碼頭 Changhua Taiwan International Dragon Boat Races 台灣國際競技龍舟錦標賽 Dates: (June 1-June 3 2022) Location: Lukang, along the FuLu River near Lukang Old Street (彰化福鹿溪水域) Yunlin Dragon Boat Races 雲林龍舟賽 Dates: (June 3, 11-12 PM 2022) Location: Kouhu Township, Yiwu Wet Pond at the north pond (本縣口湖鄉宜梧滯洪池北池) Chiayi Dragon Boat Races 嘉義龍舟比賽 Dates: (closed in 2022 due to COVID) Location: Dongshi Harbor 東石漁港 Tainan International Dragon Boat Championships: 台南市國際龍舟賽 Dates: (closed in 2022 due to COVID) Location: Yunhe River in Tainan Between Anyi Bridge and Chengtian Bridge, near Anping Old Street 臺南市運河（安億橋至承天橋河段） Kaohsiung Love River Dragon Boat Festival: 高雄愛河端午龍舟嘉年華 Dates: (June 3-June 5 2022) Location: The Love River between Kaohsiung Bridge and Zhongzheng Bridge (愛河， 高雄橋-中正橋). Pingtung County Dragon Boat Race 屏東縣端午龍舟競賽 Dates: (June 2- June 3 2022) Location: Underneath Donggang Great Bridge in Donggang (東港大橋). Yilan County Dragon Boat Race 宜蘭縣端午龍舟競賽 Dates: (closed in 2022 due to COVID) Location: Dongshi Harbor 東石漁港 Along the Yilan River near Qinghe Bridge 宜蘭河慶和橋 Hualien County Dragon Boat Race 花蓮縣端午龍舟競賽 Dates: (June 3 - June 4 2022) Location: Liyu Lake 鯉魚潭 Penghu County Dragon Boat Festival 澎湖縣龍舟競賽 Dates: (June 3 2022) Location: Makung No. 3 Harbor (澎湖縣馬公第3漁港). Kinmen County Dragon Boat Festival 金門縣龍舟競賽 Dates: (June 3 2022) Location: Guningtou Shuangli Lake (金門縣金寧鄉古寧頭雙鯉湖). Map: Please see below for a map of dragon boat racing locations. 
Academia Sinica is the top research institution in Taiwan. It also borders a forest and has beautiful hiking trails where you can enjoy nature and see historical military sites. The area is worth a stroll if you have time.
Background: The trails I will show date back to when the ROC and KMT first retreated to Taiwan. They decided to set up a military compound in Nangang, including training facilities, walls, razor wire, bunkers, towers, etc. Much of this is off limits and secret so I will stop there. Academia Sinica borders to military compound, and for some reason it has aquired some land that belonged to the former military training compound, and made some trails through it. Hours: 24/7 Length/Difficulty: Less than one hour, easy. How to get there: By car/scooter: There is paid car parking at Academia Sinica, and scooters must park outside. By MRT/Bus: Take the blue MRT line to Nangang Exhibition Hall station, then transfer to any number of busses from exit 5 to Academia Sinica. Map: Please see below: 
Dexing Coal Mine in Xinyi District of Taipei is a refurbished coal mining tunnel that has been opened to the public. is a great place to get familiar with the extinct coal mine industry in Taiwan, and is conveniently close to Taipei's city center.
History of Coal Mining in Taiwan: Before I show you my adventure, I’d like to give a background of the coal mining industry in Taiwan. If you aren’t interested, you can just skip this section. Coal mining in Taiwan started during the Dutch rule, starting in Keelung and Tamsui. The Dutch started mines there, but didn’t have sufficient transportation infrastructure to move large amounts of coal. The Koxinga era didn’t see much coal mining. After the Qing dynasty took back Taiwan following Koxinga and his son’s death, the government strictly banned mining of any kind in order to restrict the people from hiding in the mountains and starting rebellions. Despite this, coal was still mined and sold in on the black market in Taiwan. During and after the Opium wars, many English and Americans scouted Taiwan for possible coal deposits. In 1864, despite the ban on coal mining, there was at least 4315 tons of coal exported out of Taiwan. Pressure from western countries to open ports in Asia that had water and coal available to power steam ships forced the Qing government to finally allow legal coal mining in 1870. After the ban was lifted, the size of coal mining operations was still very small. In 1874, due to Japanese influence, Liu Mingchuan convinced Beijing to allow advanced mining machinery in Taiwan, starting in Baodouzi, Keelung, and new mines were started under government control. During this time, many miners died due to poor and unsanitary working conditions and the fact that the government officials running the mines were inexperienced and did not run effective operations. During this time, infrastructure and railways were lacking in Taiwan, halting transportation of coal. By 1892 after the Sino-French war, government owned mines were closed and the industry became privatized. In 1895, Taiwan produced more than 10,000 tons of coal. By this time, Liu Mingchuan had constructed the Keelung-Xinxhu railway, helping alleviate the coal transportation problem. In 1895 Japan took control of Taiwan and Penghu as a result of the Sino-Japanese war, and began to survey the forests and geography to maximize capitalist gains for the empire. Coal would be an important part in industrializing the Empire, as it was the major fuel source at the time. In 1896 Japan opened the coal mining industry to the public, and the next year the price of coal doubled, as demand increased. But as local know how and technology was lacking, imported coal from Japan was actually cheaper than producing it in Taiwan. However in 1906 the coal industry in Taiwan gradually improved. New mining machinery moved to Tianliao, Keelung to support Japan’s Naval fleet. Sugar factories in southern Taiwan also needed a constant supply of coal. During the First World War, the Empire of Japan became an important supplier of coal to western countries fighting in the war, and Taiwan’s coal exports gradually increased. In 1917-1918, Japan opened 194 new coal mines in Taiwan. They also built the Pingxi Railway which became the most productive site for coal mining, in its heyday producing 220,000 tons of coal per year. (The Taiwan coal mine museum now lays here, along withHoutong cat village). However, after World War I ended, the demand for coal declined, many mines closed, and there was widespread overproduction. But as industrialization continued in Taiwan, so did the demand for coal. To keep production going constantly, Japan provided subsidies to coal mines. At the start of the second Sino-Japanese war, demand for coal rose dramatically, as did the price of coal. But also due to losses of manpower during the war, coal production saw a huge drop. In 1945 Japan lost the war and Taiwan and Penghu were given back to China. Not long after this, the remaining government owned mines were transformed into the Taiwan mining company, but by then mining had all but stopped. However by 1949 after the KMT retreated to Taiwan, Taiwan became an important economic partner with America, and coal production began to soar to 1,650,000 tons of coal in 1951, mainly to fuel Taiwan’s coal power plants and other large industries. With economic support from the USA, new mines started opening. In 1960 Taiwan produced 4 million tons of coal. Due to demand and the free market, coal mines gradually started closing and production went down, until by 1964 Taiwan produced only 2.8 million tons of coal. In 1969 Taiwan Power started using gas power plants which were cheaper than coal, lowering demand. By 1977 Taiwan had produced only 2 million tons of coal. During this time, Taiwan also improved safety regulations for coal mines, but accidents still kept happening, forcing the government to close quite a few mines. Here is a list of mining incidents in Taiwan. The lone survivor of one1984 mining incident that killed 93 people survived by cannibalism and drinking pee over a period of 90 hours inside the mine. He later said that if he had to do it all over again, he would still have eaten his coworkers. Local coal soon became more costly to mine than just importing it. In the year 2000, Sanxia’s Lifeng Mine shut down operations, and Taiwan’s mining company closed, and thus all coal mining in Taiwan effectively stopped. History of Xinfeng Coal Mine: Dexingeng Coal Mine was one of many mines around Taipei, as there are many coal seams in the mountains of northern Taiwan. The coal mine was active from 1946-1978. Once the coal mining industry shut down in the late 1990's, this mine shut down too and was left abandoned for a number of years until the area was restored by Taipei City in the early 2000's. Now it is a well kept tourist attraction, where one can enjoy the history of the mine as well as the natural scenery nearby. Hours: 9 AM to 4 PM every day Price: Free How to get there: by scooter/car: by MRT/bus: Map: See below: 
Academia Sinica's Museum of History and Philology is one of the best museums in Taiwan. It has the largest collection of Chinese oracle bone remains in the world. It is also free, usually devoid of people, and has some of the most amazing ancient artifacts from Taiwan and China. It is like a mini National Palace Museum, and is worth a visit on your trip to Taipei.
Background: The museum first began in 1933, just after the Institute of History and Philology was created in 1928 in Beijing. After 1949, the museum was moved to Taiwan as part of the ROC retreat to Taiwan. In 1965 the museum did merge with the National Palace Museum, and was reopened in 1986 when the museum building at Academia Sinica was completed. The building also underwent renovations from 1997-2002. Much of the collection comes from when the institute was located in China, and includes thousands of pieces from prehistoric times, as well as the Shang, Chou, and Han Dynasties. Website: http://museum.sinica.edu.tw/en/visit/ Hours: Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM Price: Free! Temperature: The museum is kept at a cool 20 degrees Celsius, so dress accordingly. How to get there: By car/scooter: There is paid car parking at Academia Sinica, and scooters must park outside. By MRT/Bus: Take the blue MRT line to Nangang Exhibition Hall station, then transfer to any number of busses from exit 5 to Academia Sinica. Map: Please see below: 
Hexing Coal Mine in Xinyi District of Taipei is a refurbished coal mining tunnel that has been opened to the public. is a great place to get familiar with the extinct coal mine industry in Taiwan that is close to Taipei's city center.
History of Coal Mining in Taiwan: Before I show you my adventure, I’d like to give a background of the coal mining industry in Taiwan. If you aren’t interested, you can just skip this section. Coal mining in Taiwan started during the Dutch rule, starting in Keelung and Tamsui. The Dutch started mines there, but didn’t have sufficient transportation infrastructure to move large amounts of coal. The Koxinga era didn’t see much coal mining. After the Qing dynasty took back Taiwan following Koxinga and his son’s death, the government strictly banned mining of any kind in order to restrict the people from hiding in the mountains and starting rebellions. Despite this, coal was still mined and sold in on the black market in Taiwan. During and after the Opium wars, many English and Americans scouted Taiwan for possible coal deposits. In 1864, despite the ban on coal mining, there was at least 4315 tons of coal exported out of Taiwan. Pressure from western countries to open ports in Asia that had water and coal available to power steam ships forced the Qing government to finally allow legal coal mining in 1870. After the ban was lifted, the size of coal mining operations was still very small. In 1874, due to Japanese influence, Liu Mingchuan convinced Beijing to allow advanced mining machinery in Taiwan, starting in Baodouzi, Keelung, and new mines were started under government control. During this time, many miners died due to poor and unsanitary working conditions and the fact that the government officials running the mines were inexperienced and did not run effective operations. During this time, infrastructure and railways were lacking in Taiwan, halting transportation of coal. By 1892 after the Sino-French war, government owned mines were closed and the industry became privatized. In 1895, Taiwan produced more than 10,000 tons of coal. By this time, Liu Mingchuan had constructed the Keelung-Xinxhu railway, helping alleviate the coal transportation problem. In 1895 Japan took control of Taiwan and Penghu as a result of the Sino-Japanese war, and began to survey the forests and geography to maximize capitalist gains for the empire. Coal would be an important part in industrializing the Empire, as it was the major fuel source at the time. In 1896 Japan opened the coal mining industry to the public, and the next year the price of coal doubled, as demand increased. But as local know how and technology was lacking, imported coal from Japan was actually cheaper than producing it in Taiwan. However in 1906 the coal industry in Taiwan gradually improved. New mining machinery moved to Tianliao, Keelung to support Japan’s Naval fleet. Sugar factories in southern Taiwan also needed a constant supply of coal. During the First World War, the Empire of Japan became an important supplier of coal to western countries fighting in the war, and Taiwan’s coal exports gradually increased. In 1917-1918, Japan opened 194 new coal mines in Taiwan. They also built the Pingxi Railway which became the most productive site for coal mining, in its heyday producing 220,000 tons of coal per year. (The Taiwan coal mine museum now lays here, along withHoutong cat village). However, after World War I ended, the demand for coal declined, many mines closed, and there was widespread overproduction. But as industrialization continued in Taiwan, so did the demand for coal. To keep production going constantly, Japan provided subsidies to coal mines. At the start of the second Sino-Japanese war, demand for coal rose dramatically, as did the price of coal. But also due to losses of manpower during the war, coal production saw a huge drop. In 1945 Japan lost the war and Taiwan and Penghu were given back to China. Not long after this, the remaining government owned mines were transformed into the Taiwan mining company, but by then mining had all but stopped. However by 1949 after the KMT retreated to Taiwan, Taiwan became an important economic partner with America, and coal production began to soar to 1,650,000 tons of coal in 1951, mainly to fuel Taiwan’s coal power plants and other large industries. With economic support from the USA, new mines started opening. In 1960 Taiwan produced 4 million tons of coal. Due to demand and the free market, coal mines gradually started closing and production went down, until by 1964 Taiwan produced only 2.8 million tons of coal. In 1969 Taiwan Power started using gas power plants which were cheaper than coal, lowering demand. By 1977 Taiwan had produced only 2 million tons of coal. During this time, Taiwan also improved safety regulations for coal mines, but accidents still kept happening, forcing the government to close quite a few mines. Here is a list of mining incidents in Taiwan. The lone survivor of one1984 mining incident that killed 93 people survived by cannibalism and drinking pee over a period of 90 hours inside the mine. He later said that if he had to do it all over again, he would still have eaten his coworkers. Local coal soon became more costly to mine than just importing it. In the year 2000, Sanxia’s Lifeng Mine shut down operations, and Taiwan’s mining company closed, and thus all coal mining in Taiwan effectively stopped. History of Xinfeng Coal Mine: Xinfeng Coal Mine was one of many mines around Taipei, as there are many coal seams in the mountains of northern Taiwan. Once the coal mining industry shut down in the late 1990's, this mine shut down too and was left abandoned for a number of years until the area was restored by Taipei City in about 2005. Now it is a well kept tourist attraction, where one can enjoy the history of the mine as well as the natural scenery nearby. Hours: 9 AM to 5 PM every day Price: Free How to get there: by scooter/car: by MRT/bus: Map: See below: 
The Yuanshan Grand Hotel is one of the tallest traditional Chinese buildings in the world, and was the tallest building in Taiwan for nearly a decade. It also features multiple restaurants, a swimming pool, all day buffet, shops, and secret underground tunnels, slides, and bunkers. It is a major landmark in Taipei and definitely worth a visit even if you do not plan to spend the night there.
Background: After the ROC government moved to Taiwan in 1949, there was no decent hotel for international travelers and foreign dignitaries, so Chiang Kai-shek planned the Yuanshan Grand Hotel, which was established in 1952. The swimming pool and other buildings were completed in 1953 and 1956, and the main hotel building was completed in 1973. Originally the land where the hotel stands was a Shinto shrine called the Taiwan Grand Shrine, left over from the Japanese Era. In 1995 a fire hit the top floors, and repairs were not completed until 1998, Numerous foreign dignitaries including US presidents have stayed at the hotel. Hours: 24/7 (it's a hotel) Price: Free to walk inside the lobby. Rooms vary from about 3000 NT to 500,000 NT per night. Website: https://www.grand-hotel.org/EN/official/about.aspx?gh=TP Tour times: Every day at 11 AM and 2 PM (check with the front desk to make sure) The tour is 200 NT per person How to get there: By Car/Scooter: The Yuanshan Hotel is a big square building in Taipei near Shilin and Neihu on the Keelung River. You have to take a roundabout road up to the hotel which can be confusing, it may take you two passes to make it into the parking lot. By bus: There is a free shuttle bus from MRT Yuanshan Station. Map: Please see below: 
Beidahuang in Nangang serves gigantic and delicious boiled dumplings, just east of Nangang Train Station, with more meat per dumpling than a pork bun. They are the largest boiled dumplings I have ever seen. If you are in the area, this restaurant is worth a stop.
Hours: 11AM–9:30PM Price: Big boiled dumplings 大顆水餃: 8.5 NT for one How to get there: Beidahuang is just east of Nangang Train Station on Nangang Road. Map: See the map below: 
Fuzhoushan Park in Da'an District of Taipei is a lesser known hiking area around a small forested hill. The park also has some of the best views of Taipei anywhere in the city. If you want the views of Elephant Mountain with an even easier walk and no crowds, this is the place for you.
Background: Fuzhoushan is only about 105 meters above sea level, and the entire hike takes less than an hour. The park also includes an old artillery bunker and some grave sites. Some military buildings were destroyed to make the park more fit with nature when the park was created in 2001. How to get there: By Car/Scooter: From central Taipei, take Keelung Road south until you get to Liuzhangli MRT station, then turn right onto Fuyang Street until you reach the trail entrance. There is free scooter parking and paid car parking nearby. By MRT: The park is within 2 minutes walking distance from either Linguang MRT station. Map: Please see below: 
Chiang Wei-shui Memorial Square in Xinyi District of Taipei commemorates a pioneering Taiwanese physician and notable activist against the Japanese rule in Taiwan. The park also has some of the best views of Taipei anywhere in the city.
Background: Chiang Wei-sui was born in 1890 in Yilan during the Qing Dynasty. He later studied medicine at Taiwan Medical College, and started a Ta'An hospital in Taipei. He would later go on to found the Taiwan Cultural Association and Taiwan People's Party, and protest against Japanese colonial rule. He was imprisoned over 12 times. In 1931 he died of typhoid and the Taiwan People's Party was disillusioned by the Japanese government. He was later known as the Sun Yet-sen of Taiwan, and is respected by all political spectrums. In 2006, National Freeway 5 was named after him. When he died in 1931, Chiang Wei-shui was buried in Neihu, and later in 1952 his bones were moved to a gravesite at the current location of this memorial square, probably to be closer to Taipei Medical University. However in 2012 his bones were moved back to Yilan, his place of birth. Despite this, the park was renovated in 2019 and still commemorates this fighter for democracy and freedom. How to get there: By Car/Scooter: From central Taipei, take Keelung Road south until you get to Liuzhangli MRT station, then turn right. Take a small alley up the mountain on Chongde Road. There should be free parking on the side of the road. By MRT: The park is within 5 minutes walking distance from either Liuzhangli MRT station or Linguang Station on the brown line MRT. Map: Please see below: 
Jinmianshan is a popular hike in Neihu, Taipei that leads to a rocky hilltop with great views of Taipei and the surrounding area. Because of the ease of transportation, short hike, and great views, it has become an Instagram hot spot.
Background: The rock formations that form the Jinmianshan formed as sediment under the ocean millions of years ago, and was later uplifted thanks to the collision of the Eurasian and Philippine plates. The rocks are mainly sedimentary and are part of the same formation that forms the special rock formations on the northern coast around Keelung, and the waterfalls in Pingxi. Jinmianshan sits at 250 meters above sea level. During the Qing Dynasty, the area was used as a rock quarry to build the old Taipei City Wall. Jinmianshan literally means "Gold Face Mountain" which comes from the light shining of the bare rock faces on the sides of the mountain, which makes it look like a gold faced mountain. Length: 1-2 Hours 3 KM 100 meters in elevation gain How to get there: There are basically two ways to get there, by coming from up the mountain on Jinlong road, or from the MRT Xihu Station. By Car/Scooter: Park near the trail entrance on Jinlong Road (where there is more parking) or below near Xihu MRT station. By MRT: The trailhead is within a five minute walking distance from XIhu MRT Station. Map: Please see below: 
The scooter lane coming off the Taipei Bridge from Sanchong into Taipei onto Minquan West Road is one of the most impressive traffic sights in Taiwan, and has become an iconic photo destination. Rows of 10-20 scooters across and 20-40 scooters deep. So there can be about 200-800 cooters on this bridge ramp at a time.
How to get there: By scooter: You can drive through the scooter waterfall by going across the Taipei Bridge from Sanchong. By MRT: You can see the scooters coming off the bridge a few blocks west of Daqiaotou Station on the orange MRT line in Taipei. When to go: Between 7 AM and 9 AM on a workday. That is when you will see the most scooters. Map: Please see below: 
Along the Grand Taipei Trail past mount Nangang there is a trail that extends past Thumb Mountain to Miaogao Peak, which overlooks the Xinyi Expressway, Elephant Mountain, and Xinyi District of Taipei. It does not loop with the Four Beasts Trail, so we have made a separate blog for it.
Difficulty: Easy Length: 400 meters Elevation Gain: About 150 meters Time needed: One hour round trip How to get there: By car/scooter: From Xinyi Road, turn south on Songren Road, the turn on to Songren Road Alley 281 until it goes up the mountain. The trailhead is near a dead end. By bus: From Taipei City Hall MRT Station, take community bus BL5 20 minutes, to within 2 minutes walking distance of the trailhead at Ruiyun St. Intersection stop. Map: Please see below:Ruiyun St. Intersection 
The Elephant Mountain/Four Beasts Mountain trail (aka Xiangshan/Sishoushan Trail) is perhaps the most easily accessible trail in Taipei with perhaps also the best views of the city. This popular and easy hike covers areas of Xinyi and Nangang District, and offers excellent views of the 101 and the rest of downtown Taipei. It should be on the top of your list of places to visit in Taipei.
Background: Elephant Mountain get's its name from the shape of the mountain, which from a distance looks like an elephant. The same is true of the hills next to it: Tiger Mountain, Lion Mountain, and Leopard Mountain. Other peaks on the trail include Mt. Nangang, Thumb Mountain, and 95 Peak. Elephant Mountain lies at 181 meters above sea level, and 95 Peak, the highest peak on the trail, is 375 meters above sea level. These mountains lie on the Nangang Mountain Chain (南岡山系統), which starts in Nangang District, and goes through Xinyi District, Da'an District, and Wenshan District of Taipei. The rock formations that form the Nangang Mountain Chain formed as sediment under the ocean millions of years ago and were then uplifted thanks to the collision of the Eurasian and Phillipine plates. The rocks are mainly sedimentary and are part of the same formation that forms the special rock formations on the northern coast and in Pingxi. The area also has some coal deposits, and there are a few abandoned coal mines on the mountain. Currently Elephant Mountain and the Four Beasts trail is one of the most popular trails in Taipei or all of Taiwan. With quick access to the MRT, hundreds of people hike these trails daily. Hours: 24/7 (there are even lights on the trail at night) Price: Free Length: Elephant Mountain: 1-2 hours 1.5 KM one way Total of about 160 meters in elevation gain Full Four Beasts Trail: 4-6 hours 11KM one way (to China University of Science and Technology) Total of about 350 meters in elevation gain Difficulty: Easy, although there are many steep steps at the beginning. How to get there: By MRT: Take the Red Line MRT to the Elephant Mountain stop. The trailhead is about 500 meters from the MRT station. Just walk along the park to the trailhead. By Scooter/Car: Drive east on Xinyi Raod in Taipei, and turn right at Xiangshan MRT station. There should be scooter and car parking on the street, but car parking may be hard to find. Map: Please see below: 
Foreward: This blog has taken me countless hours over a few years to compile, so if you want to share the information or photos in this blog, please provide a link and proper citation back to this web page.
The New Taiwan Dollar is the national currency of Taiwan (ROC), and it includes five main bills and five main coins that are currently in circulation. It is one of the sure signs that Taiwan is a free and independent nation. Have you ever wondered what the meaning or significance of the designs on these bills? Well in this blog we will explore these in depth. History: Old Taiwan Dollar: Ever wonder what happened to the old Taiwan Dollar? It was the official currency of Taiwan after 1945, replacing the Japanese Yen that had previously been used at roughly the same price. It was discontinued in 1949 due to hyperinflation that hit China after WWII due to the Chinese Civil War, which also affected Taiwan and the Taiwan Dollar. To help solve hyperinflation, the New Taiwan Dollar was created June 15, 1949 as the official currency of Taiwan, after the ROC lost the Chinese Civil War and retreated to Taiwan. The currency was valued as 1 New Taiwan Dollar to 40,000 Taiwan Dollars. New Taiwan Dollar Beginnings: The New Taiwan Dollar currency was adopted as the official currency of the Republic of China only in 1961. Before that, Kinmen and Matsu had their own special currency notes, which have been discontinued. In 2001, the New Taiwan Dollar currency stopped being printed at the Bank of Taiwan, and is now printed at Taiwan's Central Bank. The New Taiwan Dollar bills and coins have gone through many changes over the years, but most of them have included either Chiang Kai-shek or Sun Yat-sen on the face of the notes. After 1976 until 2001, most notes were either 10 NT, 100 NT, 500 NT, and 1000 NT. From then until now, there have been five generations or series of notes and coins. This blog will focus on the current fifth series. For a full list of historical notes, click here. Previous Versions: Before the year 2000, prior generations of bank notes were easily copied, as they lacked special marking and printing techniques. Counterfeit bills were often used in night markets and vegetable markets because they would not be scrutinized for their authenticity. In addition, former bills were less durable and could be ruined even if just put through a washing machine cycle. Although current bills can also still be ruined in a washing machine...sigh. Also the fourth generation of bills(which began circulation in 1982) did not include a 20 NT coin or a 200 or 2000 NT bill; and people normally only used 1 NT, 5 NT, 10 NT, 50 NT, 100 NT, 500 NT, and 1000 NT. Because this was not very long ago, part of the reason the 20 NT, 200 NT, and 2000 NT are not widely used is because people are still used to using only 10 NT, 100 NT, 500 NT and 1000 NT. Current Version: Starting in the year 2000, the central bank began printing the modern fifth generation version of New Taiwan Dollar notes that we use today. The current 100 NT note was first printed in 2000, the 200 NT and 2000 NT notes were first printed in 2001, and the current 500 NT and 1000 NT notes were first printed in 2004. In 2001, the 20 NT coin was introduced, but other coins remained the same. New Taiwan Dollars can be denoted as TWD, NTD or NT$. Common symbols on the New Taiwan Dollar:
Current coins and bills in circulation (fifth series of the new Taiwan Dollar): 
Longdong (aka Dragon Caves -龍洞 Lóngdòng) is a popular spot for snorkeling, scuba diving, and rock climbing. There is also a large sea cave there (pictured above) from where the place gets its name.
Background: The sandstone that forms Longdong was formed as sediment under the ocean millions of years ago and were then uplifted thanks to the collision of the Eurasian and Philippine plates. The rocks are mainly sedimentary and are part of the same formation that forms the special rock formations on the northern coast around Keelung. Because of this, there are many interesting eroded rock formations around the cape. The name Longdong (龍洞 Lóngdòng) means dragon cave in Chinese, named after the prominent cave in the area. The area is a popular weekend destination for many residents of Northern Taiwan. Hours: 24/7 Price: Free How to get there: By Car/Scooter: From Keelung, take provincial highway 2 east along the north coast until you reach the Longdong. There is limited parking near the harbor, and further free parking farther away. By Bus: From Keelung TRA Station, take Keelung Bus 791 east about two hours to Longdong. Map: Please see below: 
The Fulong-Coaling-Sandiao Cape- bike route is one of the most biker friendly routes in Taiwan, the roughly 2 hour loop is something that the whole family can enjoy. It includes a 2KM ride through the Old Coaling Railroad Tunnel, as well as a ride along the Sandiao Cape coast on an enclosed bike path, where one can enjoy great views of the ocean, Turtle Island, wavy geological features on the coastline, and historical stone villages along the way. This bike route is highly recommended for people of all ages.
Background: The area around Fulong was originally inhabited by the Basay indigenous tribe who has a village and hunting grounds there. In 1626, the Spanish landed near Fulong and renamed the location Santiago (transliterated from Taiwanese as Sandiao 三貂, as in Sandiao Cape). After the Qing colonized Taiwan, many Fujianese fisherman relocated to the area and began to build the iconic stone houses you can see today. The Old Caoling Tunnel was built in 1924 during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, and is 2,167 meters long. At the time it was built, it was the longest tunnel in Taiwan. The tunnel took 3 years to build due to delays from Malaria, remoteness of the location, and digging accidents killing 11 people and injuring over 300. The tunnel was only one lane wide, too narrow for electric trains, and so was decommissioned in 1985 and lay waste for 22 years. The tunnel was reopened when the Coaling Bicycle Loop was created in 2007, using the old Caoling Tunnel as its main looping point. Also, along the northeast coast are some old fishing villages that have been around since the Qing Dynasty, including traditional stone houses. One of these historical villages called Magang (馬崗) is in threat of destruction to make way for a resort. however as Li Yongping out it "The thing that attracts modern travelers most is not 5 star hotels, but history and culture!" Save the Magang Stone Houses! Besides these historical sites, there is amazing scenery along the bike ride, such as views of Turtle Island and long flat sections of layered rock (see below to know what I am talking about). Price: Bicycle Rental: 100-500 NT depending on the bike Electric Bicycle Rental: 300-400 NT Riding Time: The whole bike route is about 20 KM and takes 1-2 hours to complete. We were going really slow with many pit stops and it took us 2 hours. Hours: The Old Caoling Tunnel is open from 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM. It is okay to walk through the tunnel on weekdays, but on weekends only bike traffic is allowed for safety reasons. When to go: May to October when the weather is nice and the water is warm. Winter on the northeast coast is cold and windy. How to get there: By Train: Take the TRA train to Fulong Station. Walk straight from the station and you will see tons of bike rental shops. By Car/Scooter: Take provincial highway 2 from Qidu in Keelung through the mountains past Shifen and Shuangxi until you reach Gongliao on the coast. The beach is right in front of the train station, and there is free parking in front of Dongxing Temple. From there you can walk to the train station where there are bike rentals everywhere. 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
February 2023
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