Foreigners in Taiwan - 外國人在臺灣
  • Home 首頁
  • Blog 部落格
  • Taiwan FAQ 常見問題
  • Blog Index 部落格指南
  • Maps 地圖
  • About 關於我們
  • Contact Us 聯絡我們
  • Privacy 隱私
  • Home 首頁
  • Blog 部落格
  • Taiwan FAQ 常見問題
  • Blog Index 部落格指南
  • Maps 地圖
  • About 關於我們
  • Contact Us 聯絡我們
  • Privacy 隱私

Blog Posts

Guide to Toucheng 頭城懶人包

12/8/2021

0 Comments

 
Share

Tweet
Picture
Toucheng Township in Yilan is known for its amazing beaches, but there is much more to do here, such as visit Lanyang Museum, visit Turtle Island, enjoy seafood, traditional fishing harbors, recreational farms, hiking, cycling, surfing lessons, and much more. Here is a short guide to Toucheng, to let you know the variety of activities that you can enjoy here. 

Background:
Before Chinese settlers came, the area around Toucheng was inhabited by the Ketagalan Aboriginal tribe, whose language is now extinct.
The name Toucheng literally means "first town" in Chinese, because it was the first settlement in Yilan, settled in the late 1700s. With the nearby Wushih and Touwei Harbors around the same time, it became the economic focal point of Yilan. However in the late 1800s and early 1900s Wushih Harbor and Touwei Harbor silted in, reducing their function.
With the advent of the Japanese built Yilan railway line in the mid-1900's, as well as constant floods and continually silting of the harbors, Toucheng quickly lost its importance economically and fell into decay. 
After residents of Turtle Island were relocated to Daxi in Toucheng, Daxi Harbor was expanded and has become one of the largest fishing harbors in the area. 
Due to its close proximity to Taipei, Toucheng has become a major tourist area and may be the most popular surfing location in Taiwan. 

How to get there:
By TRA: Take the TRA to any of the stations in Toucheng, 
By Car: From Taipei, take National Freeway 5 to Toucheng. Be careful to note that on Sundays there are highway controls for cars travelling from Yilan to Taipei from 3 PM to 8 PM, so avoid travelling back to Taipei at that time to beat the traffic. 


Map:
See below for a map of places that are covered in this blog:

Places we will cover in this Blog:
  • ​Toucheng Old Street 頭城老街
  • Lanyang Museum 蘭陽博物館
  • Turtle Island 龜山島
  • Wushi Harbor Whale and Dolphin Seafood Restaurant 烏石港鯨豚海鮮餐廳
  • Wu's Harbour Contemporary Cuisine 伍叁港
  • Hygeia Hostel 海吉兒民宿
  • ​Waiao Beach 外奧沙灘
  • ​Jhen Tea Bar 珍韻茶站
  • Super George Surf 喬治衝浪
  • ​Double Lion Beach 雙獅沙灘
  • Fishing Village Kitchen 漁村厨房
  • Toucheng Leisure Farm 頭城農場
  • Daxi Port 大溪漁港
  • Caoling Old Trail 草嶺古道
  • Caoling Old Tunnel Bicycle Loop 草嶺隧道環狀線
​
These places are listed in roughly south to north order, which is the direction you would travel if you are driving from Taipei.
To start off, please see below for a video of our tour to Toucheng. 
We were invited on a tour to Toucheng to help foreigners learn more about what there is to do in this amazing place. We have already been to Toucheng a few times, so a few of the places mentioned below were not on our tour. 
It should be noted that we visited all of these places with toddler aged kids. 

Let's get started!

​Toucheng Old Street 頭城老街
Picture
Toucheng Old Street (officially Heping Street 和平街) is the oldest street in Yilan, dating back to the Qing Dynasty. It was once the economic center of Yilan, but it's importance was later replaced. Now it sits as a monument to the past, with few changes as compared to its former glory. It's definitely worth a stop on your trip through Yilan. For more about the old street, check out our full blog here. 

Lanyang Museum 蘭陽博物館
Picture
The Lanyang Museum focuses on Toucheng's history and artifacts. If you want to learn about the history of Toucheng, this is the place to visit. It is also a beautiful building, designed in the shape of Cuestas, or slanted rocks that appear commonly along Toucheng's coastline.  
Picture
A giant whale one display in the main entrance. 
When we visited, we only stayed for the child play area, but there is much more to explore here if you have time. 

Turtle Island (Guishan Island) 龜山​島
Picture
Guishan Island (literally Turtle Mountain Island) is a turtle shaped island off the coast of Yilan in Eastern Taiwan. Once inhabited by fisherman, it is now a coast guard base, but is open for day tours. The island tour includes beautiful sea cliffs, hiking, a lake, abandoned village, military tunnels,  and whale watching just offshore. Tours are offered from March to November. For more information, check out our full blog here. 

Wushi Harbor Whale and Dolphin Seafood Restaurant 烏石港鯨豚海鮮餐廳
Picture
There are so many amazing seafood restaurants in Toucheng, most of them near the ocean and fishing harbors. One such restaurant of Wushi Harbor Whale and Dolphin Seafood Restaurant, which offers authentic Taiwanese seafood cuisine. 
Picture
The owner was also very nice and even took a photo with us.
The food here was delicious and amazing. I highly recommend it, especially if you have a large group of people and want to share and authentic Taiwanese seafood experience. For more photos of the restaurant, please see above. 

Happiness No. 36 Seafood Restaurant 幸福36海鮮餐廳
Picture
Another amazing restaurant near Wushi Harbor is Happiness No. 36 Seafood Restaurant, which sits right on the main road in front of Wai'ao Beach. The restaurant has views of the ocean, and you can find themes of Toucheng within the cuisine here. 
Picture
One of the owners was also nice enough to show use around and explain the many photos of Toucheng around the restaurant.
They also had bowls shaped like Turtle Island. The reason the restaurant is called "53" is because it sounds like "Wushi" in Chinese. The 5 and 3 are also shaped to look like a fish. For more photos of the restaurant, please see above. 
Picture
Above the restaurant, the owners also won a 5 star hostel, each room having amazing views of the ocean and Wai'ao Harbor.
For more photos of the hostel, please see above. 

Hygeia Hostel 海吉兒民宿
Picture
Another amazing hostel in the area is Hygeia Hostel, which also sits near Wai'ao Beach. It is more like a villa, with cabins that are meant to be booked for the whole family. The architect of the Lanyang Museum is said to have taken his inspiration from a rock outside the Hygeia Hostel, a farm like escape that was once an eel fa​rm. But that's just what I heard, there are many rocks like this in Yilan.
Picture
The above is a real photo from the upstairs bedroom, no photoshop needed. 
Picture
The hostel owner was very gracious and offered us some delicious local guava. He also helped to order breakfast from a local shop and send it to us the next morning. He told me that the land was inherited from his father who was an eel farmer here, and he converted the land into a hostel, which has won many awards and was the scene for a famous Taiwanese film. He himself ran a clothing factory in Yilan, until it was sold to China. He can also help guests book itineraries, such as paragliding and visiting turtle island. If you want to do both in one day, it's called the 007 itinerary. 
For more photos of this amazing hostel, see the gallery above. ​

​Wai'ao Beach 外澳沙灘
Picture
Wai'ao Beach (aka Gangao Beach 港澳沙灘, or Wai'ao Ocean Recreation Area 外澳海水浴場) in Toucheng township of Yilan County is one of the most popular surfing destinations in Taiwan. It features a long flat sandy beach and constant waves. It is also a special beach in Taiwan because you have a constant view of another island in the distance, Turtle Island. It is definitely a great beach worth visiting. For our full blog on this beach, click here. 
Check out our video above for a bird's eye view of the beach.
​
Jhen Tea Bar 珍韻茶站
Picture
Jhen Tea Bar is a newly opened tea shop and café in front of Toucheng TRA station. We met one of the owners, Brian. They also give surf lessons. This custom board was by a local craftsman who is also growing his business. As more people take surfing lessons, they can come help to grow this emerging sport in Taiwan.
Picture
View of the tea bar from the front entrance of the station. The tea bar sits next to the famous Drifter's Pizza Pub, not mentioned in this blog. 
For more photos of the tea bar and treats on its menu, see the photo gallery above. 
​Super George Surf 喬治衝浪
Picture
I was lucky enough to take a surfing lesson at Super George Surf. It was about 3000 NT for a three hour lesson, and well worth it. When I decided to live permanently in Taiwan, I told my mom that I would go surfing every day at the beach. But after five years here, I only went surfing for the first time last week at Double Lion Beach in Yilan. I was surprised how tiring it is!
Picture
First, we practiced mounting the board inside on stilts. It was good practice for the real thing.

Double Lion Beach 雙獅沙灘
Picture
For our surf lesson, we went to Double Lion Beach across the street. There are less people here and awesome waves. The reason it is called Double Lion Beach is because of the two lions in front of the temple that looks over the beach. 
Picture
I got up on my surfboard a few times, but it was really tiring. I plan to go surfing many more times in the future, it is a fun sport that I have been missing out on. 
See above for a video of our surf lesson taken by my surf instructor. 
​
Fishing Village Kitchen 漁村厨房
Picture
Fish Village Kitchen looks over Gengfang Harbor in Yilan. It's no regular seafood restaurant; you have to make your own food here! Here you can experience getting fresh fish from the port, preparing it, and learning about sustainable fisheries.
Picture
You have to get there early in the morning to get the full experience. The lady in charge gave us a background of the many fish species nearby and sustainable fishing.
Picture
Soon we were making our own seafood dishes using her recipies. She also stepped in to make sure we didn't ruin our own lunch. 
Picture
In the end we prepared a delicious and filling meal.
Picture
She also took us to the harbor to see fresh fish be caught and sold in real time. 
Picture
There is also an ice machine here that give ice to the fisherman. The Ice machine used to be under her house which ran 24/7, but long hours working in the cold was not sustainable, so now the ice operation is run by the government, however it is not open at night when the fisherman need the ice most. 
Picture
Her husband also owns a fishing boat, and has hired a few Filipino's to help work on it. All the fish used is caught by her husband. 
See above for more photos of our experience at Fishing Village Kitchen.

Picture
Also, the only gas stations in Taiwan that services both cars and boats is at Gengliao Harbor. 

Toucheng Leisure Farm 頭城農場
Picture
Toucheng Farm is not just a farm but also a leisure area, hotel, restaurant, and activity area. Here we also fed water buffalo, learned sustainable farming, the ancient art of sweet potato baking, lime juice fermentation, and painted T-shirts. Overall it was a fun time that the whole family can enjoy.

Website: ​https://www.tcfarm.com.tw/en/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tcfarmeng/​
​Twitter: https://twitter.com/toucheng_farm​
Picture
The restaurant offers buffet style breakfast, lunch, and dinner for guests, using local and farm grown ingredients. 

Picture
We were also taken on a tour with one of the farm's chefs, David. You can see a map of the farm above. 
Picture
David also showed us some amazingly sweet organically grown passion fruit. 
Picture
And they let us feed the water buffalo that are raised there at the farm. 
Picture
We also got to feed the goats. 
Picture
And we also met the sustainable artist who is responsible for much of the artwork around the farm, made from recycled materials. 
Picture
We also spent time making sweet potatoes the old fashioned way, making clay stone kilns, making a fire, and then burying the potatoes in the hot earth for about an hour to cook. 
Picture
We also designed our own sky lantern and lit it off into the sky. 
Picture
In addition, we made our own lime juice, which has to ferment for three months before you can drink it. 
Picture
And we made souvenir T-shirts by pressing paint onto local plants and stamping them on.
See above for more of our adventures at Toucheng Leisure Farm. 
​
Daxi Fishing Port 大溪漁港
Picture
Daxi Fishing Harbor in Toucheng Township, Yilan County has one of the biggest seafood markets in the area. Originally it was smaller, but when the residents of Turtle Island were moved here, they expanded the harbor so that more boats could fit. This is where you can get some of the freshest seafood there is, every day at 2:30 PM.
Picture
Every day, there are tons of stalls selling fresh seafood in front of the harbor. 
Picture
You can also see many colorful boats in the harbor, with a backdrop of Turtle Island. 
Picture
There is also an indoor market with a few restaraunts inside. 
For more photos of Daxi Fishing Harbor, see the gallery above. 

Caoling Old Trail 草嶺古道
Picture
The Caoling Old Trail (aka Caoling Historic Trail) is a section of the Danlan Old Trail connecting Gongliao District of New Taipei to Dali District of Toucheng Township in Yilan. In the past it was an important shipping route for goods from Yilan to Tamsui. Now it is a popular and family friendly hiking route due to its convenient public transportation, slow elevation gain, grassy mountain hills, and great views of the surrounding area. ​For more about this place, see our blog
here.
See above for our drone video of Caoling Old Trail. 

Caoling - Fulong Bicycle Loop 草嶺-福隆環狀線
Picture
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. For our full blog, click here. 
Or see above for our video of the entire bicycle loop.

Thanks for reading and let us know your favorite location in Toucheng down in the comments. 
Share
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

     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.

    ​​我們是在台灣的外國人!我們透過額部落格想要幫助外國人了解台灣生活,旅遊,和商業的環境!我們不代表所有在台灣的外國人, 我們只是想要幫助世界各地的人了解台灣美好的一切! (美國人在管理)

    Archives 檔案

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014

    Categories
    ​類目

    All
    2006120221
    Aboriginal Culture 原住民文化
    Alishan-384633732423665
    Alishan-384633732423665
    Amusement Parks 娛樂園
    Aquariums 海洋館
    Art 藝術
    Basic Info 基本資訊
    Beaches 海灘
    Blogroll 部落格名單
    Bridges 橋梁
    Buddhism 佛教
    Buddhism 佛教
    Business 商業
    Business 商業
    Camping 露營
    Car Driving Test 考汽車駕照
    Car Rental 租氣車
    Caves 山洞
    Changhua 彰化
    Chiayi 嘉義
    Children Activities 小孩活動
    Chinese Film 中文電影
    Chinese Language 中文
    Chinese Language 中文
    Chinese Literature 中文文學
    Chinese Literature 中文文學
    Chinese Pollution 中國污染
    City Parks 都市公園
    Click Bait 點擊誘餌
    Coal Mining 煤礦
    Cycling 騎腳踏車
    Cycling 騎腳踏車
    Daily Life 日常生活
    Daoism 道教
    Driving In Taiwan 開車
    Drone Flying 飛空拍機
    East Taiwan 東部
    Ershui 二水
    Events 活動
    Festivals 節日
    Fish Foot Massage 溫泉魚
    Floral Sea 花海
    Food
    Food 食物
    Forts 堡壘
    Fruit 水果
    Geography 地理
    Geography 地理
    Geology 地質
    Golf 高爾夫球
    Green Energy 綠色能源
    Growing Bananas 種香蕉日記
    Guest Blog Posts 客人部落格
    Hakka Culture 客家文化
    Hiking
    Hiking 爬山
    Historical Buildings 歷史建築
    Historical Buildings 歷史建築
    Hot Springs 溫泉
    Hot Springs 溫泉
    Hsinchu 新竹
    Hualien 花蓮
    Immigration/Visa 移民/簽證
    Japanese Era 日治時期
    Jiaoxi 礁溪
    Jiaoxi 礁溪
    Kaohsiung 高雄
    Keelung 基隆
    Kenting 墾丁
    Kinmen 金門
    Lakes And Reservoirs 湖及水庫
    Lighthouses 燈塔
    Longdong 龍洞
    Lukang 鹿港
    Luodong Night Market 羅東夜市
    Maolin 茂林
    Matsu Islands 馬祖列島
    Miaoli 苗栗
    Migrant Workers 外籍勞動
    Monkeys 猴子
    Monkeys 猴子
    Mountain Biking 越野
    Mountain Biking 越野
    Museums 博物館
    Nangang 南港
    Nantou 南投
    National Forest Recreation Areas 國家森林游樂區
    National Palace Museum 故宮
    National Palace Museum 故宮
    National Parks 國家公園
    Natural Scenery 自然風景
    New Taipei 新北市
    Night Market 夜市
    Northern Coast 北海岸
    Not Taiwan 台灣以外的地方
    Nuclear Power 核能
    Nuclear Power 核能
    Offroading 越野
    Old City Gates 古城門
    Old Streets 老街
    Old Trails 古道
    Orchid Island (Lanyu 蘭嶼)
    Outer Islands 外島
    Pathos And Logos 情與理
    Penghu Islands 澎湖群島
    Pingtung 屏東
    Pingxi Railway 平息火車綫
    Politics 政治
    Politics 政治
    Railways 鐵路
    Recreational Farms 休閑農場
    River Tracing 朔溪
    Rock Climbing 攀岩
    Scooter Driving Test 考機車駕照
    Scooter Rental 租機車
    Scooter Rental 租機車
    Seafood Markets 海鮮市場
    Shiding 石碇
    Shilin Night Market 士林夜市
    Shilin Night Market 士林夜市
    Shopping 購物
    Sicao Green Tunnel 四草綠色隧道
    Smokestacks 烟囪
    Snorkeling 浮潛
    Snorkeling 浮潛
    Starting A Taiwan Business 創業
    Starting A Taiwan Business 創業
    Sun Moon Lake 日月潭
    Sun Moon Lake 日月潭
    Surfing 3490928010
    Taichung 臺中
    Tainan 3327421335
    Tainan-3327421335
    Taipei 101 101
    Taipei 101 2148821271 101
    Taipei-101-2148821271-101
    Taipei 2148821271
    Taipei-2148821271
    Taipei Zoo 台北動物園
    Taipei Zoo 台北動物園
    Taipei 臺北
    Taipei 臺北
    Taitung 臺東
    Taiwanese Spouse 台灣配偶
    Taiwan FAQ 臺灣常見問題
    Taiwan History 台灣的歷史
    Taiwan History 台灣的歷史
    Taiwan's Economy 台灣經濟
    Taiwan's Economy 台灣經濟
    Taiwan Temples 臺灣的廟
    Tamsui 淡水
    Taoyuan 桃園
    Taroko Gorge 太魯閣
    Tax 稅
    Top 10 前十名
    Top 10 前十名
    Top 5 前5名
    Transportation 交通
    Tsai Yingwen 蔡英文
    Turtle Island 龜山島
    Turtle Island 龜山島
    Typhoons 颱風
    Ultimate Guide 極限指南
    Urbex 城市探險
    Waterfalls 瀑布
    Weather 天氣
    White Terror 白色恐怖
    Wildlife 野生動物
    Women In Chinese Society 女士們在中國社會
    Working In Taiwan 在台灣工作
    Working In Taiwan 在台灣工作
    Wulai Hot Springs 烏來溫泉
    Xiaoliuqiu 小琉球
    Xitou 溪頭
    Xitou 溪頭
    Xizhi 汐止
    Yangmingshan 陽明山
    Yilan 宜蘭
    Yunlin 雲林
    Yushan (Jade Mt.) 玉山
    Zhongtaishan 中台山
    Zoos 動物園

    RSS Feed

Follow us on social media:


Follow @foreignersinTW