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. Tours: You can book a tour of Taipei on Tripadvisor here, KKday here or Klook here. Where to stay: High end: We have stayed at and recommend the Nangang Marriott (book on Booking.com here or Agoda here). We have also stayed at and recommend the Yuanshan Grand Hotel, once the tallest building in Taiwan and still the most grand (book on Booking.com here or Agoda here). Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Booking.com here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan. Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here. How to get there: By car/scooter: There is paid car parking at Academia Sinica, and scooters must park outside. Looking for scooter rental in Taipei? You can search on Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can use Taiwan's many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. ​You can also book a Sunset Riverside Bike Ride and Historical Tour, 4 Hour Cycling in Taipei, Ultimate 8-Hour Cycling City Tour, or Taipei City Bike Tour with Night Market Experience on TripAdvisor here. For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here. 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. You can purchase a discount easy card to use on the MRT from Klook here or KKday here. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook here. Map: Please see below: Our Journey: I have been to these trails many times. Academia Sinica's biomedical research center was newly completed in 2019 and is just a beautiful building on land acquired from the military. 
They put in a really beautiful retention pond.
You can see the Taipei 101 from here. And walls to the military compoud.
And beautiful sunset in the evening.
Another building with dead end ending at the military compound.
Closeup of the dead end and the 101.
Behind this building are some bunkers. I am not sure if they are still open to the public now.
There are two bunkers here.
Both totally empty.
More photos of the area can be seen above.
On the other side of the buildings is a really sketchy trail that puts you into some military ruins.
The trail runs across an old cement wall that still has razor wire and gun holes.
Do not attempt to climb the wall.
And there is an abandoned guard tower on the hill.
View of the 101 from the tower.
View of the CTBC building.
View of Jiuzhuang.
Looking over at the new buildings.
Isnide the old tower.
Someone tried to clean here.
Another view out the window.
Camouflaged paint pealing off.
More of the wall and an electric tower.
Tree growing on the wall.
The wall extends the entire time. I could vividly imagine a Chinese attack on Taipei that led to guerilla warfare on this hill. It would be a hard fight.
No one is getting past this hole.
This gate leads to a trail to Nangang Station. I don't know why it was shut.
But it hasn't stopped people from climbing through the fence.
More photos of the trail above.
And here a chain link fence blocked the road into the active military training area.
You can also look for more activities in Taipei such as Rock Climbing, Surfing, Speedboat Surfing, Diving, Snorkeling, Cooking Class, Glamping, Motorcycling, and more on Klook here or KKday here. You can get a 20% discount on the Taiwan High Speed Rail to Nangang on Klook here or KKday here. Check out our full guide to Nangang here. Check out our list of the best views of Taipei here. Check out our Taipei hiking and trails guide here. Also be sure to check out our full guide to Taipei here. You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here.
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Author 作家I am an American expat who has extensive experience living, working, and traveling in Taiwan. In my day, I had to learn many things about Taiwan the hard way. But I have come to learn that Taiwan is one of the best places in the world for Foreigners to live. This blog does not represent the opinions of every foreigner in Taiwan. I am just trying to help others learn more about this beautiful country. Categories
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