Baimiweng Fort 白米甕砲台

6/29/2023

Baimiweng Fort is an abandoned fort in Keelung that is now open to the public, dating back to the Dutch colonization of Taiwan. Here you can learn more about Taiwan's colonial history, and enjoy amazing panoramic views of Keelung and the surrounding area. Keelung Lighthouse is also within walking distance.

Background:
Baimiweng Fort is thought to have been built over the ruins of either Milaen Fort or Fort Clement, which were Dutch Forts built in the 1600s, seen on maps at the time. It was later used by the Qing forces, and was occupied briefly by French forces during the Sino-French war. The current fort that you see today was built during the Japanese era in Taiwan in 1900 to defend against Russia, in response to the Russio-Japanese War. It had some of the first artillery emplacements in Keelung and acted as a first line of defense. During the Japanese era, the fort was occupied and renovated in 1927 and expanded in 1931.
After the ROC took control of Taiwan, the fort no longer stationed troops and was abandoned, and used as a public restroom for local residents. The fort then underwent restoration work in 1980, and a later restoration was completed in 2021 including hiking trails to connect with Keelung Lighthouse. Keelung Lighthouse was built during the Qing Dynasty in 1900 and refurbished in 1962. It is still an important lighthouse for ships in the area.
The Fort is a popular location for tourists especially on weekends and holidays.

Hours:
7 AM to 7 PM every day

Price:
Free

Tours near Keelung:
There are many tour itineraries that you can enjoy in Keelung that will take you to multiple destinations and arrange transportation. For more information, you can check out Tripadvisor here, KKday here or Klook here, which are both great tour websites that can connect you with the right tour and tour guide for you.
Here are some of the post popular tours of Taipei on Tripadvisor:

Attractions around Keelung:
There are many attractions that you can enjoy in Keelung such as Heping Island Park, Miaokou Night Market, Chaojing Smart Aquarium, Kanziding Fish Market, National Museum of Marine Science and Biology, Yehliu Ocean World, Yehliu Geopark, Jiufen, Elephant Trunk Rock, Ju Ming Museum, New Taipei Gold Museum, Bat Cave, Candlestick Islet,  and many more attractions on Tripadvisor here, Klook here, or KKday here.

Activities in Keelung:
Yachting, Fishing, Surfing, SUP / Paddle Boarding, Diving, Snorkeling Kayaking, Canoeing, Water Biking,  River Tracing / Canyoneering, Glamping, Motorcycling, Motorbike Tour, Shen'ao Rail Bike, Night Fishing, Instagram Tour, Metaverse VR experience, Seaside Picnic, and more on Tripadvisor here, Klook here, or KKday here.

Just to let you know, if you book using the links above, we get some commission at no cost to you, and you can help support our blog. Some of the Klook links may not work if you are using an Ad blocker.
You can click here to receive $5 USD on your first Klook purchase.

Hotels in Keelung:
We recommend Just Live Inn-Keelung and Yung Feng Hotel, which are two great quality hotels for a reasonable price in Keelung's City Center.
You can book Just Live Inn-Keelung on Booking.com here, Agoda here, Klook here, Hotels.com here, Trip.com here, or Kayak here.
You can book Yung Feng Hotel on Booking.com here, Agoda here, Hotels.com here, Trip.com here, Klook here, or Kayak here,

How to get there:
By Car/scooter: From Keelung Station, take Zhongshan First Road to Guanghua Road Lane 37, and then go up the hill to the fort. The hill may be hard to drive a car up, and there is limited parking at the top.
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.
Looking for scooter rental in northern Taiwan? You can search on Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here.
By Bus: From Keelung TRA Station, you can take bus 301 to Taibaizhuang Station, from which the fort is about a 10 minute walk. You can purchase a discount easy card to use on the MRT and buses from Klook here or KKday here. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook 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 cycling tour on TripAdvisor here.
For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here.

Map:

Our Journey:

I have been to Baimiweng Fort once in 2023. It is one of the best preserved forts in northern Taiwan, and also has one of the best views. I highly recommend visiting.

For a full view of the area, check out our drone footage above.

Or check out the 360 degree spherical panorama above.

There is a great view of Keelung Harbor here.

Driving up here can be hard, but there is usually free parking on the side of the road. The streets coming up are steep and only one lane.

Path up to the fort.

Blurry photo of different trails.

There is also a basketball court and more scooter parking at the top.

Full view of the fort.

View looking left at the fort.

The fort is disability and stroller friendly.

View to the left of the fort.

View inside one of the old turrets. All the guns have been removed.

View to the left with the coal powerplant in the background.

View looking out to the sea.

View of the fort looking from the side.

View of the coal powerplant next door.

Looking down at the sea wall in front of the coal powerplant.

Aerial view of the fort.

Looking up at the left side of the fort.

View of the fort from higher up.

View looking down at Keelung Harbor.

View from inside the fort.

More rooms inside the fort.

This part of the fort had been refurbished including a wooden ceiling.

Another view looking out of the fort.

I assume this was to shove used artillery shells down.

There is also a fine public bathroom here.

Keelung Lighthouse 基隆燈塔

Unfortunately, Keelung Lighthouse was closed for renovations when we visited. It was built during the Qing Dynasty in 1900 and refurbished in 1962. It is still an important lighthouse for ships in the area.

An explanation of the lighthouse in Chinese.

Last view from the lighthouse.

View down the hill from the lighthouse.

I also want to mention we tried to get to Gangziliao Fort (槓子寮砲臺) but the road was closed. You can read more about it in this blog by Taiwan Trails and Tales.

We also tried to make it to Sijiaoting Fort (四腳亭砲台) but the people there said the gate was closed, and there were tons of mean dogs. If you try to go there, make sure that you leave before 5 PM or you might not be able to get out. These two forts are not so tourist friendly.

Check out more photos of Baimiweng Fort above.

You can book a tour to Taiwan's North Coast on TripAdvisor here, Klook here, or KKday here.

Don't forget that there are many activities available along Taiwan's Northern Coast such as Wakeboarding, Surfing, Speedboat Surfing, SUP / Paddle Boarding, Diving, Snorkeling Kayaking, Canoeing, Water Biking, River Tracing / Canyoneering, ATVing, Horse Riding, Archery, Tree Climbing, Glamping, Motorcycling, Motorbike Tour, Dragon Boat Racing, Shen'ao Rail Bike, and more on Tripadvisor here, Klook here, or KKday here.

Check out our guide to Keelung here.

Check out our Taipei hiking and trails guide here.

Check out our Taipei Museum Guide here.

Check out our full guide to Taiwan’s Northern Coast here.

You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here.

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