 Beitou is one of the best day trips near Taipei and a popular tourist location. As a result, many restaurants have opened in the area, especially around Xinbeitou MRT Station. In this guide, we will tell you how to enjoy food in this area like a local and eat your way through Beitou.
Please note that this is not a comprehensive guide. For the latest prices, opening hours, and other information, you should check Google. Table of Contents
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 Marshall Zen Garden (also known as Shaoshuai Zen Garden 少帥展館) was originally a Japanese era Inn and home to Zhang Xueliang, an outcast Chinese warlord who spent more than 50 years on house arrest here. Now it has been renovated and converted into a restaurant, museum, and hot spring bath. Sitting in the hills of Beitou, it has great views of the surrounding area and Mount Guanyin. It is a great place to enjoy the scenery in Beitou.
Table of Contents Historical Background:Marshall Zen Garden was originally known as Xintaka Inn 新高旅社 which was built in 1920. Later, during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, served as a comfort station for Kamikaze pilots before their suicide missions. In the 1960s, Zhang Xueliang 張學良, the “Young Marshal” (Shaoshuai 少帥 in Chinese) who was placed under house arrest by Chiang Kai-shek, and also lived here in seclusion with his wife, Zhao Yidi 趙一荻. Zhang Xueliang, who lived through significant moments in Chinese modern history, was born in 1901 and was the son of a Chinese Warlord. After his father’s assassination by the Japanese in 1928, Zhang Xueliang took over leadership and played a critical role in the unification of China. Zhang initiated the Xi’an Incident. The Xi’an Incident occurred in December 1936, when Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng detained Chiang Kai-shek to force him to stop the civil war against the Chinese Communist Party. They demanded that Chiang focus on uniting with the communists to resist the growing threat of Japanese invasion. As a result, Chiang harbored deep hatred for Zhang especially because of losses during the Chinese Civil War, and kept him under house arrest for more than 50 years. Following the suggestion of Soong Mei-ling and with the approval of Chiang Ching-kuo, Zhang purchased the land with his own money and built a residence. He remained there until 1995, when he moved to Hawaii and sold the property. Xueliang passed away in Honolulu in 2001, at the age of 101, concluding a life that spanned a century and mirrored China’s turbulent history. Marshal Zen Garden is now a popular spot for tourists and can get crowded on the weekends. 
Guandu Nature Park (關渡自然公園) is a large park a nature reserve in Beitou District of Taipei. The park was originally planned to be turned into a stadium but was saved by wildlife conservationists who were concerned about the birds and wetlands within the park. The area includes bike trails, bird-watching observatories, and walking trails. It is definitely worth a visit on your next trip to Taipei.
Historical Background: Around 1700 during the Qing Dynasty, the area around Guandu Nature Park was a vast body of water. By 1875, it had been reclaimed and converted into farmland. However, after 1955, due to groundwater extraction in the Taipei Basin causing land subsidence, the construction of the Guandu Dike, and the rerouting of the Keelung River, this area frequently experienced flooding, and the farmland outside the dike was gradually abandoned and swamps and mangrove forests began to form in the area. The wetland and migratory bird habitat in front of Guandu Temple soon became a focal point for birdwatchers. The Taipei Birdwatching Association wrote to the city government asking to establishment a protected area. In 1983, the Taipei City Government under Taipei Mayor Lee Tung-Huii designated the grassy marshlands from south of the Guandu Dike to the tip of Shezi Island at the mouth of the Keelung River as the "Taipei Guandu Waterbird Ecological Conservation Area." Plans were also made for a nature park. Guandu Nature Park The mudflats outside the Guandu Dike were designated as the "Guandu Nature Reserve" in 1986. In 1996, the Taipei City Government officially established "Guandu Nature Park," defining the protected area to preserve the natural wetland and provide a space for conservation, education, recreation, and research. The park covers an area of 57 hectares and includes a nature center, coastal forest area, pond area, fiddler crab area, birdwatching areas, and more. In 2001, the Taipei City Government entrusted the management of Guandu Nature Park to the Taipei Birdwatching Society. Since 2012, Guandu Nature Park has let brackish water flow into the park during high tide to increase the environmental diversity of the wetlands. Currently, the mangrove forests are also expanding. Birds Seen in the Park:
Price: 60 NT per person Hours: 7 AM to 5 PM Tours: You can book a 2-hr Raohe Night Market Walking Private Tour with a Tour Guide, or Taipei at Night: Din Tai Fung Dinner & Raohe Street Night Market Guided Tour on 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 MRT: Take the MRT red line to Guandu Station. The temple is about a ten minute walk to the west. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook here. By Car: If you travel there by car, there is lots of paid parking near the temple. 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 Scooter: There is free parking next to the temple. 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. By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy, and there are many bike paths nearby. 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. Map:  Wondering where to stay in the Beitou Hot Spring Area (北投最佳的溫泉英文介紹)? There are so many hot spring hotels in this area, that it may be hard to choose from. There are many hotels within walking distance from the MRT station as well as museums and historical sites. There are also hotels that are more secluded and private. In this blog, I will take you on a virtual tour to discover the best hotels in Beitou.
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Activities in Beitou:Besides soaking in hot springs, there are many activites available in Beitou such as Rock Climbing, Water Skiing, Kani Kimono Rental, Escape Experience, Beitou Museum, and more on Klook here or KKday here. Tours in Beitou:You can check out tours to Beitou such as a Beitou and Yangmingshan Day Tour, Beitou and Yeliu Day Tour, Beitou and Tamsui Day Tour, Beitou and National Palace Museum Tour, Beitou Muslim Friendly Tour, Beitou Arts and Culture Tour, Flower Season Tour, and more on Klook here or KKday here. You can also check out the Beitou Fun Package from KKday which includes a one day transportation coupon, hot spring coupon, and coupon for over 8 souvenir shops in Beitou.  Beitou is Taiwan’s Premiere Hot Spring area in Taiwan (北投溫泉). Originally built by the Japanese on natural hot spring water flowing down from Yangmingshan, this area is now springing with hot spring baths, hotels, museums, hikes, restaurants, and more. It is one of the best day trips near Taipei. In this guide, we will tell you how to enjoy this area like a local, and at the same time soak like Japanese royalty.
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Historical Background:Beitou’s hot springs are distributed along the Huangxi Valley, including areas like Shamao Mountain, Datun Volcanic Group, Qixing Mountain volcanic rock layers, and Jinshan Fault in northern Taiwan. These include Thermal Valley Hot Springs, Sulfur Valley Hot Springs, Upper Beitou Hot Springs, Shuangchong Creek Hot Springs (Xingyi Road Hot Springs Area), and Longfeng Valley Hot Springs. The narrow definition of Beitou Hot Springs categorizes the springs by their composition: the geothermal springs of Thermal Valley (green sulfur springs, 50–90°C and highly acidic), the white sulfur springs of Sulfur Valley (pH of 3–5 and a temperature of about 45°C), and iron sulfur springs located in Upper Beitou (eutral carbonate hot springs, with a lower temperature of about 40–60°C). Historical and Cultural Background In 1894 during the Qing Dynasty, the first person to establish a hot spring in Beitou was German sulfur merchant Ouely. The following year, Japanese Rear Admiral Tsunoda Hidematsu and Taipei County Secretary Nirei Keiji inspected the hot springs. On November 10, 1895, Governor Kabayama Sukenori also visited, and a public bath area began to form near today’s Beitou Hot Spring Museum. In 1905 funds were raised to to construct Puji Temple, dedicated to the goddess of hot springs, Kannon, to bless the local hot spring industry. In 1913, a public hot spring bath was established under the direction of the Taipei Prefecture, modeled after the hot springs of Izu in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It cost more than 56,000 yen to build. In the late 1920s, members of the Japanese imperial family, including Prince Asaka Yasuhiko, visited Beitou’s public baths. In 1954, Beitou became a legally recognized red-light district. The practice was abolished in 1979, and Beitou has since shifted focus to tourism and leisure. In the 1960s and 1970s, the number of hot spring inns in Beitou peaked, with over 70 inns in operation. However, from 1975 onwards, the industry began to decline due to poor management, lack of public infrastructure, and excessive development. In 1995, a local movement to save the Beitou Public Bathhouse succeeded, leading to its restoration as the Beitou Hot Spring Museum, which was designated a historic site in 1998. In 1999, the Tourism Bureau declared it the “Year of Beitou Hot Springs,” revitalizing the industry. Beitou Hot Springs, along with Caoshan, Guanziling, and Sichongxi Hot Springs, was one of the four major hot springs in Taiwan during the Japanese era. Beitou Hot Springs is a popular tourist attraction, especially with local Taiwanese people and Japanese tourists. The winter is the most popular season. 
Guandu Wharf (關渡碼頭, aka Lingshan Temple) is a popular riverside area in Beitou District of Taipei. Along with a bike path with beautiful wildlife and river scenery, there is a ferry terminal and a small night market to check out. Nearby you can also check out Guandu Temple and Guandu Nature Park. It is definitely worth a visit on your next trip to Taipei.
Historical Background: Guandu was originally known as Gantoumen 干豆門 (literally dried beans gate). Positioned with Guanyin Mountain and Datun Mountain behind it and facing the Tamsui River, it became a crucial port due to its strategic location. In the early days, settlers arrived in northern Taiwan through Guandu Wharf to establish their homes and cultivate the land, leading to the early development of the area. However, over time, sediment build-up at the mouths of the Keelung and Tamsui Rivers caused a decline in water transportation. Guandu Wharf sits adjacent to Guandu Nature Park and Guandu Temple. On holidays and in the evenings, visitors frequently stroll and relax around the wharf. It’s also a popular spot for cyclists, with many riding from Bali via the Guandu Bridge or from Tamsui to enjoy the beautiful scenery. It's an ideal location for sightseeing. The Taipei Ferry Company started operations in 2003, but due to sedimentation, many ferry routes along the Tamsui and Keelung Rivers have been shut down. Since 2023, a small night market has been set up near the wharf. Price: Free Hours: 7 AM to 5 PM Tours: You can book a 2-hr Raohe Night Market Walking Private Tour with a Tour Guide, or Taipei at Night: Din Tai Fung Dinner & Raohe Street Night Market Guided Tour on 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. Ferry Routes:
How to get there: By Ferry: Please see the ferry routes above. Many ferry routes may close due to sedimentation. As of the time of writing, only the Tamsui to Fisherman's Wharf ferry was running on a daily basis. For the latest ferry information, please check the Ferry website here. By MRT: Take the MRT red line to Guandu Station. The wharf is about a ten minute walk to the west. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook here. By Car: If you travel there by car, there is lots of paid parking near the wharf. 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 Scooter: There is free parking next to the wharf. 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. By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy, and there are many bike paths nearby. 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. Map: |
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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