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 Preserve. 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:
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Tamsui Old Street (aka Danshui Old Street or Tamshui Old Street) is a street in Tamsui District of New Taipei famous for its delicious food and historical atmosphere. It is one of the most popular and well known old streets in all of Taiwan. Some local delicacies here include A-gei, iron eggs, fried squid, and other seafood.
Background: Tamsui Old Street developed alongside the Tamsui Harbor, which was opened in 1860 during the Qing Dynasty as part of the Treaty of Tientsin which ended the Second Opium War. It was one of only eight ports in the entire Qing empire that was open to trade with the west. As a result, it became a focal point for trade in Taiwan. It was also the western terminus of the Danlan Old Trail, which was a network of roads and trails that sent tea and other goods from Yilan to Tamsui. It remained an important port until it started to silt in during the 1900s, and after the construction of Keelung Harbor. There are also a number of important historical buildings near Tamsui Old Street such as Fort San Domingo, Hobe Fort, and others. Tamsui Old Street has always existed next to the old harbor, and recently there have been projects from the local government to improve tourism, such as widening roads and making a riverside walkway. With the completion of the Red Line MRT with its terminus in 1997 right at the edge of the old street, Tamsui became an extremely popular destination for residents in greater Taipei and remains to be so today. Hours: Every day 11 AM - 8 PM. Price: Free Tours: You can book a tour of Tamsui on KKday here or Klook here. You can book a tour to Taiwan's North Coast on KKday here or Klook here. Activities: There are many activities available around Tamsui such as, SUPing, Sand Bar Digging, Lover's Tower, Sailing, Yachting, and more on KKday here or Klook here. Hotels in Tamsui: We have stayed at and recommend Fullon Hotel which has locations in Tamsui and Fulong near the beach (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, Klook here, Trip.com, Kayak here, or Hotels.com 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, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, Trip.com here, or Kayak 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: Take provincial highway 2 north from Taipei until you reach Tamsui. The old street is near the Tamsui MRT station. Parking can be hard to find, but there should be plentiful parking at Tamsui Elementary School and other places further away. Looking for scooter rental in Tamsui? You can search on KKday here or Klook 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 KKday here or Klook here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. By MRT: Take the red line MRT north to Tamsui station and you have arrived. You can purchase a discount easy card to use on the MRT from KKday here or Klook here. You can also book an MRT travel pass on KKday here or 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 KKday here or Klook here.. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. Map: Please see below: 
Tamsui District of New Taipei is famous for its delicious food and historical atmosphere. It is one of the most popular and well known areas in all of Taiwan. Some local delicacies here include A-gei, iron eggs, fried squid, and other seafood. Historical places near here include Fort San Domingo, Hobe Fort, Tamsui Old Street, Bali Old Street, and the Shihsanhang archaeological site. There is plenty here to see and do for almost every kind of traveler.
Historical Background of Tamsui: Tamsui Harbor was opened in 1860 during the Qing Dynasty as part of the Treaty of Tientsin which ended the Second Opium War. It was one of only eight ports in the entire Qing empire that was open to trade with the West. As a result, it became a focal point for trade in Taiwan. It was also the western terminus of the Danlan Old Trail, which was a network of roads and trails that sent tea and other goods from Yilan to Tamsui. It remained an important port until it started to silt in during the 1900s, and after the construction of Keelung Harbor. There are also a number of important historical buildings in Tamsui such as Fort San Domingo, Hobe Fort, and others. Recently there have been projects from the local government to improve tourism, such as widening roads and making a riverside walkway. With the completion of the Red Line MRT with its terminus in 1997 right at the edge of Tamsui Old Street, Tamsui became an extremely popular destination for residents in greater Taipei and remains to be so today. When should you visit Tamsui? In my opinion, the best weather in Tamsui is from March-May, and October - November, when the temperatures stay around 26 degrees Celsius and there is not as much rain. Summers are also nice, with the most sunny weather, but also hot and rainy. Winters can be cold (but not below freezing) and usually wet. Overall, there is no wrong answer as to what time of year you should visit Tamsui. You will have a great time here at any time of year. Hotels in Tamsui: We have stayed at and recommend Fullon Hotel which has locations in Tamsui and Fulong near the beach (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, Klook here, Trip.com, Kayak here, or Hotels.com 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, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, Trip.com here, or Kayak 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. Tours: You can book a tour of Tamsui on KKday here, or Klook here. You can book a tour of Taiwan's North Coast on KKday here or Klook here. Activities: There are many activities available around Tamsui such as SUPing, Sand Bar Digging, Lover's Tower, Sailing, Yachting, Horseback Riding, Happy Island Parent Child Gymnasium, and more on KKday here or Klook here. How to get around in Tamsui: Taipei's transportation system is convenient and safe. There are many options you can consider to get around in Taipei below: By MRT/Danhai Light Rail: (Mass Rapid Transit, Metro train, subway) – Easily gets you around Taimsui. New stations will be added to the Danhai Rail line soon. You can purchase a discount easy card to use on the MRT from KKday here or Klook here. You can also book an MRT travel pass on KKday here or Klook here. By Bus: Buses can be tricky. Long-range buses such as Ubus and King Bus are easier to understand and cheaper than the local train. They can take you to the city center of every city throughout Taiwan and to remote tourist destinations. A long-range bus from Taipei to Kaohsiung is about 500 NT. You can also book tickets to travel to Shifen via inter-city bus on Kkday here. You can also book a Taipei Sightseeing: Hop On, Hop Off Open Top Bus on TripAdvisor here. By Taxi: You can take short rides for about 150 NT, or hire a Taxi for a day for around 150 USD. You can also get a private charted car on KKday here or Klook here. By Car: If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search KKday here or Klook here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. By Scooter: Looking for scooter rental in Taipei? You can search on KKday here or Klook 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. 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 KKday here or Klook 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. Below we have created a list of what we think are the best places to see near Tamsui. Map: Please see a map below of the places we will visit in this blog: 
Fort San Domingo (aka 紅毛城 Hongmaocheng, “City of Red Hair") is one of the oldest buildings in Taiwan, with a nearly 400 year history. Originally built by the Spanish, it was handed over to nine different nations including the Dutch, Qing, Japan, British, Australia, USA, and the ROC. Now it is a popular tourist destination in Tamsui.
Background: Fort San Domingo was originally a wooden fort built by the Spanish who were vying for control of Taiwan in 1628. Later the fort came into Dutch control in 1642, and the Spanish were driven from Taiwan. In the process, the Spanish razed the fort to the ground. The fort was rebuilt in brick by the Dutch. The Dutch were expelled from Taiwan thanks to Konxinga and his Ming loyalists. After the Qing dynasty took Taiwan from the Ming loyalists, they repaired the fort in 1724. The local Han Chinese at the time called the fort "Red Hair Fort 紅毛城" as a racial slur to the Dutch. Later, the fort was leased to the British government, who continued to keep a presence there until 1972, and later it was given for a short time to Australia and the USA, and then given to the ROC government in 1980. Now the government maintains the fort as a tourist attraction. Hours: 9:30 AM to 5 PM Price: 80 NT per person (includes passage to the British Consulate, Hobe Fort, and the Little White House). You can book tickets to this fort and nearby historic sites on Klook here or KKday here. Hotels in Tamsui: We have stayed at and recommend Fullon Hotel which has locations in Tamsui and Fulong near the beach (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, Klook here, Trip.com, Kayak here, or Hotels.com 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, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, Trip.com here, or Kayak 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: Take provincial highway 2 north from Taipei until you reach Tamsui. The fort is past Tamsui Old Street on highway 2. Parking can be hard to find, but there should be plentiful parking at Tamsui Elementary School and other places further away. Looking for scooter rental in Tamsui? 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 MRT: Take the red line MRT north to Tamsui station and walk 1 KM north or take a bus to the fort. 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. 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. Map: Please see below: 
Hobe Fort (Aka Huwei Fort) is a Qing Dynasty era fortress in Tamsui, New Taipei that once has massive guns that protected the waterways nearby. The fort is included in a historical monument ticket that allows you to see other historical buildings in the area. It is also one of the best preserved historical fortresses in Taiwan.
Background: After the Sino French War in which the French threatened Tamsui and Keelung, the Qing Dynasty decided to fortify their coastline in Taiwan, building forts at Keelung, Tamsui, Penghu, Tainan, and what is now Kaohsiung. Hobe fort in Tamsui was completed in 1888 and designed by Liu Mingchuan. The fort never saw any military action, which has helped preserve the fort. After the Japanese took over Taiwan, they took out the canons and turned the fort into a practice ground for troops. After the ROC took over Taiwan, they placed troops at the fort for a while, before turing the fort over to the central government, who have opened it to the public. The walls of the fort are 4.2 meters thick and 7 meters high. There is also an outer earth wall. The fort only has one gate facing north. Hours: 9:30 AM to 5 PM Price: 80 NT per person (includes entrance toFort San Domingo and the Little White House) You can book tickets to this fort and nearby historic sites on Klook here or KKday here. Hotels in Tamsui: We have stayed at and recommend Fullon Hotel which has locations in Tamsui and Fulong near the beach (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, Klook here, Trip.com, Kayak here, or Hotels.com 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, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, Trip.com here, or Kayak 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: Take provincial highway 2 north from Taipei until you reach Tamsui. The fort is near Heping Park off highway 2. Parking can be found in front of the fort. Looking for scooter rental in Tamsui? 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 MRT: Take the red line MRT north to Tamsui station and walk 1 KM north or take a bus/taxi to the fort. 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. 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. Map: Please see below: |
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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