Yangmingshan National Park is a mountainous area in Taipei and New Taipei, known for its volcanic activity, hiking trails, wildlife, waterfalls, hot springs, and sulfur vents. It is definitely worth a stop on your trip to Taipei. 

Historical Background:
The area known as Yangmingshan now was formed by volcanoes about 700,000 years ago, forming many mountains about 1000 meters or less in northwestern Taiwan. The park still features active volcanoes, vents, and hot springs.
The original name of the area was Caoshan (grass mountain 草山). During the Qing Dynasty, the area was used to harvest sulfur, and many of the hills were burned to help catch sulfur thieves, Qingtiangang likely being one of these areas. 
Sulfur mining was started in the Qing Dynasty by a British mining company that first obtained the rights to mine here in 1897. In 1927 during the Japanese era, Yangmingshan was made as the first national park in Taiwan, then known as Datunshan National Park Association. 
The area around Qingtiangang to Lengshuikeng was made into a ranch for water buffalo, and grass from Japan was planted here for them to graze.
In 1950 after the ROC took Taiwan, Chiang Kai-shek renamed the park after the philosopher Wang Yangming, and called the area Yangmingshan. 
The KMT kept the ranch at Qingtiangang and continued to maintain it. They also built bunkers here and kept a garrison of troops.
In 1985, after resolving many land disputes, Yangmingshan National Park was officially designated as a national park in the ROC era. 
Due to its easy accessibility from Taipei and many natural attractions, it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Taipei City. Most visitors come on weekends, and it has parking lots and visitor's centers throughout the park. 

Hours:
The visitor's centers are open from 9 AM to 4:30 PM. However you can visit the park 24/7.
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Price:
Free entrance into the park
(car parking 30-50 NT， scooter parking 20 NT)
You can book tours to Yangmingshan on TripAdvisor here, Klook here, or KKday here or here.

Tours:
You can check out tours to Yangmingshan such as a One-day Yangmingshan NP Beitou Hot Spring Park and Tamsui Tour Package,  Beitou and Yangmingshan Day Tour from Taipei, One Day Hike around Yangmingshan, or Private Yangmingshan Volcano Tour and more on TripAdvisor here, Klook here, or KKday here.

When to Go:
Silver Grass Season: Mang Grass season goes from September to November. During this time you will be able to see silvery grass all over the mountain tops around the park.
Cherry Blossom Season: Cherry blossoms can be seen in the park from February to late March. 
Snowfall: Once every few years it can snow here from December to February. The snow usually only lasts a day or two and melts away quickly.
Best Weather: In my opinion, the best weather is in the summer when constant rain makes the air cleaner, and summer mornings are usually clear. Be sure to start hiking in the morning for the best views and sunshine, as afternoon thundershowers are common. 

Hotels in Taipei:
High end: We have 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, or Agoda here). We have also stayed at and recommend the Grand Hyatt (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, or Hotels.com here), Marriot (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, or Hotels.com here), Sheraton (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, or Hotels.com here), Shangri-la (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, or Hotels.com here), and Regent (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, or Hotels.com here), which are all very high quality hotels in the middle of Taipei City.
We also recommend Fullon Hotel which has locations in Tamsui and Fulong near the beach (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, or Hotels.com here). 
Budget Hotels: We have stayed at and also recommend Fu Chang Hotel in Ximending, which is within walking distance of Ximending shopping district (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, or Agoda here). We have also stayed at and recommend Hai Xia Your Home which is right in front of Fulong Beach (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, or Hotels.com 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: From Taipei, take provincial highway 2A north to the park, where you can see the main attractions such as Zhuzihu, Qixingshan, Datunshan, Qingtiangang, etc. There are many parking lots, but car parking is limited on weekends and the number of cars allowed up the mountain is also limited. There is also paid scooter parking.
On weekends this place can be packed, and cars can be backed up for up to an hour or more, so consider taking a scooter or bus. Looking for scooter rental in Taipei? Check out Qeeq here, 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 Bus: From Beitou MRT Station, Take Little Bus 19 (小19), or another bus to the park. You can book tickets to travel to Taipei via inter-city bus on Klook here. 
You can book tickets to Taipei via high speed rail (HSR)  on Klook here or KKDay 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 search on KKday here and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. 
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Map:
See below for a map of places mentioned in this blog: ​

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:

Taiwan's East Rift Valley has some of the most breathtaking scenery in Taiwan. It has towering mountains and vast tracks of flat rice fields. There are also amazing rivers, canyons, and waterfalls to explore. It is also home to Taiwan's International Balloon Festival. There is something for everyone in this area of Taiwan.

When to visit?
The East Rift Valley is great year round, but it can get a little hot in the summer, and Typhoon season and heavy rain season last from about May to October. If you are afraid of the heat and rain then you can visit during winter when the temperatures are mild and the climate is usually dryer. 

Where to stay?
Most of the accommodation you will find is near the city centers.  If you only want to visit Hualien City or Taitung City, you can consider booking a hotel near downtown, walking or cycling around the city, and taking a bus to sites further away. 
We have stayed at and recommend Dream Taiwan Homestay (Agoda / Booking.com / Expedia / Hotels.com), a high quality hostel for the money in downtown Hualien, Farglory Hotel (Agoda / Booking.com / Expedia / Hotels.com), right next to Farglory Ocean Park with amazing views of Hualien, and Goldenflower B&B (Agoda / Booking.com) in Yuli right next to Sixty Stone Mountain.
In Taitung have stayed at and recommend the Papago International Resort in Chishang, which is a five star hotel with private villas with pools for each room, and Mountain and Ocean B & B in Taimali, which is a quiet and affordable B&B right next to the beach. 
You can find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here.
​
How to get to the East Rift Valley?
You can book tickets to travel to the East Rift Valley via inter-city bus on Klook here.  
Book tickets via the normal train (TRA) on Klook here.

Need travel insurance? Compare prices on Insubuy here. 

How to get around the East Rift Valley:
As always, we recommend renting a scooter as the best way to see Taiwan. However, you can also a great deal of Tainan by taking the train, inter-city bus, local bus, biking, or just walking. Getting around in a car is also a convenient option as there is plenty of parking pretty much everywhere in this less crowded county. 
Scooter Rental: Looking for a scooter rental in Hualien or Taitung? You can search KKday here or Klook here to look for options.
You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. 
Car Rental: If you are looking for car rentals in Hualien or Taitung, you can also search Klook here or KKDay here. 
You can also check out our car rental guide here. 
​
Tours: 
You can find more tours and activities in Hualien such as Surfing, Paragliding, SUP / Paddle Boarding, Kayaking, Canoeing, River Tracing, River Rafting, Whale Watching, Snorkeling, Diving, ATV / 4-wheeling, Paintballing, Farm Dream Estates Zoo, Water Biking, Oyster Harvesting, Shrimp Harvesting, Indigenous Experience, Glamping, Cycling, Ziplining and much more on Klook here or KKday here. 

You can also book Wifi and SIM cards for Taiwan on Gigago 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. 
You can click here to receive $5 USD on your first Klook purchase. 

Shiding District is a secret mountain paradise in New Taipei City, in northern Taiwan (新北市石碇區). Lots of people simply pass through here without knowing much about what there is to see. In this guide I will show you some of the secret historical and nature destinations in this amazing place. 

Historical Background:
The name Shiding comes from boats transporting goods from the area that used to use large rocks (shi 石) in the river as anchors (ding 碇). The Shiding administrative area (石碇堡) was created during the Qing Dynasty and extended from Keelung to Wenshan District.
The area around Shiding Old Street was the first area to be developed by Han Chinese in Shiding. In the early days during the Qing Dynasty, the Han Chinese settlers here mainly grew tea and leeks.
During the Qing Dynasty, Shiding was an important stop along the Danlan Old Trail (淡蘭古道 which means the road between Tamsui and Yilan), which was split into three paths, and Shiding was on the Southern Path. The Southern Path winded from Mengjia Old Street to Liuzhangli, then to Shengkeng, and onto Shiding which was a major tea producer at the time. From Shiding, the road then went to Pinglin and then Yilan. The Southern path was the quickest way to Yilan. 
During the Japanese Era until the 1980s, the major industry in the area was coal mining, As the coal mining industry winded down in the 1980s and 90s in Taiwan due to lower worldwide coal prices, the economy in Shiding suffered and many people left.  
The multi story buildings near Shiding Old street are a testament to the economic prosperity of the coal mining era.
Currently Shiding is sparsely populated with the main economic activity including tea farming and agriculture.

Tours of Shiding:
You can book a tour to Shiding on TripAdvisor here, Klook here, or KKday here. 

Hotels in Taipei:
We have 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, or Agoda here). 
We have stayed at and also recommend Fu Chang Hotel in Ximending, which is within walking distance of Ximending shopping district (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor 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: Go east on National Freeway 5, then get off at the Shiding interchange. Continue east until you reach Shiding Old Street.
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: From Taipei, take highway 106 east from Shenkeng toward Shiding, pass through Shiding Bao Tunnel, and soon you will come to Shiding Old Street.
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 Bus: From Taipei City Call MRT station, you can take bus 912 to Shiding High School, after that you will have to switch to bus 666 which will take you all the way to the old street (total about 40 minutes). You can also book tickets to travel to Shiding via inter-city bus on Klook here. You can also book a Taipei Sightseeing: Hop On, Hop Off Open Top Bus on TripAdvisor 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. 

Map:

Taiwan's outer islands are some of the most beautiful and scenic places in the whole country, and each of them can be considered a secret paradise. You can find the best beaches, snorkeling, and diving on these islands. You can also find rich and important historical sites here. Transportation may be difficult, but you will never regret visiting Taiwan's outer islands, and no trip to Taiwan should be complete without doing it. 

In this blog, we will introduce the main outer islands in Taiwan that are open to tourists (there are 166 islands in Taiwan, this blog only covers a few), point out their unique traits, and compare them to each other.  This way you can best prepare for your trip to the outer islands, and at the same time know what you are missing out on. All the outer Islands are great, and I highly recommend visiting them all if you can.

When to visit:

• Xiaoliuqiu Island 小琉球: Anytime! Xiaoliuqiu is a tropical island that has warm water and temperatures (above 25 degrees Celsius) year round. 
• Green Island 綠島 : The month of May is best time to go to Green Island and Orchid Island when it is not too hot and there are no northeasterly winds or typhoons.
• Orchid Island (Lanyu) 蘭嶼: The month of May, same as Green Island above. 
• Turtle Island (Guishan Island) 龜山島: March-November. Boat tours are generally closed from December to February due to rough seas and cold weather. 
• Keelung Islet 基隆嶼: Boats to Keelung Islet are only available from April to October due to northeasterly winds in the winter.
• The Matsu Islands 馬祖列島: We recommend going to Matsu between April and June when you can see the "blue tear" phosphorescent microbes in the water.
• Kinmen 金門: Autumn is said to be the best time to visit Kinmen, when there are still warm temperature and not too much rainfall. 
• Penghu 澎湖群島: Spring to Autumn. Winters are rather miserable.

How to get there:

• Xiaoliuqiu Island 小琉球 By Boat: The only way to get there is viaferry from Donggang or Kaohsiung. You can purchase a tickets at Donggang Fishing Harbor (東港漁港), or through a tour agency such as Klook here or here, or KKday. 
• Green Island 綠島 By Plane: The only planes to and from Green Island come from Taitung City in Southeastern Taiwan. Costs: NT 1428 to Green Island and NT 1360 from Green Island. You can purchase a tickets through a tour agency such as Klook here or a similar website.
  By Boat: Ferry prices are about 1200 NT per person round trip/600 NT per single trip.
  You can purchase a tickets through a tour agency such as Klook here or a similar website.
• Orchid Island (Lanyu) 蘭嶼 By Plane: The only planes to and from Orchid Island come from Taitung. Costs: NT 1428 to Lanyu and NT 1360 from Lanyu.
  You can purchase a tickets through a tour agency such as Klook or a similar website.
  By Boat: There are two places that offer ferry rides to Lanyu: Houbihu Harbor (恆春後壁湖漁港） in Pingtung and Fugang Harbor in Taitung (臺東富岡漁港) (2300 NT per person round trip/1150 NT per single trip). You can purchase a tickets through a tour agency such as Klook or a similar website.
• Turtle Island (Guishan Island) 龜山島 By Boat: The only way to get to Turtle Island is by boat from Wushih Harbor in Yilan. You can purchase a ticket at the harbor or book online in advance via Klook or KKday.
• Keelung Islet 基隆嶼 By Boat: In order to get to Keelung Islet, you first need to make your way to Badouzi Harbor (see map below). Next you have to take a boat to the island. There are multiple ferry boats running to Keelung daily from April to October. You can book tickets on Klook here or KKday here. 
• The Matsu Islands 馬祖列島 By Plane: The easiest way to get around the islands is to take a plane/boat to Nangan and then go island hopping from there. Nangan is the main transportation hub for all the islands. By Boat: There are daily ferries from Keelung Harbor that usually take an overnight trip to Nangan, passing through Dongyin Island. 
• Kinmen 金門 By Plane: The only way to get to from Taiwan to Kinmen is via a airplane. Planes leave daily from Taipei, Taichung, Chiayi, Tainan, Penghu, and Kaohsiung.
  By Boat: You can reach Kinmen from Xiamen at Wutong port (五通碼頭) or Quanzhou at Shijing Port (石井碼頭), connecting at Shuitou Port (水頭碼頭).
• Penghu 澎湖群島 By Plane: There are daily flights from Taipei Songshan, Rates can range from around 2200-6000 NT for a round trip.
  There are also flights to and from Chiayi, Tainan, Kinmen, and Chimei.
  By Boat: There are daily ferries from Chiayi and Kaohsiung. A one way trip takes about 4 hours from both locations. A one way ferry from Kaohsiung costs about 900 NT for just a reclining seat, and a one way ferry from Chiayi costs about 1000 NT.
  You can book ferry boat tickets on Klook here. ​

Where to stay:
Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Agoda here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation on the islands. 

Tours:
There are many tours available on the islands, including scooter rentals, boat tickets, and other activities. For more information, book with Klook here or KKday here. 

Map: Please see a map of the islands covered in this blog below: