Nangang District of Taipei City is quieter and less busy than nearby Xinyi District, but here you can find a relaxed atmosphere with beautiful mountains, historic buildings, museums, fun parks, great food, and a lack of crowds. Currently, Nangang is being turned into Taipei's "next Xinyi District" and is the new artistic and cultural heart of Taipei. It is definitely worth a stop on your next trip to Taipei.
Background: Nangang 南港means “South Port” in Chinese. This south port once rested on the southern banks of the Keelung River near what is now the Neihu MRT depot in Nangang District, Taipei. There was a "North Port" on the Keelung River in what is now Xizhi. Nangang Station was built in 1891 as part of the first railway in Taiwan, connecting Keelung to Taipei, making it a prime location for industry. Nangang's old street sprung up near the train station. Technically the oldest street in Nangang is "Zhongnan Street" which most people refer to when they say Nangang Old Street, but I think the old street also spreads onto Nangang Road and Academia Sinica Road. Nangang was once part of Neihu District before it split in the ROC era. In the earliest times, Nangang was known as an industry hub for coal, brick making, and tea farming. In order to ship goods from Neihu to Nangang rail station, at least two suspension bridges were made across the Keelung River. In the ROC era, Nangang was also an industrial hub for car parts especially the Nankang Tire Factory, which still makes tires today. Nangang has a population of about 113,000 people with about 5,200 people per square kilometer, and has the smallest population of any district of Taipei. Currently, Nangang is being turned into Taipei's "next Xinyi District" and is the new artistic and cultural heart of Taipei. 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: The old street I would say stretches in front of Nangang Train Station on Nangang Road and then loops over to Zhongnan Street near where Zhongxiao East Road Ends. There is paid parking nearby. 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 Bus/MRT: The old street I would say stretches in front of Nangang Train Station on Nangang Road and then loops over to Zhongnan Street near where Zhongxiao East Road Ends. 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. 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: Please see below:
You can see some of our drone footage of Nangang below.
Places we will cover in this blog:
Nangang Old Street (aka Zhongnan Street) is one of the most unnoticed old streets in Taiwan, but here you can find historic buildings, great food, and a lack of crowds. Currently, Nangang is being turned into Taipei's "next Xinyi District" and is the new artistic and cultural heart of Taipei. It is definitely worth a stop on your next trip to Taipei.
Elephant Mountain (Four Beasts/Nangang Mountain Trail) 象山/四獸山/南港山步道 
The Elephant Mountain/Four Beasts Mountain trail (aka Xiangshan/Sishoushan Trail) is perhaps the most easily accessible trail in Taipei with perhaps also the best views of the city. This popular and easy hike covers areas of Xinyi and Nangang District and offers excellent views of the 101 and the rest of downtown Taipei. It should be at the top of your list of places to visit in Taipei.
Nangang Exhibition Center 南港展覽館 
Many people are familiar with Nangang only for its exhibition center, which is a landmark in the District. The Old Street really starts here next to the Exhibition center with lots of old buildings nearby.
Taipei's Nangang Exhibition Center (aka TWTC Nangang Exhibition Hall or TaiNEX) is Taiwan's largest exhibition center. The area has two large exhibition buildings with multiple exhibition floors, as well as restaurants and convenience stores inside. With easy transportation from the Blue Line Nangang Exposition Center MRT station, it is a convenient place to hold events and conferences...(read more) CTBC Financial Park Ice Rink 中信園區溜冰場 
CTBC Financial Park’s Ice Rink in Nangang District of Taipei is Taiwan’s only outdoor skating rink. It also includes a man-made snow play area for people who have never experienced snow. It’s the perfect way to celebrate the holiday season, and the best part is it's free!
Nangang at Night 南港夜景 
Nangang District is not only a major transportation and technology center in Taipei, also looks great at night. Because I am lucky to call Nangang home, here are some photos I have taken of how the place lights up at night. This is more of an art display than a blog.
Lè Architecture (Nangang Shell Building) 南港砳建築 
Lè Architecture is an office building in Nangang District of Taipei with one of the most unique designs in Taipei City. The building uses a round design to mimic pebbles in the Keelung River and to show roundness, strength, and elegance in Taiwanese culture. The building is also extremely eco-friendly and has won various awards. It should definitely be included on any artists' map of Taipei...(read more)
Nangang City Link 南港City Link 
Nangang City Link is the shopping mall inside Nangang Station with nearly endless shopping and dining choices. Nangang Station includes a TRA stop, HSR stop, MRT stop, and inter-city bus station, making it a convenient transportation hub. Intel also has a large office here.
Pizza Hut Buffet (Huanleba) 必勝客歡樂吧吃到飽 
Taiwan's Pizza Hut 歡樂吧 all you can eat buffet is every American pizza lover's dream, at a reasonable price. One of the three locations left in Taiwan is in Nangang.
Let me reiterate this clearly: Pizza Hut has buffets in Taiwan. For about 400 NT, you can have all you can eat pizza. This is cheaper than buying a small Pizza Hut pizza from their delivery locations. And you can sample all the new weird Pizza Hut flavors without having to buy an entire pizza...(read more) Bogart's Smokehouse Taipei 美式木柴烤肉屋 
Bogart's Smokehouse is an authentic American barbeque restaurant in Nangang District of Taipei. Run by Americans, it is a taste of home for many foreigners in Taiwan...(read more)
Beidahuang Dumpling Shop 北大荒水餃店 
Beidahuang in Nangang serves gigantic and delicious boiled dumplings, just east of Nangang Train Station, with more meat per dumpling than a pork bun. They are the largest boiled dumplings I have ever seen. If you are in the area, this restaurant is worth a stop...(read more)
Nangang Bottle Cap Factory (POPOP Taipei) 瓶蓋工廠台北製造所 
Nangang's Bottle Cap Factory, now POPOP Taipei, was a Japanese era factory built 80 years ago and stopped production in 2004. Now it has been converted into a space for meetings, exhibitions, seminars, workshops, musical performances etc...(read more)
Taipei Music Center 臺北流行音樂中心 
Taipei Music Center (aka TMC, or Taipei Pop Music Center 臺北流行音樂中心) is the first large performance area in Taiwan dedicated to pop music. It features three main buildings: a concert hall, a pop music cultural center, a creative hub building, and large open spaces and grassy areas. The area also has pedestrian bridges and easy access to Nangang Station. It should definitely be on your list on your next trip to Taipei...(read more)
Taipei Extreme Sports Training Center 臺北市極限運動訓練中心 
Taipei's Extreme Sports Training Center in Nangang is one of the best places in Taiwan to practice skate boarding, roller blading, BMX biking, etc. Here you can find Taiwan's largest half pipe, quarter pipes, a pool, rails, ramps, a foam pit, and more. It is definitely worth a stop if you want to find a suitable place for extreme sports training...(read more)
Nangang Park 南港公園 
Nangang Park is one of the most pleasant parks in Taipei. It features two large natural ponds, a large grassy area, a large children's play area, a jogging track, hiking trails, tennis courts, and much more. There are also amazing views of the nearby mountains, Taipei City, and the 101 tower. It is definitely worth a stop if you are in the area...(read more)
Songshan Sanatorium Superintendents’ Dormitory 松山療養所長宿舍 
Nangang, the district in Taipei where I live and work, has a rich history that includes being a center for industry and transportation. However many of Nangang do historical buildings have been destroyed or sit in decay out of view of the general public, mostly due to greedy bureaucrats. One such building that lays hidden in Nangang from the Japanese era called “松山療養所長宿舍” which I have translated as “The Songshan Sanatorium Superintendent’s Dormitory.” ...(read more)
Songshan Sanatorium 松山療養所 
I also visited the now demolished Songshan Sanatorium before it was destroyed. We are sad to announce that as of January 13th, 2019 the Songshan Sanatorium has been unlawfully leveled to the ground. See our full blog on the building here.
Xinxin Park 新新公園 
Xinxin Park (literally meaning "New New Park") is a new park in Nangang where an old rail depot once was. They have built a zipline, slides, a large pond, and many walking paths. It is a nice breath of fresh air in the middle of the busy city.
Chengmei Left Bank Riverside Park成美左岸河濱公園 
Chengmei Left Bank Park is one of the nicest areas along the Keelung River and provides an amazing view of the sunset and downtown Taipei. It is definitely worth a stop on your next trip to Nangang...(read more)
Wufen and Neihu Hulu Suspension Bridges 五分吊橋和內湖葫蘆洲吊橋 
Currently two remaining suspension bridge towers next to the Keelung River from the industrial era of Nangang. The best preserved is “五分吊橋” Wufen suspension bridge. According to the signs next to the bridge, it was built in 1918...(read more)
Chengmei Changshou Bridge 成美長壽橋 
Chengmei Changshou Bridge is one of the best preserved suspension bridges in Nangang, even though it is no longer a true suspension bridge. A few months ago we wrote a blog about the defunct suspension bridges along the Keelung River. This bridge is also lies in the Nangang/Neihu stretch of the Keelung River and was also once a suspension bridge, so I feel it deserves a blog as well...(read more)
Nangang Brick Kiln Smokestacks 南港烟囪的歷史 
After the ROC took control of Taiwan in 1945, the government designated Taipei's Nangang (南港） as an industrial district. At this time, the brick making and coal mining industries were starting to wind down, and other industries such as chemical plants, tire factories, fertilizer, and others were taking off. A forest of Smokestacks covered the area, and because of this Nangang was known as Black Town “黑鄉.” For a view of what the old Nangang looked like, click here.
Nangang Xinfeng Coal Mine 南港新豐煤礦場 
After searching through the historic buildings in Nangang I became aware of a certain mine in the mountains. This mine is only one of hundreds of abandoned coal mines in Taiwan, as the coal mining industry has essentially been shut down. From what I have found, coal mines have not been covered extensively in the blogsphere. Some notable English blogs on the subject are from the blog Over the City, featuring two blogs about coal mines, here and here.
However, the best blog about coal mines is by Taiwanese Blogger Willy Chang, the Shepherd's Wolf. The Que Family Ancestral House 闕家祖厝 
According to Taiwan’s National Cultural Heritage Database Management System, Nangang district in Taipei only has 5 registered historical buildings. The most recent of these is the Que Family Ancestral House “闕家祖厝”, also known as Decheng Residence “德成居.” This house was added to Taiwan’s list of historical buildings in May of 2017, much to the chagrin of the house's current owner, causing a dispute between the family and the Ministry of Culture, which I discuss further in this post.
Academia Sinica Museum of Ethnology 中央研究院民族學研究所博物館 
Academia Sinica's Museum of Ethnology features artifacts from Taiwan's indigenous people and also Han Chinese culture. Entrance is free, it is usually devoid of people, and has amazing ancient artifacts from Taiwan. It is definitely worth a visit on your trip to Taipei...(read more)
Academia Sinica Museum of the Institute of History and Philology 中央研究院歷史文物陳列舘 
Academia Sinica's Museum of History and Philology is one of the best museums in Taiwan. It has the largest collection of Chinese oracle bone remains in the world. It is also free, usually devoid of people, and has some of the most amazing ancient artifacts from Taiwan and China. It is like a mini National Palace Museum, and is worth a visit on your trip to Taipei...(read more)
Hu Shih's Graveyard 胡適墳墓公園 
Hu Shih was one of the greatest literary figures in the history of China and completely changed the literary and scholarly world in China and Taiwan for the better. After he passed away, a memorial hall was erected in his honor as well as a graveyard park.
Hu Shih Memorial Hall 胡適紀念館 
The Memorial Hall is located inside Academia Sinica close to the Hushih Graveyard Park.
Academia Sinica Trails 中央研究院的步道 
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...(read more)
Nangang Martyrs' Shrine 南港忠烈祠 
Nangang Martyrs' Shrine (officially Taipei City Martyr's Shrine (臺北市忠烈祠), aka Nangang Veteran's Cemetery Martyrs' Shrine) is a little-known and forgotten building at the Taipei Military Cemetery (臺北市軍人公墓) in Nangang District of Taipei. Nearby is a steep hill that offers places to hike and enjoy the scenery. It is a secret paradise within Taipei City.
Lesser Mount Nangang 小南港山 
Lesser Mt. Nangang (aka Xiaonangangshan, Little Nangang Hill, or Hengke Mountain 橫科山) is a beautiful hike with amazing views of East Taipei. Getting here is easy, it's literally a 5-minute walk from Nangang Exhibition Center MRT Station. The views here are perhaps some of the best of Nangang (even though technically the mountain is in Xizhi District of New Taipei) and there are usually very few people here.
Recycling Caves in Xizhi 汐止回收洞穴 
Having passed by these tunnels many times, my interest was piqued. I had no idea what they were, or how far they went into the mountain. I thought that perhaps they could be abandoned military bunkers or tunnels. I have searched online, but I still cannot find anything about them. So I assume I am the first person to blog about them in English or Chinese.
Shanshuilu Eco Park 山水綠生態公園 
Shanshuilu Eco Park (aka Shanshui Green Eco Park) in Nangang District of Taipei is a large grassy park with one of the best views in Taipei City, built over a former landfill. Here you can find beautiful mountain scenery, a large playground, zip-lines, a sand pit, a reading room, and lots of large grassy areas. It is one of the most popular parks in Taipei City...(read more)
Baiyun Park 白雲公園 
Baiyun Park is one of the most fun places for kids in East Taipei. With nine slides in total, as well as Taiwan's first circular swing set, a large sand pit, and a rock climbing area, this park has some of the best modern equipment around and simply beats out other parks in the area.
Nangang Tea Mountain 南港茶園區 
As one of the most secret and unknown tourist attractions in Taipei City, Nangang Tea Mountain is a large mountain area that offers pleasant hikes, great views, historical buildings, no crowds, and most of all tea. It is one of only two mountain tea growing areas in Taipei City, the other being Maokong. Hopefully this blog will help you understand how much natural beauty and intact history this is in Nangang District...(read more)
Luku Incident Memorial 鹿窟事件紀念碑 
The Luku Incident Memorial is a reflective arch statue in Shiding District of New Taipei that commemorates what is known as "the largest political event of the nation’s White Terror era." The incident involved two brothers who had started a communist party holdout in the mountains of Shiding. The resulting response, from the then martial law-era ROC government under then-dictator Chiang Kai-Shek, was thousands of police officers arresting hundreds of innocent people, with many of the people being falsely imprisoned and executed.
Fudekeng Graveyard 福德坑墓園 
Fudekeng/Liuzhangli Graveyard is the largest graveyard area in Taipei, and also happens to provide amazing views of Wenshan and Xinyi Districts. Nearby you can also find many hiking trails. It is a great place for a bike ride or hike if you are not afraid of ghosts.
Hongdao Night Market 弘道夜市 
Hongdao Night Market is a small night market that opens twice a week at the border of Xizhi and Nangang in New Taipei. It is one of many small night markets around Taiwan that are only available a few nights a week because there are not enough people to keep it going every night of the week.
Fudekeng Environmental Restoration Park 福德坑環保復育公園 
Fudekeng Environmental Restoration Park is one of the best parks in Taipei City. The park is built on top of a used landfill, and many parts of the park are made out of recycled materials. There are also solar panels in this park. The best parts about this park though are the large green spaces, lack of people, and amazing views of Shenkeng and Wenshan Districts. Other popular activities here are sledding down grass hills, flying remote-control airplanes and drones, kite flying, and dog walking.
Hengke Road Dependents Village 橫科路眷村 
The Hengke Road dependents village was once home to a community of dependents of ROC soldiers. It sat abandoned for nearly 20 years. Now it has been destroyed. Even though it was full of garbage and decay, it had a charm of its own that is captured in the photos of this blog.
Raohe Street Night Market 饒河街夜市 
Raohe Street Night Market is a bustling night market in Eastern Taipei and one of the most popular in the city. One could argue that Roahe Street is the best night market in Taipei. With a large assortment of great food and snacks, along with the usual night market cheap clothes and everyday items, along with close proximity to public transport, Raohe Street is a must-see destination when you come to Taipei.
Songshan Ciyou Temple 松山慈祐宮 
Sitting at the eastern entrance of Raohe Street Night Market is the Ciyou temple, which is the religious center of the area. The temple is dedicated to the Goddess Matsu, with a blackened statue of her as the centerpiece. The temple was completed in 1753 and was also an important centerpiece of the old Xikou transportation area near Songshan Station.
Wufenpu 五分埔 
Wufenpu is a wholesale clothing market in Xinyi District of Taipei, and the largest wholesale clothing market in Taiwan. It covers an entire city block, full of mostly wholesale clothing shops. If you are looking to shop for clothes on the cheap in Taiwan, this is the place for you.
Future Developments in Nangang 南港未來的建設 
Current buildings and projects under construction as part of the Taipei East Gateway Project include the above Mistui Shopping Mall which is set to open soon. In addition, there is a new tunnel being built to Academia Sinica, tons of new office buildings, social housing, and more. Nangang is going to be the center of Taipei City's new public building projects for years to come.
You can get a 20% discount on the HSR to Nangang on Klook here or KKday here. This blog is not a definitive list. There are many more places for you to explore in Nangang! Also be sure to check out our 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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