Yuanshan (Sanxia) 鳶山

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Yuanshan in Sanxia District is a popular hike in greater Taipei. It features a short easy hike has some amazing views of southern Taipei. It can also get very crowded on weekends despite the lack of public transportation. If you are looking for amazing views that are easy to get to, this is the place. 

Background:
Yuanshan stands at 299 meters above sea level, and the top features a bell tower and exposed rocks that provide a great view of Taipei. 
From the top you can enjoy views of Taipei such as Sanxia and Shulin Districts of New Taipei, as well as north east Taoyuan.
Currently the hike is very popular for local people especially on the weekends. 

When to go:
Go on a sunny day when the air is clear for the best views. 
​Also consider going early in the morning or on a weekday, because the trails can get really clogged with crowds of people during the day on weekends. 

Tours and Activities Around Sanxia:
Don't forget that there are many activities available around Sanxia such as Rock Climbing, Hiking, kayaking, canoeing, snorkeling, SUP / paddle boarding, water biking, Diving, River Tracing / Canyoneering, ATVing, Horse Riding, Cooking Class, photo shoot, Jingtong Sky Lantern Police Station, Shifen Sky Lantern Experience, Waterfall Zipline, Waterfall Diving, and more 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/Scooter: From Sanxia Old Street, travel west up the mountain, on the one way road. There is very limited car and scooter parking, I do not recommend driving a car up here on the weekend or on holidays. I'm serious, I saw someone pop their tire trying to park on the side of the road here.
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 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. 
By Train: You can get close to the mountain via Yingge TRA station. Book tickets via the normal train (TRA)  on Klook here.

Map:
​Please see below:

Our Journey:

I have only been to Yuanshan once upon the request of Josh Ellis. It was nice, but very crowded and I do not recommend driving there by car especially on weekends or holidays. 

See our drone footage above for a full view of the area. 

​Or check out the 360 degree spherical panorama above.

At the top of the mountain, parking is vary scarce and the road is very narrow. I did drive my car here and ended up parking on the side of the road near a cliff. But the car right in front of me popped their tire on a rock while parking! Many of the roadside open areas are not suitable for parking, and unless you have a high clearance mud tire SUV, you could likely bottom out or pop your tire. 

The trail to the top is right here. But I did not go on it, I just flew a drone here. 

There is a large bell tower here that also has views. 

Lots of other people were also hanging out here. 

And there is also a small pavilion. 

View of Shulin and Taoyuan. 

View of national freeway 3.

Looking back at the Dahan river and Shimen Dam. 

View of Sanxia. 

View of downtown Yinge and Sanxia. 

View looking north toward Taipei. 

If you have time, you should also check out Sanxia Old Street which is right below the mountain. 

For a more in depth look at hiking the entire mountain, check out this blog by Taiwan Trails and Tales here. 

You can also look for more activities in Taipei such as Rock Climbing, Surfing, Speedboat Surfing, Diving, Snorkeling, Cooking Class, Glamping, Motorcycling, and more on Klook here or KKday here. 

Check out our guide to Taipei’s Waterfalls here.
Check out our Taipei hiking and trails guide here. 
​
Check out our guide to Taipei’s Old Streets here. 

Also be sure to check out our full guide to Taipei here. 

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

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