Tired of the noise and crowds of the city and hoping to get out and reconnect with nature over the holidays, but not sure where to go? Whether you look at distance or travel time, any of the North Coast attractions is a great choice. We’ve rounded up 8 must-visit spots on the North Coast so you can come home from your days off fully recharged!
Downtown Taipei is actually not far from the various North Coast attractions at all. The area is surrounded by Keelung City and New Taipei City, so you can pick the spots you want to see and plan your route around them. Time for a laid-back little trip!
“Mountains and sea straight out of a No Party For Cao Dong song”
1. Buyan Pavilion – the Lonely Highway
“What I’m smoking isn’t a cigarette, it’s loneliness” (ahem~). If you’re feeling disillusioned with the world or like your talents are going unnoticed, a trip to Buyan Pavilion might give you the release of “never tiring of looking at each other”. Standing at the pavilion, you can look out over the whole of County Highway 102, ringed by mountains and facing the sea, and your mood naturally opens up. This road is also known as the “Lonely Highway”!
Getting there:
Address Ruishuang Highway, Shuangxi District, New Taipei City Public transportation Take the train to Ruifang or Shuangxi, then a taxi Driving yourself From Taipei, follow County Highway 102 past Jiufen toward Shuangxi to the highest point on the road; the pavilion on your right is Buyan Pavilion
“Looking for that wall of ours”
2. Shidi Grand Inclined Shaft
If you’ve seen the TV drama “Sisters” starring Blue Lan and Amber An, this spot will look very familiar. Come find “our wall” with us~
(Shidi Grand Inclined Shaft isn’t technically on the North Coast, but it’s lush and green and a hidden gem you shouldn’t miss)
Getting there:
Address No. 50, Jingtong St., Pingxi District, New Taipei City (across from Jingtong Railway Station) Public
transportation1. Bus: Take the Hsin Hsin Bus (Beiding line) and get off at Shuangxikou, then transfer to Taipei Bus (Route 15 or 16) and get off at Jingtongkeng.
2. Metro/bus: Take the Taipei Metro Muzha Line to Mamingtan, then transfer to Taipei Bus Route 16 and get off at Jingtongkeng.
3. Train: From Taipei Main Station, take a train bound for Yilan or Hualien-Taitung, get off at Ruifang or Houtong, then transfer to the Pingxi Line train and get off at Jingtong Station.
Driving
yourself1. Head toward Keelung and exit at the Northeast Coast interchange, turn right at the Ruifang Industrial Park onto County Highway 106, and continue past Shifen Waterfall to arrive.
2. From National Highway 1, exit at the Badu interchange, take the Ruiba Highway (County Highway 102A) into the Ruifang Industrial Park, switch to County Highway 106 and follow the signs.
3. National Highway 3: Exit at the Shiding interchange at the 16K mark, join National Highway 5, then take County Highway 106 toward Pingxi to arrive.
North Coast attractions: “top picks for a short getaway”
3. Shen’ao Elephant Trunk Rock
We think this is a North Coast attraction you absolutely have to see~ But to stand on the giant rock shaped like an elephant’s trunk you’ll need nerves of steel, since the sea is right there beside you. Please be careful if you go! (shouting)
Getting there:
Address Shen’ao Security Checkpoint; Elephant Trunk Rock is about a 15-minute walk away Public transportation 1. From Ruifang Railway Station take Keelung Bus 1051 → get off at the “Shen’ao Power Plant” stop and walk along Shen’ao Road
2. From Taipei Railway Station take Bus 1012 → get off at the “Shen’ao” stop and walk along Shen’ao RoadDriving yourself 1. National Highway 1 → Expressway 62 → Coastal Highway (Provincial Highway 2) → continue on Shen’ao Road to arrive
“Grab a straw hat and go exploring!”
4. Liukeng Inclined Cableway
The 45-degree slope is the big draw at the Liukeng Inclined Cableway, where you can see the Yin-Yang Sea rolling straight toward you in a striking view. Snap a photo from behind here and you’ll look utterly ethereal — don’t miss this North Coast spot while you’re in Ruifang!
Getting there:
Address No. 53, Qitang Rd., Ruifang District, New Taipei City Public transportation From Ruifang Railway Station take Keelung Bus 1062 “Taipei Metro Zhongxiao Fuxing Station – Jinguashi Quanji Temple” and get off at the Quanji Temple stop Driving yourself At about the 2.4 km mark on Township Road Bei 34 (Jinshui Highway), you’ll see a junction with a sign for the Quanji Temple parking lot. Take the turnoff and follow the signs for about 800 meters to a bus stop, then turn left and continue uphill for about 200 meters to arrive
“A North Coast spot made for switching off”
5. Wangyou Valley, Keelung
Keelung is another major highlight among the north coast attractions, and Wangyou Valley has become a popular Instagram spot in recent years. The mountain path looks rugged, but the trail is well designed and not hard to walk, with ocean views the whole way that really do make you forget your worries. (I probably won’t move on until I’ve taken a hundred photos~)
Getting there:
Address Turn right onto Badou St., Zhongzheng Dist., Keelung City and head to Badouzi Seaside Park Public
transportationTake the TRA train to Keelung Railway Station → transfer to Keelung City Bus No. 103 → get off at Badouzi Stop → walk along Badou St. and Huanshan Rd. By
car1. Exit National Freeway No. 1 at the Keelung Interchange → take the Gangxi Expressway (toward Binhai/Badouzi Fishing Harbor) → pass Zhonghua Rd. → turn right onto Wenhua Rd. → continue to the Fuxing Rd. intersection
(From Badouzi Fishing Harbor, follow the Huanshan Trail)
2. Exit the Sun Yat-sen Freeway at the Badu Interchange → take Expressway No. 62 (toward Ruifang) → continue to downtown Ruifang → take County Road 102 (toward Jiufen) → follow the signs for Wangyou Valley
“Feel the sea breeze and face the ocean”
6. Chaojing Park, Keelung
Chaojing Park is a must-visit spot in Keelung. It may be called a park, but it covers a huge area, with large-scale installation art everywhere you look. You’ll also see people flying kites here (I honestly can’t remember the last time I flew a kite), and endless ocean views right alongside, making it perfect for a solo outing or a family day trip.
Getting there:
Address Ln. 369, Beining Rd., Zhongzheng Dist., Keelung City Public transportation Take the TRA train to Keelung Railway Station → transfer to a Keelung City Bus (toward Badouzi) → get off at Wanghaixiang Stop → Chaojing Park is a short walk away By car Exit the Sun Yat-sen Freeway at the Keelung Interchange → take Zhongzheng Rd. → take Provincial Highway No. 2 (Beining Rd.) → continue to Badouzi → follow the signs straight to Chaojing Park
“Let me tell you about a mysterious place~”
7. Mystery Coast
Humans are curious creatures, and the more mysterious something is, the more it draws us in. At Mystery Coast you’ll find endless ocean views along with plenty of sea-eroded rock formations and the Candlestick Islets. If you’re planning a trip along the north coast, this makes a great easy-going stop!
Getting there:
Address No. 2, Minsheng Rd., Jinshan Dist., New Taipei City Public transportation From Tamsui, take the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Crown North Coast Line, or bus No. 862 or 863.
From Taipei, take bus No. 1815, 1068 or 953; from Keelung you can also take the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Crown North Coast Line,
or bus No. 790, then walk about 20 minutes to Shuiwei Fishing Harbor
By car Take the Yangjin Highway (Provincial Highway No. 2), the Danjin Road or the Jijin Road (Provincial Highway No. 2) to Shuiwei Fishing Harbor
“Hipster factor: 100%”
8. Qingtiangang Grassland
Beyond the northeast coast and north coast attractions, the Qingtiangang Grassland up on Yangmingshan is a big favorite with young travelers. During the silvergrass season, just about any photo you snap looks extra artsy, and the trails are flat, making it a great place for an outing with the family!
Getting there:
Address No. 246, Ln. 101, Jingshan Rd., Shilin Dist., Taipei City Public transportation From Jiantan MRT Station, take bus Xiao 15 or a taxi to the Qingtiangang Visitor Center By car Just set your navigation to the Qingtiangang Visitor Center
Do any of these north coast attractions have you itching to go? None of them are very far from Taipei, so driving is a great way to get there — you’ll stay out of the sun and rain, and you can stop whenever you feel like it!
Put on a comfortable pair of shoes, grab your sunglasses, and you’re ready for your photo shoot (and don’t forget sunscreen and an umbrella)
Keep reading>>>
Taipei car rental: our list of affordable, budget-friendly rental picks
Need a rental car?Head over to gogoout
Worried about spending hours comparing rental companies, with unclear vehicle details and vague insurance terms that leave you unable to decide where to book?
gogoout offers the most transparent car rental information, so you can book a car in just three minutes!
This article was translated by AI from the original Chinese version.
