The Xingfu Waterfront – Exploring New Taipei by cycling

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Bikeways

The irrigation and water transportation provided by the river have nurtured countless civilizations and the rise of many big cities. The most important river in northern Taiwan, Tamsui River, supports more than 8 million residents in its basin. Going back in time to the 18th century, the center of the Greater Taipei area was Xinzhuang by the riverbank. "Xinzhuang Port crowded by thousands of sails, and the market lit by thousands of household lights" entails the reputation of prosperity that Xinzhuang enjoyed. In mid-19th century, Tamsui became an important international commercial port. However, due to river siltation and pollutions caused by rapid industrialization, Tamsui River was forgotten by residents. After years of improvement efforts, the riverside in New Taipei is once again a great place for citizens to enjoy relaxation and recreation.

New Taipei City has a 1,382-hectare riverside park. Complete bicycle paths are made available along Tamsui River and its three tributaries—Dahan River, Xindian River, and Keelung River, with a total length of 210 kilometers, which is equivalent to the distance between Banqiao, New Taipei and Douliu, Yunlin! There are six major bicycle routes in New Taipei City, including Bali Left Bank, Golden Coast, Xizhi, Erchong Circular, Dahan River, and Xindian River. Hop on a bicycle and explore New Taipei from the waterfront at the speed of 15km per hour!

（Map created by Water Resources Department, New Taipei City Government）

Bali Left Bank Bicycle Path
From Guanyinkeng Creek Estuary to Baxian Coast: 14 kilometers
[Route] Guanyinkeng Creek Estuary -- Guandu Bridge -- Bali Ferry Dock -- Laorong Bunker -- Sustainable Development Education Center -- Bali Left Bank Park -- Waziwei Nature Reserve -- Bali Cultural Park-- Shihsanhang Museum of Archaeology -- Xiaguzi Fishing Port

Bali, located on the left bank of Tamsui River, is connected to Tamsui by ferries and Guandu Bridge across the wide Tamsui River. It is a port with a long history in New Taipei. Shisanhang Museum of Archaeology, an important archaeological site in Taiwan, is also located in this area. Cycling from the starting point of Guanyinkeng towards the estuary, you will see Guanyin Mountain on the left and Tamsui River on the right. On the way, you will pass by Guandu Bridge, Bali Ferry Dock Old Street, Shisanhang Museum of Archaeology, and other major attractions. Bali is also one of the top areas in terms of green space per capita. There are many inclusive parks along the route, such as Shanggang Park, Ferry Dock Park, Pianzigou Park, Shuixinggong Park, Shisanhang Cultural Park, and Bali Left Bank Park. The BALI landmark at Bali Left Bank Park is a popular social media photo spot.

The casual atmosphere of Bali has brought many coffee shops here. Choose a coffee shop to spend a relaxed afternoon or visit Ferry Dock Old Street to taste the famous Shuangbaotai (fried pastry) and various fried seafood to satisfy your inner foodie!

Golden Coast Cycling Route
From Guanhai Park to North Coast: 16.7 km
[Route] Guanhai Park (the border between Taipei and New Taipei) -- Guandu Bridge -- Zhuwei Pier -- Mangrove Nature Reserve -- Golden Coast Riverside Park -- Tamsui Old Street -- Tamsui Ferry Dock -- Banyan Embankment -- Tamsui Customs Wharf Park -- Fisherman's Wharf -- Danhai New Town -- North Coast

There are many eateries on Tamsui Old Street. The most representative dish, A-gei, is made by hollowing out the middle of fried tofu, filling it with fried cellophane noodles, soaking it in a sauce, sealing it with fish paste, and finally serving it with a sweet and spicy sauce drizzled on top. It is a seemingly simple but unforgettably tasty dish.

Xizhi Bikeway
From the border between Taipei and New Taipei to Wudu (towards Keelung): 9.8 km
[Route] The border between Taipei and New Taipei -- Beishan Bridge -- Nanyang Bridge -- New Shehou Bridge -- Jiangbei Second Bridge -- Chengzhong Pumping Station -- Wudu Railway Station -- Wudu (towards Keelung)

Xizhi, located at mid-stream Keelung River, was known as Shuifanjiao in the past. Situated between Taipei City and Keelung City, it is the most densely populated area on the east side of New Taipei City. Its early development was due to the rise of river transportation on Keelung River, in which Xizhi became an important distribution center for tea and other goods from the neighboring mountains. Keelung River is the most tortuous among the three tributaries of Tamsui River. You can feel the unique landscape of this river when cycling along the bank. The most eye-catching landmark of this bikeway is the Starlight Bridge that is shaped like a microphone. This single-tower, cable-stayed bridge is for pedestrians and bicycles only. Along the bikeway, there are major attractions such as Xizhi Old Street, Xizhi Jide Temple, and Wudu Tunnel Bicycle Path.

Xizhi Night Market is a treasure trove of delicacies, including stinky tofu, Chinese angelica duck, shaved ice, ba-wan (Taiwanese meatballs), and Taiwanese fried chicken, waiting for you to discover.

Erchong Circular Bikeway
One lap of the bikeway: 20 kilometers
[Route] Floodway Sports Park -- Xingfu Waterfront Park -- Floodway Lotus Park -- Floodway Waterfront Park -- Floodway Central Park -- Floodway Zhuifeng Park -- Floodway Marsh Park -- Floodway Canal Park – Floodway Luti Park -- Breeze Canal -- Floodway Ecological Park -- Tamsui Riverside Park -- Duckie Park -- Floodway Sports Park

Erchong Floodway was part of the Greater Taipei Area Flood Control Plan. It connects with Tamsui River on the east side to form a circle that bounds Luzhou, Sanchong, and part of Wugu as an island, which connects to Xinzhuang, Wugu, and Taipei City by a dozen of bridges. One lap of Erchong Circular Bikeway is about 20 kilometers long. New Taipei City Government has planned a number of sports and entertainment venues at Erchong Floodway, including New Taipei Metropolitan Park, Xingfu Water park, Breeze Canal, and Chenguang Bridge, which is designed for pedestrians and bicycles only. Along Tamsui River, there is Sanchong Air Force Military Kindred Village No. 1, which is an important cultural asset of New Taipei. Anti-aircraft artillery positions and underground tunnels there have been preserved and now used as a shooting location for film crews.

Sanhe Night Market next to MRT Taipei Bridge Station is where many eateries that have been in business for more than 30 years are, selling delicacies such as sesame oil chicken soup, wontons, ba-wan (Taiwanese meatballs), herbal tea, and papaya milk. They are great snacks after exercising.

Dahan River Bikeway
From Left Bank - Taoyuan City border to Sanchong: 24.7 km
[Route] Taoyuan City border -- Yingge Ceramics Museum -- Sanying Ceramics Park -- Ganyuan Riverside Park -- Shulin Riverside Environmental Park -- Lujiao Creek Constructed Wetland -- Xisheng Riverside Environmental Park -- Sanchong Riverside Environmental Park -- Floodway Sports Park

From Right Bank - Changfu Bridge to Huajiang Bridge: 19.5 km
[Route] Changfu Bridge – Sanxia Bridge -- Sanjiaoyong Bridge -- Xibei Riverside Park -- Tucheng Environmental Park -- Tucheng Mazutian Riverside Park -- Fuzhou Sports Park -- Banqiao Environmental Park -- Fuzhou Arts Riverside Park -- Huajiang Bridge

Dahan River, formerly known as Dakekan River, is the longest tributary of Tamsui River. Its upper reach is the catchment area of Shimen Reservoir, which supplies water to Taoyuan City and the west side of New Taipei City. After entering New Taipei City, it passes through Yingge, Sanxia, Shulin, Tucheng, Xinzhuang, Sanchong, and finally merges into Tamsui River with Xindian River in Jiangzicui, Banqiao. The first section of Dahan River Bikeway is the heart of New Taipei City's art and creativity. Yingge Ceramics Museum and the upcoming New Taipei City Art Museum are here. The middle section passes through a number of ecologically rich wetland parks, such as Lujiao Creek Constructed Wetland, Fuzhou Constructed Wetland, and Xinhai Constructed Wetland. In the last section, you can find 435 Art Zone, which is suitable for families with children; and the most beautiful landmark on Dahan River, Crescent Bridge, which is the longest double-span steel arch bridge in Taiwan.

Dahan River has deep culture and history. The most prosperous Xinzhuang Temple Street of Greater Taipei in mid-Qing Dynasty is still busy today. Xianguang cake, which is a temple street specialty is shaped like a bagel or donut with a mixed savory and sweet taste. It carries good blessings so you will be safe and sound after eating it. Sanxia Old Street is famous for its Baroque facade buildings and red brick archways, developed in late Qing Dynasty and the Japanese Rule period. The famous Golden Croissant also originated from the market of Sanxia. A variety of flavors and methods to enjoy them have been developed over time. It is a popular souvenir from Sanxia.

Xindian River Bikeway
From Huajiang Bridge to Bitan Scenic Area: 16 km
[Route] Huajiang Bridge -- Butterfly Park -- Yonghe Emerald Riverside Park -- Luguang Riverside Park -- Xiulang Bridge -- Xiulang Qingxi Park -- Sunshine Sports Park -- Qinqing Riverside Park -- Xindian Bitan

Xindian River has high-quality water and is the hometown of Taiwan sweetfish. The upstream tributary, Beishi River, constitutes the most important reservoir supplying water to the Taipei Metropolitan Area, Feicui Reservoir. Xindian River Bikeway starts from Jiangzicui, Banqiao and ends at Bitan, Xindian. It passes through four major administrative districts, namely Banqiao, Zhonghe, Yonghe, and Xindian. There are many theme parks along the way, such as the popular social media photo spots Butterfly Park and Dinosaur Park. You can also visit Yang Sanlang Art Museum to learn about the development of modern art in Taiwan. In Xindian, you can find Sunshine Bridge of Xindian River that is exclusive to pedestrians and bicycles, as well as Bitan Scenic Area. The scenery here can be enjoyed day and night.

Yonghe Soymilk, which originated from the Zhongzheng Bridge area of Yonghe, is now well-known at home as well as abroad. After visiting Yang Sanlang Art Museum, it is the perfect timing to visit the founding store to taste the rich and silky soymilk.

Xingfu Waterfront is the most open area in the most densely populated city of Taiwan. Riding along the riverbank at a speed of 15km per hour in the breeze, after leaving the noisy concrete jungle, you will find the waterfront without cars or motorcycles as a quiet and calming path. At the same time, you will be delighted to find out that besides humans, there are many creatures living among us in this city. Hop on a bike, with a different vision and mood, set off to the waterfront!

Gallery

“Get in the Sedan Chair!” “Let’s Go!” Yehliu Cultural Festival of Jumping into the Sea with Gods

Female Power: Her Story ⁠— Tamsui Women’s Road

Tamsui, one of the earliest international commercial ports in Taiwan, has rich cultural assets and scenic oceans and mountains, making a well-known tourist attraction in Northern Taiwan. Tamsui, which opened its port to merchants and trade in 1860, was the main center of trade for Taiwan and the rest of the world, and it contributed to many important changes in Taiwanese society. The first girl’s school, Tamsui Girls’ School, was founded in Zhenli Street, which is located in today’s Tamsui. Communities such as the New Taipei City Government, Tamsui Traveler, and New Taipei City Community Traveling and Learning Care Association collaborated on Tamsui Women’s Road. It aims to discover local stories of female power and connect with historical sites of feminine significance. Let’s put on our hanfu and discover Her Story in Tamsui.The House of Maidens and the House of ReverendsThe House of Maidens and the House of Reverends were built by Rev. William Gauld in 1906 and 1909 respectively. The House of The House of Maidens and the House of Reverends were built by Rev. William Gauld in 1906 and 1909 respectively. The House of Maidens was originally provided as a residence for Ms. Jane Kinney, the headmaster of Tamsui Girls’ School, and Ms. Hannah Connell, the headmaster of Tamsui Women’s School, and is currently the Office of the President of Aletheia University. The House of Reverends was the residence of Rev. William Gauld; its piano studio became a smash hit after it was featured in the extremely popular movie Secret (2007), and is now the Research and Development Center of Aletheia University. The appearance of the two Houses is similar to that of the British consulate residence situated not far away; all of them are red brick buildings containing a cloister. What differentiates the two houses from the British consulate residence is that the exterior wall decoration is much simpler than that of the official residence. Rev. Mackay and his wife Chang Tsung-mingChang Tsung-ming, who was originally named Tsung-tsai, grew up in Wugu District in New Taipei City. After marrying Rev. Mackay in the former British Consulate in Tamsui in 1878, she studied hard, becoming an English-proficient teacher in the Women’s School, which made Chang a woman ahead of her time. Chang and Rev. Mackay also helped many Taiwanese women fettered by tradition, and they played important roles in the history of women’s education in Taiwan. Tamsui Women’s Road will vividly show you Chang Tsung-ming’s journey in Mackay Memorial Museum in the form of a street play.At the end of 1879, Chang Tsung-ming and Rev. Mackay started their journey back to Canada, passing through Xiamen, Hong Kong, Singapore, and India, until they arrived in the Middle East. They visited the pyramids in Egypt, and the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. From there, they passed through Alexandria and arrived in Italy, where they visited the ruins of Pompeii, Rome and Vatican City. Then, they went to Paris and England, and finally arrived in Canada. After accompanying Rev. Mackay to finish his duties and fundraising in Canada, they flew through the US and Japan, and came back to Taiwan. This experience also made Chang Tsung-ming the first Taiwanese woman who traveled around the world.The Tamsui Girls’ SchoolAfter Rev. Mackay returned to Taiwan from Canada, he established the Tamsui Girls’ School in 1884 – the first women's school and the origin of women's education in Taiwan. The women's school has nurtured many outstanding women: the first female physician in Taiwan, Dr. Tsai Ashin (The heroine of the TV series A Cinematic Journey - the prototype of Qiu Yaxin) and the writer Wang Li Ruyue all graduated from Tamsui Girls’ School. In addition, in order to help educate married and adult women, Rev. Mackay established a women's school, which can be called the first “Classroom for Moms" in Taiwan.A-geiA-gei is a well-known snack in Tamsui. Just like Yonghe soy milk, when we think of A-gei, we think of Tamsui. The inventor of this famous snack was Ms. Yang Zheng Jinwen, who ran a snack stand with her husband, Yang Shugen. In 1965, she developed a new dish, for which she cut upoiled tofu, filled it with pork noodles, and sealed it with fresh fish paste. This dish became the symbol of Tamsui’s delicious cuisine, A-gei. The word “A-gei” originated from the Japanese word for oily tofu, "Abura-age." To the foreigners’ surprise, the packaging for takeaway A-gei was initially wrapped in newspapers to withstand the wet and cold weather in Tamsui during winter.Handmade thread-bound booksThe old name of Chongjian Street is Nine Valley Street, which refers to the nine stores that first opened here, making it the one and only Tamsui Old Street. Before the development of the shopping district in Tamsui’s Zhongzheng Road, Tamsui Old Street was the busiest place in Tamsui, with some of the old houses leading up into the hills still standing today. In the age of the Internet, where information is abundant, this place returned to the time of original paper books, bound one stitch at a time, carefully creating a world of books.The line “The beauty of Guanyin Mountain enters my view, a reflected painting of the morning sun” is from a poem by a female poet from Tamsui, Wang Li Ruyue. As you walk down Chongjian Street toward the MRT station, you can see Guanyin Mountain and the Samsui river in front of you, and experience the same feelings this poet felt. Tamsui, when looking from a female perspective, is the cradle of women’s education in Taiwan, which has fostered countless outstanding women before us. The first step from Tamsui then became a big step in the social change of Taiwan.