New Taipei City Travel

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.

-->Sometimes, does having no transportation available ever stopped you from getting closer to nature on the weekends? After the operation of the Circular Line of Taipei Mass Rapid Transit Systems (Taipei MRT) begins, outing becomes easier. Would you feel like admiring the scenery or taking beautiful photos? Just follow the route, you'll find the right ways! Starting from the MRT Dapinglin Station, it's the way to a secret place called "Yinhe Cave;" people can take a stroll in the grass under tree shades for comfortable enjoyment; as soon as you hear the sound of a waterfall, people can see the extremely fascinating scene of water falling off from a cliff cave where the temple was built! Walking further to reach "Bitan" with its beautiful landscapes, people can walk across the suspension bridge to overlook the riverbank as well as try the swan-shaped paddle boats. At noon, people can take a short break at the "Pompie 2," a renowned shop that is located next to the No.4 park and recommended by the internet celebrities; quiche is the food you must try, it goes well with some desserts, such as smoothies or pieces of layer cake, people can enjoy a good lunch. If you need more food, taking a trip to "Myanmar Street" in Zhonghe can impress you so much by the strong exotic Southeast Asian atmosphere; each shop has its signature dish, the South Pacific Island cuisines are also available. The last spot to visit is the most well-known temple in northern Taiwan, "Hongludi Nanshan Fude Temple," people can thank the Earth God for his protection as well as admire the wide night view of greater Taipei before ending the wonderful one-day tour.The Yinhe Cave Hiking Trail--> Mt. Dailaokeng is the summit of the west extension belonging to the Ergeshan mountain range, it's also called Degaoling. The trail is flat and easy to hike and the landscapes along the way are lush and enticing. Dapianwei Ridge ends at Xindian River and Qingtan River, it's an easy hiking trail; along the way, there are the Yinhe Cave, Dachun Villa, etc, the lush scenes in front of the eyes are beautiful in a quiet atmosphere, a popular tourist's spot.The Yinhe Cave is right beside Beiyi Road, it's a cave having an outline that curves inwards on the cliff; there's a small temple built to worship Guanyin. The words embossed on the cliff are "Bie-you-dong-tian (means a beautiful hidden spot)." When Meiziliao River reaches here, the waterfall drops at a 90-degree angle from the cliff and forms the Yinhe Cave Waterfall. Yinhe Cave was found in the Taisho 1 (in 1912), there's a Lu Dongbin Temple built behind it. Next to the temple, there are silk-like streams of water falling from the mountain; due to water tasting sweet and refreshing, a lot of tourists come here to scoop water and drink. Under the Yinhe Cave, there's a small garden with stone tables and chairs; tourists can admire the waterfall here while enjoying the chilly atmosphere that is filled with water splashes.info.Location and Address: Yinhe Rd., Xindian Dist., New Taipei CityContact Phone Number: 886-2-29112281 (Xindian District Office)Opening Hours: All year round.Fax Number: 886-2-29670755The traffic information from the MRT Xindian Station to the Yinhe Cave Hiking Trail1. At the MRT Xindian Station, take the bus "Green Route 12" and get off at "Yinhe Cave".2. At the MRT Dapingling Station, take the Bus No. "647" or "650" and get off at "Zhongsheng Bridge".The Yinhe Cave Hiking Trail's informationBitan Scenic Area--> The “Bitan Scenic Area” is near the Taipei Metro Xindian Station. As part of the Xindian River, it is called “Bitan” (literally clear water lake) because water is clear, water flow is gentle, and the opening is spacious. In addition to the gentle slopes, beautiful mountains and the undulating bikeway suitable for lovers and family tours, the historical suspension bridge is the landmark of the scenic area.On the bridge, the entire river and shore view of the “Bitan Scenic Area” is in sight. Below, visitors can surf around the lake in a water bike (aka swan boat), rent a bike to explore the gorgeous scenery of the area along the lakeside bikeway, or stroll across the romantic and exotic “Riverside Marketplace” to take pictures with the Cupid installation art and fun 3D paintings.info.Location and Address: Xindian District, New Taipei, Taiwan 231Contact Phone Number: 886-2-29132579Opening Hours: 8:00-17:00The traffic information from the Yinhe Cave Hiking Trail to the Bitan Scenic AreaAt Yinhe Cave", take the bus "Green Route 12" and get off at the MRT Xindian Station.Bitan Scenic Area's informationPompie 2--> Located next to the No.4 Park, the owner of Pompie 2, who came back to Taiwan from Australia, hopes to introduce the authentic quiche to people, and he opened the Pompie, the previous name of Pompie 2. Afterwards, he reopened the shop with fresh flower smoothies and pieces of layer cake, and the shop's name was changed to Pompie 2. The signature flower smoothies are made of a mix of fresh fruit added with edible flowers and oats, not only healthy but also looking great in front of the camera. For sure, having the quiche for brunch is a must-eat food. The signature quiche layered by half-cooked sunny side up fried egg, pan-fried wild mushroom, salad, etc., really looking "Pompie (means abundant)"! In addition to the two kinds of food, there are pieces of layer cake, soft-serve milk ice cream, pudding, etc. available in Pompie 2. They are the best-selling desserts in summer.info.Location and Address: No.164, Anle Rd., Yonghe Dist., New Taipei CityContact Phone Number: 886-2-89418148Opening Hours: Weekdays: 1200~20:00; Holidays: 10:00~20:00; it closes on Tuesdays and from the 1st day to the 5th day of the 1st lunar month.The traffic information from the Bitan Scenic Area to the Pompie 2Take the MRT Xindian Line and get off at the Dapinglin Station; then, transfer to the Circular Line and get off at the Jingan Station. Or, transfer to the Zhonghe-Xinlu Line and get off at the Yongan Market Station. Walk through the 823 Memorial Park (No.4 Park). It takes about an 8-minute walk to reach the destination.Pompie 2's informationMyanmar Street--> Zhonghe is the home of huge immigrant population, including Burmese people who have settled down in Taiwan. A small market of Burmese food on Huaxin Street was formed after some Burmese immigrants decided to open Myanmar restaurants to satisfy their craving for the foods of their homeland. The market is now called Myanmar Street by local residents and has attracted not only Burmese Chinese, but also Taiwanese people, as food from Southeast Asian countries have become more and more popular in Taiwan. Some gourmands even visit this area only to find delicious and affordable delicacies from Southeast Asia, such as Guoqiao rice noodles, curry chicken, spicy rice noodles, lemon fish and milk tea. These dishes are sold at reasonable prices and you can relish them as they are prepared by nostalgic immigrants any time you want by yourself or with other people.info.Location and Address: Huaxin St., Zhonghe Dist., New Taipei City, Taiwan 235Contact Phone Number: 886-2-22482688Opening Hours: 08:00-18:00(Opening times based on individual shops)The traffic information from the Pompie 2 to the Myanmar StreetTake the MRT the Zhonghe-Xinlu Line and get off at the Nanshijiao Station. It takes about a 10-minute walk to reach the destination.Myanmar Street's informationZhonghe Hongludi--> Taiwan's biggest Earth God statue. Built over 260 years ago, Fude Temple in Nanshan is dedicated to the Earth God Fude Jhengshen. The temple's reputation and scale grew with a series of purported mystical signs. To thank the Earth God for his protection, the temple worshippers erected a 109-foot-tall statue in the deity's image.info.Location and Address: No.160-1, Ln. 399, Sec. 2, Xingnan Rd., Zhonghe Dist., New Taipei City, Taiwan 235Contact Phone Number: 886-2-29425277Opening Hours: Open all year roundThe traffic information from the Myanmar Street to the Zhonghe HongludiAt the Huaxin Street Station, take the Bus No.249 and get off at Hongludi. It takes about a 500-meter walk to reach the destination.Zhonghe Hongludi's informaionReturn Trip Traffic InformationAt the Hongludi Station, take the Bus No. 249 or 670 and get off at Jingxin Street. It takes a 450-meter walk to reach the MRT Nanshijiao Station.Circular Line MAP ">