New Taipei City Travel

With long blonde hair, blue eyes, slender body and extravagant dress, a Barbie doll is a common childhood memory among many Taiwanese girls. Visiting the “Taishan Doll Industry Museum” evokes many people’s memories about Barbie dolls. Featuring collections such as the earliest Meining doll clothing, military fatigue dolls, indigenous clothing, early Taiwanese clothing, Southern Fujianese clothing, concubine clothing during the Qing Dynasty and Taiwan Dadaocheng doll collection, etc., visitors are able to admire the glamour of different styles of dolls in the display window. The Taishan Down Temple nearby has a history of 130 years, but its solemness has not been diminished over time. The next stop is the Mingzhi Academy, also praised as the premier academy in northern Taiwan. The ancient academy has an archaic paper burning furnace, serving as a reminder for students to cherish knowledge, and all unused paper or books must be burnt as a sign of respect towards knowledge. Next stop is Taishan Up Temple, which is the oldest temple in the Taishan region. Designated as a class-3 national historic monument, the majestic temple is one of the must-see historic monuments in Taishan. Exquisite wood carvings, stone carvings and paintings on the interior of the temple present the beauty of traditional craftsmanship. Classic architectural masterpieces are abound in Fu Jen Catholic University, with each one featuring unique styling; there are plenty of well-known delicacies on the campus that you cannot afford to miss, such as FJCU’s own ice cream. In addition, there is also the Fuda Night Market, which is just as famous as Tainan Flowers Night Market and packed with numerous original stores and renowned gourmet delicacies that have been featured in television reports. End your memorable day right here at the night market by savoring mouthwatering snacks!

Shulin Datong Mountain is known as the “Shulin Back Garden”. The pavilions and viewing platforms set on its summit overlook greater Taipei, attracting considerable people for its night view. The connecting Blue Dragon Ridge and Dadong Mountain has a magnificent view along the way, with layers of formation and lush greenery after entering the forest trails. There is a blue dragon sculpture along the way symbolizing the Blue Dragon Ridge. Overlooking from the triangular point, the entire Shulin area can be enjoyed with its wide expanse of view. After seeing the beauty from the summit, hike down from the industrial road behind Dadong mountain pavilion to reach Shanjia train station. The station was used for coal transportation, and under the mining of Colonial Japan, it once boasted of prosperity. As the mining dwindles and population migrated, it has become the best witness to local history. On February 2017, it reopened to the public, redisplaying its century glamor with Japanese and Western style blending of architecture. Feel the glory it once had with the renovated station.