New Taipei City Travel

As the spring transits to summer in May, the hilly regions around Tucheng in New Taipei City are adorned with snowy white tung blossoms. These pristine blossoms transform the verdant hilltops into a snowy spectacle. The fragrant tung flowers gently fall from the branches in the spring breeze, creating a picturesque scene reminiscent of snowfall. After tung trees were introduced from southern China during the Japanese domination period, they were extensively planted in low-altitude mountainous areas in central and northern Taiwan. Tung trees were once important economic crops for the Hakka people and were used to produce paints, and furniture in the early days. The New Taipei City Hakka Tung Blossom Festival takes place in April and May each year. We invite everyone to hike though the mountains, and explore the nearby century-old railway station!The century-old railway station of ShulinIn this era of pursuing efficiency, people try to minimize the time it takes to get from point A to point B. As we often rush towards our destinations at high speed, we often neglect the scenery along the way. As the holidays approach, let's take a break from your usual rush and explore train stations that you have often heard about from the radio during your commute, but never had the chance to visit! Situated between Shulin and Yingge, Shanjia Railway Station was established in 1903 and is now over 120 years old. Originally named the “Sanzijiao Parking Space”, Shanjia Railway Station once bore the heavy responsibility of transporting coal. You can still find remnants of past mining around the station, such as Dafeng Coal Mine No. 1 Pit and Dafeng Coal Mine No. 2 Pit, offering a glimpse into the coal mining history of the Shulin area.Recognized as a designated historical site by New Taipei City, the second-generation Shanjia Railway Station, constructed with bricks, represents a fusion of Western and Japanese architectural styles. It preserves the classic and elegant appearance of buildings from the Japanese domination period and still stands adjacent to the third-generation Shanjia Railway Station, creating a unique juxtaposition of old and new. Shanjia Railway Station is the only remaining station built during the Japanese domination period along the Taiwan Railways Administration (hereinafter referred to as the TRA) corridor between Qidu and Hsinchu; and is a must-visit attraction for railway enthusiasts. The indoor space of the Station exhibits a replica miniature model of Shanjia Railway Station made from recycled materials, the TRA's passenger timetables from Taiwan's Early Restoration, and railway tourism brochures from the Japanese domination period, creating a nostalgic atmosphere.While strolling along Shanjia Street, which runs along the station's edge, you will come across several walls adorned with colorful murals depicting the cultural and scenic elements of Taiwan's old-time landscapes. These include scenes like farm ox carts and traditional barber shops, seamlessly blending with the nostalgia of Taiwan's past. Furthermore, you'll encounter 3D murals featuring dinosaurs, Taiwanese black bears, and other playful and incredibly realistic depictions. The Shanjia Railway Scenic Park was constructed by the local residents to revitalize the vacant land along the railway. In 2017, the local authorities even stationed a 35H1304 black coal hopper car and DL1044 shifting machine to preserve the historical memories of Shanjia.Relish the tung flowers in the mountainous area of TuchengCrossing over the Dahan River, you'll find yourself in Tucheng District on the southern bank. The slopes of Tianshangshan (Tianshan Mountain), often referred to as the first peak, are covered in full bloom tung blossoms. These blossoms grace the entire mountainous region with swathes of snowy white, forming a captivating sight when viewed from afar. It stands as one of the prime locations in New Taipei City to savor the beauty of tung blossoms. The Tung Blossom Park on the mountain is even the primary venue for the annual New Taipei City Hakka Tung Blossom Festival. To savor the beauty of tung flowers, you can drive to the Park's first and second parking lots; or hike from Chengtian Temple to the Tung Blossom Park for exercise and photography.🚌Public Transportation Guide: Take the MRT to Yongning Station, then transfer to Bus Blue 43 Extended Line (Nantianmu) or Blue 44 Extended Line. Get off at the “Trailhead” stop, where you'll find the Tung Blossom Park archway. Your mountain hike begins here.The Chengtian Temple Trail is also known as the Chaoshan Trail, Nantianmu Trail, or Master Guang Qin Trail. Chengtian Temple was established by Master Guang Qin, a renowned Buddhist monk. This trail that leads to the Temple was paved with rough stones in the 1960s. Situated within a lush forest, the Trail is adorned with more than 40 stone tablets and stone pillars inscribed with the names of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The sides of the trail are lush with greenery, creating a serene and tranquil ambiance. Along the trail, you can also come across devoted pilgrims offering their prayers.There are also numerous tung trees along the Chengtian Temple Trail, creating a tranquil atmosphere as you hike toward the solemn Chengtian Temple. This is also a scenic spot for savoring the beauty of mountain tung flowers from a commanding height, allowing you to enjoy picturesque views of the Greater Taipei Basin and Guanyinshan (Guanyin Mountain).The Firefly Viewing Trail between Chengtian Temple and Tung Blossom Park is approximately 600 m long. This stone-paved trail is constructed with beautiful patterned stones. As you walk along the Firefly Viewing Trail, you can enjoy the sight of butterflies dancing in the melodic sounds of flowing water and the chorus of insects and birds, creating a natural symphony. Due to the successful ecological restoration in recent years, the fireflies sparkle like stars in the night sky after dark.Over the years, Tung Blossom Park has served as the primary venue for the annual New Taipei City Hakka Tung Blossom Festival. The Park is planted with nearly a hundred tung trees. Each year, during the blooming season of the tung trees in April and May, the entire park, including the mud-covered ground, stairs, plant leaves, and wooden platforms, is blanketed with snowy white tung blossoms, making it a sacred place for enjoying tung blossoms in New Taipei City. The Tung Blossom Park is designed with an outdoor performance area and a viewing platform; a tea brewing platform for taking a rest; an observation platform that offers views of the urban area of Tucheng; and several leisure pavilions. It also features an exciting and fun suspension bridge, allowing visitors to traverse the dense forest on a rope less than 20 cm wide.Strolling along the park trail to savor the snowy beauty of tung blossoms, gazing into the distance to witness their graceful descent from treetops, collecting fallen tung blossom petals to create meaningful words or hearts, and capturing a selfie with tung blossoms in hand - all of these experiences offer a temporary escape from the hustle and bustle, allowing you to immerse yourself in the tranquil early summer forest scenery.

"There is Yonghe Road in Yonghe, and Zhonghe Road in Zhonghe. Zhonghe Road in Zhonghe connects with Zhonghe Road in Yonghe. Yonghe Road in Yonghe does not connect with Yonghe Road in Zhonghe. Zhonghe Road in Yonghe connects with Yonghe Road in Yonghe…." The "Song of Zhong-Yong-He" fully reflects the maze-like urban landscape of Shuanghe (double-he, Zhonghe and Yonghe) Area, which is the most densely populated area in Taiwan. Among them, Yonghe District has a population density of more than 30,000 people per square kilometer, which means that its mere 5.7 square kilometers of land is home to over 210,000 people! During Taiwan's urbanization period, a large number of people came to Shuanghe area, including not only Taiwanese from central and southern Taiwan looking for work, but also expatriates from Southeast Asia and South Korea. A diverse ethnic culture is therefore formed here, which also brought delicious exotic cuisine.The Nanshijiao side of Zhonghe-Xinlu Line serving Zhonghe and Yonghe Districts was the earliest to begin service on Zhonghe-Xinlu Line on Christmas Eve of 1998. There are a total of 4 underground stations, namely Nanshijiao (O01), Jingan (O02), Yongan Market (O03), Dingxi (O04). Let's take the MRT to explore Shuanghe!Nanshijiao (O01): Huaxin Street (Myanmar Street)The first stop is Nanshijiao Station, which is the main residential area of Chinese Burmese in Taiwan, including Kuomingtang troops and their families in Burma who retreated to Taiwan in the 1950s, and Chinese Burmese who were deprived of their political and economic status after the Myanmar military government came to power in 1962 and immigrated to Taiwan. They are mainly concentrated in Huaxin Street, which is also known as Myanmar Street or Nanyang Food Street. The street signs are written in both Chinese and Burmese, and the restaurant owners and employees would speak Burmese between them. It is the largest Southeast Asian community in New Taipei City. Taiwan's first Southeast Asia themed bookstore, Brilliant Time, is located here. The annual Songkran Festival is also held here!The delicacies on Huaxin Street are mainly Burmese, Indian, Chinese Yunnan, and Thai, including fish soup noodles, naans, rice noodles, pea gravy, and various milk teas! The restaurants here are homey and down-to-earth. They are typically open from morning to afternoon, offering authentic and affordable food. Huaxin Street is a treasure trove of flavors in New Taipei City.Yongan Market (O03): 823 Memorial Park (Zhonghe Park), National Taiwan LibraryNext to Yongan Market Station, you will find 823 Memorial Park, known as the "lungs of Shuanghe." Initially, six large parks were planned for the Shuanghe area. Due to the rapid inflow of people, in the end, only two parks, namely 823 Memorial Park and Renai Park, were completed. 823 Memorial Park covers an area of 11 hectares, and it is the largest park in the Shuanghe area. The August 23 Artillery Battle monument is the landmark in the park, commemorating the war that broke out in Kinmen in 1958.National Taiwan Library in the park was formerly known as the Government-General of Taiwan Library. It was the first modern library in Taiwanese history, and the No. 1 library during the Japanese Rule period in terms of size! In the 1940s, it already had a collection of more than 200,000 books. The neo-classical arched corridor on the outside of the building is a popular photo spot.Dingxi (O04): Yang Sanlang Art Museum, Zhongxing Street (Korea Street), Lehua Night MarketThe area around Dingxi Station is the busiest area in Zhonghe and Yonghe. As it is only a bridge away from Taipei City, lots of people who work in Boai Special Zone and around Taipei Station live here. Yonghe is best known for soymilk. The world-renowned Yonghe Soymilk shop originated from Zhongzheng Bridge. With its fragrant soymilk and hearty Chinese breakfast, it is a must for foodies who like northern Chinese food.Yang Sanlang Art Museum, hidden in the alley behind the soymilk shop, is the former residence of Yonghe-born oil painting master, Yang Sanlang. At the museum, Yang's representative works from each period are on display. Yang has studied in Japan and France and has been dedicated to the development of local art in Taiwan. Jointly with artists of the same era, Chen Chengbo, Liao Jichun, Yan Shuilong, and Li Meishu, Yang founded Taiyang Art Association. The wooden house on the premise is Wangxi Villa, the residence and art studio of Yang Sanlang. It is quiet and elegant. Painting tools and various items used by the master have been preserved such that we could peek into the master's dedication to art."어서오세요!" Zhongxing Street that is next to Exit 1 of Dingxi Station is also known as Korea Street. It was where many Chinese Korean coming from Shandong stayed in Taiwan. As Korean pop culture became popular all over the world, Korean goods are in high demand. Yonghe Korea Street therefore becomes a great shopping place for fans of Korean culture. There are many exclusive Korean goods, including clothing, instant noodles, kimchi, sauces, snacks, and soju. The wide variety of products is waiting for you to explore.It's dinner time! Shuanghe's kitchen, Lehua Night Market, is one of New Taipei's largest night markets. There are many well-known delicacies, offering diverse options. You can find the Taiwanese street must-haves, "fried chicken cutlet in the right hand and bubble tea in the left hand;" classic dishes such as beef soup, sesame oil chicken soup, pig blood soup, chicken rice, spicy duck blood, green onion pancake, sweet potato balls; exotic dishes such as ramen, green papaya salad, Italian coffee, and curry rice. There are so many options to satisfy all types of foodies!Some say that there is a second stomach for desserts. After a full meal, you must have some iced desserts to satisfy all senses! There are several famous ice shops in Lehua Night Market. You can choose from shaved sugar cane ice with taro, snowflake ice, and iced bean paste to draw a "cool" ending to your Shuanghe MRT tour!