New Taipei City Travel

Standing at the Tamsui River Estuary like hands raised in prayer, Danjiang Bridge officially opened to traffic on May 12, 2026, after decades of planning and construction. Beyond carrying the weight of transportation, the bridge also features spacious pedestrian and bicycle paths, inviting travelers to walk into the sea breeze and admire the Tamsui sunset and Guanyin Mountain from an entirely new perspective.An afternoon visit begins at Fort San Domingo, where visitors can look out from Tamsui District's oldest surviving building toward the newly completed Danjiang Bridge. Continue to Hobe Fort to immerse yourself in the history of Tamsui District's coastal defense. Nearby Cloud Gate Theater was an important source of inspiration for Danjiang Bridge: the bridge's smooth, elegant lines echo the dynamic, extended movements of Cloud Gate Dance Theatre's dancers. Ride a bicycle across Danjiang Bridge to take in the soaring bridge tower and the river-and-sea scenery, then arrive at the Bali District end and explore the wetland ecology of Wazihwei. Finally, head to Bali Left Bank, where glittering lights and the sea breeze accompany the enchanting night view over the Tamsui waters.Fort San Domingo has stood in Tamsui District for nearly four centuries and is the district's most representative historical landmark. Beneath its vermilion walls, multiple flags flutter in the wind, telling the turbulent story of this old fortress. Its predecessor was Fort San Domingo, built by the Spanish in 1628; in 1644, the Dutch rebuilt nearby and named the site Fort Antonio. Buildings from the Dutch and Spanish Colonial Period, Qing Dynasty Rule, and the Japanese Colonial Period stand within the grounds, making the complex feel like a living history of Taiwan.When Taiwan opened its ports in 1860, Tamsui District gradually developed into an important international commercial port. In 1867, Britain leased Fort San Domingo for use as a consulate and built an elegant Consular Residence beside it. Strolling through the residence's arched corridor and looking toward the Tamsui River Estuary, visitors can enjoy a view that frames Fort San Domingo and Danjiang Bridge together, capturing a cultural landscape where past and present meet.The small hill beside FAB Green Village is the first ridge of Tamsui District's Wuhu Hill formation. In earlier times, it was an excellent lookout over the Tamsui River Estuary, and Hobe Fort, built to defend Tamsui District, is located here. After the Sino-French War, the Qing court decided to strengthen Taiwan's coastal defense by building ten forts at five harbor locations: Penghu County, Keelung City, Tamsui District, Anping District, and Cihou. Hobe Fort was one of them.Facing south from its northern position, Hobe Fort occupies an important strategic site guarding the Tamsui River Estuary. At the entrance hangs the Beimen Suoyao Plaque, inscribed by Liu Mingchuan, then governor of Taiwan. Inside the fort grounds, the barracks, gun platforms, and replica Armstrong Cannon still project a formidable presence more than a century later. In the past, the site directly overlooked the Tamsui River Estuary and the Guandu area. Today, although trees obscure part of the view, the imposing silhouette of Guanyin Mountain can still be seen in the distance.In 2008, a devastating fire consumed Cloud Gate Dance Theatre's rehearsal facility in Bali District. Yet this renowned Taiwanese contemporary dance company did not stop there. With the joint efforts of New Taipei City Government and private enterprises, Cloud Gate Dance Theatre built the new Cloud Gate Theater at the former site of the Radio Taiwan International Tamsui Branch, reopening in 2015.Cloud Gate Theater's pale-green glass curtain wall reflects the surrounding trees, allowing the building to coexist harmoniously with the natural landscape. The grounds also feature several works by sculptor Ju Ming, including pieces from the Living World Series, letting visitors admire Cloud Gate Theater and Danjiang Bridge in the same view. The design team behind Danjiang Bridge also drew inspiration from this internationally renowned dance company rooted in Tamsui District, translating the fluid and graceful physical movements of Cloud Gate Dance Theatre's dancers into the structural language of the bridge.Danjiang Bridge's main tower extends its stay cables in all directions, paired with elegant curves that resemble a dancer stretching in the night. For this reason, the bridge has been given the poetic name The Silent Dancer. At the opening ceremony on May 9, Cloud Gate Dance Theatre premiered Chain of Light, a work created especially for the bridge. Centered on the theme of connection, the piece symbolizes the bridge linking Tamsui District and Bali District while also connecting the landscapes and emotions between Datun Mountain and Guanyin Mountain.Cycling onto Danjiang Bridge offers a view back toward Tamsui District and Bali District from the perspective of the Tamsui River Estuary. In the 2015 international design competition for Danjiang Bridge, the team led by master architect Zaha Hadid stood out with a single-tower asymmetric cable-stayed design. The bridge tower is deliberately offset toward the Tamsui District side, echoing Guanyin Mountain in Bali District and preserving the openness of the estuary view.At 920 meters long, Danjiang Bridge is the world's largest single-tower asymmetric cable-stayed bridge. From the center of the bridge, looking inward, visitors can see boats moving across the river, the skyline of downtown Tamsui District, the wetlands of Wazihwei in Bali District, and the rolling ridgelines of Datun Mountain and Guanyin Mountain. Looking outward, the world-famous Tamsui sunset spreads across the sky. As dusk falls, the brilliant lights of Fisherman's Wharf and Port of Taipei appear in succession.After crossing Danjiang Bridge to the Bali District end, follow the path to enter an ecological hideaway: Wazihwei Nature Reserve. Located on the left bank of the Tamsui River Estuary, it is the estuary's largest mangrove wetland, covering about 30 hectares. Dominated by Kandelia, it forms a complete and richly varied estuarine ecosystem.The reserve's most representative scenery is its lush Kandelia groves and the small blue boats resting on the sandy beach. Beyond the mangroves, the daily tides also reveal wetland creatures such as mudskippers, fiddler crabs, and barnacles. Wazihwei is also an important birdwatching site in northern Taiwan, making it a natural hideaway for both ecological observation and leisurely walks.After leaving Wazihwei, continue along the Bali Left Bank Cycling Route. In less than ten minutes, the view suddenly opens wide. The spacious Bali Left Bank combines cycling paths and wooden boardwalks, linking waterfront parks with broad sandy beaches and pebbly shores. Choose a café that appeals to you, order a cup of Left Bank Coffee, and enjoy the illuminated night view of the Tamsui waters.

The whirlwind caused by classic Taiwanese dramas often brings about pilgrimages. Sometimes, through the perspective of film and television works, familiar attractions will give us a new layer of emotion, while unfamiliar attractions will be a layer of mysterious colors. The Northern Coast has a rich ecology and charming sea views along the coast and is a favorite location for many film and television works.Arrive at Linshan Cape Wooden Plank in the morning for a bicycle tour, just like passing by the bicycles shared by Xiang Lun Ye and Xiao Yu Lu in the movie "Secret." Go to Tamsui Old Street for food at noon, and visit Fu-Yo Temple on Zhongzheng Road, which seems to be able to see the lively scene of the temple performance in "David Loman 2." Join a special guided tour of Fort San Domingo. The vermilion exterior walls are full of exotic styles in the afternoon. In recent years, many popular TV series such as "Seqalu: Formosa 1867" and "Gold Leaf" were filmed in the former Qing Dynasty British Consul's residence on the east side. At dusk, come to the nearby Customs Wharf to greet the sunset. Here is also the location where the music movie "52Hz, I Love You" creates a European-style flower market.▲ The Linshan Cape Wooden Plank is only 600 meters long and is suitable for walking, cycling, and enjoying the seaside scenery. Take a bicycle tour on the wooden plank to appreciate the natural terrain.In 2007, Jay Chou directed and starred in the musical fantasy romance film "Secret" which swept Taiwan. The romantic scene in the movie, in which Xiang Lun Ye rides a bicycle to take Xiao Yu Lu home and the two chat about everything under the sun, is filmed at the Linshan Cape Wooden Plank.The 600-meter-long Linshan Cape Wooden Plank Road is part of the "Linshan Cape Recreation Area" and is at the junction of Sanzhi District and Shimen District. Besides the coastal scenery, remember to look at the wind-faceted stone landform and the rich intertidal ecology. The andesite of Linshan Cape has gradually formed multi-faceted edges eroded by the northeast monsoon with fine sand for many years, so it is called "wind-faceted stone." The widespread andesite is also an excellent location for algae to attach. The replacement of the old and the new left the rock's surface with lime due to algae calcification, which accumulates layer by layer to form an algae reef. When riding a bicycle on the Linshan Cape Wooden Plank to the filming location, enjoy the sea breeze and get close to these rare natural geological landscapes.▲ At the entrance of Tamsui Old Street, the fragrance of delicious food fills the air, and crowds surge along the way.Tasty delicacies only cost coins, and visit the ancient temple, Fu-Yo Temple.After the exercise, fill the hunger with food from Tamsui Old Street. Regarding the must-eats in Tamsui, we must mention the three food treasures: "fish balls, a-gei, and iron eggs." A bowl of steaming fish ball soup is full of the simple taste of the fishing village, paired with a-gei topped with sweet and spicy sauce. When taking a bite, it is full of green bean noodles soaked in a salty and fragrant sauce. Finally, buy a pack of iron eggs as a snack to replenish the journey.Pass by the "Fu-Yo Temple" on Zhongzheng Road Old Street when searching for delicious food. Temples and businesses are adjacent to the busy streets, a unique street scene in Taiwan. It even found the integration of religion and life into the daily lives of ordinary people. On the day when "David Loman 2." was filmed at Fu-Yo Temple, it presented clips of Nana and Xiaola sisters learning religious rituals, such as carrying a sedan chair, which attracted many viewers.▲Fu-Yo Temple is the earliest temple built on Tamsui Old Street and has more than 200 years of history.Built with the mountain behind and the river in front, the Fu-Yo Temple is the earliest in Tamsui. Its construction history dates back to the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty when it was a Class III historic site. It is mainly dedicated to Mazu, who protects the place and ensures safe navigation. Therefore, it is also called Mazu Temple and carries many folk legends.According to legend, during the Sino-French War, when French warships bombarded Huwei (today's Tamsui), they saw a spirit guarding the Fu-Yo Temple, and the nearby houses were unaffected. After the war, Ming Chuan Liu petitioned Emperor Guangxu to grant a plaque because Mazu had made her presence. The plaque "Yitian Zhaoyou" (Praise Mazu for her meritorious service in protecting Taiwan during the battle) is still hanging in the temple's main hall. The temple retains many original Qing Dynasty items, and the unique architectural layout and rich carving art are also worth a visit.▲The building on the east side of Fort San Domingo Park was the official residence of the British Consul in the Qing Dynasty. The Fort San Domingo Park is a building that witnesses the evolution of history.It takes about 15 minutes to walk from Fu-Yo Temple to Fort San Domingo Park to see red brick buildings full of exotic styles. The TV series "Seqalu: Formosa 1867" and "Gold Leaf," which have recently caused a craze, were filmed in the former British Consul's residence on the east side of Fort San Domingo. They present the office of Xian-De Lee, the American Consul in Xiamen, and the scene of Yi-Xin Chang, the daughter of a tea merchant, negotiating the tea business, respectively.▲ The elegant and solemn interior of the former British Consul's residence is perfect for shooting solemn conversation scenes.The site of Fort Santo Domingo includes the main fortress, the former British consul's residence, and the south gate built during the Qing dynasty. Spanish initially built and called it "Santo Domingo City." After destroying it, the Dutch rebuilt it on the original site and named it "Fort Antonio" (Fort San Domingo). During the Qing Dynasty, the Tamsui Tongzhi (government sub-prefect) of the Taiwan Prefecture added four outer city gates. It was not until after the Sino-French War that the trade volume of Tamsui Port increased sharply, and the British decided to build the Consul's Residence next to it. The construction of Fort San Domingo came to a temporary end. This national monument has witnessed the passage of time, and over 300 years of history have been piled brick by brick.▲ Presented as "vases," the corridor railings combine the beauty of Chinese ceramics with Western vase railings.Fort San Domingo became the British Consulate from 1867 to 1972 because of the "Fort San Domingo Perpetual Lease" signing. It was not until later that they established the former Qing British Consulate on the east side of the main castle. The two-story red brick building was designed by British architects and constructed by Chinese craftsmen. It has typical British colonial architectural features such as sloping roofs and arch-ring corridors. Its excellent construction technology and exquisite materials have great architectural art value.★Tamsui Fort San Domingo Park Guided Tour Service: On-site registration is limited to 30 people per session.Daily at 10:00, 11:00, 14:00, and 16:00▲ You can see the Tamsui River Bayou and the Guandu Bridge from the Customs Wharf. Enjoy the magical sunset moment at the wharf.When coming to the Tamsui Riverside, remember to catch the moment when the sunset dyes the river golden. The Customs Wharf is on a platform downhill from Fort San Domingo. It is a great place to enjoy the sunset and the opening of the Taiwanese music film "52 Hz, I Love You." The flower shop's female owner carefully dragged the cart, strolling and singing in the European-style flower market.In the Qing Dynasty, Hu Wei became a trading port due to the signing of the Treaty of Tientsin and the Convention of Peking, and the Customs Wharf instantly became one of the most essential ports in Taiwan. The 150-meter riverside trail, built with Guanyin and Qilian stone, prevents erosion by the river water and is very sturdy. People can still see the stone mooring bollards where ships moored in the past. Today, the Tamsui Customs Wharf area has Western-style buildings and a port warehouse built during the Japanese rule. There are permanent exhibitions planned in the warehouse, and special exhibitions are changed regularly.▲ Let the sunset twilight draw a beautiful end to the journey. The Customs Wharf connects to the bottom of Tamsui Old Street and overlooks the Tamsui River Bayou and Guandu Bridge. The view is broad, just right for the sunset twilight to draw a beautiful end to the journey.See more New Taipei Cinematic Pilgrimage Road:Film Assist NTPC.