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New Taipei City Travel

Exploring New Taipei by Taipei MRT – Zhonghe-Xinlu Line (Luzhou branch)

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Exploring New Taipei by Taipei MRT – Zhonghe-Xinlu Line (Luzhou branch)
Category :
MRT Travel
Travel days :
1 day
適合對象 :
Public

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      Introduction

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      The Luzhou branch of Zhonghe-Xinlu Line spans across Luzhou and Sanchong Districts. Both districts belonged to Luzhou Township before 1947. Now they are collectively called Sanlu District, surrounded by Erchong Floodway and Tamsui River like an island. There are 12 bridges connecting Taipei City and Wugu-Xinzhuang area. With a vast waterfront area, this location is highly suitable for cycling.

      Luzhou branch of Zhonghe-Xinlu Line is entirely underground. Launched in 2010, this branch has a total of five stations, including Sanchong Elementary School (O50), Sanhe Junier High School (O51), St. lgnatius High School (O52), Sanmin Senior High School (O53), and Luzhou (O54). As a satellite town of Taipei City, the Sanlu area is only separated from Taipei City by a bridge. It is also the district with the highest density of temples in Taiwan. Take the MRT now and visit Sanlu!
      中和新蘆線_蘆洲端

      Luzhou (O54): Breeze Canal
      "Luzhou Fanyue" (paddling under the moonlight at Luzhou) was one of the eight scenes of Tamsui River in Qing Dynasty, capturing the scenery of river and sandy bays around Luzhou in the early days. Although Luzhou has been highly urbanized today, it is still possible to enjoy the mountain and river scenery in the waterfront area. Breeze Canal is located within Erchong Floodway. It is a designated waterway in New Taipei City for hosting international competitions of rowing and canoeing. The annual Dragon Boat competition is also held here! On usual days, the waterway is also open to the public for activities such as windsurfing and kayaking. This location is blessed with the widest view in the Sanlu area, with Guanyin Mountain and Yangmingshan standing on two sides of Tamsui River. The natural scenery here is rare in the city.
      微風運河

      Sanmin Senior High School (O53): Luzhou Li's Residence, Yonglian Temple, Luzhou Temple Street Commercial District
      The historic site of Li's Residence in Luzhou is a cultural landmark in the Luzhou area. In Luzhou, where the population density is as high as 27,000 people per square kilometer, it has not been easy to preserve Li's Residence in its complete, original appearance. Luzhou Li's Residence was built in 1895 with nine halls and sixty rooms. There is a lotus pond in front of the courtyard. It is a grand mansion of a prominent local family. The architecture is of a combined layout of a farmhouse and an official's residence.
      蘆洲李宅古蹟-李友邦將軍紀念館遠景

      The Li family of Luzhou immigrated from Quanzhou, Fujian to Luzhou during the Qianlong period of Qing Dynasty. The third generation of the family after immigrating, Li Shuhua, served as a Confucian School official in Anping and Fengshan counties, which greatly enhanced Luzhou’s scholarly culture. The fifth generation of the family after immigrating, Li Youbang, was a lieutenant general who performed well in the Second Sino-Japanese War who eventually died in the White Terror political oppression. Consequently, General Li Youbang Memorial Hall was set up at Li's Residence in Luzhou, in memory of the modern history of Taiwan.
      蘆洲李宅

      When it comes to the most representative delicacy of Luzhou, it has to be Qiezi noodles (tshı̍k-á-mī in the Taiwanese dialect)! The name, Qiezi, comes from the movement of shaking noodles in a skimmer when the noodles are cooked. It is served with a rich broth made from pork bones and added with leeks and bean sprouts so it is fresh and filling at the same time. Qiezi noodles is a representative noodle dish of northern Taiwan, equally well-known as Danzi noodles from Tainan in southern Taiwan. Qiezi noodles originated from the stalls in front of Yonglian Temple. Today, Luzhou Temple Night Market that developed around Yonglian Temple has become the liveliest commercial district in the area! Qiezi noodles as well as Yonglian Temple are important identities for Luzhou locals!
      湧蓮寺
      蘆洲廟口商圈

      Sanhe Junier High School (O51): Bihua Temple, Bihua Fabric Street
      With great location advantages, Sanchong is only a bridge away from Taipei City. In the era of rapid economic and population growth in Taiwan, a large number of people poured into Sanchong. In the 1970s, the government pushed the "your living room as the workshop" campaign and turned the whole population into a workforce and created economic miracles. The prosperous Sanchong Bihua Fabric Street, in its heyday, was where more than 300 fabric stores gathered in the 1980s. Having witnessed the rise and fall of Taiwan's garment industry, it has now been transformed into a fabric museum. Offering a wide variety of fabrics at affordable prices, it is a favorite of DIY enthusiasts and students! At the end of Fabric Street, you will find the century-old Bihua Temple which used to be dedicated to Sakyamuni, and now has become a temple integrating Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. It is a popular place of worship.
      碧華布街
      碧華寺

      Sanchong Elementary School (O50): Sanhe Night Market
      As it gets dark, you will find yourself at the last stop of Luzhou Branch, Sanchong Elementary School. From here it is an 8-minute walk to Sanhe Night Market, which is the night market frequented by Sanchong locals. There are many stalls that have been around for more than three decades, and the price here is more affortable compared to tourist night markets such as Shilin Night Market. Sesame oil chicken soup, wontons, rice balls, xiaolongbao, milk sticks, ba-wan (Taiwanese meatballs), papaya milk, sweet potato balls, crispy sticks, and green onion cakes are all popular delicacies at Sanhe Night Market.
      三和夜市
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      Yingge - Cultural Tour for the Family
      If you don’t want to spend the weekend cooped up at home swiping mobile phones with the kids, come and take a stroll around Yingge! Here’s a fun-filled itinerary for the whole family – start the glorious morning by heading into the hills for the relatively short “Yingge Rock Trail.” As you and your children make your way up the gently sloping stairs, you pass through a relaxing forest and will arrive at Yingge Rock before you know it! According to legend, Koxinga was leading his troops through the region when they were blocked by poisonous miasma. A soldier was also eaten as well. Koxinga ordered his cannons to blow away the neck of Yingge Rock and the miasma was finally dispelled. Yingge Rock is the most famous local sight and gave its name to the town. Climbing a mountain makes people hungry so the next stop is “Yingge Old Street” to check out the specialty ceramic stores and enjoy the local delicacies. We now come to the highlight of the day – “The Shu’s Pottery.” Here you and the kids can try your hand at pottery and DIY ceramics. The experience not only improves children’s hand-eye coordination but also strengthens family bonds. If you still have the energy, go for an evening bicycle ride to admire the sunset at “Sanying Longyao Bridge.” As the night falls, the light sculpture on the bridge comes on and creates a magical atmosphere. The giant clay models scattered throughout the grounds of “SanYing Waterfront” offer a perfect place to take snapshots of precious family time together.
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      Rebirth of Elephant Trunk Rock in Shenao
      On one afternoon of December, 2023, Elephant Trunk Rock, a tourist attraction in Shenao, loudly crashed. Numerous tourists who had visited the site expressed their regret for the destruction of the rock, and they even posted photos of them taking with Elephant Trunk Rock on social media platforms. What’s more, some people launched the event of “sticking the trunk back to Elephant Trunk Rock,” which shows how reluctant people were to see the damage of the rock.Elephant Trunk Rock was a sea arch, and it was born after a rock had been eroded by the sea wind and waves for tens of thousands of years. As time goes by, the wonder created by erosion will eventually be taken back by the sea. However, some people with great imagination discover that the original site of Elephant Trunk Rock looks somewhat similar to a capybara, while others think it looks like “Lord Voldemort,” “steamed bun,” and so on. Let’s go to Shenao to see what the broken Elephant Trunk Rock looks like. Let’s hike on the Nanzilin Trail which is located to the east of Keelung Mountain to overlook the coastal cape and bay of the Northeast Coast. Then we will visit the capybara in Shenao, which is located to the west of the mountain, enjoy seafood, and feast our eyes on the grand views of the mountain and sea by riding a rail bike on the Shenao rail bike trail.Nanzilin Trail located to the east of Keelung Mountain is only 990 meters long. It is an easy trail with great views. The head of the trail is paved with wood, and the middle part and tail of the trail are made with stone steps. It is an easy and smooth trail. If you start the hike from the entrance to the trail at the back of Nanya Fishing Port, it takes around 50 minutes to reach the observatory which is approximately 200 meters above sea level. At the observatory, you can admire the curved bay of the Northeast Coast and lush mountains behind it.The landmark of Baxingmang has been set in the center of the observation deck on the top of the mountain, and it radially points at tourist attractions around Nanzilin Mountain. You can see Bitou Cape and Nanya Fishing Village to the east, and Keelung Mountain, the landmark of the Northeast Coast, and Yinyang Sea to the west. The beauty of the mountain and sea is pleasing to see.Moving westward along the Coastal Highway, you will arrive at Shenao Fishing Port which is renowned for its neritic squid within 10 minutes after you pass Keelung Mountain. Located to the east of Shenao Cape, the fishing port is the largest port in Ruifang District, and has the greatest number of fishing boats in Taiwan. Its prosperous fishing industry has nourished quite a few popular seafood restaurants. Savoring fresh seafood in Shenao is definitely the most wonderful pleasure after a hiking trip.After enjoying seafood, you can enter the Elephant Trunk Rock scenic area from the trail next to the third parking lot of Shenao Fishing Port. In the scenic area, you can walk along the beautiful coast of green stone grooves and mushroom rocks toward Elephant Trunk Rock. Looking back, you will see Keelung Mountain with a beautiful curve on the other side of the bay.Look at its small ears and honest-looking appearance! The sea arch which has lost its elephant trunk looks very similar to the cute capybara! Look closely, and you will see that this capybara seems to have its eyes partly closed. Elephant Trunk Rock was located on the tip of Shenao Cape, being surrounded by sea on three sides. Visitors could clearly see Keelung Islet in the distance from Elephant Trunk Rock. The website of New Taipei City Travel indicates that special natural landscapes are not named officially; instead, they are mostly named by the public. As everyone admires a tourist attraction from different perspectives, their imaginations for the broken elephant trunk are respected.After you admire the healing capybara, please do not rush to leave Shenao Fishing Port. The Sea-to-Sky Trail by the southern embankment of the port is a sightseeing trail that you must not miss in Shenao. Strolling on the Sea-to-Sky Trail, you can overlook Jiufen, a mountain town, and pose for photos with the cute sculptures of the neritic squid and squid. In addition, you will be able to see fishing boats coming in and out the port from time to time and enjoy the unique atmosphere of the port. Taiwan used to have an extensive light railway network which went to various towns. The network was mostly used for coal mining, sugar manufacturing, forestry and other industries. Additionally, it was used to transport some workers. However, as time changed, most light railways have been replaced by highway systems. Shenao Railway is one of the few light railways that have been preserved. Since its burden of transporting coal was removed, it has turned into a rail bike trail. You can ride a cute pufferfish-shaped bike on the old railway to enjoy the views of the sea. The Shenao rail bike trail that is adjacent to the coastline has been delicately designed with a bright and colorful light show in the tunnel. Houses nearby have been painted with the theme of the ocean as well. Moreover, you can see the ruins of Jianji Coal Mine, the only seabed coal mine in Taiwan, along the bike trail. The coal mine which was built in the mid-1950s was used to mine coal 500 meters below sea level. It was the motive force to boost the economic take-off of Taiwan as coal mining used to be the most prosperous industry in Shenao. The total length of Shenao rail bike trail is 1.3 kilometers, and it ends at Badouzi Station. The station is the terminal of Shenao Branch Line of Taiwan Railway, and it is also one of the most beautiful coastal stations in Taiwan as it enjoys the fame with Duoliang Station in Taitung. Moreover, Badouzi Station is the only station that strides across two cities in Taiwan. Standing in the center of the platform, you can face the azure ocean while embracing New Taipei City and Keelung at the same time.
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      小客帶路