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New Taipei City Travel

Admiring Cherry Blossoms and Soaking in Hot Springs in Jinshan to Enjoy Therapeutic Trip in Winter and Spring

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Category :
Hiking Trails & Senior citizen & Outdoor excursion & Nostalgic tour of the old street & Gourmet shopping & Hot Spring
Travel days :
1 day
適合對象 :
Public & Family & The aged

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      Introduction

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      On wet and cold winter days when you even shiver while sleeping, do you just want to snuggle up in the comforter? The idea of “it would be so nice to soak in hot springs” will inevitably come to your mind on cold days. Actions speak louder than words. Now pluck up your courage to step outside and drive to Taiwan’s Northern Coast to soak in hot springs! When you soak in mist-covered hot springs, warmth spreads throughout your whole body, which helps blood vessels dilate, boost the circulation of blood, and get rid of wetness and coldness in the body.

      Jinshan at Taiwan’s Northern Coast possesses rich geothermal resources and gorgeous coastal capes. You walk along the Lion’s Head Mountain trail to the high point of Jinshan Cape to admire vast ocean views and Twin Candlestick Islets. Then you return to Zhongshan Hot Spring Park from the majestic, mysterious coast to pamper your feet with the golden hot spring. Next, you can visit Jinbaoli Old Street to enjoy seafood and local delicacies!
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      Before soaking in Jinshan hot spring, how can you miss the beautiful scenery of Jinshan? After you park your car in the brand-new Jinshan parking tower, bundle yourself up and walk along the Lion’s Head Mountain trail toward the point where the land meets the sea. The trail is easy to walk. It takes only 35 minutes to walk from the parking lot to the high point. The Lion’s Head Mountain trail used to be the military control zone, so it was not accessible to the public. However, it has preserved the native ecosystem of the coastline. As there is a forest along the trail, the ecosystem is not easily affected by the sea wind. You can even see deserted barracks, lookouts and other military ruins. Upon arriving at Zhongzheng Pavilion, you can enjoy the spacious view surrounded by waters on three sides: Yeliu Cape and Keelung Islet to your east, and Huanggang to your west.

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      Twin Candlestick Islets standing in the center of the sea in front of you are formed by two giant connecting sea stacks. They look like a pair of candlesticks standing still in the sea in despite of surging waves. The unique scenery has become the symbol of Jinshan District Office. Twin Candlestick Islets used to be at the tip of Jinshan Cape, but they have turned into islets in the sea due to plate movement and coastal erosion. A circular frame has been set up next to Zhongzheng Pavilion, and it is the best location to check in!
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      Going back to the trail from Zhongzhang Pavilion, we descend as sea level gradually drops. What welcome us are the sea stretching to the horizon and wave-cut platforms. This is the east coast of Jinshan Cape, which is also known as the Mysterious Coast. You can feel the surging sea within a short distance as waves crash against jagged rocks that extend hundreds of meters.
      👉The road condition of the Mysterious Coast is easily affected by tides. Therefore, if waves are strong, it is recommended that you return and stay on Lion’s Head Mountain trail for the sake of your safety.
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      神秘海岸

      Let’s soak in the hot spring at once after feasting our eyes on beautiful scenery. Walking along the Mysterious Coast, we arrive at Zhongshan Hot Spring Park after passing by Shuiwei Fishing Port. The park that is adjacent to Jinshan Old Street is now open to the public again after four years of renovation. The park has foot-soaking pools, a landscape waterway, landscape pool, banyan tree square and other facilities. It is a new hot spot of Route 2 Taiwan in New Taipei City.
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      Jinshan is Taiwan’s northernmost hot spring area, and it belongs to the geothermal area of Datun Mountain. It has been a well-known hot spring resort since Japanese Colonial Period. The hot spring in Zhongshan Hot Spring Park has won the name of “golden hot spring” because it is rich in iron, and it turns golden brown after it contacts air. There are two foot-soaking pools in Zhongshan Hot Spring Park. The temperature in one pool is between 35 and 38 degrees Celsius, and the other is between 40 and 42 degrees Celsius. You can choose the foot-soaking pool based on your needs to relieve the fatigue of your feet with the golden hot spring.
      👉The foot-soaking pools are open until 5PM every day. Please clean your feet at the foot washing station before getting into the pool.
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      Many Taiwan cherry blossoms have been planted on both sides of the landscape waterway at Zhongshan Hot Spring Park. They bloom in the park between January and March during the lunar new year to add color to monotonous winter. You can come to the hot spring park to admire gorgeous cherry blossoms in full bloom while soaking your feet in the hot spring leisurely.
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      Of course, you do not enjoy yourself to the full if you just soak your feet in the hot spring. Jinshan District has many public bathrooms, private hot spring rooms and hot spring hotels for you to choose from. Jinshan hot spring is unique because it is located right by the sea. Therefore, it has four different kinds of hot springs, sulphur springs, sea sand springs, carbonic acid springs and iron springs. You can choose a private hot spring room that meets your need to help hot springs get rid of coldness in winter, stretching your body and cleansing your mind.
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      After soaking in the hot spring, you might as well enjoy delicious food on Jinshan Old Street. Being called Jinbaoli Old Street in the past, Jinshan Old Street has over three hundred years of history, and it is the largest old street at Taiwan’s Northern Coast. Rich local atmosphere has been preserved. You can see vendors selling the agricultural products of Jinshan, such as red yam and tiaoshi taro. Restaurants on the street serve dishes, such as crab porridge, taro balls and honey yam, with local agricultural products. Have a bowl of seafood porridge and enjoy sweet potato balls to warm your stomach and heart.
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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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