Wulai and Bitan Scenic Area

Everything looked sad and bleak on my last day in Taiwan. I certainly hope it would be sunny this time at least, but I didn’t want the gloomy weather to dampen my mood, so it’s still up to me to liven up my day. In times like this, I would usually just curl up in my bed with a book, but not today. As hard as it was, I prepped to do some light walking in the laidback district of Wulai in New Taipei.

The Quaint Towns of Shifen and Jiufen

The North East Scenic Zone of Taiwan is something that I have read from Lonely Planet and not one that is often mentioned in blogs and Tripadvisor. It is a collection of beautiful locations around the north east coast that is usually best reached by private transportation, I have tried to visit see some of these places during my 16-day sojourn because aside from natural landscapes, there are also a number of historic and cultural sites that visitors like me would definitely enjoy. I made my way to New Taipei to see the towns of Shifen and Jiufen to explore some of the country's finest destinations.

Immersing in Nature at Sandiaoling Waterfall Trail

Taiwan has lots in store for those seeking nature. I am quite surprised that there were a number of easy hikes around the capital city, so there’s no excuse for those who are already living in Taipei not to go outdoors, given that mass transportation can easily get you to those places easily. I did another nature walk in New Taipei, in the district of Sandiaoling to chase some waterfalls.

the biggest waterfall in Sandiaoling

A day at Yangmingshan and Shilin Night Market

I originally scheduled Yangmingshan for my second day in Taipei, however due to the rain and my inappropriate outfit (*ehem ehem* shirt and shorts) I had to postpone it for another time. On my last few days in Taiwan, I finally decided that regardless if I’d experience horrible weather, I’d still push through. I didn’t bring any jackets for this trip so I had to buy a very cheap sweater just so I could have something to warm me from the tough winds.

the grasslands of Yangmingshan National Park

Keelung City’s Pride – Heping Island and Miaokou Night Market

More from my New Taipei series, after my rock exploration in Yehliu Geopark, I decided to embark on another rock-filled adventure in Keelung City. Keelung 基隆 is one of the bigger cities in Taiwan known for having the second largest seaport in the country, the Port of Keelung, that now serves as a gateway to places like Xiamen, China and Okinawa, Japan. With frequent train trips from the capital, it is so convenient to travel back and forth without any hassle, another city worth recommending if you’re looking for day trips outside Taipei.

just one of the many interesting sights in Keelung

Yehliu Geopark - Taiwan’s Rock Theme Park?

Aside from Taroko Gorge National Park, one of the places that I was really looking forward to seeing in Taiwan was Yehliu Geopark. I had several friends who visited Taiwan before it got popular with the Filipinos and they posted pictures of these oddly shaped rocks that looked out of this world. Do you think I saw them with my two own eyes? Of course I did!

Beitou and Tamsui – Your New Favorites in Taipei

For my last five days in Taiwan, I decided to explore cities around New Taipei like my previous hike around the mountainous area of Daxi, Dali and Fulong. My agenda that day were the popular cities of Beitou and Tamsui, situated up north of Taiwan. These places are usually visited together due to its proximity to each other.

Getting Lost Around the Taoyuan Valley and Caoling Historic Trail

Taiwan will surely be enjoyed by hikers. There are lots of beautiful mountains located nearby Taipei so if you only have a few days, you can easily sneak in about 3 or 4 hikes in your schedule. After my travels around Central, South and East Taiwan, I decided to settle again in the capital and explore the neighboring cities around New Taipei for six more days and find out why the locals are raving about the Northeast Coast National Scenic Area.

Breathtaking view of Taoyuan Valley