10 Places Where Locals Love to Go in New Taipei

Jiufen in Ruifang District, New Taipei City, has a legend which goes that back in the old days only 9 families were living there. Due to the remoteness of the village, whenever the families needed to purchase daily necessities they would ask for 9 of everything, hence the name which means ‘9 portions’. Jiufen developed into a prosperous town during the gold rush, but as the gold mines were exhausted, the town lost its glow. It wasn't until the 1989 Taiwanese historical drama film A City of Sadness was shot here and won an award at the Venice Film Festival that people once again began to pay attention to Jiufen. Now it is among New Taipei City’s popular highlights. 

Jiufen is a mountain town with a nostalgic atmosphere. Stroll between the alleys of Jiufen Old Street and imagine life here during the prosperous gold mining era. Stop at a teashop facing the ocean and allow yourself to be transported back in time as you sip a cup of tea. You'll find Jiufen even more glorious at nightfall. The lights of the teahouses and restaurants make Jiufen a glistening wonder. With the mountains as a backdrop and the ocean stretching out in front of the town, Jiufen attracts many professional photographers who come here to take amazing photos.

Yehliu Geopark, a natural coastal geography classroom, sits in Wanli District, New Taipei City. You'll find rocks with peculiar shapes, such as wave-cut platform, candle rocks, mushroom rocks and ginger rocks, which have been formed as results of long-term weathering, wave erosion, and crustal movement. It is without a doubt a truly unique geopark. The most famous rock in Yehliu Geopark is Queen's Head. This mushroom rock resembles the head of the Queen of the United Kingdom. No visit is complete without a photo of yourself next to the Queen's Head to prove that you've been here. 

Due to the effects of severe weathering and earthquakes, no one knows when the Queen's Head will hold its form. So make sure you grab the chance to see this popular and peculiar rock when you visit New Taipei City. You can also join a free guided tour of Yehliu Geopark to learn more about the geological changes that have occurred over time.

Yingge District in New Taipei City is the centre of Taiwanese ceramic art. In order to promote and preserve Taiwan's original ceramic art, the museum was completed and opened in 2000 as the first ceramics museum in Taiwan. Ceramic art brings tourists to Yingge. They come to this humble town by train just to appreciate and purchase pottery works. The establishment of Yingge Ceramic Museum brought together the ceramic resources of Yingge to create a popular tourist attraction. 

Visit the simple but elegant building, which is made of steel and architectural concrete. Explore the wonderful exhibitions inside and get a deeper understanding of the process of ceramics production as well as the history of Taiwanese ceramic art. The children's pottery world in the museum is specially set up for kids to experience the fun of making pottery. It's a great place to explore with your family.

The New Taipei City Hakka Museum in Sanxia District is an interesting place to learn about Hakka culture. Hakka culture is a very unique cultural landscape in Taiwan. From Hakka dialect, food and performing arts to traditional folk customs, you'll find all of them unique, with their own distinct cultural characteristics. Though this 11-acre (4.5-hectare) museum is newly built, it uses traditional Hakka architectural elements such as tulou, watchtowers, and waterways to create an exhibition space rich in Hakka culture. 

You'll see many static exhibits of the Hakka culture here. These not only introduce visitors to the Hakka cultural heritage of New Taipei City but also provide local Hakka artists with a space to display their works. Apart from static exhibits, there are also many fun and interactive activities. Learn how to play with diabolos and spinning tops and walk on stilts. Adults and children are welcome to take part together to play and learn about Hakka culture.

The New Taipei City Shihsanhang Museum of Archaeology is located on the left bank of the Tamsui River in Bali District, New Taipei City. It was opened in 2003 as the first municipal archaeological museum in Taiwan which preserves the precious Shihsanhang culture. The Shisanhang site represents a major archaeological achievement for New Taipei City. In order to preserve this precious prehistoric site and its cultural relics, a museum was directly built on it. 

Shisanhang is a culture dating back to the beginning of the Iron Age in Taiwan. Archaeologists have dug up prehistoric artefacts such as stoneware, pottery and human tombs, and these are important landmarks in Taiwan's archaeological history. Shihsanhang Museum of Archaeology shoulders the heavy responsibility of preserving these prehistoric relics and their history for future generations. The museum was designed by Taiwanese architect Sun Te-hung. The tilted façade and walls symbolise the ancient ruins. Its ingenious design has won numerous awards since the museum's completion.

Shiding is a small mountain town in New Taipei City. Explore the humble old houses next to the valley, many of them built with local valley stone. Shiding East Street, a roofed street that was built on the river bed, is the most well-known street here. Its unique architecture makes it a popular scenic spot in Shiding. Visit Shiding Old Street for a one-of-a-kind travel experience. Explore the streams in the mountains and wander through many hundred-year-old shops. Not far from the streets you'll find steps leading to the river bed. Just a few steps down you'll see the clear streams full of fish. 

In such unique surroundings, you could be forgiven for thinking that you're in the middle of a dream or have wandered onto the set of a movie. Shiding Old Street is known for its handmade tofu which retains the traditional rustic taste, much like the way that Shiding retains its own unique character.

Conveniently located in the Xindian District of New Taipei City, Bitan Scenic Area is named after its vivid turquoise lake. It has always been a popular destination for those in search of fun on the water in Northern Taiwan and now attracts even more visitors, who can get here in a very short time thanks to the Taipei MRT system. You'll find precipitous natural terrain in Bitan Scenic Area. Next to the waterfront are the steep cliffs, at the top of which you'll find "Bi Pavilion", where you can get a bird's-eye view of the breathtaking scenery of Bitan. 

The Bitan Suspension Bridge in Bitan Scenic Area is one of the landmarks of New Taipei City. Many couples choose to come here for a romantic date and take in the amazing scenery while strolling on the bridge. Teahouses, restaurants and souvenir shops can be found on both sides of Bitan. You can seek out a teahouse with expansive views, savour a fine afternoon tea and admire the green mountains and waters. Rent a swan boat in Bitan Scenic Area and take to the water. Greet the tourists on the shore as you enjoy this popular lake activity.

Sanxia Xiong Kong Tea Plantation is a must-visit for tea-lovers. Located on the outskirts of New Taipei City, the plantation uses organic farming methods to produce sweet, smooth, and non-toxic tea that is free of pesticides and chemical fertilisers. The Sanxia Xiong Kong Tea Plantation is open to tourists. Explore the green tea garden in the valley and learn the process of tea-making during the guided tour. 

Apart from the vast tea garden, you'll also find cedar forest hiking trails, cherry blossom paths and maple forest tracks. The trees and flowers vary significantly in their appearance depending on the season. From the observatory of Sanxia Xiong Kong Tea Plantation, enjoy the magnificent view of distant Guanyinshan and downtown Sanxia. Don't forget to take a few photos as mementos.

Laomei Green Reef in the coastal area of the Shimen District in New Taipei City is an outstanding example of the shore reefs in this area. With numerous algae growing on the rocks, the reefs provide a magical green coastal landscape. The reef is seasonal. In spring, from March to May, the colour of the algae is at its greenest. Many professional photographers come to take pictures during this time to capture the unique green reef landscape. 

Laomei Green Reef's long rocks form an unusual coastal landscape. Whether you look at it from a distance or up close, you'll find the green algae so bright that you would be forgiven for thinking that you're in a scene from a fairytale. Enjoy the spectacle of the blue waves crashing onto the rocks, take in the amazing view of the vivid sunset and admire nature's talent as a master of colour. A word of warning, however: the rocks with green algae are very slippery. Make sure to watch your step when you explore the reefs.

The New Taipei City Library, which opened in 2015, is a cultural landmark of New Taipei City. Certain floors of the building are open to the public 24 hours a day and it has quickly established itself as a popular haunt among book lovers in search of a quiet place to read. The exterior design of the New Taipei City Library was inspired by a shelf full of books. Behind this modern exterior lies an even more brilliant interior. The design features 7 "Windows of the World" reading corners inside the building. These corners are reading spaces with different themes including American, Japanese, British, Northern European, Southern French, Mediterranean and Bali. 

As you sit and read in one of these 7 corners, you feel as if you're travelling around the globe. The 1st and 4th floors of the New Taipei City Library are open 24 hours. The library also provides a range of innovative and convenient services that allow people to return and borrow books, read comics or read in study rooms throughout the day.