Heping Island Park is a small pocket of land on an island that shelters the mouth of Keelung Harbour. People come here to walk the short coastal trail year-round, and in the summer, you'll find the ocean-fed pools full of swimmers.
Author: taiwantrailsandtales
ALABAO BAY GUIDED WALK (阿拉寶灣)
Only open for several months every year, Alabao Bay is a short stretch of coastline accessible from within Keelung's Heping Island Park. The coastal trail offers interesting rock formations, views of Keelung Islet, and traces left behind by several waves of inhabitants.
MATCHA MOUNTAIN and MOUNT SANJIAOLUN (抹茶山/三角崙山)
You won’t find Matcha Mountain on any official maps, but that hasn’t stopped this spot becoming one of the hottest places for tourists to visit in Taiwan. An easy (if long) trail takes hikers up through pleasant forest to a summit with spectacular views of hills cloaked in shimmering grasses. Once you’ve made it to the top, it’s easy to see the appeal.
RAKNUS SELU DAY 12 via LAOGUANLU (樟之細路D12-老管路線)
This post and the previous post detail the easier of the two options. This version of day 12 is both short and easy.
RAKNUS SELU DAY 11 via LAOGUANLU (樟之細路D11-老管路線)
There are two possible routes for days 11 and 12 on the Raknus Selu Trail. This post and the next post detail the easier of the two options. At 18.5km, this is a pretty long day, but an easy one.
RAKNUS SELU DAY 10 (樟之細路D10)
Day 10 on the Raknus Selu Trail takes you from quaint Xindian Old Street to Chukuangken: the site of the world's second oldest oil field.
LUJIAOKENG ECOLOGICAL PROTECTED AREA and FENGLIN WATERFALL TRAIL (鹿角坑生態保護區/楓林瀑布)
Tucked into the northern folds of Yangmingshan National Park, Lujiaokeng Ecological Protection Area and Fenglin Waterfall can only be accessed by those who have applied for a permit. Don't let that put you off though, this pretty trail involves lots of stream crossings and the remoteness means you're all but guaranteed a quiet walk.
SANZHI TUNG BLOSSOM TRAIL (三芝油桐花步道)
The trail is located in the very northernmost tip of Taiwan, and is a short (slightly hilly) walk with lots of tung trees and some terraced rice paddies to enjoy.
SUNRISE on MOUNT QIXING (七星山日出)
Watching the sun rise on a new day is always a memorable experience, but a sunrise seen from the city's highest summit is doubly so. The changeable weather up on Mount Qixing makes it challenging for sunrise seekers, but if you do manage to beat the odds, and get good weather it feels like you've won the jackpot.
DENGMIAO TRAIL (登廟步道)
The majority of Dengmiao Trail is in Changhua County, but for a brief moment it will take you over the border into Nantou County. It's a casual, Sunday afternoon type wander with a good chance of spotting some Formosan rock macaques.
BIRD DIVINATION PAVILION TRAIL (鳥占亭步道)
This trail on the fringes of Dabang tribal village is a short walk that climbs to a pavilion with cultural significance for the local Tsou population.
MOUNT JINGANSHU (金柑樹山)
A perfect Nantou day hike with tea plantations, mist-filled bamboo forests, and the dramatic earthquake-caused landscape of Wangyou Forest Lake.
SHIGUANG HISTORIC TRAIL (石光古道)
This easy walk in Hsinchu's Guanxi Township takes hikers along a historic trail and past a unique Catholic Shrine.
XINPU WANDER (新埔走走)
This leisurely stroll around the rural Hakka town of Xinpu takes in a hillside park, a series of temples, historic houses, a market, and some temple unusual artwork.
FENQIHU CEDAR BOARDWALK TRAIL (奮起湖杉林步道)
This short and pretty loop in the hills near Fenqihu will get you away from the crowds of the historic railway town and onto quiet and beautiful forest trails.