GOLDEN WATERFALL and LIUKENG SLOPE ROPEWAY (黃金瀑布/六坑斜坡索道)

This particular mini adventure in New Taipei’s Ruifang District is a brief but enjoyable walk connecting two of the area’s popular sight-seeing spots: the Golden Waterfall and ​Shibaoshan Lookout. If you’re feeling energetic, you could use it as a warm-up for climbing Teapot Mountain, or if — like me — your in more of a leisurely mood, you can end the walk with a pleasant sit down in one of Jinguashi’s coffee shops.

KEELUNG MOUNTAIN EAST PEAK (基隆山東峰)

Climbing Mount Keelung is part and parcel of the Jiufen experience. Most visitors take a break from sampling the town’s many and varied treats to climb the thigh-testing, lung-burning steps. Far fewer people know that there is a secret back-route that reaches the summit via a series of thrilling scrambles.