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Why New Taipei City in Taiwan is a Must Visit
Article & Pictures By Jaysun Minaglia Date: Nov 1, 2012
I have been living and working in New Taipei City, Taiwan, for over a year now and consider it a little slice of heaven. It’s become my second home outside of Seattle, USA, where I was born and grew up. I originally decided to get an apartment in New Taipei City instead of Taipei City to save on my rent expenses, but soon found my decision to be richly rewarding in other ways that I had not foreseen.
Those who are familiar with Taipei City know it for the fast-paced, modern metropolitan city that it is. When the modern architectural buildings started to expand outside of Taipei’s borders and mixed with the historical, natural, and cultural aspects of Taiwan’s countryside, the gem that is New Taipei City was truly born. In December of 2010 Taipei County, which surrounds Taipei City, officially became its own city: New Taipei City. The area has changed so much in the last decade that this decision was deemed warranted. My Taiwanese friend, Vincent Yang, said that he barely recognized parts of New Taipei City after he returned to Taiwan from attending university oversees in Australia for eight years. So if you've visited Taipei County in the past, you’ll now find that the more modern aspects of New Taipei City provide a whole new experience. If you've never visited, there has never been a better time than now.
I have been living and working in New Taipei City, Taiwan, for over a year now and consider it a little slice of heaven. It’s become my second home outside of Seattle, USA, where I was born and grew up. I originally decided to get an apartment in New Taipei City instead of Taipei City to save on my rent expenses, but soon found my decision to be richly rewarding in other ways that I had not foreseen.
Those who are familiar with Taipei City know it for the fast-paced, modern metropolitan city that it is. When the modern architectural buildings started to expand outside of Taipei’s borders and mixed with the historical, natural, and cultural aspects of Taiwan’s countryside, the gem that is New Taipei City was truly born. In December of 2010 Taipei County, which surrounds Taipei City, officially became its own city: New Taipei City. The area has changed so much in the last decade that this decision was deemed warranted. My Taiwanese friend, Vincent Yang, said that he barely recognized parts of New Taipei City after he returned to Taiwan from attending university oversees in Australia for eight years. So if you've visited Taipei County in the past, you’ll now find that the more modern aspects of New Taipei City provide a whole new experience. If you've never visited, there has never been a better time than now.
Mega City shopping and eating complex in The Banqiao District
The ratio of modern to historical sites that can be visited in New Taipei City is up to the traveler; you can easily move from one spectrum to the other within this new sprawling city. Some of the tourist attractions and activities that can be found in New Taipei City include: temples, old mining towns, museums, historical sites, day and night markets, shopping, international dining, and private karaoke rooms. Go shopping in the modern, architecturally unique buildings of The Banqiao District, or visit Taiwanese shops and eateries on the meandering paths of old Jiufen, which attracts many tourists from Taipei on the weekends.
Day and night markets are a huge tradition and happen daily in Taiwan. Night markets keep the cities bustling with activity into the wee hours of the morning. My two favorite night markets are located in New Taipei City where the atmosphere is steeped in culture and less crowded compared to some of the bigger night markets in Taipei. They are Nanya Night Market, which I’ll talk about later in this article, and Danshui Day & Night Market. The Danshui market located in the newly named Tamsui District, formerly the Danshui District, hosts some of the best street food venders and shops in the country. Unlike most markets, visiting Danshui can be an all-day excursion because its location resides in the oldest part of northern Taiwan where there are many historical sites and activities. In the daytime you can visit Fort Santo Domingo, which was built by the Spanish in the early 1600s; enjoy the grounds and historical buildings at any of the three universities residing in Tamsui; rent a bike and enjoy the panoramic views of Tamsui; take a ferry ride around the coast or across the river to Bali; or walk along the coast, browsing through shops along the way. In the evening it becomes one of the best locations in Taiwan for viewing the sunset.
Day and night markets are a huge tradition and happen daily in Taiwan. Night markets keep the cities bustling with activity into the wee hours of the morning. My two favorite night markets are located in New Taipei City where the atmosphere is steeped in culture and less crowded compared to some of the bigger night markets in Taipei. They are Nanya Night Market, which I’ll talk about later in this article, and Danshui Day & Night Market. The Danshui market located in the newly named Tamsui District, formerly the Danshui District, hosts some of the best street food venders and shops in the country. Unlike most markets, visiting Danshui can be an all-day excursion because its location resides in the oldest part of northern Taiwan where there are many historical sites and activities. In the daytime you can visit Fort Santo Domingo, which was built by the Spanish in the early 1600s; enjoy the grounds and historical buildings at any of the three universities residing in Tamsui; rent a bike and enjoy the panoramic views of Tamsui; take a ferry ride around the coast or across the river to Bali; or walk along the coast, browsing through shops along the way. In the evening it becomes one of the best locations in Taiwan for viewing the sunset.
Consular Residence and Museum of Fort San Domingo in The Tamsui District
It's often said that food is one of the biggest highlights of any vacation, and night markets aren't the only bright spot that covers the food scene in Taiwan; it's a food lover’s dream for many reasons. Being that New Taipei City is steeped in culture, this is where you’ll find some of the best traditional Taiwanese dishes. Unbeknownst to most who haven’t visited Taiwan, there are also a lot of quality, international restaurants since Taiwan is such a welcoming country, especially for anything involving food. Some of these exceptional international restaurants can only be found in New Taipei City. To those who know me, this is my field of expertise, and I have found a plethora of delicious local and international restaurants in Taipei and New Taipei City; so much so that I found it worthwhile to start my own website called Jaysun Eats Taipei, reviewing and providing information on these restaurants and cafes for locals and visitors alike. The quality and range of food in Taiwan is no surprise, being that most socializing in Taiwan revolves around food.
A Winter Festival near a night market by Fuzhong MRT station in The Banqiao District
Besides the food scene and historical attractions there is a wealth of natural delights in New Taipei City: waterfalls, hot springs, hiking trails, parks, mountains, beaches, and geological formations in Yehliu. Naturally, the best hiking opportunities can be found outside the heart of any city; therefore, you’ll find yourself traveling outside of Taipei and into one of the districts of New Taipei City to enjoy some of the most rewarding hikes in northern Taiwan. If you keep to the inner part of New Taipei City, you can get pleasant hikes in nature with stunning city views, or you can venture to the outskirts for some more rugged hikes and take in the beautiful panoramic scenes of pure nature. In the outskirts of New Taipei City you’ll also find some breathtaking waterfalls, such as the broadest waterfall in Taiwan: Shifen waterfall in The Pingxi District.
Shifen waterfall in The Pingxi District
Visiting a hot springs or two is a must when visiting Taiwan since they have some of the best in the world, and there are some excellent hot springs in New Taipei City, some are free, and others are in luxurious private rooms within hotels. The very southern district of New Taipei City, Wulai, is famous for its hot springs. Wulai is also renowned for its Taiwanese aboriginal culture. The Atayal reside here, one of many indigenous tribes that can be found throughout Taiwan, and they offer many shops that specialize in arts, crafts, clothing, and aboriginal food. You can also visit the Wulai Atayal Museum to learn more about their culture and history.
Many beautiful hiking trails in Yangmingshan National Park, which resides in both Taipei and New Taipei City
With a mix of natural and historic beauty, The Lin Family Mansion and Garden in the Banqiao District has drawn travelers from around the world to see Taiwan’s most comprehensive surviving example of traditional Chinese garden architecture. It is also known as one of the four great gardens of Taiwan and can be traced back to the year 1847. At one point I lived right by it and felt very lucky to be able to regularly stroll through the tranquil gardens and relax by the large pond full of koi whenever I felt the urge to clear my modern-day, racing mind, and connect with the old, magical essence of the heart of Asia. A short walk from the Lin Family Gardens, you’ll find one of the biggest night markets in New Taipei City: Nanya Night Market. An arch over thirty years old marks the entrance of this market, within you can find all types of Taiwanese street food venders, restaurants, retail shops, clothing venders, and a lot of different games where toys, fish, and even animals can be won.
Lin Family Garden & Mansion in The Banqiao District
I would be leaving out an important piece of information if I didn't talk about the people who live in New Taipei City, because everyone knows that it’s the people and the company that often decide a good vacation from a bad one. I have traveled to a lot of different countries and have found that Taiwanese are one of the friendliest people in the world. The evidence for this can be seen by how genuinely interested they are in all foreign people and cultures, while also sharing and keeping their own culture alive. They love to meet and talk with foreigners who visit their country so they can learn and exchange different viewpoints and ways of life, and make sure that visitors enjoy Taiwan to the fullest, as most Taiwanese see themselves as individual representatives for their country. Taiwanese’s thirst to experience the world is shown by their higher than average ratio of traveling oversees, compared to that of other countries. I had never felt any interest in visiting Taiwan until I met many nice Taiwanese during my travels. I was drawn to visit their country to see where all these nice people were coming from. Originally, I only planned on vacationing in Taiwan for two months tops, but in less than a month of traveling throughout their country, I fell in love with Taiwan and the Taiwanese people, to the point where I didn't want to leave, so I started working and living in New Taipei City.
People who have visited Taiwan often express how much they miss it when the subject comes up. Travelers often speak of their longing to return to Taiwan instead of other countries they've visited. This alone conveys that anyone would immensely enjoy a vacation in Taiwan, and the newly crowned city of New Taipei.
Whether you’re currently in or thinking of visiting New Taipei City, please feel free to follow my website at jaysuneatstaipei.com for restaurant reviews, more pictures, and reasons why visiting New Taipei City is a must for any tourist or world traveler.
People who have visited Taiwan often express how much they miss it when the subject comes up. Travelers often speak of their longing to return to Taiwan instead of other countries they've visited. This alone conveys that anyone would immensely enjoy a vacation in Taiwan, and the newly crowned city of New Taipei.
Whether you’re currently in or thinking of visiting New Taipei City, please feel free to follow my website at jaysuneatstaipei.com for restaurant reviews, more pictures, and reasons why visiting New Taipei City is a must for any tourist or world traveler.
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