Where to go in Keelung? 11+ top Keelung attractions & best Keelung places to visit

September 3, 2024

Keelung, a port city located about 25km from the capital Taipei, is a great destination for those who want to explore the natural beauty and unique culture of this island. With its rich history, diverse cuisine and stunning natural scenery, Keelung is sure to captivate any visitor. This article will introduce Keelung City in detail so that you have a comprehensive view of this port city.

An overview of Keelung Maritime Plaza | Where to go in Keelung

Zhengbin Fishing Harbor Colorful House, Keelung

So, where to go in Keelung? Let’s check out 8 top Keelung attractions & best Keelung places to visit suggested by vinhgau.com below!

Where is Keelung City?

When it comes to Taiwan tourism, you probably think of Taipei 101, Jiufen ancient village, Taichung, Taroko national park, Hualien, Shifen Waterfall, Sun Moon Lake and many other famous places, right? But in fact, Taiwan also has a very interesting port city of Keelung and it only takes about 30 minutes to travel from the capital Taipei.

Keelung captivated me from the first time I visited. With a beautiful geographical location with three sides facing the mountains and one side facing the sea, Keelung is covered in the green of the forest, caressed by the waves, decorated with rows of colorful houses, blessed by nature with a cave with a Buddha’s hand, and filled with delicious food at one of the largest night markets in Taiwan.

If you are a fan of TVB movies of the 90s or a crazy fan of actress Shu Qi, Zhongshan pedestrian bridge is a place you cannot miss when coming to Keelung. | Where to go in Keelung

The closest airport to Keelung is Taoyuan Airport in Taipei. You need to apply for a visa to enter Taiwan. If you already have a visa to the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, UK, Schengen, whether it is still valid or expired within the past 10 years, you do not need apply one.

The meaning of the name of the port city Keelung

Keelung is the ancient home of the Ketagalan aboriginal tribe. I heard that the name of this tribe at that time meant “quiet village” and later, this place was renamed Keelung, meaning “rich and prosperous land”. The name sounds fancy, but when you come to Keelung, you will see that everything is gentle and lovely. No hustle and bustle, no high-rise buildings, no hustle and bustle, no noise…

source: vinhgau.com | Where to go in Keelung

What’s Keelung City has?

Sunset is the most beautiful time here | Where to go in Keelung

Keelung has a long history and has been an important trading center since the 17th century. This city has gone through many colonial periods, from the Dutch, Spanish to the Japanese, each period leaving its own cultural mark. Such as stone walls, fortresses or churches in the style of Spanish colonialism; or the curved roofs at the end of the roof due to Chinese influence; or the harmonious combination of wood, stone and the surrounding natural landscape that the Japanese often use…

You can easily recognize the Japanese vibe when coming to Keelung – maybe because Japan was the last colonial country before being returned to the Republic of China.

And here are some of the highlights in Keelung:

Miaokou Night Market (#Where to go in Keelung)

Vibrant atmosphere at one of the best night markets in Taiwan. | Where to go in Keelung

This is definitely a place you cannot miss when coming to Keelung city. This is one of the most famous night markets in Taiwan, famous for its countless delicious street foods.

You can try specialties such as fresh seafood, grilled dishes and many other snacks. This is where you can easily recognize the Japanese vibe with the high hanging lanterns along the street in the night market.

Fried dough stall. | Where to go in Keelung

The shop selling fresh and irresistible seafood | best Keelung places to visit

People call this night market Miaokou, which means “temple gate”, because right at the beginning of the night market street, there is a temple built in 1873, called Dianji Temple.

Peanut ice-cream | Where to go in Keelung

Dianji Temple (#best Keelung places to visit)

This Dianji Temple was established in 1875, which is almost 150 years old, and was built on the land of the old temple worshiping the Water God. In the past, this temple was built to worship King Kaizhang, a hero from Fujian Province, China. Most of the first immigrants to Taiwan at that time were from Fujian.

The people here still believe that this is the temple that protects the ancestors of the people in Keelung from ancient times until now. Here, the Goddess Thean Hou is also worshiped, the protector of fishermen and seafarers, bringing safety and peace at sea. Therefore, the people here revere this temple very much.

Keelung Signboard

source: vinhgau.com | Keelung attractions

When wandering around the downtown area of Keelung, you can easily see the huge KEELUNG signboard placed on a hill, whether it is day or night. It is also a signature style like the Hollywood signboard in Los Angeles, USA. And this place is called Keelung landmark.

To get here, I walked more than 110 steps, passing by the pretty little houses of the local people here. I like to see the scene of the neighbors gathering, laughing and talking, sometimes even looking at a stranger like me. It’s like a village in Vietnam. That feeling is so familiar.

source: vinhgau.com | best Keelung places to visit

On this hillside, there is a primary school that has stopped operating, called Taiping. They stopped operating because the number of primary school students here is not much anymore. To keep this place as a place of education and humanity, the city has set up a book cafe here called Bleu&Book Cafe, where you can sip coffee, read books on various topics and enjoy the view of the port city of Keelung. Very interesting.

source: https://keelung-for-a-walk.com/ | best Keelung places to visit

Vibrant at dusk | source: taiwannews.com | best Keelung places to visit

But I prefer to come here to buy coffee and then go to the Keelung signboard, sit down on the side of the road and watch the city. The feeling of open space, cool breeze, fresh air, … is still better than sitting in the air conditioner when you get here.

Big Buddha Temple

In addition to Keelung Landmark, one thing you can see from many different angles when wandering around Keelung is the statue of Bodhisattva Guanyin. This statue is about 25 meters high and pure white.

To get here, you go to Keelung Tower, where there is an elevator to take you straight to Big Buddha Temple, where this giant statue is located.

When you get here, you can see another angle of Keelung city and especially the Keelung port. The port plays a very important role in Taiwan.

Keelung Port

Keelung Port is very interesting because it can receive almost all types of ships, from ferries, cargo ships, yachts or even coast guard ships. Keelung Port serves both military and commercial purposes, so this port plays a very important role in Taiwan. This is also where Japan withdrew its troops by water to leave Taiwan to make way for China.

From Zhongzheng Park, there is also a great view of the port city like this

Rainbow Houses at Zhengbin Fishing Port

It can be said that the image of these rainbow houses is the most famous in Keelung city and is also the image that appears the most when Googling Keelung.

These colorful houses are located in Zhengbin Fishing Port, a fishing port established by the Japanese in 1934 and used to be the largest fishing port in Taiwan. Today, people here still make a living by going to sea, but the fishing port becomes more vibrant with these 16 colorful houses.

This rainbow house is where you can check-in or sip a cup of coffee, ice cream or enjoy Keelung’s signature dishes. I think it’s best to come here in the morning or in the afternoon at sunset.

One of the extremely famous check-in spots in Keelung, Taiwan is the Masahama Colorful Houses. This row of houses consists of 16 houses painted in extremely colorful and eye-catching colors. This house is located in the Zhengbin fishing port area of Heping Island. This is an old fishing port created by the Japanese around the beginning of 1934.

This place is also known as the Agenna shipbuilding relic site. The houses have simple architecture, but thanks to the outstanding colors, this place has attracted more attention. This check-in coordinate has produced many beautiful photos that have taken social networks by storm.

During the Japanese occupation, this place became the largest fishing port in Taiwan. Although over time, the building has deteriorated, it still attracts many visitors. Thanks to this vibrant color scheme, the old fishing port still retains its unique beauty.

There are also many restaurants and cafes for visitors to stop by. After exploring every corner, you can have a meal and rest at familiar restaurants. It is also an opportunity for you to admire and understand more about the lives of the people here.

This place is known as “miniature Venice”. | Keelung attractions

Opposite it is the lovely houses with equally lovely colors | Keelung attractions

Fairy Cave Temple

This pagoda is located in a natural cave, formed by ocean waves millions of years ago. This temple worships many deities such as Amitabha Buddha, Maitreya Buddha, Bodhisattva, Goddess Thean Hou, … with many statues carved from the Qing Dynasty, about 200 years ago.

Right at the entrance, I was impressed by a statue of Amitabha Buddha looking down the stairs leading to the Cave. That gaze looked so real and soulful, sometimes it gave me goosebumps a few times.

The inside of the cave is very small and is divided into 3 rooms. The outer room is to worship Maitreya Buddha, the middle room is the altar of Bodhisattva Guanyin and the last room is the altar of Buddhas of the three times. There are also other small shrines here to pray for children, education, health, etc.

Buddha’s Hand Cave

Next to Fairy Cave Temple is Buddha’s Hand Cave. However, this hand has lost 2 fingers. I think the way they call the image that looks like fingers of that size the Buddha’s hand is just to attract attention and has nothing link with Buddha.

Maritime Plaza

When you come to Keelung, Taiwan, you must visit Maritime Plaza. Coming here, you will fully feel the bustling life of the people of the port city. Coming to the square, you will have the opportunity to admire the bustling scene of ships and boats. Not only that, this destination is also known as the central area of the city.

You can go to the square for a walk during the day or at night. In the evening, it is very crowded and is an ideal place to watch the night view. Not only that, Maritime Square is often chosen to organize art activities. This has attracted a lot of visitors to come here to have fun and visit.

This destination is not only famous for domestic tourists but also international tourists. Almost every day, there are many tourists coming here to walk around and check-in. If you are someone who loves watching the sunset, you can go to Maritime to “hunt” for this moment. That scenery will definitely make you feel moved.

Chaojing Park – A park symbolizing environmental restoration and protection

One of the Keelung places to visit that is very attractive to tourists is Chaojing Park. It would be hard to believe that this place used to be a large landfill. Recognizing the importance of the environment, the government has restored this place.

Currently, Chaojing has become a park with a clean environment. Not only that, this coordinate also has great significance for environmental awareness. As well as conveying to everyone the negative impacts of climate change.

Chaojing has a very special sea view. With an area of thousands of hectares, visitors can freely walk along the valleys. The moment of watching the sea while walking along the hillsides will bring you a feeling of extreme relaxation. To fully experience the beauty of Trieu Kinh, you can come here when the sun sets.

Many unique poses for people to come here to take pictures

This entire area is a promontory jutting out into the sea with a shape like a bird’s head. The symbolic structure here is also a seagull made of scrap facing the sea. Occasionally looking up at the sky, you will also see seagulls soaring freely.

Zhongshan Pedestrian Bridge

If you are a fan of TVB dramas or a fan of actress Shu Qi, you will surely feel familiar with Zhongshan Pedestrian Bridge. This is one of the check-in spots in Keelung, Taiwan that many tourists visit. This bridge connects Keelung station area with other districts, making it more convenient for people to move around.

Zhongshan Bridge is designed with a characteristic yellow color and is very long. The ancient beauty over time has made the bridge more magical when photographed. This place became more popular when it appeared in the movie Millennium Mambo (2001). Until now, this is still a favorite check-in spot for many people.

Khoo Tsu-song Old Mansion

Khoo Tsu-song Old Mansion is one of the destinations you cannot miss when coming to Keelung, Taiwan. This house was built in 1913 during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan. The mansion is named after the owner, Khoo Tsu-song.

The old mansion is located on a large hillside. From the windows in the house, you can see the whole view of Keelung city. Currently, this house is only a ruin. But at a glance, you can somewhat imagine its grandeur. The trees growing around make this place more mysterious but no less beautiful.

Coming here, the red brick wall architecture will surely make you feel impressed. Exploring every corner of the old mansion is also an interesting experience. Khoo Tsu-song Old Mansion is a destination filled with many exciting things waiting for you to discover.

In addition, Keelung also has many other attractive destinations such as Heping Island, Zhongzheng Park, Ershawan Fort, etc. for you to continue exploring.

At Zhongzheng Park, there is also a temple with super unique architecture that is very popular with young people who love filming and taking photos.

How to get around Keelung

Keelung City has a developed transportation system, making it easy for you to move around and explore the city. You can use public transportation such as buses, taxis, or rent a motorbike to freely explore. The bus system in Keelung is very convenient and cheap, covering most areas in the city.

Although the city is small, with its wonderful natural beauty, rich history and diverse cuisine, it will definitely help you have a relaxing, gentle but interesting time when traveling to Taiwan.

The post is complied by Living Nomads from many different sources. If you find any images or text that belong to you, please contact us, so we can credit you or give us permission to use them. Thank you very much!

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, from and to Keelung you can refer to

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Are you finding more top things to do in Taipei: Tours, activities, attractions and other things? Read more: Keelung travel blog — The fullest Keelung travel guide for first-timers. Read more Taiwan guide here.