Not Your Typical Taipei Trip

How do you go on a holiday to a country known for its yummy food and not put on (too much) weight? Climb their mountains and be rewarded with a good workout and a breathtaking view!

Most people know Taipei as the destination you go to for cheap and good food and shopping, but the scenery there is awesome as well, and I’m not just talking about the usual tourist spots like jiufen and shifen, which I would still recommend a visit to for first time visitors.

My recent trip to Taipei was for the brother’s birthday celebration and he decided to thank me for it by making sure I don’t grow fatter after binging on all those street snacks. Hence, the mountain-climbing itinerary.

Xiangshan (象山)

This was the first and supposedly easiest climb of the 3 mountains we were trekking. In my head, I expected mountain climbing to be on grass with no footpaths so I was pleasantly surprised that there were steps. The not so pleasant part was that they were REALLY steep and narrow so I had to balance feeling tired and being terrified that I may just slip and roll to my death at any moment. I hope this explains why I don’t have any photos other than at the start and end of the climb.

Though it was about 8pm when we reached, there were still a good number of people there and the amazing thing is they all seemed to have such great stamina, from the elderly to young kids of about 5 years old, going up and down the steps fearlessly and with such ease that I felt ashamed. Ok, actually I didn't feel ashamed but my brother was grumbling all the way about how I should be. I seemed to be the only one panting other than another Korean girl who lagged behind her friend.

After around 15 minutes of climbing, there was a rest area with seats and we had a preview of the sight that awaited us once we reached the top.

We started climbing again after resting awhile and were rewarded with an amazing night view of Taipei’s city at the top of the mountain.

The best time to go there would definitely be just before sunset, so you get to enjoy both the day and night view.

Directions

Take the MRT to Xiangshan Station, leave from Exit 2 and continue walking along the park. At the end of this road, turn left and continue walking straight until the entrance for Xiangshan Hiking Trail (the first photo).

Mount Keelung

We didn’t manage to go far on this one because we took like 10 steps and it started raining pouring. Thank God that the rain started early and not when we were halfway up the mountain without shelter!

Anyway, the plan was to hike Mount Keelung first, then walk around Jiufen for awhile before heading to Miaokou night market. We were bummed that we didn’t manage to follow through due to the downpour and ended up just wandering around Jiufen.

Directions

From Taipei Main Station, walk to Taipei Railway Station and take the train to Ruifang Station. Exit the Ruifang Train Station and turn left staying on the busy street right in front of the train station. Staying on the right hand side of the street keep walking straight until you pass a police station. The bus stop is located a little past the police station, take bus 788 or 1062 and stop at “Jiufen Old Street”. Simply walk a little further up the hill once you alight the bus and you will see the entrance to the Mount Keelung trail.

Yangmingshan (陽明山)

Yangmingshan is actually a national park and there are many different trails to explore, so it might get a little complicated. My advice is that you head to the Visitor’s Centre and decide which trail you wish to explore from there. My brother had been there before, so he brought us on the Miaopu trail to Mount Qixing, which is the highest mountain in Taipei at 1120m.

There are a few important things to note before you decide to go on this trail. Firstly, bring plenty of water! 5 bottles of 500ml mineral water was barely enough for 3 people (the dongsaeng was in Taipei too and joined us for the climb), so I suggest you bring at least 1 litre each. Next, definitely wear sports shoes for better friction as the terrain is rocky and uneven. I would also recommend that you wear sports attire as you would be sweating A LOT. Lastly, please don’t go wandering off the trail path as there have been sightings of snakes. And the last thing you want while climbing up the tallest mountain in Taipei is to get bitten by a snake. Okay, maybe the second last thing, after spraining your ankle.

They have these markers throughout the trail so you’d know how long more you need to suffer. At the halfway mark, we were already damn shagged, even though we stopped for a few breaks before that. There were another 3 Singaporeans we kept bumping into as we would keep overtaking one another while either of our groups were taking a break. We made small talk with them and tried to keep up in a friendly competition.

The steps there were all very inconsistent; some parts were rocky and uneven while some parts had actual man-made stairs. I was glad I hiked Mount Xiangshan first for “training” as the steps on Yang Ming Shan weren’t as steep as the ones there.

The part we loved most. Flat ground! This was almost at the top already.

Finally at the top! We took about 1.5 hours to reach the top and stayed there for about half an hour, just admiring the view and watching the clouds go past. 

We headed down by a different path and went to the Menghuan pond before finally ending off with the FREE hot spring foot bath at Lengshuikeng.

The first point is a warning about aforementioned snakes 

I totally wanted to turn back after seeing the above sign, but my bro rolled his eyes and mocked me for being such a girl about it. 

Please forgive the lousy photo quality from my previous crappy, half-broken phone.

I was quite insistent on going to the hot springs 'coz it was free! They also had a bath area (separated by gender) which was free but the idea of getting naked and sharing a public bath with strangers did NOT appeal to me.

All in all, the view alone was totally worth the time and effort taken to climb the mountain and I’d do it again if I had the chance, perhaps on a different trail the next time.

Directions

I would really recommend taking a cab there, as it would roughly take about 2 hours from Ximending by public transport. The cab fare was about S$20, so if your group consists of 3 or more, taking a cab would definitely be worth it and save the hassle! However, if you have a lot of time and are on a budget, take the MRT to Jiantan and exit through Exit 1. Walk to the bus station on the left and take bus R5 to Yangmingshan station. From there, you can take Bus 108 to the Tourist Center.