The six-day Chinese New Year vacation of 2018 is around the corner. Just an hour’s ride away, the North Coast and Guanyinshan National Scenic Area is a popular destination during this time in northern Taiwan. Visitors are advised to use public transport to go to the scenic area to spare a tiring car trip, however. After all, when feeling relaxed, travel becomes much more beautiful.
Transport info for visiting the scenic area is as follows:
1. Public transport:
(1) To go to Guanyinshan Scenic Area, take Bus Orange 20 at MRT Luzhou Station.
(2) To go to North Coast Scenic Area, go to Tamsui by MRT or Keelung by train first. From there, take Tamsui Bus or Keelung Bus to reach the destination.
(3) Kuo Kuang Bus 1815 (Taipei Main Station - National Highway 1 - Jinshan Youth Center), Keelung Bus 1068 (National Taiwan University - National Highway 3 - Jinshan), and Keelung Bus 953 (Banqiao - Da’an District - National Highway 1 - Jinshan) stop at Yehliu Geopark and Jinshan Leisure Area.
(4) To go to Heping Island of Keelung, take Bus 101 in front of Keelung Train Station and get off at Heping Island Stop. To visit Lovers’ Lake, take Keelung City Bus 505 or 509 and get off at Lovers’ Lake Road Entrance. Walk 30 minutes up the mountain and you will find the lake.
(5) Taiwan Tourist Shuttle - Crown Northern Coast Line (1-day pass at NT$160): MRT Tamsui Station⇔Qianshui Bay⇔Sanzi Visitor Center & Celebrities Museum⇔North Coast and Guanyinshan National Scenic Area Administration (Baisha Bay)⇔New 18 Lords Temple (Shimen Wedding Photography Plaza)⇔Shimen Cave⇔Teresa Teng Memorial Park⇔Ju Ming Museum⇔Jinshan Old Street⇔Jinshan Visitor Center (Shitoushan Park)⇔Jiatou Hot Spring Area⇔Yehliu Geopark⇔Guihou Fishery Port
(6) Taiwan Tourist Shuttle - Keelung Shuttle Bus East/West Line (1-day pass at NT$50): Keelung Train Station (visitor center)⇔Lovers’ Lake Park⇔Dawulun Tourist Factory⇔Feiqui Bay⇔Guihou Fishery Port⇔Yehliu Geopark
2. Traffic jam spots and suggestions:
(1) North Coast’s access roads:
a. Provincial Highway 2 (coastal) (i): Due to construction of Tamsui Light Rail, the highway’s Zhuwei-Hongshulin section and Tamsui-Jinshan Highway can easily fall into traffic jam in the evenings, when people return from their day trip.
b. Provincial Highway 2 (coastal) (ii): Due to vehicles coming from National Highway 3 and Expressway 62, traffic jam is also likely to take place in the highway’s Keelung-Wanli section at noon (outbound traffic) and in the evenings (when people return).
c. Provincial Highway 2A (Yanmingshan-Jinshan Highway): As this road passes through the national park, visitors are recommended to take this road for a faster , more convenient ride, provided that there’s no traffic control on that day.
d. The area surrounding Yehliu are also likely to have traffic jam, due to its bumpy landscape and narrow access roads. Please follow police officers’ guidance.
e. Speed measuring devices are installed along Provincial Highway 2. The speed limit is 70km per hour. At around the local market, it’s 50km per hour. Please abide by traffic rules and stay safe.
(2) Guanyinshan’s access roads:
Traffic jam is common on County Road 103 (Longmi Road of Bali - Sec. 3, Chengtai Road of Wugu), as cars from Wugu Interchange, Bali and Tamsui all gather up here. This is the only main road to Beitou, Bali and North Coast. So far, there are no other roads to take. Please be patient while taking this road.
(3) Visitors can find traffic booklets for the North Coast and Guanyinshan at the visitor centers of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Taipei Songshan Airport, and Zhongli Highway Service Area, as well as the six visitor centers of the North Coast and Guanyinshan National Scenic Area (that is, Guanyinshan, Sanzi, Baisha Bay, Jinshan, Yehliu and Keelung visitor centers).
(4) Before and during the trip:
a. Listen to Police Broadcasting Service, watch out for the latest CMS (changeable message signs) along the way, and check weather updates, just to avoid areas of heavy traffic.
b. Arrange accommodation in advance so as to ensure a smooth trip.
c. Be sure to bring coolant, battery acid, windscreen washer, motor oil, power steering fluid and brake fluid for a car trip. Check tires and lights, too for a safe ride. Bring traffic cones, too.
d. Never drive after drinking. Before driving, do not drink.
e. Bring away garbage; do not litter. Keep the environs clean.
3. Places to see in the North Coast and Guanyinshan National Scenic Area:
(1) North Coast Scenic Area:
Qianshui Bay, Sanzi Visitor Center and Celebrities Museum, Baisha Bay of Shimen, Shimen Wedding Photography Plaza, Fugui Cape Hiking Trail Lighthouse, Fuji Fishery Port, Shimen Cave, Dharma Drum Mountain, Ju Ming Museum, Shitoushan Park, Jinshan Old Street, Jinshan Hot Spring Area, Yehliu Geopark, Yehliu Ocean World, Feicui Bay, Guihou Fishery Port, Lovers’ Lake of Keelung, Houhai Bay, and Heping Island.
(2) Guanyinshan Scenic Area:
Linshao, Linyun Temple, Tough Guy Hill, Fulong Mountain, Fengguidou Lake, Niugang Edge and Niuliaopu Hiking Trails.
(3) Visitor Centers:
Please note that Yehliu Geopark will stop selling admission tickets at 15:00 on the Chinese New Year’s Eve. Other than this, all six visitor centers of the scenic area, Guanyinshan, Sanzi, Baisha Bay, Jinshan, Yehliu and Keelung, are open all year round.
(4) Special recommendations:
a. Situated beside the Baisha Bay Visitor Center, the North Coast Exploratorium is equipped with top-notch facilities which help visitors to explore the North Coast. Other than watching 3D scenic films at its submarine theatre, visitors can take the latest North Coast VR (virtual reality) cycling trip, listen to rip-current model explanations, or join a half-day tour of Baisha Bay and Linshanbi. Admission to the center is free. The center is closed on Chinese New Year’s Eve and the New Year’s Day. On all of the other days in a year, this center is not to be missed. The North Coast Exploratorium’s service hotline is: (02)8635-5173.
b. Sanzi “weight-loss itinerary” for the spring: Sanzi Visitor Center —> Fude Waterwheel Park —> Balian River Leisure Trail —> Gongrong Community. This is a 90-minute trip. Unlike other countryside/riverside walks, this route takes you pass by local paddy fields amid an unbroken chain of mountains. You are free to enjoy a joyful trip without disturbing modern traffic. As pressure is released, you are sure to lose extra weight soon.
