North Coast DayTripping from Taipei

Soaring Green Mountain Backdrop, Sweeping Blue Ocean Foreground

The North Coast. Pounding surf on rugged rocky shores. Artistic naturechiseled stone sculptures. White-sand beaches. Stylish seaside eateries and cute mobile back-of-the-van cafés. Exposed reefs teeming with marine life. SUP, surfing, and other watersports. Raptor spotting. And much other entertainment beyond. All within easy day-trip reach of central Taipei City.

An ocean of happy adventure awaits the international traveler just an hour or so from the dense busyness of downtown Taipei. Look up, and north, from points all around the city and you’ll see the hulk of the Yangmingshan massif, a mountain playground for the local citizenry. Directly behind this is the North Coast, a 30km oceanside playground extending in an arc from Tamsui town on the west to Keelung City on the east.

In this article we’re taking you on a quick tour of many of this area’s most popular enticements, almost all right on the coast along Provincial Highway No. 2.