New Taipei, Taiwan: travel guide
Encircling Taipei on three sides, New Taipei is Taiwan's most populous city — a mosaic of hillside gold-mining towns (Jiufen, Jinguashi), coastal hot-spring resorts (Wulai), mangrove wetlands (Tamsui), and artisan townships. The dramatic Shifen waterfall, sky lantern festivals, and the old street at Sanxia make it essential for travellers who want Taiwan beyond the capital.
- Country
- Taiwan
- Currency
- TWD
- Time zone
- Asia/Taipei
- Nearest airport
- TPE
Top places to visit in New Taipei
Jiufen Old Street
Cultural · 4.5 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate
Hillside mining town famed for red-lantern teahouses and stone-paved alleys overlooking the Pacific. Best visited at dusk when lanterns light up.
Shifen Waterfall
Waterfall · 4.6 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate
Taiwan's widest waterfall (40 m wide, 20 m tall), nicknamed the "Taiwan Niagara." Short walk from Shifen Old Street where sky lanterns are released.
Things to do
- Shifen Sky Lantern Release on the Railway Track Cultural · 1.5 h · from TWD 130 per person
- Jiufen Evening Lantern Walk & Tea Ceremony Cultural · 3.5 h · from TWD 810 per person
Where to stay in New Taipei
- Tamsui Old Street about TWD 1,400 per night
Riverside sunset town at MRT terminus. Colonial fort, tofu pudding vendors, and ferry links.
- Jiufen Village about TWD 2,200 per night
Hillside gold-rush village of red lanterns and Pacific views. Limited but charming B&B options.
Hotels
- Fullon Hotel Tamsui Fishermen's Wharf 5-star · TWD 4,800 to TWD 15,000 per night
- Dandy Hotel Tamsui 3-star · TWD 1,800 to TWD 4,200 per night
Where to eat
- A-Mei Tea House taiwanese · about TWD 540 per person
Getting around
- Bus main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Scooter Rental main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Taxi main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking
Every city has walking. 2.5 km ceiling is a placeholder default, not a researched per-city figure -- Singapore is sheltered and air-conditioned, Bangkok often has no pavement.