6 Must Visit Spots: It’s not always sunny in Keelung but if you catch a nice day: Here are some spots to visit during a daytime walk.
YM Oceanic Culture & Art Museum
This museum is much less scientific than the National Museum of Marine Science and Technology. Exhibits (in Mandarin and usually English) include a section dedicated to fishing villages in Taiwan, the history of this building, and a really cool floor highlighting cargo ships. You can steer a simulation ship out of Keelung Harbor! The staff are extremely friendly. This museum is right next to the Keelung bus terminal.
Chenghuang Temple
Chenghuang Temple (or City God) is a temple that has become the home of Keelung’s finest Beiguan orchestra. Beiguan music is a form of theatrical music that originated in China and Taiwan in the 17th century. This ancient performance art has been largely unchanged since its birth and has been preserved with the confines of the Chenghuang temple.
Dianji Temple
Keelung’s Miaokou Night Market is nation-wide well-known for its great diversity of food. The “Miao” means temple in Taiwanese and this temple is actually called Dianji Temple, one of the three main temples in the city. It has a beautiful roof to observe the beauty of traditional architecture and due to its rich history of immigrants, surrounded by the herbal alley and hidden version of the food paradise – Ren-Ai market.
Herb Alley
Walk out of the Miaokou Night Market and stand in front of these herb shops that are hundreds of years old. It’s like a mini-botanical garden, overflowing with green and written in ancient wisdom. An aluminum box with red paper says the never-seen name: Guanyin string, gold belt, double-sided thorn, watery lilac, white dragon boat. Behind each, there are more stories.
Khóo Tsú-song old house
This house was built by a Taiwanese notable who was in charge of Keelung city during the Japanese period. Located very close to what is today the famous Keelung night market, the only streets to reach the house are narrow walking passages transforming into stairways that finally lead to the house, on the top of a hill, with a unique view of the rooftops of Keelung City. The two floors’ structure and baroque decoration on the walls could be from Western influence.
Columbus Alley
Columbus alley was a popular bar area during the Vietnam war. It was full of passing American soldiers who would enjoy the street culture and entertainment. Today the Columbus bar still remains and is a testimony to part of Keelung’s history.
When you checked these places off your list you should plan your night with this list!
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