Keelung's a city full of colour, with its vibrant side streets, rainbow houses, lush landscape, and colourful culture. Here I'll introduce some of the myriad ways colour shows up in Keelung.
Side Streets
Keelung's side streets are awash in colour, lined with drawings of cartoon characters and bustling, glowing snack bars. I personally love stumbling upon a neon-lit restaurant on a side street with big, round tables full of locals sharing food and drink with each other. These are great places for foreigners to interact with local life.
Although Keelung is known for its rain, that also means... rainbows! Along the side streets you'll also find Keelungers whizzing by on motorcycles wearing vibrant rain ponchos.
Buildings
Towering over the streets, Keelung's pastel buildings cheerfully warm up the grey sky. I'm personally jealous of the schools in Keelung, which are brimming with colour, from their classrooms to their playgrounds.
Ports
Keelung's famous port is filled with color, from the array of rickety old boats lining the docks to the famous, colorful Zhengbin houses. The Zhengbin rainbow houses are definitely worth it to check out, as the surrounding neighborhood features a quirky café and bar scene. And nearby you'll Keelung Zhengbin old Fishermen's Association building, which is the main exhibition space for Keelung's art festival.
Landscape
Keelung is surrounded by lush and verdant greenery that is easily accessible to any traveler. If we look to the sea, we'll find lush green mixed with vibrant orange and yellow cliff and rock formations, perfect for watching the striking Taiwanese sunsets. Witness this phenomenon at its fullest by taking the 40 minute bus trip to Yehiliu Geo Park. I also recommend following the Keelung River Valley through the towering mountains and quaint old towns on the Pingxi train line.
Foreign Flavours
Keelung has long been a stop-over for foreign travelers and traders, and more recently it was a resting place for US soldiers during the war in Vietnam. To serve these soldiers, amenities like bars, consignment stores and jeans stores popped up throughout Keelung. However, following the war, many of these amenities were abandoned, but their colorful ruins still exist for our aesthetic enjoyment and historical education. By Daiming Temple you'll come across an alley lined with red brick houses, which once was a bustling Bar Street for foreign soldiers. (See this page below for more information).
Following foreign flavors, I found myself at the Italian inspired Eddie's Cafe Et Tiramisu, where you can taste the most gorgeous of coffees and tiramisu, which you'll find at the end of a colorful maze of Keelung streets.
New Colours
Taiwan currently features a bright art and film scene, including in Keelung. In this city you'll find exhibits, festivals, craft stalls and creative parks dotted all over, bringing even more vibrancy and colour to this colourful city.
Come to Keelung and add to the colorful display!
Talking of displays, come join us in August as we follow Keelung's Magnificent Ghost Festival. Book your place on the tour by clicking below.
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