Question 1

Keelung on Your Own

Accepted Answer

Keelung is easy to explore on foot from the ship: the night market, the harbor front and the hill park above the town are all close together. If you would rather see Taipei, commuter trains from Keelung Station take about 40 minutes. Miaokou: The night-market stalls around Dianji Temple, on Ren 3rd Road, are busiest after dark, though some stalls are open around the clock, so lunch there works. Zhongzheng Park: A white statue of Guanyin, 22.5 meters tall, stands on the hill above the town and looks over the harbor entrance. Heping Island: Buses from the stop near Keelung Station run to this park of wind-carved, mushroom-shaped rocks, linked to the city by a bridge. Taipei by train: Local trains to Taipei Main Station run every 15 to 20 minutes. On the way back, board only a train that shows Keelung as its final stop, because many northbound trains branch off at Badu toward the east coast. Getting back on time: All-aboard is usually about 30 minutes before sailing, and your ship posts the exact time. A ship will not wait for passengers touring on their own. Taiwan keeps National Standard Time, UTC+8, all year, so check whether your ship is keeping local time. Carry ID: Carry your passport or other ID. The police usually accept a printed copy of the passport photo page.

Question 2

Getting Around

Accepted Answer

Keelung Station is the hub for getting around: trains run south to Taipei, and city and intercity buses leave from the transfer station built over the platforms. Taxis are metered, and one fare covers up to four people. With an EasyCard, any train is charged as a local train less 10 percent. A direct bus links the Taipei City Hall bus station with Keelung and stops near the night market; the ride takes about 35 minutes. On the Taipei metro, eating, drinking and smoking are banned past the fare gates. Jiufen, a former gold-mining town known for its narrow old street of shops and teahouses, is about 15 minutes by bus from Ruifang Station. The roads up are steep, narrow and winding. Yehliu, a headland on the north coast, is known for its hoodoo rocks, top-heavy stones worn by the waves. The most visited, the Queen's Head, draws three million visitors a year. Scooters weave through traffic, and drivers do not always stop at crossings, so take care when you cross the road.

Question 3

What to Eat at Miaokou

Accepted Answer

Eating in Keelung means the Miaokou stalls, a food market of about 200 stalls that grew up around Dianji Temple from the end of the Japanese era. The food runs from seafood soups to shaved ice. Ding bian cuo: A bowl of rice-noodle sheets in a thick broth with pork, shrimp, squid, mushroom, bamboo shoots and dried lily flowers. Tempura: Tianbula, Taiwanese tempura, is sold at a few stalls in the market. Paopao bing: Keelung's bubble ice, a shaved-ice dessert, is sold at several stalls, one of them with a long history. Nutritious sandwich: Fried bread filled with sausage and mayonnaise. Shacha beef: Beef and tripe stir-fried to order in a house-made shacha sauce.

Question 4

Culture & Local Life

Accepted Answer

Keelung's Ghost Festival, held in the seventh lunar month, is one of the oldest and largest in Taiwan. Its roots are a truce of 1855 that ended deadly fighting between rival clans; since then the clans have competed through folk performances rather than feuds. The main ritual takes place at Zhuputan, a temple at the top of Zhongzheng Park, on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month. The Keelung Zhongyuan Cultural Museum, on the first floor of Zhuputan, explains the festival's origins, rituals and offerings. Dianji Temple, built in 1873 and the center of the Miaokou market, honors Kaizhang Shengwang, the Tang dynasty general Chen Yuanguang, revered by settlers whose families came from Zhangzhou. The city's old name, Kelang, is often read as rooster cage, but it more likely comes from the Ketagalan, the region's first inhabitants. The present name, meaning base of prosperity, dates from 1875. At the Lantern Festival, a firecracker-lion procession sets out from Xiding Road and visits four of the city's temples.

Question 5

A Brief History

Accepted Answer

Several foreign powers have held or fought for Keelung's sheltered harbor. Spain built a fort here in 1626, France fought for it in 1884 and 1885, and Japan made it a modern port after 1895. First inhabitants: The Ketagalan, one of Taiwan's indigenous peoples, lived here before Europeans arrived. 1626 to 1668: A Spanish expedition from Manila landed on today's Heping Island and built Fort San Salvador. The Dutch took it in 1642 and left for good in 1668. 1863: The Qing government opened Keelung as a trading port, and placer gold and coal from the Keelung River area fed its growth. 1884 to 1885: In the Sino-French War, French forces captured Keelung in October 1884 but could not break out, and the campaign ended in stalemate in April 1885. The Ershawan Battery was the command post of Liu Mingchuan, who led the defense. About 500 French soldiers and sailors, most killed by cholera and other diseases, were buried in a cemetery nearby. 1891 to 1893: The first Keelung railway station opened in 1891, and the line to Taipei was finished in 1893. 1895 to 1945: Under Japanese rule, Keelung Harbor was rebuilt in five phases between 1899 and 1944. Allied bombers nearly destroyed the city and port in the Pacific War. 1984: After postwar rebuilding, Keelung was the world's seventh-largest container port. To learn more ashore: The Keelung Zhongyuan Cultural Museum, on the first floor of Zhuputan temple at the top of Zhongzheng Park, explains the origins of the Ghost Festival. The Ershawan Battery, on Zhongzheng Road, was the command post for the defense in 1884 and is a class one national monument.

Question 6

Traveling with Family

Accepted Answer

Keelung suits families because its sights are close together: a snack crawl through the night market, a seaside park of strange rocks and a marine science museum in a former power station. Pack rain gear, because showers are frequent. Younger children: Heping Island Park's wind-carved rocks look like giant mushrooms, and the park has a seawater swimming pool that opens from May to October; check before you go. School age: The National Museum of Marine Science and Technology, at 367 Beining Road, fills a 1937 power plant with galleries on ships, the deep sea and ocean science, plus an IMAX theater. It is a short walk from Haikeguan Station. Teenagers: Taipei is a 40-minute train ride away, and its metro is clean, reliable and easy to use with an EasyCard. In the night market: The lanes are narrow and crowded, especially in the evening, so agree on a meeting point. Weather: The typhoon season usually runs from May to November and can disrupt plans.

Question 7

Accessibility

Accepted Answer

Keelung Station, beside the harbor, was rebuilt in 2015, and its south hall's entrances and accessible facilities are all in use. Nearly all Taipei metro stations have lifts, which helps if you continue into the capital. Ask your ship about the gangway and the walk through the passenger terminal on the east side of the harbor. The night-market lanes are narrow and fill up in the evening, so an afternoon visit is calmer. Taxis are metered and inexpensive, but ask before you book whether a folding wheelchair will fit.

Question 8

Shopping

Accepted Answer

Food is what to buy in Keelung, starting with pastries from the old bakery near the night market. For department stores and larger shops, Taipei is a short train ride away. Lee Hu Bakery, at 90 Ren 3rd Road, has made pastries since 1882, especially pineapple cakes and mung bean pastries. Convenience stores sell and top up EasyCards.

Question 9

Beaches

Accepted Answer

Keelung is a working harbor city, and most of its coast is rock rather than sand. The nearest sea swimming is along the Waimushan shore. The Waimushan seashore runs about 5 km from the Waimushan fishing harbor to Aoditong village, with open shore and sea cliffs. Near the Waimushan fishing harbor there are facilities for experienced swimmers and divers. The beach near Aoditong is the only sandy shore left in Keelung. Heping Island Park has a seawater swimming pool, open from May to October; check before you go.

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