福州山

Taipei Cityscapes Guide

Everyone wants to get that iconic shot of Taipei 101 and the Taipei cityscape while visiting Taiwan.

But how do you get it? Where should you go? 

Taiwan’s rising popularity as a tourist destination means that it important that answers to these questions are readily available in order to help people make the most of their trip. 

While the local government does try its best to attract tourists and provide the necessary information, they often do a poor job of the latter which means people have to to rely on guide books, travel sites and blogs for their travel tips and expertise.

Fortunately, there are some excellent resources out there helping to introduce the country these days and I’m happy that this website has been able to play a small role in that. I have to say though, even though I do enjoy personally responding to people who have questions - I have discovered that I’ve been spending quite a bit of time responding to the same questions over and over again.

So, even though I’m personally not a fan of list-style blogs, I think having something that I can actually direct people to, rather than answering each person individually might save us all some time!

So, if you’ve been looking for a helpful guide to (some of) the best locations to get a shot of the beautiful Taipei cityscape, I think this guide might be of use!

Before I start, I should mention a couple of things:

  • All of these locations are free of charge. I’m not promoting any businesses here.

  • Rooftop photos of the city are popular, but I’m not promoting that here.

  • Each location is accessible using Taipei’s excellent public transportation network.

  • I’m not including any of the popular ground-level locations frequented by Instagrammers.

  • If you want that beautiful cityscape photo, you’re going to have to do a bit of hiking to get it!


By far the most popular spot for tourists to get their cityscape photos is on the Elephant Mountain Hiking trail (象山登山步道).

The trail is so popular that it even has its own dedicated MRT station!

The problem with Elephant Mountain however is that everybody knows about it - No matter what day of the week you visit, you are going to have to line up to take photos and in most cases you’ll probably miss that beautiful sunset photo that you had your heart set on.

For those landscape photographers who want to get the iconic shot of the Taipei City landscape from this mountain, you’re going to have to arrive quite early in the day to reserve a spot for your tripod as the best locations are always packed with photographers.

Elephant Mountain might be one of the best locations for photos but it goes without saying that it is also one of the most popular, which makes taking photos more of a challenge.

Getting There - Take the MRT’s Red Line to Xiangshan Station (象山站) and then follow the signs that lead you to the trailhead. The hike to the top takes anywhere between ten and thirty minutes.

Link: Elephant Mountain (象山)

For those wanting to get shots from the iconic Elephant Mountain but also want to escape the crowds and get a different perspective of the city - Thumb Mountain and 9-5 peak are a great option that requires only about twenty to thirty more minutes of hiking.

Situated on the same trail as Elephant Mountain, the peak of Thumb Mountain is considerably higher, is less clogged with tourists and offers a wider perspective of the city that also includes green mountains in the foreground.

Likewise, the observation platform on 9-5 Peak offers probably the widest and most beautiful view of the cityscape that you are going to get on this side of the city.

If you want the iconic photo of Taipei but want something that stands out from almost every shot on Instagram, you’ll want to keep these two peaks in mind!

Getting There - Take the MRT’s Red Line to Xiangshan Station (象山站) and then follow the signs that lead you the trailhead. After passing by the peak of Elephant Mountain, follow the signs which will lead you to the peak of Thumb Mountain and then continue on to 9-5 Peak.

Link: Thumb Mountain (拇指山)

Looking for an alternative to Elephant Mountain to avoid the massive crowds of tourists?

Tiger Mountain might just be the answer for all your social anxieties!

This trail is very much similar to the Elephant Mountain hike in terms of location and how well-developed the trail is (they are actually part of the same system of trails) but it isn’t as well known in tourist circles as it is with locals.

When you hike Tiger Mountain you will be treated with amazing views of the city in a location that differs only slightly from what you get at Elephant Mountain. You can even continue your short hike and can easily connect with other peaks along the Four Beasts Trail (四獸山) - which all offer great views of the city.

It is also a considerably easier hike than Elephant Mountain and takes very little time to complete.  

Getting There - Take the MRT’s Blue Line to Houshanpi Station (後山埤站) and from Exit 2 follow the signs that will lead you to the trailhead. Hiking this mountain doesn’t take a lot of time but you can easily make a day-trip of of the trails behind it that lead to other peaks.

Link: Tiger Mountain (虎山)

Fuzhou Mountain is a well-known alternative for locals who want to avoid the hordes of tourists on Elephant Mountain or on the other Nangang Mountain trails.

While not as popular in tourist circles, the mountain offers spectacular unobstructed views of the Taipei cityscape without the wait.

Situated in Fuzhoushan Park (福州山公園), the hike to the top takes a lot less time and energy than its more popular neighbours and it just so happens that this one is a personal favourite of mine.

Getting There - Take the MRT’s Brown Line to Linguang Station (麟光站) and then follow the signs across the street that lead you to the park. Once inside the forest park follow the signs that lead you to the peak of Fuzhou Mountain.

Link: Fuzhou Mountain (福州山)

Bishan Temple is a massive mountain-side temple in Taipei’s Neihu District - The temple is the largest of its kind in Taiwan, dedicated to the patron saint “Kaizhang Sheng Wang” is not only beautifully ornate but also provides visitors with beautiful views of the Taipei cityscape.

In recent years the temple has actually become more well-known for its beautiful night views of the city than its religious functions - but rest assured, Taiwanese visitors will always pay their respects before enjoying the view.

Likewise, you should also take some time to tour of the temple and the surrounding area.

This one doesn’t require much of a hike as the bus will drop you off near the entrance of the temple - simply walk up the stairs to the entrance and enjoy the view!

Getting There - Take the MRT’s Brown line to Neihu Station (內湖站) and from there walk to the bus stop at #452 Neihu Road, Section 2 (next to a small shrine) and wait for the #2 (小2) bus.

Link: Bishan Temple (碧山巖開漳聖王廟)

This mountain in Neihu (內湖) became extremely popular with locals a few years ago and for good reason - It offers amazing views of the city with beautiful mountains in the background.

The hike to the top takes about 20-30 minutes and even though its quite easy, it is really fun as you get to climb up the rock face of a mountain while enjoying beautiful panoramic scenery.

While at the top don’t forget to get a shot of yourself on the rock ledge that has become an internet sensation in Taiwan.

Getting There - Take the MRT’s Brown Line to Xihu Station (西湖站) and walk toward Tamkang University where you’ll see signs that lead you toward the Jinmian Mountain Trailhead (金面山登山步道).

Link: Jinmian Mountain (金面山)

Jiantan Mountain is a hiking trail that starts near the popular Shilin Nightmarket (士林夜市) and offers not only great views of the city (from the opposite side of the Keelung River) but also allows you to walk around the beautiful Grand Hotel and check out some cool temples.

The mountain has quite a few attractions and can be part of a much larger day-trip if you like, but for the purposes of this blog, people are going to want to head directly to the ‘Laodifang lookout’ (老地方觀景平台) where there are unobstructed views of the city.

This hike might be the longest of all the hikes I’m providing (around 1-2 hours) but you can take solace in the fact that once you’re done, you can visit the Shilin Nightmarket and fill your belly.

Getting There - Take the MRT’s Red Line to Jiantan Station (劍潭站) and from there cross the street and walk toward the Grand Hotel. You’ll see a temple on the side of the road. The trailhead is next to it.

Link: Jiantan Mountain (劍潭山)


Photography Tips

The old saying ‘The best camera is always the one you have with you’ applies quite well to most of these locations. What you’ll want to take into consideration is the kind of photos you want to take and how much equipment you’re willing to carry.

If you are looking to take beautiful, yet simple cityscape photos (to post on your social media), you can do that easily enough with the camera on your smartphone. That being said, a lot of people are like me and are more than willing to carry heavy camera gear up the mountains to get even better shots to bring back home.

No matter what you choose to do, there are a few things you’ll want to take into consideration to avoid the frustration of missing out on the perfect shot.

Smartphone Cameras

  • Smart phones aren’t particularly useful when it comes to ‘focus’ for night shots of people with the city in the background. It is either going to be one or the other. Never both. If you want a photo of yourself and the city, you’ll be better off hiking during the day.

  • If night shots are your only option, bring a light that you can put in front of your camera which will help the sensor focus with the lack of light.

  • You may want to consider purchasing a smart phone tripod at one of the night markets around the city - Having your phone stabilized for a shot always helps.

  • Some smart phones let you manually control your camera’s functions - If you can control your ISO, it could help get better results. If you download the Adobe Lightroom app for example, the free functions allow you to control your camera a bit more than the native camera apps do.

  • Don’t forget that your phone’s camera likely has ‘panorama’ mode. Take a panoramic shot while visiting so that you can post a 3D image on social media!

  • If you are using a filter app that makes you look really young, it’s likely to ruin your shot of the cityscape. Be careful with the apps you use. You can always edit your shots afterwards.

  • Last but not least - If you have a selfie-stick, don’t hit others in the face while taking photos!

Digital Cameras

  • If you plan on taking shots of the sunset and/or shots after dark, you’re absolutely going to need a tripod.

  • If you are bringing a tripod and want to set up in the perfect location for photos, in most cases, you’re going to have to arrive early to ensure that you get a good spot.

  • If you have them, you may want to bring some filters for the sunset.

  • Bracket your exposures - One of the most difficult things about shooting Taipei - and most cities - is all the artificial light that creates issues with dynamic range. If you bracket your exposures (HDR Mode) you’ll be able to capture balanced shots with higher contrast.

  • Shoot in ‘Aperture Priority Mode’ - This allows you to control everything in your camera and will save your photos from the disastrous effects of auto mode which compensates during low light.

  • Manual Focus allows for much sharper images than auto-focus and ensures that your camera focuses on the area that you want.

Locations Map

A map to guide you to the best mountain spots to check out the view of beautiful Taipei. Created by Josh Ellis Photography www.goteamjosh.com


I hope that this guide proves useful if you’re planning a visit - If you have any questions or suggestions for other locations that I might have forgotten, feel free to comment below or send me an email.

I plan on updating this guide quite often, so check back for updates.

Have a great time in this beautiful city and take some nice shots!

Fuzhou Mountain (福州山)

Taiwan’s capital city of Taipei is an amazing city that is extremely fortunate to be almost completely surrounded by mountains. It seems like no matter where you are, you’re never far away from a hiking trail and some of those trails have an added bonus of providing hikers with spectacular views of the cityscape.

The sad thing is though, most tourists who come to Taiwan are only really aware of the Elephant Mountain trail, which provides one of the most iconic views of the city, but is also the reason why the mountain is jam-packed every day of the week.

Admittedly, Elephant Mountain does offer the best view and is the most ‘iconic’ spot to take photos of Taipei’s constantly changing skyline - There are however several other locations where you can go to get impressive shots of the city without having to wait all day. So, if you’re like me, and don’t like wasting time in long lines, but still want one of these iconic travel photos, you may want to consider an alternatives.

Most people don’t realize that the Elephant Mountain trail is part of a larger network of trails known as the ‘Four Beasts ’ (四獸山) which also includes Tiger Mountain, Leopard Mountain and Lion Mountain. Likewise you’ll also find Thumb Mountain (拇指山), 9-5 Peak (九五峰), Nangang Mountain (南港山) and Fuzhou Mountain (福州山) close by which are all equally attractive spots, but are frequented considerably less by tourists visiting the city.

Fuzhou Mountain in particular is one that can be easily accessed through Taipei’s excellent public transportation network and takes very little effort to climb but offers maximum enjoyment when it comes to the amazing view of the city.

The mountain which sits directly west of Elephant Mountain offers comparable views of the cityscape, but I would argue the view from this mountain gives visitors a much wider perspective of the city and the lack of any tall buildings obscuring the view of Taipei 101 makes the skyscraper look even more gigantic.

If you’re looking for one of those epic photos and don’t want to have to deal with a bunch of tourists getting in your shot, you’ll definitely want to consider this mountain.

Fuzhou Mountain Hike

Considerably one of the easiest hikes in Taipei, the Fuzhou Mountain trail takes less than twenty minutes from the trailhead to the peak and isn’t even remotely as steep as some of its more popular neighbors. This makes the mountain much more suitable for travelers who are traveling with children or seniors. Like most hikes in the city, the trails are well-maintained with well-developed walkways and even lights that guide your path at night.

If Instagram is any indication, the majority of people who hike this one take almost all of their photos from a specific area, which offers one of the best views of the Taipei cityscape -  but may fail to realize that the park has two additional viewing areas where you’ll also get great views of the city.

Depending on how much time you have and whether or not you plan on visiting one of the platforms or all of the platforms, there are a few things you should keep in mind when planning a trip to the mountain as there are a few different trailheads and a few different ways to get there.

To make things simple, I’m going to separate my recommendations for the trails into two different sections, so if you want to simply get to the most popular platform, take some photos and then leave as fast as possible check out the section immediately below. If however you plan to take your time, check out all three spots, you should check out the second description. It will provide you with faster access to the other two viewing platforms before arriving at the most popular one.

Starting from Fuyang Eco-Park

Once you’re in the park (directions below) you’ll come up to a roof-top pavilion with nearby bathroom facilities. You’ll likely find quite a few locals hanging out there drinking tea and chatting. The nature park, which is completely covered by trees offers a cool respite from the summer heat, so it tends to be a popular place to hang out.

Next to the pavilion is a set of stairs where you’ll start your ‘hike’ up the mountain - I wouldn’t actually even consider this one a ‘hike’ as its more or less just a brisk ten minute walk up a hill. The incline isn’t that steep and after a few short minutes you’ll start seeing the cityscape appearing through the brush.

After the short walk up the hill you’ll reach a park with playground-like facilities with another set of stairs leading up to the platform. This platform, the most popular of the three is where you’ll find the best view of the city.

Even though the view is generally unobstructed, I’d recommend that you bring a tripod with you, especially if you are going to be taking night shots. The taller the tripod the better as it is possible that you may end up having a bit of brush growing in front of the platform.

From this platform you have the option of continuing along the trail to the other two platforms or leaving the way you came to go back to the MRT station. If you’ve got the time, I recommend continuing on.

Starting from Wolong Street Trailhead

Mothra?

The Wolong Street Trailhead is probably the most popular starting point for this hike, but for the life of me I have absolutely no idea why. When you start your hike from the Fuyang Eco Park, you’re constantly surrounded by nature and the path, even though it is well maintained, blends in with the natural environment. The Wolong entrance however is a steep cement trail. There are of course trees all around you, but when you’re walking up a cement path wide enough for cars, I wouldn’t really call that a nature hike. Its more like a walk up a steep street. 

One of the other negatives is that the hike from Wolong Street takes much longer (and that doesn’t even include the amount of time it takes to arrive at the trailhead). If you start at the park and walk at my pace (which is relatively fast) you can be at the viewing platform in around five to ten minutes. The Wolong entrance on the other hand is going to take a bit more time and you’ll have to contend with a couple of really steep sets of stairs that are going to tire you out. 

I suppose the popularity of the Wolong Street trailhead as a starting point is mostly just so that people can make a complete circuit of the main part of the trail. If you start at Wolong, you can easily end your hike at the Eco Park, which is conveniently located near the MRT station. 

How you hike is up to you, but if you’re looking for a much faster and easier experience, I’d recommend not bothering with this trail at all. Personally, I’ve hiked this mountain well over a dozen times and the only time I started from this entrance was to get photos for this blog. Its not likely that I’ll ever start from there on a future visit.

Why are there so few people?

Despite offering what are arguably some of the best views of the city, there is a very practical reason why this mountain isn’t as popular as you’d expect it would be. Suffice to say, most locals consider it to be one of the most haunted areas in the city.

Why? Well, there are actually several reasons, all of which involve ghosts.

  1. The area where the hiking trails currently exist were once home to a graveyard that has since been relocated elsewhere.

  2. The southern side of the mountain, where you won’t find hiking trails, is still occupied by a large public graveyard and there are funeral homes near the base.

  3. The eastern side of the mountain is home to the Taipei Necropolis, an infamous site full of unmarked graves of those murdered by the government during Taiwan’s “White Terror” period (白色恐怖).

  4. The infamous Xinhai Tunnel (辛亥隧道) was constructed inside the mountain and connects two city districts geographically separated by the mountain.

I’m not really a person that pays much attention to this superstition stuff, so let me give you a few details so you’re not that freaked out.

The Taipei Necropolis and 228 Graveyard are actually on a distant part of the mountain range than the hiking trails (Closer to Liuzhangli MRT 六張犁捷運站). Unfortunately, the reminders of Taiwan’s history are enough to keep some away.

Link: The Graveyard at the Center of Taiwan’s White Terror Period (English / 中文)

In the early 2000’s when the graveyard was relocated and the city government started to lay the foundation for the hiking trails, the Taiwanese media (which thrives off of sensationalism) posted articles which complained about the poor job the city government did with relocating the graves and also enforced the idea that this place was definitely one where you wouldn’t want to visit. Here’s a translated excerpt from a 2005 TVBS article:

On Wolong Street in Taipei there was once a cemetery. Five or six years ago the cemetery was relocated and the city converted the area into a park. While the trails were being laid you wouldn’t believe that the city government did such a terrible job of cleaning up the remains of the tombs. It’s outrageous that a tombstone is still clearly visible next to the trail. If you want to enjoy the beauty of the world’s tallest building, Taipei 101, Fuzhou Park will satisfy you. However if you want to climb this mountain you’ll need a bit of courage because you have to walk along a path full of graves.

「台北市在臥龍街附近有一塊公墓,在五六年前墓地遷移之後,市府在原地改建成公園,還舖上木製登山步道,不過市府卻沒有將墳墓的遺跡清理乾淨,離譜的是,有墓碑就被崁進階梯裡,上面刻的姓氏還可以清楚看到。想要眺望世界最高樓台北101週圍的美景,有一個地方可以滿足您,那就是位在臥龍街附近的福州山公園,不過想登高望遠,可能要有點勇氣,因為您得踏著墳墓棧道,一步一步往上走。」

Confounding the urban myths about the mountain being haunted is the fact that the Xinhai Tunnel (辛亥隧道) was constructed within the mountain while the graveyard was still on top. There have have been countless stories about ghosts appearing in the back seats of people’s cars as well as on the road, causing several fatal accidents over the years. In 2013 the tunnel was listed as one of the ‘Top Ten Haunted Sites in Taiwan” by an online poll. (English / 中文版)

Fuzhou Mountain is a vibrant natural area in the middle of the city and is full of life and not those who have already departed this world. I’m sure most foreign visitors won’t have any reservations about visiting. I can attest to the fact that I’ve been in this park more than a handful of times, most of them hiking on my own, and haven’t experienced anything remotely strange - although on one occasion a grandma asked to take a selfie with me.

Getting There

 

There are a several different trailheads on this mountain, so how you get to the mountain really depends on which trailhead you prefer to start on. The entrance that most people use is a short walk from the Linguang Station (臨廣捷運站) on the MRT’s Brown Line (文湖線). The other two trailheads are either a longer walk away from the MRT station or are accessible by bus.

If you prefer to take the bus, you can take bus GR11 from the Taipower Building MRT Station (台電大樓捷運站) or Gongguan MRT Station (公館捷運站) and get off at the ‘Mortuary Service Office Second Funeral Parlor’ (第二殯儀館) bus stop and walk across the street to the trailhead.

From Linguang MRT Station you have two options for trailheads:

Fastest Route: From Exit 2 cross the street onto Lane 416 Heping East Road (和平東路416巷) and walk straight until you reach Fuyang Road (富陽路). Make a left turn there and walk straight until you reach the park.

Copy this address into Google Maps and it will give you the location of the trailhead: 台北市富陽路165號

Second Route: From Exit 1 turn left and walk down Wolong Street (臥龍街) continuing along for about ten minutes. You’ll find the trailhead, a set of stairs with a trailhead marker next to the road.

Copy this address into Google Maps and it will give you the location of the trailhead: 台北市大安區臥龍街195巷

If you don’t have internet access and can’t use Google Maps to find your way, never fear. When you arrive at the MRT station, you’ll also find maps of the area posted on the walls by the exit. They will offer directions to the Fuzhou Mountain Park (福州山公園).

As an alternative to Elephant Mountain and the other peaks on the ‘Four Beasts’ trail, the Fuzhou Mountain hike is a leisurely trail to hike, especially if you’re traveling with seniors or young children. The park is quite interesting and has some cool stuff to see with a trail that extends much further than just the cityscape viewing platform so if you’re looking for an easy hike with considerably less tourists blocking your view, you’ll definitely want to consider this one. Don’t believe any of the urban myths you hear about the place being haunted. This small mountain in the heart of Taipei offers beautiful views of the city and is a great place to visit any time of the year.