TW · New Taipei · 25.17°N 121.44°E

tamsui

Riverside sunsets, Fort San Domingo and towering ice cream cones at the MRT's end.

Best time
Any time of year. Come in the late afternoon so you catch the sunset. Weekends are busy, and winter can be grey and drizzly.
How long
Half a day
Getting there
Fly from KL to Taipei (about 5 hours). The MRT red line runs from Taipei Main Station to Tamsui in about 40 minutes.
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TW · New Taipeitamsui25.17°N 121.44°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Riverside sunsets, Fort San Domingo and towering ice cream cones at the MRT's end.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingTamsuiTW, New Taipei
KLtamsui
≈ 3,235 km from KL, as the crow flies
​紅毛城主堡外觀，前英國領事官邸在主堡東側。

Photo: Sdfery · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

A riverside town where the Tamsui River meets the sea, at the end of Taipei's red MRT line. It was an old trading port with Spanish, Dutch and British history. Today it's where Taipei goes for snacks, a stroll and the sunset.

Makan

  1. A-geiFried tofu stuffed with glass noodles, sealed with fish paste and served in sauce. Tamsui's signature.Map ↗
  2. Fish ball soupTamsui's fish balls come filled with minced pork.Map ↗
  3. Iron eggsEggs braised and dried over and over until black and chewy. A classic take-home snack.Map ↗
  4. Tall ice cream conesSoft serve piled impossibly high, sold along the old street.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Old street and riversideSnack stalls, games and cafés along the river promenade.Map ↗
  2. Fort San DomingoA red fort first built by the Spanish, later held by the Dutch and used as the British consulate.Map ↗
  3. Fisherman's WharfWalk across Lover's Bridge for the sunset over the river mouth.Map ↗
  4. Ferry to BaliA short ferry across the river for bike paths and a quieter view back to Tamsui.Map ↗
  5. Oxford CollegeA brick college building from the 1880s, founded by the Canadian missionary George Leslie Mackay.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Ferries run between the old street pier and Fisherman's Wharf, so you can walk one way and take the boat back.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.