BEITOU DISTRICT — There's an area in Taipei between Beitou and GuanDu that remains largely undeveloped. With it's open vistas and farmlands it gives us an idea of what Taipei used to be — a tropical paradise surrounded by mountains.
The easiest way to get here from Downtown Taipei is by turning right off DaDu Road. The road is a few hundred meters after a monastery, but it's very small and easy to miss if you're not careful.
Upon entering you might feel a little creeped out, like maybe you made a wrong turn and have entered into your own horror movie. The first part of the channel is in a grimy industrial park full of stray dogs and construction equipment.
I also noticed that people driving around this area didn't really follow any rules. There were cars, bikes, and Hoverounds driving as equals on the wrong side of the road.
Don't be surprised if you run into some Fast and Furious wannabes as well since the long flat road makes for great speed runs.
Further up the channel you'll start to see why this place is special. You'll start to see small farm settlements and rice fields.
There are ramps leading down to each one with small trails to explore, allowing you to take great shots among the mountain backdrop.
From one side of the channel you can see Beitou with Yangmingshan behind it. The other side looks towards GuanDu with GuanYin Mountain looking in the distance.
After getting a few shots I liked I made my way towards the end of the channel. It leads to another tunnel just outside of FuXingGang MRT Park.
From here it's easy to just turn right and head straight to Beitou or hop on the road back to Taipei.
It's pretty hard to get a wide open view like this anywhere else in Taipei. I recommend coming here if you're looking for a spot to free roam and enjoy the mountains, but don't have enough time to leave the city.
It's pretty hard to get a wide open view like this anywhere else in Taipei. I recommend coming here if you're looking for a spot to free roam and enjoy the mountains, but don't have enough time to leave the city.
📍 Address: 112, Taipei City, Beitou District, 機慢車專用道