Zhubei

Introduction

Zhubei sits in Hsinchu County and has grown quickly by drawing people from elsewhere in Taiwan. Much of that pull comes from its position next to Hsinchu City and the Hsinchu Science Park, which together make the area a base for work in the technology sector.

The Hsinchu County government has concentrated most of its infrastructure in Zhubei, and that investment has shaped the city's development. Expect a place defined less by old-town sightseeing than by new building and steady in-migration, with the neighbouring city and science park within easy reach.

Three days in Zhubei

Day one: Base yourself in Zhubei, the county seat of Hsinchu County in northern Taiwan, and use it as your starting point for the area. Spend your first hours getting a feel for the city itself before crossing into neighbouring Hsinchu City, which sits right alongside Zhubei and shares the same urban fabric. Much of what you'll want to see clusters around these two centres, so keep your first day loose and let the two cities blur together.

Day two: Give the day to Hsinchu Science Park, the industrial heart of the region and the reason this part of Taiwan looks and feels the way it does. Expect a planned, modern landscape rather than an old-town one, with the county's working life on display. Afterwards, return to Hsinchu City for its older streets and its food, which is one of the main reasons travellers stop here at all.

Day three: Slow down and fill in whatever you missed across Zhubei and Hsinchu County. The county stretches well beyond the two cities, so pick a direction and follow it, or stay local and revisit the parts of Zhubei you liked. Expect warm, humid weather for much of the year, so plan around the heat rather than fighting it, and leave time for one last meal in Hsinchu City before you move on.