Stand on the gun emplacement at Ershawan Fort and the whole of Keelung Harbor opens below you, the same water the Qing defenders watched for French ships in 1884. The city is nicknamed the Rainy Port, and the drizzle that drifts across the harbor is part of the experience rather than an interruption to it.
Keelung suits travellers who like their sightseeing tied to real history and real working waterfronts: forts, fish markets, a harbour mouth, and a coastline of eroded rock. It is a port city first, so the best days here mix military remains, seafood and sea views.
This guide covers the forts, the parks, the fishing ports and the coastal stretches named in the source material, with practical notes on how to reach them and what to pair them with.
Top things to do in Keelung
1. Ershawan Fort
Also called Haimen Tiansian, meaning a very dangerous gate to the ocean, this fort was built by the Qing government in 1840 and saw action in the Sino-French War of 1884–85. The reason to come is the view from the gun emplacement, where you can look out over Keelung Harbor and understand why this spot was chosen.
It is open 9AM–5PM. Take buses 101 or 103 from Keelung Train Station and get off at the Haimen Tiansian bus stop.
2. Zhongzheng Park
A white statue of Guanyin, the Buddhist emanation of compassion and peace, stands 22.5 m high at the top of Zhongzheng Park, overlooking the town and the harbor entrance. It is the most recognisable landmark above the city and a straightforward place to get your bearings.
The park sits on Shoushan Road in Zhongzheng District. Combine it with Ershawan Fort, which is in the same district.
3. Kanziding Fish Market
On Xiaoyi Road in Ren’ai District, this is the oldest continuously operated and largest fishery distribution centre in Northern Taiwan. It runs daily from 03:00 to 07:00, so it is a pre-dawn stop rather than an afternoon one.
Go early and go hungry: this is a working market, and the reward for the early start is seeing the trade at full pace. Pair it with a later morning at Shihciouling Fort, also in Ren’ai District.
4. Heping (Hoping) Island
Formerly called She-liao Island, this is the doorway island to Keelung Harbor and was the site of a main fort built by the Spanish in 1626. Inside the park you can see eroded rocks and coast formed into special shapes by wind and sea.
A bridge connects the island to Keelung City, or take bus 101 from Keelung Railway Station, get off at Hoping Island station and walk about 5 minutes. Stop at Zhengbin Fishing Port on the way in for some relief before the walk.
5. Zhengbin Fishing Port
A fish port with colourful houses, best known for photography. It is a short, easy stop rather than a long visit.
Use it as a breather before walking into Heping Island, since the two are close together.
6. Dawulun Fort
This fort safeguarded the west side of Keelung Harbor and was garrisoned during the Opium War in 1840 and the Sino-French War in 1884; the present structure was probably renovated during the colonial period. From its position on Mount Tawulun, 231 m above sea level, it looks down to Lovers Lake to the west, Dawulun Bay to the north, and Keelung and the East Sea to the east.
It is open 09:00–17:00. Walk up the pebble footpath to see the original structure, chassis, mechanical belt and storage room, with walls made from stone and arched windows. The platform faces the ocean, so pair it with Lovers Lake on the same mountainside.
7. Lovers Lake
On the mountainside of Mount Dawulun in the western part of Keelung, this is the only highland in the city with dense woods, a lake and open scenery. The park has kiosks, a suspension bridge, an observation platform, windmills and pathways.
Stand on the observation deck to see the seashore. In spring and summer, insects, butterflies and migrating birds gather here, so time your visit to those seasons if that interests you.
8. Baimiwong Fort
In the northwest of Keelung harbor, this fort guarded the harbour alongside the fort on the east shore and has been an important military base since the Qing dynasty. The rectangle-shaped fort facing the sea has three sections: the barbette, the control centre and the observation station.
Both the control centre and the observation station are good places to overlook Keelung Harbor. Come on a summer evening to see the lights on boats in the harbor, the stars and the breeze.
9. Shihciouling Fort
Built in 1884 to strengthen coast defence when the French attacked Taiwan, this is the highest fort among all the forts in Keelung and was essential to the defence of the harbor. It is the only remaining small fort built in the late Qing dynasty, made with solid mountain rocks and kept well.
Its location gives a view over the entire harbor of Keelung. It is on Shiqiu Road in Ren’ai District, which makes it a natural pairing with Kanziding Fish Market.
10. Gongzih Liao Fort
Built in the Qing dynasty in the northeast of Keelung City, this fort is significant for both its history and its architecture, and was used as a military facility by the ROC government after World War II until it was named a provincial historic site. The remains are well kept.
From the hill on the fort you can see Heping Island, Badouzih and Keelung Islet in front of you. It is on Lane 141, Jiaozhong St, Xinyi District.
11. National Museum of Marine Science and Technology
A kid-friendly marine science museum with exhibition galleries housed in a former power plant, an IMAX theatre, and several educational trails in the adjoining seaside park. It is open 09:00–17:00 and closed Mondays and Lunar New Year's Eve.
Admission is NT$200 for adults for the main exhibition only, with the IMAX theatre NT$150 extra. From Ruifang station take the Shen'ao line to Haikeguan station, or from Keelung station take bus 103 to the Haikeguan/Bishuixiang stop.
12. Keelung French Cemetery
A remnant of the Sino-French War of 1884–85. It is about 2 km from the train station but still very close to the harbor.
Pair it with the other Sino-French War sites in the city, Ershawan Fort and Shihciouling Fort, to follow that thread through the day.
13. Keelung Islet
An easy-to-find islet outside Keelung City. You can see it from Keelung, the north coast or the northeastern coast, which makes it an important landmark of the city.
You do not need to travel to it to appreciate it: look for it from the high ground at Dawulun Fort or Gongzih Liao Fort.
14. Waimu Shan seashore
The longest natural seashore remaining in Keelung City, running 5 km from Waimu Shan Fishery Harbor to Aoditong Village. It takes in open seashore and marine cliff, and the reef rocks sculpted by the ocean over a long period are a highlight.
Swimming facilities are available near Waimu Shan Fishery Harbor for experienced swimmers, and the beach near Aoditong Village is the only remaining sandy seashore in Keelung. In summer, the sunrise here is worth the early start; if you would rather not swim in the sea, the nearby Octopus swimming pool is an alternative.
15. Yong Heng Creative Park
A scenic outdoor art park on 6 Liuhe Road. In 2013, the mountainside was transformed into several large drawings of a panda, a duck and several smaller figures, created using thousands of coloured wind spinners.
It is up in the mountains, so you will need a car or scooter; taxis may be able to get there, but finding one for the return trip is difficult. It is open 08:30–17:30.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Kanziding Fish Market on Xiaoyi Road while it is running, between 03:00 and 07:00. From there, head to Shihciouling Fort on Shiqiu Road for a view over the entire harbor, then continue to Ershawan Fort when it opens at 9AM and take in the harbor from the gun emplacement.
Afternoon: Climb to Zhongzheng Park to see the Guanyin statue overlooking the town and harbor entrance. Then take bus 101 from Keelung Railway Station to Zhengbin Fishing Port for the colourful houses, and walk on into Heping Island to see the eroded rocks and the site of the Spanish fort.
Evening: Finish at Baimiwong Fort in the northwest of the harbor. Its control centre and observation station look out over Keelung Harbor, and a summer evening is the time to watch the lights on the boats and the stars come out.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Kanziding Fish Market?
It operates daily from 03:00 to 07:00, so an early start is required. Plan the rest of your morning around it rather than trying to fit it in later.
How do I reach Ershawan Fort without a car?
Take bus 101 or 103 from Keelung Train Station and get off at the Haimen Tiansian bus stop. The fort is open 9AM–5PM.
Which forts give the best views over Keelung Harbor?
Ershawan Fort lets you view the harbor from the gun emplacement, Shihciouling Fort offers a view over the entire harbor, and Baimiwong Fort has a control centre and observation station that both overlook it. Dawulun Fort looks down on Lovers Lake, Dawulun Bay, and Keelung and the East Sea.
Is the National Museum of Marine Science and Technology suitable for children?
Yes. It is a kid-friendly marine science museum with exhibition galleries in a former power plant, an IMAX theatre and educational trails in the adjoining seaside park. It is closed Mondays and Lunar New Year's Eve.
Decide how early you are willing to rise for the fish market, then build the rest of your Keelung days around the forts and the harbor that the city grew up around.