Keelung is located in the North Taiwan with port for trading, and its history could be traced back to 100 years ago, without Keelung, our daily life and economy would be affected so its importance is obviously. As island people, the ocean, fishery, and trade are part of our life without a doubt.

Yang Ming Oceanic Culture & Art Museum

The oceanic museum is adjacent to the Keelung train station with its convenience to provide brief introduction for visitors to understand the role of crew members and some facilities on the ship. It is a friendly place for both children and adults, so parents do not have to worry about travelling here. If you cannot find a restaurant to have break, the first floor of the museum provides meals for customers to enjoy their time.

The museum was first built in 1915, after the World War II, this building was bombarded and left with ashes and remains only. This model was the first feature of the original building, now it is displayed on the second floor of the museum.

The harbor

The oceanic view is quite fantastic here in Keelung, here you can see the large ship that is close to the shore. From here, the ship could sail to the world and connect to other cities.

The Post office

If you want to send some gifts or post cards to your country, the post office can help you with that.

The Keelung sign reminds me of Hollywood, and it would be great if the movie producer can film the landscapes here with local stories, maybe the Keelung port will be famous around the globe some day.

The ticket booth

There are three routes for visitors to choose, and each trip takes more than 20 people to start. It is recommended for people who would like to explore the Keelung port and see more about the dock. Due to the Covid-19, they cancel the service now, but we can wait until its business is right on the track.

Maritime Plaza

The maritime plaza is the place where people stay for fun or relax during the sunny weather. Now it is festival season, so some of large ornaments are demonstrated at the plaza in order to celebrate the festival mood with citizens.

The festival schedule is on the flag, and it seems like the current activity will go on until Sep. 7th. But there will be another close event on August 19, if you want to see the lightening ceremony, it is the best chance of experiencing the local atmosphere.

The shopping mall: E Square

The E Square is a mall where people eat, shop and stay for longer hours; most young people stay here for chatting with friends at the restaurant, sushi bar, or buying clothes at OWNDAYS. Poya is the one-stop local drugstore where daily goods are on sale, and its chain stores are located in many cities in Taiwan.

Traditional market

Lots of elders get used to purchasing foods at the market, here you can find out many fresh and local foods at lower prices. Usually the market starts its business at early hour, if foreigners do not know the language to communicate with owners, the best way to shop here is pick and pay. Though some customers would haggle the price, the current market price is stable without too much space for higgling.

Lenjen traditional cakes store

Lenjen store started their businesses in 1914 with both western style and local biscuits for customers to buy. Taiwanese have custom to bring gifts for friends when we visit their house, therefore, the cake store helps us to prepare some desserts for the visit. Long time ago, locals called the present “tan loo”, which means the person who waits for our visit; now some people say “omiyage” which came from Japanese language, but the meaning is the same.

Hotels: Harbor view & Beidoo hotel

The harbor view hotel is the best location where people can see the ocean from indoor building, and it is close to the Maritime plaza which is very convenient for sightseeing.

Beidoo hotel is another choice in downtown where its access to Keelung city is easy.

Qingan temple: Mazu Goddess, the Asian Oceanid

The Mazu Goddess is the common belief among some Asian countries, especially those who work in fishery. The Qingan temple serves Mazu as the main Goddess, though other Gods are here for followers to pray and this is probably the typical temple that you can see in other places too.

The worshipping process at the temple usually starts from the right to the left, and it is suggested that people go inside the temple from the right entry as well. This temple allows foods and fruits to be placed on the table during the worshipping process, for those who want to ask for money, follow the route to No. 6 and pray to the Mammon.

The red characters are the number of incenses that we should stick into the cauldron. Amulets are believed to protect the evil spirit and bad luck, some beautiful beads are on sale with colorful options. If foreigners do not know the proper way to worship, there is service counter for people to ask questions. So don’t worry. For Christians, I think it is fine to just bow or nod your head to the Goddess as long as people respect the Gods.

The Keelung night market is highly recommended for those who stay overnight in Keelung, wish you all enjoy the foods, festivals, and the friendly shopping environment.