Enjoy a picnic like a kid and see the whole Taipei Basin! First, visit Taipei Zoo, then take the Maokong Gondola to see the views, eat chicken, and drink tea.
專題大綱
- Day Trip from Taipei: A Guide to Maokong with for Gongola, hiking and tea
- 9：00 a.m. Taipei Zoo
- 12:30 p.m. Maokong Gondola Zoo Station
- 13:00 p.m. Zhinan Scenic Park and Zhinan Temple
- 14:00 p.m. Maokong Gondola Station
- 15:00 p.m. Maokong Tea House
- 16:00 p.m. Camphor Tree Trail
- 17:00 p.m. LongMen Restaurant
- About How to Visit North Coast Line
- More Popular Day Tour in KLOOK
Day Trip from Taipei: A Guide to Maokong with for Gongola, hiking and tea
Maokong is in Wenshan District, Taipei City, and part of the Erge Mountain Range. It was a big tea area in Taipei, and has many tea houses and tea culture. You can drive or take a bus up the mountain, or take the Maokong Gondola from the Taipei Metro Wenhu Line Zoo Station.
At Maokong, you can drink tea and eat mountain vegetables. There are also many hiking trails: Camphor Tree Trail, Zhanghu Trail, Zhinan Scenic Area Trail, Yinhe Cave Ridge Trail, or Taipei Zoo Tour Route. They have great views of the Taipei Basin. Maokong is a popular dating spot for old Taipei people.
Recommended itinerary and route:
Morning: Taipei Zoo > Maokong Gondola Zoo Station > Zhinan Scenic Park > Zhinan Temple > Maokong Gondola Station >
Afternoon: Maokong Tea House > Camphor Tree Trail > LongMen Restaurant > Maokong Gondola Zoo Station
9：00 a.m. Taipei Zoo
Taipei Zoo is one of Asia’s biggest zoos, and one of my favorite places in Taipei. It has eight outdoor areas with different animals and habitats, and indoor halls like Pangolin House and Giant Panda House.
It also has many restaurants and shops. The ticket is only 100 NT dollars, very cheap. You can see many famous animals like koalas, pandas, penguins, giraffes, gorillas, elephants, lions, tigers, etc.. I recommend the Pangolin House and the Bird Garden, where you can feel close to nature.
12:30 p.m. Maokong Gondola Zoo Station
The Maokong Gondola is a 4-kilometer cable car ride, with four stations: Zoo Station, Zoo South Station, Zhinan Temple Station, and Maokong Station. It takes 15-30 minutes from Zoo Station to Maokong Station. Each gondola can fit 8 people, and there are regular cabins and crystal cabins.
The crystal cabins have clear bottoms, very exciting. You can enjoy the views of the Taipei Basin and the landmarks like Taipei 101, Grand Hotel, etc. The most fun part is the drop of 275 meters between Zhinan Temple Station and Maokong Station.
13:00 p.m. Zhinan Scenic Park and Zhinan Temple
The Zhinan Recreation Park in the Zhinan Scenic Area is a lover’s paradise in Maokong. You can walk along the fern corridor and the zodiac plank road, and see the Fate Line Plank Road, the Moon Lady Chair, the Love Locks, and the Lover’s Platform, very romantic.
Zhinan Temple is a Taoist temple, dedicated to Lu Dongbin, the “first spiritual mountain in the world”. Many people come here to pray for peace and prosperity. Zhinan Temple has three main halls: Zhongyang Hall, Lingxiao Hall, and Daxiong Hall. The Zhongyang Hall is very magnificent, with many carvings and paintings. The Lingxiao Hall has many Taoist gods, and you can get many blessings. The Daxiong Hall is the Buddhist place, with many Buddha statues and embroidery, very exquisite.
14:00 p.m. Maokong Gondola Station
Around Maokong Gondola Station, there are many tea houses, restaurants, and hiking trails nearby. You can enjoy the fresh air, the green hills, and the panoramic view of Taipei from Maokong Gondola Station.
You can also taste the local specialty teas, such as Tieguanyin, Baozhong tea, Maokong tea, and Alishan tea, and try some delicious tea snacks and dishes. Maokong Gondola Station is a popular destination for tourists and locals who want to experience the beauty and tranquility of nature.
15:00 p.m. Maokong Tea House
At the Maokong Gondola Station, you will see the cat-shaped cookie ice cream that everyone loves. This is the best dessert at the Maokong Tea House.
The Maokong Tea House has many teas and tea snacks, like Tieguanyin, Baozhong tea, Maokong tea, Alishan tea, etc. They are fresh Taiwanese teas. The tea snacks include tea eggs, tea cookies, nuts, fruits, and the cat-shaped tea pastry ice cream. The ice cream has two flavors: Tieguanyin or Wenshan Baozhong tea, and a cat cookie on top. It is yummy and cute.
16:00 p.m. Camphor Tree Trail
The Camphor Tree Trail is 5 minutes walk from the Maokong Gondola Station. The entrance is old and pretty. The trail is 1.5 kilometers long and easy to walk. It is good for families. You can see different flowers and leaves on the Camphor Tree Trail. In spring, there are cherry blossoms and azaleas. In autumn, there are cosmos flowers and maple leaves. In summer, it is cool and nice.
You can also find fun things on the Camphor Tree Trail, like pandas, water buffaloes, cats, and old things from the farm life: charcoal kilns, pigsties, ox carts, ponds, granaries, earthen houses, vegetable gardens, etc. They show the simple life and culture of the 1960s without phones or internet.
17:00 p.m. LongMen Restaurant
Maokong Longmen Inn is a great Taiwanese restaurant near the Maokong Gondola Station. It has a beautiful view of Taipei at night. It serves Taiwanese food, tea, and desserts. You will love the tea flavor in everything.
When you eat at Maokong, you should try two things. One is the free-range chicken soup pot, with different flavors. The chicken soup is delicious and popular. The other is the mountain vegetables, from the local farms. They are fresh and tasty.
For Taiwanese people, Longmen Inn is like the martial arts movies. You will feel like a hero when you see the wide view. The Longmen Inn is cozy and big, with some tropical decorations. You can sit inside or outside, and see Taipei 101.
About How to Visit North Coast Line
At Maokong, Maokong Gondola connects Zhinan Temple, Taipei Zoo, forests, tea gardens, cable cars, and mountain vegetables. You can hike on stone steps or trails and admire the landscape. You can also see bees, butterflies, and birds. It’s a quiet place away from the city.
