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Major city · Taiwan

Tamsui淡水

Day trip from Taipei, not a base: 40 min on the red MRT line, walk the waterfront, eat A-Gei, watch the sunset, back by 21:00.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
TWD
Best months
Oct–Dec, Mar–Apr
avoid Jul–Sep (typhoon season, hot and humid), Lunar New Year crowds
Airports
TPE · TSA
Nights
0–1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 5
  • East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
  • East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
  • Taiwan ↗Check visa-exemption length, passport validity and the online arrival card (TWAC) on the official sites before you fly.
  • Taiwan ↗An EasyCard (or iPASS) covers MRT, buses, local trains and many convenience-store purchases; buy one at the airport or a station.
  • Taiwan ↗When a local government declares a typhoon day, transport and sights can close for the day; follow the official notice, not the forecast alone.

Tamsui is a district of New Taipei at the mouth of the Tamsui River, 40 minutes from Taipei Main Station on the MRT red line. It was northern Taiwan's main port in the 19th century and keeps that history in a compact riverside strip: Fort San Domingo, Old Street, the ferry pier and Fisherman's Wharf. Most visitors come for a half-day or a full day and return to Taipei the same evening. An overnight only pays off if you want the sunset and the early-morning quiet without the crowds.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Tamsui, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee or tea on the waterfrontNT$80–150 (≈ US$3–5)
  • Taxi, about 5 km5 km taxiNT$150–250 (≈ US$5–9)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a weekNT$300–500 (≈ US$10–17)
  • Budget bedHostel bunk, a night, per personNT$580 (≈ US$20)
  • Mid-range bedDouble room, small hotel, a night, per roomNT$3,000 (≈ US$100)
  • High-end bedDouble room, small hotel, a night, per roomNT$6,000 (≈ US$200)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget NT$900 (≈ US$30) · Mid NT$2,000 (≈ US$70) · High NT$4,000 (≈ US$140)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Fort San Domingo (Hongmao Castle)Tamsui Old Street and waterfrontSunset over the Tamsui River mouthA-Gei, iron eggs and fish ballsFerry to Bali and Fisherman's Wharf
Airports
TPE Taoyuan International (Airport MRT to Taipei Main Station, then the red line to Tamsui; about 1 h 30 min door to door) · TSA Taipei Songshan (MRT to Taipei Main Station, then the red line; about 1 h)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Tamsui: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

19°C

13°C

15 rd

Feb

19°C

13°C

14 rd

Mar

22°C

15°C

15 rd

Apr

25°C

18°C

13 rd

May

29°C

22°C

14 rd

Jun

32°C

24°C

13 rd

Jul

34°C

26°C

10 rd

Aug

34°C

26°C

11 rd

Sep

31°C

24°C

12 rd

Oct

27°C

22°C

12 rd

Nov

24°C

19°C

13 rd

Dec

21°C

15°C

13 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Almost everything is walkable from Tamsui MRT station: turn left out of the station, then right along the river. The R26 bus runs to Fort San Domingo and Fisherman's Wharf. Ferries from the Tamsui Ferry Pier cross to Bali (about NT$50) and run north to Fisherman's Wharf (about NT$100); they stop in bad weather. The Danhai LRT links Fisherman's Wharf with Hongshulin station. Bikes rent on the main road north of the station, around NT$300 a day.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time
Taipeigo

Door to door: About 40 min

MRT red line from Tamsui station to Taipei Main Station

The default return leg; runs until around midnight.

Jiufen

caution

Door to door: 2–2.5 h

MRT to Taipei, then bus or train to Ruifang and a bus up

Long for a Tamsui-based day; better from Taipei.

Jinguashi

caution

Door to door: 2.5–3 h

MRT to Taipei, train to Ruifang, then bus

Pair with Jiufen if you go.

Wulai

caution

Door to door: 2.5–3 h

MRT to Taipei, then bus from Xindian

Hot-spring village; needs a full day.

Yingge

go

Door to door: 1.5–2 h

MRT to Taipei, then train to Yingge

Ceramics street and museum; easy half-day.

Banqiao

go

Door to door: About 1 h

MRT red line to Taipei Main, then blue line

Temple and night market; useful if you change hotels.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Old Street and waterfront

Walk to everything; hostel and small-hotel cluster. Best for one night without a car.

Tamsui MRT station area

Chain hotels and easy bags-on arrival; 10–15 min walk to the river.

Hongshulin

One stop south; Danhai LRT link and cheaper rooms, but you commute in.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
NT$800–1,500 (≈ US$30–50) excl. bed
Mid
NT$1,500–3,000 (≈ US$50–100) excl. bed
High
NT$3,000 (≈ US$100)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Double room, small hotel1 × 1 night × NT$3,000NT$3,000
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × NT$2,000NT$4,000
MRT Taipei Main → Tamsui, one way2 × NT$50NT$100
Ferry to Bali, one way2 × NT$50NT$100
Ferry to Fisherman's Wharf, one way2 × NT$100NT$200
Bike rental, full day2 × NT$300NT$600
Joint ticket for the historic sites2 × NT$80NT$160
eSIM, about a week of data2 × NT$300NT$600
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeNT$876
Trip total≈ NT$4,818 per person per day, bed includedNT$9,636≈ US$350

2026 estimate in New Taiwan dollars; flights and Taipei accommodation excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

A-Gei (stuffed tofu)NT$50–80 (≈ US$2–3)
Fish ball soupNT$50–90 (≈ US$2–3)
Iron eggs, small bagNT$100–150 (≈ US$4–5)
Coffee or tea on the waterfrontNT$80–150 (≈ US$3–5)
Seafood meal at Fisherman's WharfPricier than Old Street; check the menu first.NT$500–1,000 (≈ US$17–35) per person
5 km taxiNT$150–250 (≈ US$5–9)
eSIM or data SIM, about a weekNT$300–500 (≈ US$10–17)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Tamsui is a low-risk district; the real issues are slippery riverside steps after rain, cash-only food stalls, and ferry cancellations in bad weather. Standard Taiwan advice applies: 110 police, 119 fire and ambulance.
  • Ferries stop running in bad weather — have the bus as a fallback.
  • Old Street food stalls are cash-first; carry small notes.
  • Sunset is the busiest hour on the waterfront; go early for a spot.
  • Typhoon season runs roughly Jul–Sep; check forecasts before a river day.

Emergency numbers

Police
110
Fire and ambulance
119

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Tamsui淡水

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

請到這個地址To this address, please

Emergency

  • Police110
  • Fire and ambulance119

Embassy

No embassies in Tamsui; most are in Taipei. US: American Institute in Taiwan, Taipei (check the address).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • MRT Taipei Main → Tamsui: about NT$50 (≈ US$2), 40 min
  • Ferry Tamsui → Bali: about NT$50 (≈ US$2), 10 min
  • Ferry Tamsui → Fisherman's Wharf: about NT$100 (≈ US$4)
  • Taxi Tamsui station → Fisherman's Wharf: NT$200–300 (≈ US$7–10)

Say or show

  • 不好意思 — Excuse me / Sorry (bù hǎo yì si)
  • 謝謝 — Thank you (xiè xiè)
  • 這個 — This one, please (zhè ge)
  • 多少錢？ — How much is it? (duō shǎo qián)
  • 可以刷卡嗎？ — Can I pay by card? (kě yǐ shuā kǎ ma)
  • 廁所在哪裡？ — Where is the toilet? (cè suǒ zài nǎ lǐ)

Old Street vendors are mostly cash-only; carry small notes.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Tamsui. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Oct–Dec, Mar–Apr · avoid Jul–Sep (typhoon season, hot and humid), Lunar New Year crowds · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for TPE and TSA: last MRT departures field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: Old Street and ferry pier, Fort San Domingo and Hobe Fort, Fisherman's Wharf and Lover's Bridge.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Fort San Domingo, Hobe Fort, Customs Officers' Residence, Fisherman's Wharf) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Typhoon and ferry-cancellation fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Taiwan

Sources