In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · 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.
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.
- Country
- Taiwan
- Local name
- 淡水
- Best months
- Oct–Dec, Mar–Apr
- Avoid
- Jul–Sep (typhoon season, hot and humid), Lunar New Year crowds
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- TWD
- Money
- Night markets, breakfast shops and many small restaurants take cash only; carry NT$1,000–2,000 in small notes.
- Daily spend
- Budget NT$800–1,500 excl. bed · Mid NT$1,500–3,000 excl. bed · High NT$3,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile and FarEasTone sell tourist SIMs and eSIMs at TPE and KHH arrivals; a passport plus a second photo ID is required (check).
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 110 V · 60 Hz · US and Japanese plugs fit; European, UK and Australian plugs need an adapter, and 220 V-only appliances need a converter.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: No tip; a 10% service charge appears in many sit-down places and hotels.; Taxis: No tip; round up if you like.; Hotel porter: Not expected; NT$100 in luxury hotels if you want.; Private guide or driver: Not required; NT$200–500 a day or a meal is a thank-you.
- Water
- Treated at source, but locals boil or filter it. Filtered hot-and-cold dispensers are in stations, hotels and many public buildings; bottles cost NT$20–30.
- Toilets
- Free, clean toilets in every MRT station, convenience stores and department stores; paper goes in the toilet in most new buildings — follow the sign.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| A-Gei (stuffed tofu) | NT$50–80 |
| Fish ball soup | NT$50–90 |
| Iron eggs, small bag | NT$100–150 |
| Coffee or tea on the waterfront | NT$80–150 |
| Seafood meal at Fisherman's Wharf | NT$500–1,000 per person |
| 5 km taxi3.1 mi taxi | NT$150–250 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | NT$300–500 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- 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
Typical fares
- MRT Taipei Main → Tamsui
- about NT$50, 40 min
- Ferry Tamsui → Bali
- about NT$50, 10 min
- Ferry Tamsui → Fisherman's Wharf
- about NT$100
- Taxi Tamsui station → Fisherman's Wharf
- NT$200–300
Get 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 and do
Known for
- Fort San Domingo (Hongmao Castle)
- Tamsui Old Street and waterfront
- Sunset over the Tamsui River mouth
- A-Gei, iron eggs and fish balls
- Ferry to Bali and Fisherman's Wharf
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Taipei | MRT red line from Tamsui station to Taipei Main Station | About 40 min |
| Jiufen | MRT to Taipei, then bus or train to Ruifang and a bus up | 2–2.5 h |
| Jinguashi | MRT to Taipei, train to Ruifang, then bus | 2.5–3 h |
| Wulai | MRT to Taipei, then bus from Xindian | 2.5–3 h |
| Yingge | MRT to Taipei, then train to Yingge | 1.5–2 h |
| Banqiao | MRT red line to Taipei Main, then blue line | About 1 h |
Sleep
- 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.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | 不好意思bù hǎo yì si |
| Thank you | 謝謝xiè xiè |
| This one, please | 這個zhè ge |
| How much is it? | 多少錢？duō shǎo qián |
| Can I pay by card? | 可以刷卡嗎？kě yǐ shuā kǎ ma |
| Where is the toilet? | 廁所在哪裡？cè suǒ zài nǎ lǐ |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A nod or light handshake; 'nǐ hǎo'; avoid: Hugs with new acquaintances
- Handing things: Two hands for cards, gifts and money; avoid: Tossing money on the counter
- Gifts: Fruit or a boxed sweet for hosts; refuse once before accepting; avoid: Clocks, umbrellas, pears and anything in fours — they sound like death or parting
- MRT: Queue at the markings, give up priority seats; avoid: Eating, drinking or chewing gum past the gates
- Temples: Enter right, exit left; one or three sticks of incense; avoid: Stepping on thresholds; pointing at deities
- Home visit: Shoes off; slippers provided; avoid: Writing names in red ink
- Sensitive topics: Follow your host's lead; many people hold a range of views on identity and cross-strait ties; avoid: Assuming everyone thinks the same about China or the ROC's status
Scams and watch-outs
- 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.
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.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Tamsui yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Fort San Domingo (Hongmao Castle)
- Tamsui Old Street and waterfront
- Sunset over the Tamsui River mouth
- A-Gei, iron eggs and fish balls
- Ferry to Bali and Fisherman's Wharf
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Tamsui District Office: www.tamsui.ntpc.gov.tw/home.jsp?id=fc3450f721db03e1
- Taiwan Tourism Administration: www.taiwan.net.tw/
- Wikivoyage: Tamsui, revision 5237736 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5237736
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Tamsui淡水
請到這個地址
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Tamsui; most are in Taipei. US: American Institute in Taiwan, Taipei (check the address).
Old Street vendors are mostly cash-only; carry small notes.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/tamsui). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.