Island Hopping Adventure in Keelung: From Keelung Islet to Heping Island
If you visit Taiwan between April and October and plan to spend one day in Keelung, hopping from Keelung Islet to Heping Island will be the most rewarding experience.
Keelung Islet Season in 2024: April 1 - October 31, 2024.
Heping Island Geopark: please check the official website below for details.
Heping Island Geopark: please check the official website below for details.
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Table of Contents:
- Keelung Islet, Keelung Islet Lighthouse, Permit Application, and Different Itineraries
- Heping Island Park with Amazing Rock Formations
- About Keelung Islet and Heping Island
- Public Transport to Keelung Islet and Heping Island
- Free Guides: How to Apply for Hiking Permits in Taiwan. Or Hire Me!
- Related Posts
Keelung Islet, Keelung Islet Lighthouse, Permit Application, and Different Itineraries
There are three packages for the boat trip to enjoy Keelung Islet:
I did the Itinerary C. As a hiker, I often thought I would enjoy more about the mountains. After taking the boat trip, I realized I enjoy sailing, too. Looking at the different shades of blue and Taiwan Island from the ocean brings me a different perspective on the land I call home.
How to Apply
The registered boat company can apply for your landing permits if you know one of them. You can also book on the official Keelung Islet'trip website , and they will assign a boat company to you.
Here's how to fill out the form.
Check-in at the Boat Company
After getting off the bus, cross the road towards the petal-roof building.
You will see many boat companies' check-in counters. Go to the one you signed up for. The boat company will check your ID or passport.
The boat company assigns one guide to your trip. They are trained with stories to share about Keelung Islet.
Circling the Island
When it was time to head to the islet, we got onboard, and the first stop was to let the coast guard check the list and do head counts.
We take the same boat to the islet and the same one back. We can't take the next boat back.
After the procedure was done, Keelung Islet was calling.
I chose the perfect day for this trip. The sky and the ocean were blue, the waves were calm, and the wind was gentle.
I sat on the deck to get a closer look, even though the sun lashed out the scorching heat.
Landing the Island
After about 40 minutes, we reached the harbor on Keelung Islet. I took this trip in September, but the autumn sun in Taiwan could still be brutal.
There are two trails on Keelung Islet, the Beach Trail 濱海步道 and the Lighthouse Trail 登山步道.
The Keelung Islet Seaside Trail is laid with wooden planks and wraps around approximately one-quarter of Keelung Islet along the coast. It is about 300 to 400 meters long and offers close-up views of the coastal scenery.
Walking back and forth takes about 30 minutes, and the entire path is flat and easy to walk.
Hiking to the Lighthouse
While the Beach Trail is relaxing, the Lighthouse Trail is a different story. After we returned to the junction, the trail to the lighthouse was steep.
Then, I finally arrived at the Keelung Lighthouse. It was so hot that I didn't stay long.
About Keelung Lighthouse
Completed in 1980, the Keelung Lighthouse, located atop Keelung Islet off the northeastern coast of Keelung Harbor, is an octagonal concrete lighthouse designed by Taiwan. It features distinctive black and white vertical stripes and is Taiwan's first lighthouse to use solar power.
Just 4,500 meters from Keelung Harbor, it stands alongside Heping Islet as a gateway to the port. Despite the rugged natural scenery and rocky shores, the Keelung City Government has installed platforms and hiking trail railings on the island, making it a key tourist attraction since 1992. Source.
Our guide was knowledgeable, and he knew many of the plants and flowers on Keelung Islet. He mentioned that the Keelung Government recruits and trains guides almost yearly, which initially interested me.
However, I'd changed my mind long before I finished this hike. I would become a human BBQ on the ridge in summer. It was too hot. Yet, the fantastic views from Keelung Islet still made me think twice.
Seeing Elephant Trunk Rock (Now Long Gone) and Chief Rock
I didn't plan to see Elephant Trunk Rock and Chief Rock when I booked this trip. I didn't expect it would be special.
However, I was wrong and am glad I took this extra one.
The first reason is that sailing feels so good. Luckily, I didn't suffer motion sickness, and the sea was calm.
The northeast coast of Taiwan has been my favorite place to visit. The mountains and ocean layers make this a stunning place, whether it's sunny or rainy. Seeing this place from the ocean was a brand-new experience for me, and I was amazed by how breathtaking the landscape was.
The second reason is The Mother Nature decided to take it back. Elephant Trunk Rock collapsed 3 months after I made this trip. I only visited here once, and it was phenomenal.
If you have come this far and are fine with sailing, please take this extra boat trip to enjoy the views.
Heping Island Park with Amazing Rock Formations
If you book the earliest boat, you can finish the trip before 13:00. I recommend you hop to Heping Island Geopark.
Heping Island Geopark offers many tours like Alabao Bay, but wandering around the park is excellent enough.
There are several sea swimming pools.
Keelung Islet is visible from Heping Island Geopark, too. The fantastic rock formations and blue ocean made Keelung Islet look even more surreal in the distance.
Admission fee for adults is NT$120.
About Keelung Islet and Heping Island
About Keelung Islet
Keelung City Government limits visitors to Keelung Islet to 1,200 daily, and boat operators must submit visitor lists for approval. Keelung Islet is part of the Zhongzheng District of Keelung City.
It is located 6 km from Keelung Harbor, measuring 960 meters in length and 400 meters in width, with a highest elevation of 182 meters. Formed by volcanic activity, it boasts precious igneous rock landscapes and is one of Keelung's eight scenic spots.
May and June mark the lily season, while August and September see the blooming of Golden Spider Lilies. Geologically rich, the islet is considered northern Taiwan's best volcanic geological park. Its northeastern cliffs feature sea caves and rocky reefs.
About Heping Island, Used to Be Known As Big Keelung Island
Heping Island, another jewel of the Zhongzheng District of Keelung City, lies at the northern end and eastern side of Keelung Harbor, about 4 km from Keelung City. It covers an area of over 66 hectares. It is a land-tied island with unique rock formations influenced by the northeastern monsoon and wave erosion, especially since it is a subsiding coast.
After being closed for three years and undergoing renovations, it was renamed "Heping Island Park" and reopened in June 2012. Tourists will also find a sea swimming pool here.
In the early Qing Dynasty, Heping Island was called "Keelung Islet 雞籠嶼" or "Da Keelung Island or Big Keelung Island 大雞籠嶼," making it one of the first places in Northern Taiwan to have Western footprints and one of the earliest places in Keelung where Han Chinese settled.
In 1870, to distinguish it from the "Xiao Keelung Islet" (now Keelung Islet) to the northeast, it was renamed "Sheliao Island 社寮嶼," meaning the island where the houses of the Ketagalan tribe's 凱達格蘭人 Da Keeling society were. The island's original inhabitants were the Basai people 巴賽人 of the Ketagalan tribe. It was renamed as Heping Island 和平島 by the Nationalist government in 1949.
Public Transport to Keelung Islet and Heping Island
From Keelung City Bus Station 基隆公車總站 to Bisha Fishing Harbor
Go to Keelung City Bus Station 公車總站. Take 103, 104, 108, or 802, and get off at Taiwan Tourist Seafood Markets (Bisha Fish Harbor) 漁貨直鎖中心 (碧砂漁港).
- Timetable of Keelung City Bus 103
- Timetable of Keelung City Bus 104
- Timetable of Keelung City Bus 108
- Timetable of Keelung City Bus 802
From Keelung Train Station (Maritime Plaza) 基隆火車站 (海洋廣場)
From Keelung Station (Visitor Information Center) 基隆火車站 (旅遊服務中心)
From the Bisha Fishing Port to Heping Island, plus a 1.5km Walk
After returning to the Bisha Fishing Port, take bus 103, 104, 108, or 791, and get off at Zhongzheng Road Zhengbin Road Stop.
There are buses going to Heping Island Geopark, but they might take too long to wait. If you don't mind taking a 1.5 km walk, you can visit Agenna Shipyard Relics 阿根納造船廠遺構.
A movie trailer featuring Chris Evans was shot at Agenna Shipyard Relics.
You will also pass Todos Los Santos church foundations 西班牙諸聖教堂考古遺址 on the way to Heping Island. It's a shame that this place is closed.
From Keelung Train Station to Heping Island to Heping Island
- Take Keelung Bus 101 and get off at Heping Island Geopark stop.
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All content provided is for inspirational and informational purposes only. Creating, using, hiking, or traveling with Taiwan Hikes' suggested services or itineraries is at your own risk. Please use your best judgment and follow all safety precautions, as Taiwan Hikes and Anusha Lee are not liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from using this information.
Please also note that Taiwanese government agencies tend to change their URLs without bothering to redirect to the new ones. As a result, you will find some external sites on the Taiwan Hikes website are not working from time to time. Taiwan Hikes will try to update those URLs if possible.
Taiwan Hikes is not responsible for the content of external sites.
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