Port of Keelung cruise port guide

Port of Keelung — Keelung, Taiwan.

Keelung is a working port city on Taiwan's northeast coast — pragmatic, industrial, and for most cruise passengers, the gateway to Taipei. The capital is 40 minutes south by express train (or 50 minutes by highway bus), and contains one of East Asia's richest concentrations of attractions: Taipei 101 (the former world's tallest building), the National Palace Museum (the world's greatest collection of Chinese imperial art), the Longshan Temple, the Shilin Night Market and the extraordinary hilltop village of Jiufen. Keelung itself has an excellent night market — the Miaokou Night Market, a 15-minute walk from the pier — that is genuinely worth an evening hour if the ship departs late. Taiwan is visa-free for US, EU and UK passport holders.

Getting ashore

Where do cruise ships dock in Keelung?

Cruise ships dock at Keelung Port's Cruise Terminal (Gangxi Road), in the centre of the city. The terminal has a tourist information desk, baggage storage and taxi rank. For Taipei: Keelung TRA Station is a 2–3 minute walk from the West terminal, with trains to Taipei Main Station (about 45 minutes, ~60 TWD), and highway buses (e.g. Kuo-Kuang 1813) leave nearby for Taipei (about 40–55 minutes). Buy an EasyCard at the station for seamless MRT and bus travel across Taipei; tokens work fine for a single trip. Taxis are metered; no negotiation needed.

Getting around

Taipei's MRT metro is world-class — clean, fast, bilingual, very cheap (20–65 TWD per journey), and covers all major attractions. The EasyCard (bought at any MRT station, loaded with 200–500 TWD) works on the MRT, buses, YouBike cycle share and some convenience stores. Taipei 101 is on the Red Line (Xinyi-Anhe Station). The National Palace Museum is on the bus network from the MRT Shilin station. Jiufen is about 1–1.5 hours by bus from Taipei (bus 1062 from near Zhongxiao Fuxing station); from Keelung, city bus 788 takes about an hour. Keelung's Miaokou Night Market is a 15-minute walk from the port along Rensan Road — no transport needed.

Don't miss

• Taipei — National Palace Museum (2–2.5 hrs) — The world's largest and most important collection of Chinese imperial art — 700,000 artefacts accumulated by Chinese emperors over 5,000 years, relocated to Taiwan in 1949. The jade cabbage (a jadeite carving of a Chinese cabbage with a locust and cricket, carved from a single piece of mottled stone), the meat-shaped stone (a chunk of jasper carved to look exactly like braised pork belly), the Song dynasty ceramics and the bronzes from the Shang dynasty are among the most extraordinary objects in world art. A minimum of 2 hours; the best collections are in the permanent galleries. 350 TWD entry; open Tuesday–Sunday 9am–5pm (closed most Mondays).
• Taipei 101 (1.5 hrs) — Taiwan's most iconic building — 508 metres, the world's tallest building from 2004–2010, still an extraordinary structure. The observatory on the 88th–89th floors has 360-degree views of Taipei's basin with mountain backdrop. The world's largest wind damper (a 660-tonne gold sphere suspended between floors 87–92) is visible from an observation window. The mall at the base has the densest concentration of luxury brands in Taiwan. 600 TWD for the observatory (open 10am–9pm; the 101st floor is 380 TWD extra).
• Jiufen village (2.5 hrs (plus 40–60 min travel each way)) — A former gold-mining village on a spectacular hillside above the northeast coast, about 15km from Keelung — terraced tea houses, red lantern-lit stone staircases, sea views from every turn, and the atmospheric old streets often linked with Miyazaki's Spirited Away. A-Mei Tea House, the red-lantern landmark on Shixia Lane, has terrace views over the hillside. Accessible by bus from Taipei or, more easily, by taxi from Keelung for approximately 350–500 TWD each way. The village crowds in the afternoon — arrive by 10am for the quietest experience.
• Keelung Miaokou Night Market (1.5 hrs) — Keelung's famous Miaokou Night Market, surrounding the Dianji Temple on Rensan Road, is one of Taiwan's most celebrated food markets — compact, walkable and within 15 minutes of the cruise pier. Dozens of stalls specialising in single dishes: oyster vermicelli, pork ribs rice, Keelung-style braised pork rice, taro balls and bubble tea. The temple backdrop, the neon signs and the density of excellent food make it one of the best night markets in northern Taiwan. Open daily from late afternoon; best from 6pm.
• Longshan Temple, Taipei (1 hr) — Taipei's oldest and most active temple (founded 1738) on the Red and Green MRT lines — dedicated to the Bodhisattva Guanyin and filled continuously with worshippers lighting incense, performing divination (the shaking of moon blocks on the stone floor) and praying at the many shrines. The baroque temple exterior and the smoke-filled, golden interior are among the most atmospheric spaces in East Asia. Free entry; open until 10pm.

Planning your day

For a full day (10+ hours), Taipei is the clear choice: take the train from Keelung Station (a short walk from the West terminal) to Taipei Main Station (about 45 min), spend 2 hours at the National Palace Museum in the morning (take a bus from Shilin MRT), lunch near Taipei 101 (Din Tai Fung or the Xinyi food court), observation deck mid-afternoon, and return to Keelung by 4:30pm for a 6pm all-aboard. For an 8-hour call: National Palace Museum or Taipei 101 (not both), and evening Miaokou Night Market in Keelung if the ship departs after 6pm. Jiufen is an excellent half-day from Keelung by taxi (about 30 min each way, 350–500 TWD) — best for calls with a late all-aboard (7pm+) that allow the afternoon light and the early evening lanterns. Buy the EasyCard on arrival at Taipei Main Station — it makes everything easier.

Food & drink

Taiwan has one of Asia's most vibrant food cultures — a blend of Hokkien and Hakka Chinese traditions, Japanese influence from 50 years of occupation, indigenous Taiwanese ingredients and a night market culture that elevates street food to high art. Braised pork rice (lu rou fan) is the national comfort dish; beef noodle soup is the civic obsession; oyster omelette and scallion pancake are the night market reference points. Bubble tea was invented in Taiwan (1986, Taichung). Taipei's restaurant scene ranges from exceptional night market stalls to world-class fine dining. Keelung's Miaokou is the most accessible market from the pier.

Where to eat

• Keelung Miaokou Night Market (廟口夜市) — The centrepiece of Keelung's food identity — surrounding the neon-lit Dianji Temple, the market's numbered stalls each specialise in a single dish. Stall 27 (braised pork rice) and the oyster vermicelli vendors are the anchors. Arrive after 6pm for the full atmosphere; best on weekday evenings when the local crowd dominates over tourist groups.
• Din Tai Fung (鼎泰豐) — Taiwan's most famous restaurant, now international — but the original shop on Xinyi Road (near Dongmen MRT, not Taipei 101) is where it all began, and there's a busy branch in the Taipei 101 mall. Xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) and steamed dumplings made to precise 18-fold standards in an open kitchen. Queue for 30–60 minutes at peak times; well worth it for first-timers. Open for lunch and dinner.
• Rao He Street Night Market (饒河街夜市) — One of Taipei's best-organised and most accessible night markets — a 600-metre pedestrian street with classics: pepper pork buns from the famous Fuzhou Shizu stall near the entrance (baked in a clay oven; opens around 3:30pm), oyster omelettes, stinky tofu, scallion pancakes and fresh fruit cups. Reachable from Songshan MRT station (Green Line).
• Jiufen tea houses — Jiufen Teahouse (九份茶坊) — One of Jiufen's atmospheric tea houses, in a century-old house on Jishan Street with mountain and sea views — a pot of Taiwanese oolong brewed at your table, with staff showing you how, plus traditional tea snacks. Opens 11am. A-Mei Tea House on Shixia Lane, the red-lantern landmark, is the best known (opens 9am); arrive early for a window or terrace seat. A genuine afternoon ritual that rewards the 30–40 minute journey from Keelung.

Must try

• Lu rou fan (braised pork rice) — Taiwan's most beloved dish — minced or small-cubed pork belly slowly braised in soy sauce, rice wine, sugar and five-spice until it becomes a deeply savoury, slightly sweet, gelatinous relish, ladled over white rice with a soy-braised egg and pickled mustard greens. Available everywhere from night markets to breakfast shops for 40–60 TWD. Simple, perfect, irreducible.
• Beef noodle soup (hong shao niu rou mian) — Taiwan's most contested dish — a rich, spiced red-braised beef broth with thick noodles, slow-braised beef shank (or tendon, or both) and pickled mustard greens. Every Taipei family and restaurant has an opinion on the best version; Liu Shan Dong (near Taipei Main Station) and the beef noodle shops around Yongkang Street are among the most lauded traditional addresses.
• Oyster vermicelli (ke a mee sua) — Miaokou speciality — Keelung's signature Miaokou dish — a thick, silky vermicelli soup with fresh oysters, fish paste and a brown sweet-potato starch sauce, garnished with coriander and chilli oil. The texture is unlike any other noodle soup in Asia — simultaneously gloopy and delicate. Available at the Miaokou stalls from late afternoon.
• Bubble tea (boba) — Invented in Taiwan in 1986 — black tapioca pearls (boba) in cold sweetened milk tea, shaken, the pearls chewed through a wide straw. The Taiwanese original is still the benchmark: strong black tea, fresh whole milk, homemade tapioca cooked to the right chewy consistency. 50 Lan and Gong Cha are the reliable chains. Also try taro milk tea.

Know before you go

• 🗣️ Language — Mandarin Chinese (Traditional characters) is the official language; Taiwanese Hokkien is widely spoken. English is good throughout Taipei's tourist infrastructure, MRT stations and the National Palace Museum. In Keelung city, English is more limited. The MRT is fully bilingual. Google Translate's camera mode works excellently for traditional Chinese menus and signs.
• 📋 Documents — Taiwan is visa-free for US, EU, UK, Australian, Canadian and most Western passport holders (90 days, no pre-registration required — different from mainland China). Passport must be valid 6+ months beyond travel. Keep your ship card. No specific entry requirements for the cruise port beyond standard Taiwan rules.
• 🛍️ Shopping & hours — Night markets open from 5–6pm until midnight. Shops open 10am–9:30pm. Best Taiwan buys: pineapple cakes (the defining Taiwanese pastry souvenir — buttery shortbread with fresh pineapple jam filling; Sunnyhills and Chia Te are the benchmark brands), Sun Moon Lake red tea, high-mountain oolong tea (Ali Shan, Li Shan), dried mango and papaya, and Taiwanese design goods from Eslite bookstores. The National Palace Museum shop has excellent reproductions of museum pieces.
• 🌤️ Weather — Keelung is one of Taiwan's rainiest cities — the northeast monsoon brings persistent drizzle October–March; the hot, humid season is June–September (30–35°C / 86–95°F). The cruise season is usually October–April; carry a compact umbrella always. Taipei, in the basin inland, is slightly drier and warmer than the Keelung coast. Jiufen's hilltop is frequently misted and cool even in summer.
• 📶 Connectivity — Excellent 4G/LTE throughout Taiwan. EasyCard is the essential transport tool — buy at any MRT station, load 200–500 TWD and tap for every journey. Taiwan SIM cards (Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile) are available at the airport and telecom shops for 300–500 TWD for a 5-day data SIM. Taxis in Keelung and Taipei have metered fares; the Uber app works in Taipei.
• ♿ Accessibility — Taipei's MRT is fully accessible with lifts at all stations. Taipei 101 has full lift access. The National Palace Museum is largely accessible; the main galleries have escalators and lifts. Jiufen's old streets are steep stone staircases — not accessible for wheelchairs or significant mobility limitations. Keelung's Miaokou market is flat and paved. The port terminal is flat and accessible.
• ⏱️ Getting back — From Taipei Main Station to Keelung TRA Station: about 45 minutes by train (frequent departures). From Keelung Station to the West terminal: a 2–3 minute walk. From Jiufen to Keelung: 30–40 minutes by taxi (350–500 TWD). Allow a 30-minute buffer above all calculated return times. The last express train from Taipei Main Station runs approximately every 30 minutes until late evening — check the schedule. Build in 90 minutes total from Taipei city centre back to the ship for any all-aboard before 7pm.

Sources: taiwan.net.tw (official); taipeitravel.net; lonelyplanet.com/taiwan