Keelung (Jilong)

Introducing Keelung (Jilong)

Keelung (Jīlóng) is a port city, the second largest in Taiwan, and has the rough-around-the-edges, devil-may-care vibe so common in places where mingling with sailors is common. Though a modern city today, in the markets and alleys you’ll still catch a whiff of the city’s long and storied history, which involves foreign invaders, pirates and intrigue by the barrel full.

Keelung is a quick trip from Taipei by either bus or train and offers a lot to the casual traveller who knows where to look. Thanks to its strategic importance over the centuries, the area has a number of old forts. Befitting a coastal town, you’ll also find ocean parks, scenic lookouts and, perhaps most germane to the gourmand, copious amounts of excellent seafood.

Weatherwise, Taiwanese sometimes joke that Keelung is Taiwan’s Seattle, with wet and drizzly winters and three other seasons in which it may well rain a bit on any given day. But something about the damp, mist-shrouded climate of Keelung suits its moody nautical feel to a T.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009