Go international with beauty on your doorstep: 3 hiking trails near New Taipei City featured in Lonely Planet magazine

▲ Fern Trail at Jingualiao in Pinglin. (Photo / Provided by New Taipei City Government, same applies below)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

Taiwan’s natural beauty goes global. For the first time, hiking trails in New Taipei City have made it onto the pages of the iconic travel guide Lonely Planet Magazine. The article introduces three suburban hiking trails in New Taipei: Dongshige Ancient Trail in Pingxi, Lingjiaoliao Mountain Trail in Wanggu, and Jingualiao Fish and Fern Trail in Pinglin. These hiking routes offer abundant natural beauty along with cultural and ecological charm, and are easily accessible by public transport — making them perfect for those looking to escape to cool mountain forests and explore nature.

▲ Crystal-clear streams in the mountains.

Pingxi isn’t just about sky lanterns and trains. The Dongshige Ancient Trail once featured relics from the Jianyuan Coal Mine. With pristine forest scenery and shaded trails often running alongside creeks, it’s a hiking route that’s both easy and enjoyable. The Lingjiaoliao Mountain Trail, connecting the tranquil Wanggu and Lingjiao stations along the Pingxi Branch Line, links up the Wanggu Waterfall and the scenic area of Lingjiao. It offers breathtaking views of the green pool in front of the waterfall and allows side trips to the old Lingjiao Bridge and the Tsai Family Western-style house. Located in the tea-growing region of Pinglin, along the upper reaches of Beishi Stream, the Jingualiao Fish and Fern Trail lets visitors discover the beauty of low-altitude stream forest ecology and a rich variety of fern species.

▲ Dongshige Trans-Mountain Trail in Pingxi

▲ Lingjiaoliao Mountain Trail in Wanggu, a hidden waterfall haven

New Taipei City, in collaboration with Namiko International Travel Agency, has launched the “2017 New Taipei Hiking Tourism Festival.” Continuing the theme of “Mountain Intimacy · Light Travel,” the festival features three main themes: “Stream Trails,” “Waterfall Trails,” and “Forest Trails.” With enriching guided tours and distinctive local meals, it offers small-scale travel experiences that combine natural ecology and cultural charm, enabling visitors to deeply explore local characteristics. For information on packaged tour registration, please visit the New Taipei City Tourism Website (tour.ntpc.gov.tw).

▲ There are many easy-access trails in the suburbs of New Taipei