Travel information
With a history of almost 400 years, Hsinchu is the oldest city in northern Taiwan. It was originally inhabited by an aboriginal tribe called Taokas who called the city 'Chuchang', and the present name, Hsinchu, was adopted at the end of the 19th century, during the reign of the Qing Dynasty Emperor Guangxu. It was also during the later Qing Dynasty that the city was expanded and the city's walls constructed, of which only the Eastern Gate remains.
During the Japanese colonial era (1895 to 1945), Hsinchu was the the main administrative center between Taipei and Taichung, and it was during this period that glass production (for which Hsinchu later became famous) was introduced to the city. Originally, production was limited to medical equipment, but with the founding of the island's largest glass company in 1954, production was expanded, though still limited to mostly industrial glass. Craft items were added to the list of products in the 1960s, and soon Hsinchu gained recognition as a center of excellence for decorative glass products.
In 1980, the Hsinchu Science-based Industrial Park (more often called simply 'The Science Park') was founded. The park has been very successful, and hosts companies like TSMC, AU Optronics, UMC and numerous other semiconductor manufacturers. The establishment of the park was a major boost to the economy of the area and as a result, Hsinchu, despite its relatively small population (around 350,000), has some surprisingly high standard hotels and shopping complexes. The average wage of the citizens of Hsinchu is now the highest in Taiwan, surpassing even that of the capital, Taipei.
Hsinchu is a very pleasant city, though definitely not a tourist destination, and most overseas visitors travel here only to attend conferences or business meetings. However, with its abundance of hotels and good transportation links, the city is perhaps the best location to explore the beautiful mountain areas of Hsinchu County.
Due to the constant gusts of wind that blow in from the Taiwan Strait, Hsinchu is often referred to as the Windy City. While the wind keeps the city relatively pollution free, it also makes it a very cold place in the winter, especially around the time of the Chinese (Lunar) New Year celebrations.
Photos from Hsinchu, Taiwan
 |  |  |  |  |
Parks and scenic sites
- The central reservations of Wenhua, Xinyi and Sanmin roads have been converted into parks. These stretches of green are great for taking a leisurely stroll on a sultry summer day or escaping from the office during lunch break. The parks along Wenhua and Xinyi streets are especially pleasant--and quite romantic at night--as they have incorporated the city's historic moat into their design.
- Eighteen Peaks Mountain is a crescent of mountains circling the eastern and southern suburbs of Hsinchu. It is a great place for hiking and offers panoramic views of Hsinchu city and beyond. To get there drive along Guang Fu Road, turning left onto Nanda Road, and then onto Baoshan Road. This will lead to the mountains.
- Hsinchu Botanical Garden, Baoshan Road (near the Tsing-hua University) has some great hiking trails and provides the opportunity to become acquainted with more than 300 varieties of Taiwan's indigeneous flora.
- Green Grass Lake (Qing-cao Hu) off Ming-hu Road is a parkland surrounding a lake - a great place to relax and watch water fowl gliding with the clouds.
- Hsinchu Zoo, 279 Kungyung Road. [3] This is the oldest and smallest zoo in Taiwan, founded by the Japanese in 1936. The zoo is recently and very tastefully renovated and proudly displays 250 animals and 70 species, including tigers, crocodiles, monkeys, bears and all kinds of birds. The grounds are lovely and garden like and the animals seem to be having a good time. A great place to bring children. Entrance is only 10 NT. Open 8.30 to 5.00 all year, but not Mondays and Chinese New Year's Eve.
Landmarks and temples
- City God Temple(城隍廟;chénghuángmiào) - Built in 1748. Located on the corner of Zhongshan Road and Dongmen Street, is a typical Taoist temple with lots of colorful frescoes.
- East Gate (東門) - Constructed from granite and with a distinctive arched entrance, the historic East Gate is the city center's most well known landmark. It is located at the junction of Dongmen and Zhongzheng Roads.
- Hsinchu Railway Station - Built in 1913 in the classic Baroque style that was popular in Taiwan at the beginning of the 20th century. There is nothing to see inside, but the facade provides a good backdrop for souvenir photographs of the city.
Museums and galleries
- The Craft Glass Museum, 2 Dongda Road, sec 1. Tel:+886 3 562-6091 [4] A gallery dedicated to Hsinchu's long association with the craft of glass making. It is located in the park directly behind the railway station. Open: Wed to Sun 9AM-5PM (ticket office closes at 4:30PM)
- The Municipal Image Museum, 65 Zhongzheng Road. Tel:+886 3 528-5840~2 [5] The museum is located in the renovated former movie theater building, and in addition to images and documents of film and theater in Taiwan, the museum also has an auditorium where movies and plays are performed. Open: From Wed to Sun 9:30AM-12 noon, 1:30-5PM, 6:30-9PM. Production times: Wed to Fri 7:10~9PM, Sat and Sun 10AM, 2PM and 7:10PM.
- Space, warehouses 3, 4 and 5 Hsinchu Railway Station - a space for art workshops and exhibitions. Also includes a humanistic recreation area with restaurant.
Photos from Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | | | |
By car
Hsinchu is located on the main Taipei - Kaohsiung rail and freeway routes, and it takes about one hour and ten minutes to reach the city from Taipei.
Take highway number 1 or 3. There are two toll gates between Taipei and Hsinchu. Books of 9+1 tickets can be bought at the gates with yellow sign at NT$40 each. Tickets can also be bought at post offices for a little less then NT$40. Tickets holders can use gates with a blue sign.
The speed limit on Highway number one is in general 100km/h and on number 3 110km/h. Speed cameras are active and there are regular speed traps.
By plane
The nearest airport is Taoyuan International Airport, which is about a thirty minute drive in the dead of night with no traffic and a speeding taxi driver. Safest to allow around an hour from Science Park or a little longer from down-town.
By bus
From Taipei
- The How-Tai Bus Company (豪泰客運) run a fast, cheap (NT$110), efficient and very comfortable (extra wide seats with personal video screens) service from Taipei to Hsinchu. In Taipei, the red buses depart every fifteen minutes from bay 22 at the Taipei Bus Terminal - also called Taipei Intercity Bus Terminal (See: Taipei 'Get in'). From Hsinchu, the buses depart from next to the Hsinchu Railway Station (when exiting the station, the bus stop is a two minute walk to the left, just past the Hsinchu Bus Station), and makes a stop at the National Tsing Hua University bus station en-route to the freeway. NB: If your ticket is not collected before departure, hang on to it. It will need to be given to the driver when getting off. The journey takes between 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes.
From Taoyuan Taiwan Airport
- There are no direct buses from Taoyuan Taiwan Airport (Taipei International Airport) to Hsinchu, but the U-bus company offers a link, with passengers changing buses at the 'Jhongli Transit Station'.
By train
- The TRA (or regular train) station is located in the city centre and is a major stop on the main line between Taipei and Kaohsiung/Taichung. It costs from NT$114 to NT$180 for an adult and takes approximately one to two hours to get there from Taipei main station, depending upon the type of train you take.
- The Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) has a Hsinchu stop located in the neighbouring city of [Chubei] (竹北; zhúbĕi) and is approximately 30 minutes by taxi from the city centre. The journey from Taipei takes approximately 30 minutes [2].
Photos from Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | | | |
- Hsinchu is large enough for a local bus service, which connects the suburbs with the downtown area, though not large enough for taxis to cruise. You'll need to go to the station or a department store to pick one up from a taxi rank - or call, if you can speak Chinese.
Photos from Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | | | |
What
- Hsinchu is the hometown of a particular form of rice noodles, called Mifen (米粉).
Where
General
- The main shopping center meanders through the roads and lanes from the main train station to Bei-da and Min-sheng Roads. SOGO Department Store is on the corner of Zhong-hua and Mintsu Roads (directly across from the railway station), and the Mitsukoshi Department Store has a large branch next to the Ambassador Hotel.
- Another major shopping center is the Far East Department store (FE21) in Xi-da Road on the corner of Xi-men Street. There is plenty of parking and it also has a wide range of movie theaters.
- The RT-Mart (大潤發, Da-run-fa) on Shipinlu has everything you possibly could want -- food, electronics, clothes, household articles -- at low prices.
- A night market with a lot of character sprawls through the alleys off Wenchang Road.
Specialist stores
- Mountain Hardwear, 2F., 161 Zhong-hua Road, Sec. 2. Tel:+886 3 535-0798. Offers a wide range of high quality trekking and backpacking gear.
- Asian Handicrafts, 184 Dungmen Street: Tel:+886 3 525-3662. Specialties are jade and Buddhist artifacts.
English Books
- Eslite, corner of Xinyi and Dadong Roads. The best selection of English titles in Hsinchu.
- Caves, Dongda Road. A little far out from the downtown area and has limited selection.
- National Tsing Hua University. Socrates cafe on campus (next to the main library) has a good selection of second hand books, including many English titles and a surprising number of French titles too.
Photos from Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | | | |
Hsinchu is a typical Taiwanese city containing thousands of restaurants, and, because of the relatively large ex-pat community, many offer international cuisine.
Dishes popular with domestic tourists are rice noodles (米粉;mĭfēn), meatballs served in a broth soup(貢丸湯;gòngwántāng) and peitou meatball (肉圓;Ròyuán). A popular place to eat these dishes is at City God temple. Uncooked rice noodles and meatballs can be purchased here and also near the entrances to freeway's number 1 and 3. Literally surrounding the Chenghuang Temple are numerous small booths selling cheap, local delicacies. This will be a good place to go to sample local dishes.
Chinese
- Golden Mountain (金山面藝術生活館), 13 Jinshan 13th Street. Tel:+886 3 563-6296 - while the food is good, it is definitely the ambience and architecure of this traditional style restaurant that is the main attraction.
- Yunnan Wind (雲南風), 231 Dongming Street. Tel:+886 3 575-0142 - offers food from the chinese Yunnan province, including spicy hot pots and grilled dishes. Similar to Thai food. Relaxed atmosphere. Located in a small lane off Guangfu Road Sec. 2 across from the Orange Mart.
Indian
- Indian Cuisine, 11 Shengli Road. Tel:+886 3 523-1817.
Organic
- Yogi House, 97 Shijye Street. Tel:+886 3 515-3696. Veggie and non-veggie meals available. Prices a little high, though comparable to other organic restaurants in Taiwan.
Vegetarian (素食)
As in most major cities in Taiwan, vegetarian buffets are common in many neighborhoods in Hsinchu. The price at a buffet is estimated by the weight of the food on your plate. Rice (there is usually a choice of brown or white) is charged separately, but soup is free and you can refill as many times as you like. NT$90 - NT$110 will buy you a good sized, nutritious meal. The list below is for all-you-can-eat buffets (at these, there is a set charge, usually over NT$250, and the meal includes dessert and coffee/tea) or menu style restaurants:
- City God Temple also offers vegetarian fare. (75 Zhongshan Road. Tel:+886 3 5223666)
- Green-On, 24 Chuanai Street. Tel:+886 3 5728022.
- Date Tree near National Tsing Hua university is a vegetarian restaurant offering meals from as cheap as NT$50 up.
- There is a vegetarian outlet on Changan Street.
Western
- The Lake House is a Western style restaurant located next to Ching-Tsao Lake (the lake of green grass).
(新竹市明湖路1075巷80-1號)1075 Minghu Rd., Hsinchu City . Phone# (03)529-2117 http://www.thelakehouse.48h.tw/
Night market
The night market at the end of GuangFu Road, otherwise rather disappointing, has a very popular shop selling food from Singapore. It is located close to the entrance of the night market. The curries and fried noodles start from around NT$60.
Photos from Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | | | |
Most restaurants, pubs, and even high-class hotels carry a paltry selection of beer, consisting mainly of Heineken, Kirin, Taiwan Beer and one of a variety of mass-marketed, mass-produced American beers (Budweiser, Coors, etc.). In some bars also the German Erdinger is available.
- Pig & Whistle, located near the Ambassador Hotel. Ostensibly a British pub, the Pig carries the widest selection of beers to be found in Taiwan, including Draught Guinness, Hoegaarden (a Belgian selection, in case you're wondering), Tiger Beer, Boddington's, and more. The Club Upstairs has been closed.
- Flying Pig, located around the corner from the Sol Hotel at Wenhua Street, it has a small veranda to sit outside and watch the passing traffic. Inside it's a large bar with dance floor, pool table and table football. Friday and Saturday evenings always a go.
- Minzu Road , a small road just around the corner of Flying Pig and Sol Hotel, offers various small bars of different styles.
Coffee
All the main chains are represented in Hsinchu, such as Starbucks and Barista. Cafes with more unique character are to be found throughout the city center, especially around Wenhua Road and Sanmin Road - just walk around, you'll find something to your taste.
- Tung Cafe, 2F. 31 Fuhou Steet (on the other side of the moat from Sol Hotel) - with a wide wooden balcony that overlooks the city moat and the surrounding park, Tung Cafe is a great place to relax and unwind. [Currently closed for renovation]
- OPCafé, No. 3, 95 lane, Kuan-hwa Street, ☎ 886-3-5153351 (boss@opcafe.net), [13]. 11AM-12PM. 1 min away from RT Mart - OPcafé is a small and cozy cafe offering coffee, tea, snacks and Belgium beer. They also sell CDs, Zakka. 80NTD~120NTD. edit
- Louise, 250 Zhongyang Road, ☎ ''+886 3'' 535-8824. A modern, but cozy cafe popular with young up-and-coming types. Located directly across from the Windance Shopping Mall edit
- Yraropmetnoc (代當), 65, Jincheng 1st Rd., East District, [14]. 2PM-11PM. A simple place with good coffee. The name means counter-contemporary. 100NTD~150NTD. edit
Photos from Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | | | |
Content is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0. Based on work by users at Wikitravel
