See the True Taiwan: an insiders guide

Qingtiangang is one of the most popular mountain-top spots for recreation in Taipei City. Weekend revelers stream up the narrow roads connecting to this Japanese-made cow pasture to enjoy an afternoon of fresh air and sun. Large open grasslands and ruined colonial buildings set a tone of relaxation, engagement with nature, and a sense of history. Welcome! The meadow everyone visits, with cows. Note the couple on the left. The meadows surrounding the parking lot area were actually populated with livestock by the Japanese during the colonial era. There was a need for pastureland near the mines which were springing up all across northern Taiwan, and what is now known as Qingtiangang was their answer. Today the pasture is only a fraction of its original size due to the regrowth of inedible plants and trees in the once completely deforested space. The span of the pasture once went from the foot of Qixingshan to Fengguikou, which backs up to the neighborhood of the national pala...

Yangming Mountain, hereafter to be called yangming shan (陽明山) is a volcanic area set in Taipei City's northern Shilin and Beitou districts. For anyone in the city the name implies a vast area of peaks and valleys which include entire communities, colleges, hot springs, farms, and basically any area shaded green on a map of Taipei. Getting up all of the lower mountains eventually leads you up to the ultimate peak at Qixing shan (七星山). View from the top on a nice day Climbing qixing shan is a rewarding experience for anyone looking to get to the top of the tallest point in northern Taiwan. The next highest peak, snow mountain, requires a permit to get into, so qixing shan becomes the defacto mountain that lay people must conquer. And conquer they do. On busy days everyone waits around to get a photo with this. Note the heavy fog. A view up towards the eastern peak. Weekends are rather busy on the trails and on the roads during the early spring flower season when th...