A Day in Town: Qidu, Ren-ai, Nuannuan, Anle (Keelung)

I just completed my second trip under A Day in Town, my multi-year backpacking plan of spending a day in approximately 350 townships in my country. My destination this time was Keelung, the northeastern coastal city facing the East China Sea to the north, and surrounded by New Taipei City on the land side. The Keelung City government administers seven districts, with a combined population of over 360,000. On this trip, I visited four districts: Qidu, Ren-ai, Nuannuan, and Anle.

Qidu occupies the southwestern part of Keelung, bordering Xizhi District and Wanli District of New Taipei City. It is also the largest district, accounting for 40% of Keelung's entire area. The name Qidu literally means "the seventh wall," with a story behind it: when the Han Chinese first settled in Keelung in the 18th century, various earthen walls were built to defend against attacks by the Basay, the indigenous people who lived there for centuries. The seventh such wall was located where Qidu is today, hence the name.

On Monday, I took a train from Banchiao, New Taipei City, to Baifu, the southernmost train station within Qidu District, Keelung. After the train ride, which took less than an hour, I started exploring Qidu on foot. During my day there, I visited 13 of Qidu's 20 villages. Then, I continued hiking northward and finally reached the hostel located in downtown Keelung, where I would stay for four nights. Amusingly, I stumbled upon a village called Dunan and could not help taking a selfie in front of its namesake primary school. Dunan literally means "south of the wall," but it also sounds like a pun (a popular swear word in Taiwanese).

I spent my second day in Ren-ai District, where my lodging was located. In the early 18th century, Han Chinese arrived in the area now known as Ren-ai District and made their first settlement in Keelung, which developed into a commercial and tourist center over time. Ren-ai District encompasses the southern part of Keelung Harbor, with the smallest area and the highest population density in Keelung. There are 29 villages listed under Ren-ai District, and I visited 20 of them that day.

Keelung is a renowned commercial port, but it is equally famous for its tiny hinterland, which has limited its cargo handling capacity in recent decades. Visitors can easily experience this by walking around the downtown area. In a matter of minutes, they would come across hilly roads and paths—there are numerous—that have existed for a long time in the surrounding mountainous areas to support the vibrant growth of this port city. In my case, I hiked over three hills with nobody in sight in the outskirts of Ren-ai District, despite its status as the commercial and tourist center. Moreover, I found with interest a secondary school situated on top of a small hill, named after Liu Mingchuan, the first governor of Taiwan Province appointed in the late Qing Dynasty. Liu is remembered for constructing the first railway linking Keelung to Taipei, among his other contributions to modernizing Taiwan. Several institutions have been named after him, including the renowned Ming Chuan University in Taipei, but I didn't know this secondary school on the hilltop was also named after him.

I spent my third day in Nuannuan, the southeastern part of Keelung, bordering Ruifang District and Pingxi District of New Taipei City. Nuannuan has the second-largest area but the smallest population in Keelung, thanks to its overwhelmingly mountainous terrain. There are 13 villages in Nuannuan, and I visited nine of them during my day there.

I started my day in Nuannuan by taking a bus to Nuanxi Village; from there, I walked eastward along Dongshi Road. An hour later, I reached Nuandong Valley, where the Dongshikeng River flows through, with its natural ecosystems well preserved. It is also the starting point of the Tamsui-Kavalan Trail, an old trail built over 200 years ago, linking Tamsui (Taipei) and Kavalan (now known as Yilan, the coastal city in eastern Taiwan, facing the Pacific Ocean).

On the fourth day, I visited Anle District, located in the northwestern part of Keelung and bordering Wanli District of New Taipei City to the west. With a population of over 80,000, it is the most populous district in the city. In addition, Anle boasts many scenic spots and historical sites, attracting both domestic and foreign visitors year-round. During my day in Anle, I visited 12 of its 25 villages.

I started my day in Anle by taking a bus to Wufu Village, established 40 years ago on what was then uninhabited land to accommodate new arrivals following the completion of a government-sponsored housing project. These flats now look old, but they have significantly contributed to the prosperity of the neighborhood and Keelung City as a whole. From here, I walked back to my hostel, a distance of about 12 kilometers, fully immersed in the local scenery and atmosphere. Along the way, I felt a sense of connection with the place and its people—an experience I wouldn’t have had otherwise.

During the trip, I kept up my reading habit. The hostel, conveniently located in the city center, is situated on the 6th floor and offers a bird's-eye view of the downtown area. After returning from my explorations, which never failed to amaze and inspire me, I would sit by the window with a book on my lap, sipping a cup of coffee provided by the landlord. It was the perfect reward for my "hard walk."

It was another priceless travel experience, but it was time to go home. This time, instead of taking a train, I chose to take a bus. I happened to know it during the trip because my elderly mother had suddenly fallen ill and was admitted to a hospital in Tamsui. I quickly checked and took this bus, connecting MRT to reach the hospital. After some initial chaos, the situation came under control. I decided to continue my trip but made time for daily visits to the hospital in Tamsui, traveling on this bus service, which runs along the No.1 Highway, making it faster. What an unusual travel experience!