An Ode to the Beach & 5 Best Beaches near Taipei for Families
Updated: Jul 23
This may be our last summer in Taipei. What started as an adventure of "let's go to Taiwan and see how it goes..." turned into eight years of living on this beautiful island. It has been quite an adventure, especially on the beaches.
Stories like when we dug a hole in the sand and a huge crab suddenly emerged, or when we got stuck in the sand with the car, asking for help from complete strangers to be towed out. These experiences, both tragicomic, will always remain in our memories.
Why do I love going to the beach so much...? Is it the hopeless romantic old soul in me that just likes the fact that laptops, tablets, or anything like that are not welcome at the beach? At the beach, you bring books, sunscreen, sand toys, umbrellas, and towels! The beach is messy, like life is... but a beauty, just like life is...
We share, we enjoy the beach... with those who also don't mind getting a tan or having their pockets or car seats filled with sand... With the people who are close to us and those we are about to be closer to (after the beach outing)... the kind of people with whom we want to share a cup of tea.
At the beach, time moves at a different pace; the sun and saltiness slow us down, separating us from the rush of everyday life. It distances us from notifications and apparent urgencies. It makes us look at each other, or at least gaze at the waves of the sea, which are faithful, constant, and calming... Thank God for creating the beach...!
Did we frequently visit the beach because it was "close enough"? Or was it a remedy for the hectic and intense lifestyle in a city like Taipei? Or maybe it was just because, during the pandemic lockdown, we couldn't leave Taiwan but could explore its regions. Whatever the reason...
After this time living in Taipei, we look back and can only feel gratitude. Gratitude for having been able to explore the coasts and have quality family time, to disconnect a little... or a lot!... to build sandcastles or "water dams" (our son's preference over castles), and to eat many, SO many snacks. That’s why we want to share these tips with all those who also love to contemplate the sea, walk barefoot, enjoy the sea breezes, give themselves permission to do nothing, and recalibrate. We hope these tips will be useful for planning your family outings along the northern coasts of Taiwan. :)
Top 5 Beaches Near Taipei
( between 40 minutes and 1.5 hours away from Taipei ) that we recommend to everyone, especially families with children:
1 Baishawan 白沙灣
Our favorite in northern Taiwan! White sand, shallow water, ideal if the kids are small.
Parking: Yes! 🅿️ Google map
Showers: Yes! 📍Google map
Recommended Restaurant: 📍Dazzler's Fish & Chips at Baishawan
Recommended Coffee Shop:📍GRAY CAFE 咖灰
Golden sand toasted by the sun, perfect for building all kinds of castles and other works of art (the annual sand sculptures event takes place there). Small dunes, sea sports like stand-up paddling and others.
⚠️ Important note: Fulong has a "private" beach that is part of the resort shown in the picture below. The entrance is not very expensive and gives you the right to use their showers. If you don't want to pay, you can also go to the 📍Public beach, not far from there.
Parking: Yes! 🅿️ Google map
Showers: Yes! 📍Google map
Recommended Restaurant: 📍海有明天 Seafood Restaurant
Coastal village with a local vibe, known for its crabs, so don't hesitate to try a seafood restaurant. While the local eateries may not be "pretty," the food is delicious!
The beach itself isn't as well-kept as Baishawan or Fulong, but the advantage is that it's only 40 minutes from Nangang/Neihu districts (without traffic, of course). And it has very nice views of Turtle Island (Guishan island).
Wanli beach is quite long, and the sea can be accessed from both ends, as well as from the center of the beach:
Parking: Three parkings available, close to the "White house resort" 🅿️ Google map
Free parking at the central area of the beach: 🅿️ Google map
At the opposite area where the CT Green Bay Hotel is, paid parking: 🅿️ Google map
Showers: No
Recommended: 📍Seafood Restaurant
Not so well-known or crowded (except perhaps on holidays), a small beach but with beautiful views. Perfect if you want to escape the crowd.
Parking: Yes! 🅿️ Google map
Showers: No, but there are places that offer freshwater rinse (with a hose) to wash the sand off your feet for about 20 NT.
Recommended Restaurant: 📍Roasted Duck Restaurant
Coffee Shop: ☕️ CHU CHU Café
☕ Many cafes and restaurants by the sea. If you prefer brunch with a view over going into the beach, this is your ideal spot!
Parking: Yes! 🅿️ Google map
Showers: Yes! Google map
Recommended Restaurants: 📍Seaside Restaurant (Se recomienda reservar de antemano)
Coffee shops: ☕️ Dream Map Café
✋ BEFORE YOU GO:
Are you going by car or scooter? (Best option) → Uber or similar (Better option) = more expensive and limited availability at certain times. Public Transportation (Good option depending where in Taipei you are based, but can be quite tiring after a day on the beach!)
Sea water is generally clean (or as clean as it can be near Asian cities!), but if there has been a recent tropical storm or typhoon, we advise against going to the beach because it will likely be littered with debris washed ashore by the waves.
Also, while the waters are relatively safe, it's important to remain vigilant with children.
Some people experiences rashes post swimming at the sea, possibly from microscopic jellyfish larvae (according to a Google search). Our daughter, who wears long-sleeved rash guards from Decathlon, never gets any, but the adults do. So if this is something that would worry you, you can wear long-sleeved rash guards if planning to swim/surf for long periods of time.
Showers: some beaches do have them. Others don’t, but locals will let you use their shower for 10–30 NT. We recommend bringing your own water in a jug just in case.
📌 Save this post for your next getaway, or share it with a friend or family member who might be interested. We hope this blog is helpful to you! :).
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