East of Keelung, the coast road runs past fishing ports, sandstone shaped by the wind and sea, and rocky capes. Shen'ao (深澳), Nanya (南雅) and Bitou Cape (鼻頭角) are in Ruifang District (瑞芳區), and Longdong (龍洞) is in Gongliao District (貢寮區), both in New Taipei City, inside the Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area (東北角). Ride a pedal rail bike along the old Shen'ao line, then follow the coast by bus, stopping for the rocks and a cliff-top walk.
- Train Taipei Main Station to Ruifang, about 45 to 55 minutes on a local train
- Bus Taiwan Tourist Shuttle 856 from Ruifang Station down the coast to Fulong
- MRT None. Take the train from Taipei Main Station
- Where Ruifang and Gongliao districts, New Taipei City
- Time A full day
Good to know: a typhoon hit this coast in late October 2026. The Nanya rocks and the Bitou Cape Trail have reopened, but the Longdong ocean parks and the Longdong Bay Cape Trail are closed until further notice. Check the National Scenic Area's closures list before you go.
How to get to the Northeast Coast from Taipei
Train to Ruifang, then bus 856
Take a Taiwan Railway train from Taipei Main Station toward Yilan or Hualien and get off at Ruifang (瑞芳). On the Saturday morning we checked, local trains took 46 to 54 minutes and the Tze-Chiang expresses that stop about 32 to 35 minutes. At Ruifang, catch the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Golden Fulong Line 856 (台灣好行黃金福隆線) from the stop at the plaza (區民廣場). It climbs through Jiufen and Jinguashi, then follows the coast with stops at the Nanya Visitor Center (南雅旅遊服務中心), Bitou (鼻頭), Longdong Bay Ocean Park, Longdong Harbor and on to Fulong and the Sandiaojiao Lighthouse. Adult fares are NT$15 a section, with two sections split at Shuinandong (水湳洞), and it takes your EasyCard. Check the times on the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle route page before you rely on a connection.
Keelung Bus 791
Keelung Bus 791 runs from Keelung Station along the coast via Badouzi, Shen'ao (the Jianji Coal Mine stop, 建基煤礦), Shuinandong, Bitou and Longdong to Fulong. It is the easiest way to reach Shen'ao by bus, and a handy way back to Keelung. → Keelung as a day trip
Train to Badouzi for the rail bike
Some trains on the short Shen'ao Line (深澳線) run from Ruifang to Badouzi Station (八斗子), and the rail bike's Badouzi platform is right beside it. Check the timetable, as this branch has far fewer trains than the main line.
By car
The coast road is Provincial Highway 2 (台2線). Nanya, Bitou Cape and Longdong all have parking, and the Scenic Area runs a live parking page.
What to see
Shen'ao Fishing Port (深澳漁港)
A working fishing port with a 310-meter walkway along the water, the Sea-Sky Walkway (海天步道), open all year. It is the place to look out at what is left of Elephant Trunk Rock.
- Where: by the port on Shen'ao Road, Ruifang District.
- Getting there: Keelung Bus 791 to the Jianji Coal Mine (Shen'ao) stop, or the rail bike from Badouzi to its Shen'ao platform.
Elephant Trunk Rock (象鼻岩)
For years this rock beside the port looked like an elephant dipping its trunk into the sea. On the afternoon of 16 December 2023 the trunk broke off and fell into the water. The Ruifang District Office put it down to long-term weathering and heavy waves the day before, and closed the area off at the time. The arch is gone, so come for the coastline rather than the famous photo, and keep off the rock.
The Shen'ao Rail Bike (深澳鐵道自行車)
Pedal-powered cars, two seats each, on 1.3 kilometers of the old Shen'ao railway between a platform by Badouzi Station and one at the old Jianji Coal Mine in Shen'ao, through a tunnel and past painted houses. It is in operation: the operator closed for the typhoon on 23 and 24 October 2026 and announced on 25 October that power was back in the tunnel and the park was open as normal.
- Ride: about 30 minutes each way. Start at either end and go one way or return.
- Price: NT$150 one way, NT$250 return.
- Departures: from Badouzi at 10:00, 11:00, then hourly 13:00 to 17:00; from Shen'ao at 10:30, 11:30, then hourly 13:30 to 16:30. The 09:00 and 09:30 rides are for groups of 20 or more booked by phone.
- Booking: online on the official site, opening 30 days ahead at midnight. Both platforms also sell tickets. Check in 15 minutes before your ride.
- Kids: from age 3 or 90 centimeters, in their own seat, with an adult if under 12. The operator does not recommend it for people with limited mobility unless someone rides with them.
- Closures: the operator sets occasional closure days and stops for typhoons, so check its news page before you go.
- Until 4 December 2026: an autumn light show in the tunnel runs from 5 November to 4 December.
The Nanya Rock Formations (南雅奇岩)
Sandstone of the Dapu Formation, worn into odd shapes because its layers vary in hardness. Look for the ones called the ice cream rock, the bamboo shoot rock and the seal rock, and for patterns on the rock faces like tree rings. Open all year and free; it reopened on 28 October 2026 after the typhoon.
- Where: Provincial Highway 2 at about 81.9 km, Ruifang District.
- Getting there: bus 856 to Nanya Visitor Center (Nanxin Temple) (南雅旅遊服務中心(南新宮)), or Keelung Bus 791 or 886 to Nanya Nanxin Temple (南雅南新宮).
The Bitou Cape Trail (鼻頭角步道)
A boardwalk trail of about 3.5 kilometers over the cape beside Bitou Fishing Harbor, with views all round over the coast and the sea-carved rock. Allow two to three hours. The lighthouse section is closed because of falling rock, and the lighthouse itself is not open; the shoreline section is only open to academic or official visits by application. Open all year and free; it reopened on 25 October 2026.
- Where: beside Bitou Fishing Harbor, Provincial Highway 2 at about 84 km, Ruifang District.
- Getting there: bus 856, or Keelung Bus 791 or 886, to the Bitou Cape stop (鼻頭角).
Longdong (龍洞)
Just past Bitou, in Gongliao, the Longdong Rock Field (龍洞岩場) is the Scenic Area's best-known climbing crag: near-vertical cliffs of hard quartz sandstone about 50 million years old, which draw climbers from Taiwan and abroad. It is open all year and free, at Provincial Highway 2 around 85 km, by Hemei Elementary School; Keelung Bus 791 stops at Longdong, and bus 856 at Longdong Bay Ocean Park. This is for people who already climb.
The Scenic Area also lists summer water play at Longdong Bay Ocean Park (龍洞灣海洋公園), water activities at Longdong South Gate Ocean Park (龍洞南口海洋公園), and the Longdong Bay Cape Trail (龍洞灣岬步道) with a viewing platform. All three have been closed since 22 October 2026 until further notice after typhoon damage.
Timing tips
- Book the rail bike first. Then plan the coast around your ride time.
- Start early. Bus 856 is the backbone of the day, so check its times and leave margin to get back to a train.
- Mind the winter sea. From October to March the northeast monsoon often brings long, heavy waves, and the Scenic Area asks people to stay away from seaside activities then. Look at the rocks from a safe distance.
- Pair it. Bus 856 starts through Jiufen, so you can end the day there, or ride on to Fulong for the bike tunnel and the train home. → Jiufen · Fulong
Sources
Train times from Taiwan Railway's timetable search (Saturday 7 November 2026). The rail bike's route, fares, timetable, booking rules and history from its official site, its typhoon closures of 23 October and 24 October, its reopening notice of 25 October and its autumn light tunnel notice; Keelung Bus 791 and the Shen'ao Line trains from its transport page. Shen'ao Fishing Port from New Taipei City's Sea-Sky Walkway page. Elephant Trunk Rock from PTS (December 2023). Nanya, Bitou Cape, Longdong and bus 856 from the Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area (Nanya, Bitou Cape Trail, Longdong Rock Field, Longdong area, Golden Fulong Line), with closures from its typhoon update (30 October 2026). Checked October 2026.