Shenkeng (深坑) and Shiding (石碇) are neighboring districts of New Taipei City, in the hills just southeast of Taipei's Wenshan District. Shenkeng is known across Taiwan for tofu, and its old street is lined with tofu restaurants and stalls. Shiding, further up the Jingmei River valley, is a small mountain village with houses built out over the river and tea terraces in the hills around it. Both old streets are easy by bus from Muzha Station. The famous Thousand-Island Lake viewpoint is a different matter, and we explain why below.
- Where Shenkeng District and Shiding District, New Taipei City
- MRT Muzha Station (Brown Line, BR02) for buses to both; Taipei City Hall Station (Blue Line, BL18) for bus 912 to Shenkeng
- Bus 679 or 819 to Shenkeng; 666 to Shenkeng and Shiding
- Best for Tofu, old streets, river villages, tea hills
- Time A half day for Shenkeng, a full day with Shiding
How to get to Shenkeng and Shiding from Taipei
Bus to Shenkeng
New Taipei City's travel site lists several buses to Shenkeng from Taipei MRT stations. The easiest options:
- From Muzha Station (Brown Line, BR02): bus 679 or 819 to the Shenkeng (深坑) stop. On the timetables we checked, 679 runs from about 05:40 to 21:00 every day, and 819 from 06:00 to 22:00, roughly every 20 to 35 minutes on weekdays and about every 40 minutes at weekends. The Taiwan Tourist Shuttle 795 (Muzha to Pingxi) also stops in Shenkeng.
- From Taipei City Hall Station (Blue Line, BL18): bus 912 runs between City Hall and Shenkeng from 05:45 to 23:00, every 7 to 20 minutes on weekdays and every 15 to 20 minutes at weekends for most of the day.
Tap your EasyCard on all of them. Buses 660 and 949 also reach Shenkeng, but 660 runs only a handful of times on weekdays, so we would not plan around it.
Bus to Shiding
Bus 666 is the one that goes to Shiding Old Street. It starts at Jingfu Street in Jingmei, passes Muzha Station and Shenkeng, and continues up the valley to the Shiding (石碇) stop. It runs in three branches (to Wutuku, Huafan University and Huangdi Temple), and all three stop at Muzha Station, Shenkeng and Shiding. Together they run roughly every 20 to 60 minutes from early morning to the evening, less often at weekends and in the middle of the day. Check the 666 timetable on Taipei's bus information site before you go, and note the last bus back.
By car
For Shenkeng, take National Freeway 3 to the Shenkeng interchange. For Shiding, take National Freeway 5 to the Shiding interchange.
What to see in Shenkeng
Shenkeng Old Street (深坑老街)
About a century ago, tea from the Wenshan hills was gathered at a ferry landing on the Jingmei River here and shipped on toward Dadaocheng, and Shenkeng grew into a busy stop. Today the old street is best known as the "hometown of tofu". New Taipei City puts its reputation down to clear water and a traditional brine method, which gives the tofu its smoky flavor. Locals also count tea, bamboo shoots and black pork among Shenkeng's specialties. Look for the big old Bischofia tree (茄冬) at the entrance, which marks the start of the street.
- Where: Shenkeng Street (深坑街), Shenkeng District.
- Hours: shops roughly 09:00 to 21:00, by New Taipei City's listing. Many stalls keep their own hours.
- Getting there: bus 679, 819 or 666 from Muzha Station (Brown Line, BR02), or 912 from Taipei City Hall Station (Blue Line, BL18), to the Shenkeng (深坑) stop.
Good to know: weekends are the busiest time, so come on a weekday or early in the day if you can. → What to eat in Taipei, for stinky tofu and the other dishes to look for
Huang Family Yong'an Residence (深坑黃氏永安居)
Shenkeng still has several old courtyard houses built by its early settler families. The best known is the Huang family's Yong'an Residence, which New Taipei City counts among Taiwan's ten most famous historic homes. We could not confirm visiting hours from an official source, so treat it as a look from the outside unless you find it open.
What to see in Shiding
Shiding Old Street (石碇老街)
Shiding grew where two streams meet to form the Jingmei River, as a stop on the old Danlan trail between Taipei and Yilan. Land beside the stream was so narrow that people built their houses out over the riverbed on pillars, with the kitchen on the river side and the living room on the hill side. The covered passage between them became the shopping street. Wanshou Bridge (萬壽橋) splits it into a west street, the older part, once known for cloth dyeing and the tea trade, and an east street that boomed with coal mining. New Taipei City describes the east street as the last covered street of its kind in Taiwan.
At the end of the street is a blacksmith's forge that has been working for about a century. To eat, look for the old tofu shops, tofu ice and handmade mochi, and buy some local Baozhong tea (包種茶).
- Where: Shiding East Street (石碇東街), Shiding District.
- Getting there: bus 666 from Muzha Station (Brown Line, BR02) to the Shiding (石碇) stop.
Thousand-Island Lake (千島湖) and the tea terraces
Thousand-Island Lake is the name people give to a stretch of the Feitsui Reservoir (翡翠水庫) in Shiding's Yong'an area, where green hilltops rise out of the water like islands. The classic view is from the Cuilan Platform (翠嵐平台), a viewing deck on a private tea farm. Other viewpoints include Crocodile Island (鱷魚島) and Tushitou (土虱頭), and for a closer look at the tea terraces New Taipei City suggests Bagua Tea Garden (八卦茶園). The hills here grow Oriental Beauty and Baozhong tea. Viewing is free and open all year.
Without a car, this is the hard part of the trip. The viewpoints are on narrow, winding farm roads well away from Shiding Old Street, and bus 666 does not go there. Bus Green 12 (綠12) from Xindian Station (Green Line, G01) runs along the Beiyi Highway with stops such as Shisangu (十三股) and Yong'an Elementary School (永安國小), but it runs only about once an hour or less, and from the highway you still face a long walk up hill roads to the viewpoints. We could not find an official walking route, so for most visitors a car, a taxi or a tour is the realistic way to see the lake. Some viewpoints are on private farms or beside homes, so keep your voice down and be polite when you take photos.
A plan for both in one day
- Morning in Shiding. Take the MRT Brown Line to Muzha (BR02) and bus 666 up to Shiding. Walk the old street, cross Wanshou Bridge and find the forge.
- Lunch in Shenkeng. Take bus 666 back down the valley to the Shenkeng stop for a tofu lunch on the old street.
- Home. Bus 679 or 819 to Muzha Station, or 912 to Taipei City Hall Station (BL18).
Maokong, with its tea houses and gondola, is in the hills on the other side of Muzha, and makes a good alternative tea day inside the city. → Maokong Gondola and tea
Timing tips
- Go on a weekday if you can. Weekends bring the biggest crowds.
- Check the 666 times before you go up to Shiding, especially the last bus back.
- Bring cash for the stalls.
- Watch the weather. Heavy rain and typhoons can affect mountain roads. → Best time to visit Taipei
Sources
Bus lines to Shenkeng and Shiding, driving routes and the descriptions of both districts from New Taipei City's Shenkeng and Shiding travel page. Timetables, stops and hours for buses 679, 819, 912, 660, 666 and Green 12 from Taipei's bus information site. Shenkeng Old Street's history, tofu, specialties, tree, hours and the Yong'an Residence from New Taipei City's Shenkeng Old Street page. Shiding Old Street, its stilt houses, bridge, forge and food from its Shiding Old Street page. Thousand-Island Lake viewpoints, road conditions and etiquette from its Thousand-Island Lake page. Checked October 2026.