Danshui, Taiwan: Where Things Begin Again

Danshui (also known as Tamshui) bears few remnants of its stature as the largest port of Taiwan, but is still recognizable as a fishing town.

As the glazed orange sun creeps ever closer to the water’s edge at the horizon, one feels a sense of renewal. It is a reminder of things beautiful that too few get a chance to see. A reminder of the concept of continuity … that even though things end, there is a beginning again.

Although the beauty of Danshui (also known as Tamshui) has been known by the Taiwanese aborigines for over 400 years, only until the beginning of this century did the contrasting beauty of sunsets melting into the sea and villages along Datun Mountain become known to the modern world.

Located at the mouth of the Danshui River, the city of Danshui was settled by the Spanish in the early 17th century only to be turned over to the Dutch a little over a decade later. The Spanish settlement is symbolically remembered by Hongmao Castle (Fort San Domingo by the Spanish).

Referred to by locals as the “Spanish-made fortress,” Hongmao Castle would again be renamed by the Dutch as “Red Hair” or “Red Head,” as the structure’s red bricks are visible from afar.

Danshui eventually became a port city for trade. These days, Danshui bears few remnants of its stature as the largest port city of Taiwan, yet its recognition as a fishing town is visible at a glance.

There are two major elements to a traditional vacation—sights and shopping. The shopping district located along Old Street holds its framework of food, fun, and fashion.

Tourists and residents line both sides of Old Street, and whether it be traditional Taiwanese food, local pubs, arcades, or clothing, it can all be found right here.

The area is also known for its long ice cream cones that you can savor while strolling along the pier under the orange light of the setting sun.

If you see a chuckling crowd massed around a particular Turkish ice cream stand, stay awhile or purchase one yourself and share a laugh as the vendor plays tricks with your cone and sticky ice cream in the manner that a magician would with a coin in his fingers.

If you are lucky and the seller is in the right mood, he may accompany his performance by dancing enthusiastically to Turkish pop.

You can also look forward to various food experiences on the pier—at both higher-end restaurants (including a Caribbean-inspired place) and the usual Taiwanese night-market-type food stands where skewered meat and seafood can be found.

If you feel adventurous, you could walk up the hill from Old Street through the meanders of Danshui, doing your best to avoid mopeds and the dense crowd of students. You may stumble upon small temples or other interesting hidden locations.

Were you to spend a day in the area, take the ferry to the southern bank of the Danshui River into Bali District, where you can enjoy almost a mile (14 km) of waterfront biking and hiking—a great escape that is growing in popularity.

But of course, the sun must head for the horizon again, bringing an end to your tour through Danshui—only to begin again if you return.