Update – Keelung Tower is currently closed from April 2026 until Q4 2026 for “facility optimisation” and cleaning (not great for a relatively new attraction).
Keelung’s newest tourist attraction and top thing to do, Keelung Tower is a new addition to the iconic harbour skyline of Keelung offering up panoramic views of Keelung city plus the nearby hillside temples.
Officially opened in early 2024 with a limited trial opening in December 2023, Keelung Tower’s presence on the horizon isn’t hard to spot, given its bright orange colour and distinctive crane shape.
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Atop lies the huge Magpie Bridge which leads to the neighbouring Zhuputan Altar (which reopened in March 2026 after a long refurbishment programme).
Built as a nod to Keelung’s maritime past and significance as a trading port, Keelung Tower is a must visit when in the area. Keelung is easy to reach from New Taipei City by train or bus and has lots of things to do like the famous Keelung Night Market and the incredible Heping Island GeoPark.
We visited in March 2024, a couple of months after it was unveiled and opened to the public and again in March 2026 (just before it closes for several months). From the views at the top to opening times and the fourth floor bookshop and library, here is our ultimate guide to visiting Keelung Tower (Taiwan) in 2026.
This article was originally published on 7 April 2024.
Keelung accommodation
Hotel Drizzle
We stayed at Hotel Drizzle in March 2026 and it was such a lovely experience – it has cute design touches and corridor gallery spaces to the fact it is just a stone’s throw from Keelung Night Market in the Ren’ai District and not far from Keelung Tower.
Our room had a huge balcony overlooking the street and inside, it was a light, airy space with fun artwork on the walls plus a cosy lounge and sofa in front of our bed with a huge TV. We also really liked the DIY breakfast set and huge kitchen.
Check Hotel Drizzle rates on booking.com, agoda.com and expedia.com.
Keelung’s newest attraction
Newly opened in 2024, the 60 metre high Keelung Tower is a popular attraction for both curious locals and visitors to Taipei.
The 360 degree panoramic views at the top are one of the best lookouts and viewpoints in Keelung (and there are lots, especially from all the hillside temples).
However, unlike all the other Keelung view points, this one doesn’t need to be accessed by walking up steps or a steep hike – you can easily get a lift / elevator to the fourth floor Keelung Tower Cafe and Bookshop Zone or continue to the top floor 60 metres up to the rooftop area and Magpie Bridge.
From the top, you can also see the other new Keelung attraction, the Great Food Town Keelung food court and dining area overlooking the harbour (and popular with cruise ship visitors).
Great Food Town Keelung has multiple waterside restaurants and even a rooftop terrace and garden looking out over the ocean, with nightly VR evening shows (using an augmented reality app on your phone).
Great Food Town Keelung is also free to visit (and worth exploring just for the ocean terrace, even if you don’t want to dine).
Keelung Tower admission price
Amazingly, Keelung Tower is free to visit – there is no admission price / cost.
This also means you might have some spare money to spend in the Keelung Tower bookshop and cafe zone on level four – talk about incredible views with brews! More on the coffee-shop in a moment…
How to get to Keelung Tower
Keelung Tower is an easy and flat walk from all the major Keelung Port landmarks.
It is a 16 minute walk from Keelung Station or just over a 10 minute walk from Keelung Maritime Plaza and Keelung Night Market.
The train from Taipei Main Station to Keelung departs very regularly, and we also found that the buses from certain parts of downtown Taipei (such as Nanjing and Zhongshan) were almost just as quick way of getting to Keelung than the train.
So definitely check Google Maps or the official Go! Taipei Metro app to see which is the quickest and best route for you to Keelung if you are staying in Taipei.
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Arriving at Keelung Bridge Tower
The main entrance can be found on Yier Road, look for the yellow lit-up signpost outside directing you to the entrance lift which says ‘Keelung Tower’ and ‘Triangle Plaza’.
Another useful signpost is the statue of the Keelung character, a 6 foot cartoon style character with headphones, glasses and a backpack.
As the information panel at the entrance says, the entrance to the Keelung (Bridge) Tower is ‘hidden’ within Keelung’s alleyways and side-streets.
The intention is for the tower to serve as a vertical shortcut to bring visitors to the Keelung Hope Hills and Zhupu Altar, as well as other nearby landmarks like the Zhongzheng Park and the Big Buddha statue.
From the entrance gate, follow the two sets of outdoor steps up to the main entrance point and Keelung Tower elevator. Similarly, there are wheelchair accessible slopes all the way to the entrance, avoiding the stairs.
Staff are then on hand to guide you into the lift – we visited Keelung Tower one weekday just before sunset and didn’t have to queue. However, we did see lots of queuing barriers had been left out so it may get busy during weekends, public holidays and peak periods.
Alight at level 4 if you want to visit the cafe and bookstore at Keelung Tower or continue to the ‘Rooftop’ level (Rf) for the outdoor views and Keelung Magpie Bridge walkway, Zhupu Altar and House K cafe.
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Keelung Tower Cafe Book Store / zone (4F)
Update – even though Keelung Tower is now closed until Q4 2026, the cafe and exhibition space in level 4 remains open throughout.
The tower is home to one of the most unique and epic book-stores / library spaces we’ve experienced in Taiwan (and we KNOW Taiwan is famous for its beautiful bookstores like Eslite).
There are lots of lovely books available to borrow and read whilst sitting in bean bags and comfy seats, looking out at incredible views of Keelung plus the temples behind.
On our early evening visit, the bookstore and library was buzzing with families, all of whom were making great use of the fun seating areas and bay window lookouts – tourist information leaflets are also available.
Here you can find Keelung vegetarian cafe Milvus 鳶 at the rear of the library selling vegetarian dishes such as chickpea Buddha bowl, pesto mushroom Buddha Bowl or golden quinoa dishes (all NT$250).
The Keelung Tower Cafe Book Zone and Milvus 鳶 on the fourth floor is open daily 10am to 10pm except Mondays – opening times correct as of April 2026.
P.S Across the bridge outside, there is also a cafe called 崆House K located in a bunker like setting – quite quirky and also worth checking out (you can buy tea and vegetarian food sitting amongst Taiwanese plants and concrete circular walls)
Magpie Bridge
Keelung’s Magpie Bridge is the walkway between the top of Keelung Tower and the neighbouring shrines, temples and Hope Hill.
It can also be accessed in reverse from the Hope Hill, if you are approaching Keelung Tower from Zhongzheng Park and want to walk across Magpie Bridge to take the Keelung Tower elevator down.
The sunset views on Magpie Bridge are incredible and is a brilliant photo-spot, with Keelung Tower acting as a perfect backdrop.
Zhuputan Altar (Main Altar) – reopened March 2026
After several years of closure and renovations, the Keelung Zhuputan Altar (map) reopened in March 2026. The current Zhuputan was built in 1974 but before this, it has no fixed location and it was built out of wood every year and then torn down shortly after the annual Hungry Ghost Festivals.
In 1929, eleven local Zhupu clans established a Zhuputan Altar in another part of Keelung and subsequently damaged in an air-raid.
Famous for its annual midsummer Ghost Festival (which it is illuminated for and covered in lights), this is the most renowned cultural festival in Keelung – it also houses a museum (now reopened) dedicated to the Ghost Festival history.
The best time to visit Keelung Tower / Keelung at sunset
Keelung sunset views are some of the best panoramic city views in Taiwan, with the temples and shimmering waters reflecting golden rays as the sun sets in Keelung – it truly is a magical vantage point at any time of day (but especially at sunset or sunrise).
Often you can also see a large tourist cruise ships set sail as sunset (as we did, when we visited Keelung Tower in March 2024).
Zhongzheng Park / Keelung Guanyin & Big Buddha statues
Keelung Tower also offers up spectacular aerial views of nearby Zhongzheng Park and is towering Keelung Guanyin / Goddess statue – both are free to visit.
Incredibly, it is the biggest Goddess statue in Taiwan and the whole of Southeast Asia.
If you are visiting Keelung Tower and have made it to the top, be sure to follow the pathway across Magpie Bridge, turn left at Zhupu Altar and continue to the main road.
Take the steps through the trees all the way up to the Big Buddha Statue (complete with giant guarding dragons).
Keelung Tower 2026 opening times
2026 update – Keelung Tower is currently closed from April 2026 to Q4 2026 for repair work – the fourth floor cafe and library remain open though (open daily 10am to 10pm, closed Mondays).
Keelung Tower address
Keelung Tower, No. 128號, Yier Rd, Zhongzheng District, Keelung City, Taiwan 202
Other things to know
- There are free toilets on both the ground level and top floor (the latter are located just across Magpie Bridge, in the shadow of the Keelung Martyr’s Shrine).
- Scan the QR on the panels at the top of Keelung Tower to listen to ‘Keelung Roger Radio’ give you a self guided tour of the upper viewing deck and surrounding area.
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