Keelung Tower Taiwan - Viewing Deck Guide + Photos 2024

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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.

Keelung Tower Taiwan - Observation Viewing Deck

Atop lies the huge Magpie Bridge which leads to the neighbouring Zhupu Altar (which is currently closed for refurbishment as of April 2024).

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. 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 2024:

view from Keelung Tower Taiwan - Observation Viewing Deck — *View from Keelung Tower*

Keelung’s newest attraction

New for 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).

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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)

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.

The Keelung Tower Cafe Book Zone on the fourth floor is open daily 10am to 10pm – opening times correct as of April 2024.

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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.

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Zhupu Altar (Main Altar)

Alas the Keelung Zhupu Altar (and its ‘ghost museum) was closed / boarded up for refurbishment on our visit in early 2024 – so this is one Keelung attraction we will try to revisit next time we are in Taiwan.

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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).

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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 opening times

Keelung Tower is open daily from 10am to 10pm, although the elevator and fourth floor closes every Monday.

The photo of the Keelung Tower opening times sign was taken in March 2024.

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.

KEELUNG

Keelung Tower Taiwan – Viewing Deck Guide + Photos 2024