Hsinchu (新竹 or Xin Zhu) is a city in the north-western part of Taiwan. Hsinchu is the oldest city in northern Taiwan.
Hsinchu is an old city, with a history more than 400 years. Due to the constant gusts of wind that blow in from the Taiwan Strait, Hsinchu is often referred to as the Windy City.
Hsinchu is famous for its two remarkable university such as National Chiao Tung University Hsinchu, and National Tsing Hua University Hsinchu.
How to get Hsinchu :
By plane :
The nearest airport is Taoyuan International Airport, which is about a thirty minute drive in the dead of night with no traffic and a speeding taxi driver. Safest to allow around an hour from Science Park or a little longer from down-town.
By bus :
From Taipei
The How-Tai Bus Company (豪泰客運) run a fast, cheap (NT$110), efficient and very comfortable (extra wide seats with personal video screens) service from Taipei to Hsinchu. In Taipei, the red buses depart every fifteen minutes from bay 22 at the Taipei Bus Terminal – also called Taipei Intercity Bus Terminal (See: Taipei ‘Get in’). From Hsinchu, the buses depart from next to the Hsinchu Railway Station (when exiting the station, the bus stop is a two minute walk to the left, just past the Hsinchu Bus Station), and makes a stop at the National Tsing Hua University bus station en-route to the freeway. NB: If your ticket is not collected before departure, hang on to it. It will need to be given to the driver when getting off. The journey takes between 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes.
From Taoyuan Taiwan Airport :
There are no direct buses from Taoyuan Taiwan Airport (Taipei International Airport) to Hsinchu, but the U-bus company offers a link, with passengers changing buses at the ‘Jhongli Transit Station’.
From Taichung :
Taichung Bus (台中客運) and Guoguang Bus (國光客運) connect Hsinchu to Taichung.
By train :
The TRA (or regular train) station is in the city centre and is a major stop on the main line between Taipei and Kaohsiung/Taichung. It costs from NT$114 to NT$180 for an adult and takes approximately one to two hours to get there from Taipei main station, depending upon the type of train you take.
The Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) has a Hsinchu stop located in the neighbouring city of [Chubei] (竹北; zhúbĕi) and is approximately 30 minutes by taxi from the city centre. The journey from Taipei takes approximately 30 minutes
Hsinchu Tourist attractions :
Visiting Hsinchu is not complete without visit its main attractions such as Eighteen Peaks Mountain, Glass Arts and Crafts Museum, Eastern Gate, Cheng Huang Temple. Temples are various in Hsinchu, and is the landmark of the city.
Hsinchu Nightlife
Hsinchu is not Taipei or Kaoshiung. We cannot compare their nightlife. But we can focus at Ming Zu Road, lane 33 (also known as Bar Street) for a good place to go and meet both local Taiwanese, Ex Pats, and travelers. Don’t miss the Red Bar and TJ’s, the Coach Pub and Pumpkin. Pumpkin has a kitchen and offers good tasting Thai food, they will also deliver to any of the other bars in the area.
Pig and Whistle is a pub-restaurant on the first floor and a dancing pub on the second. There’s a stage with bands playing on the weekend. That’s near the ambassador hotel, the highest building in Hsinchu.
Hsinchu Nightlife, Museum, and Temples Photos and Pictures :
A street in downtown Hsinchu. Hsinchu has a population about 404,109
City God Temple. Located on the corner of Zhongshan Road and Dongmen Street, is a typical Taoist temple with lots of colorful frescoes.
Eighteen Peaks is a brilliant getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city and an ideal place to stretch your legs. The park, composed of 18 hills and a number of walking trails, is at its best in March when the flowers are in bloom and is a very popular destination with locals and expats.
Cheng Huang Temple, or “City God” Temple of Hsinchu. It is regarded as the highest-ranking of all City God temples in Taiwan, due to the superior spiritual power of its City God in protecting the town. There is a night market in front of the temple, with a lot of small stalls selling Taiwanese snacks.
The most famous landmark in Hsinchu. Accordingly, Hsinchu residents refer to it as the “Mother of Hsinchu”, protecting the city and its people. This East Gate is the only gate left from the initial 4, for 4 directions: “Yi Suang” in the West, “Ying Xi” in the East, “Gexum” in the South, and “Gongcheng” in the North. However, the Japanese destroyed 3 of them in 1902 while building a new road system.
Glass and Crafts Museum, a gallery dedicated to Hsinchu’s long association with the craft of glass making. It is in the park directly behind the railway station.
Watch Hsinchu Science-Based Industrial Park
A day in the life of the Hsinchu Science-Based Industrial Park, often referred to as “Asia’s Silicon Valley”.
Home to over four hundred high-tech companies, the Science Park is the world’s center of semiconductor research, design and manufacture. Other well-represented industries include telecommunications, biotechnology and optoelectronics. Every day, thousands of managers, engineers and factory workers stream into the Park to play their part in creating the world’s IT infrastructure.
