Taiwan Hikes: Mt. Teapot, Mt Banping and Mt. Canguanliao with Panoramic Views of Mountain and Ocean. A Bonus Hike to Mt. Nanzilin

Before We Start:

This is a rewrite of an old post published on July 2, 2020. After hiking this trail again, I decide to rewrite it and give it a new URL. This trail is one of my pocket trails, whicn means those trails are easy to get there via public transport, and you’ve known those trails so well that you can just grab your backpack and go. Please note that those photos were taken on different days and that's why the weather conditions were different.

Mt. Teapot is named because it looks like a teapot from certain angles — Mt. Teapot, which looks exactly like a teapot without the handle.

About this Loop Hike: Mt. Teapot, Mt. Canguanliao and Mt. Banping, plus Mt. Nanzilin

Mt. Teapot is probably one of the most shared trails in Taiwan, locally or internationally. The striking views on the peak with the easy public transport make it popular among backpackers from other countries. Just Google Mt. Teapot and you will find a lot of posts.

One thing I love about this hike is there are many exits, entrances and different ways to enjoy. I've been here several times, and I still can find new things to explore. Moreover, you can also get to see different views in different weather or seasons. In autumn, silver grass covers all the mountains, and it is so mesmerizing to see the silver grass waves shining under the sun.

Silver grass blooming in autumn — Autumn is the perfect season to hike this trail and see the beautiful silver grass.

Furthermore, you can decide to take all the trails or just some of them. After the hike, there are other attractions within walking distance to visit.

Mt. Teapot, Mt. Banping, Mt. Canguanliao, and Mt. Nanziling — There are several old trees near the post office and you can sit on the bench next to the trees to enjoy the view.

If you’ve been hiking in Taiwan, you probably have heard of 10 Golden Ridgelines 黃金十稜 established by a famous hiker and author, Mr. Lin Tsung-sheng, and this list has become the goals for many hikers in Taiwan. Mt. Teapot, Mt. Canguanliao, Mt. Banping, and Mt. Nanzilin are all listed there.

When I was in college, there weren’t many tourists in Jiufeng and Jinguashih, and one of my favorite things was sitting at the bus stop watching the sunset. It's getting difficult to find a quiet time in Jiufeng and Jinguashih now, but sometimes I'm still lucky to catch a nostalgic glimpse of what it was like in the old days.

How to Get There

From Taipei MRT to Quanji Temple 勸濟堂:

There are several ways to get to the trail entrance. My favorite and recommended one is to take Keelung Bus 1062 from Exit 2 MRT Zhongxiao Fuxing Station, and get off at the last stop, Quanji Temple.

Hike starts from Quanji-Temple — Quanji Temple

When you arrive at Quanji Temple, you can get some water and go to the toilet before hiking. There are several shops near the temple, but they aren’t open yet if you get there early. So, please bring your trail food and lunch in advance.

From Taipei MRT to Gold Museum 黃金博物館:

Please note that Keelung Bus 1062 will also stop at Jingguashi or Gold Museum. There are toilets near Gold Museum, and you can also hike to Mt. Teapot from there.

From MRT Fuzhong Station 捷運府中站 to Gold Museum:

Take Bus 965

From Keelung Train Station to Gold Museum:

Take Bus 788.

From Rueifang Train Station to Gold Museum:

Take Bus 856.

Bus 856 also goes to Shueinandong (Shueinan Cave) 水湳洞 (where you can get close to Yingyang Sea 陰陽海), Bitou Cape 鼻頭角, Fulong Beach 福隆海水浴場 and Sandiaojiao Lighthouse (Magang) 三貂角燈塔 (馬崗).

Bitoujiao Valley Trail: the beautiful ridgeline — Bitou Cape Trail

From Taipei Train Station to Mt. Nanzilin 南子吝山:

Take Kingbus 1811 or Kingbus 1812 and get off at Nanya Nanxing Temple 南雅南新宮.

From Rueifang Train Station to Mt. Nanzilin:

Take Bus 856 or Bus 887 and get off at Nanya Nanxing Temple.

From Keelung Train Station to Mt. Nanzilin 南子吝山:

Take Bus 791 and get off at Nanya Nanxing Temple.

Peaks to Reach

Mt. Teapot, aka Cha Hu Shan: 茶壺山, 599 meters (1,065 feet). The full name of Mt. Teapot is Wu Er Cha Hu Shan 無耳茶壺山, Earless Tea Kettle, meaning a kettle without the handle (ear here means handle). From certain places, this mountain does look like a kettle without a handle. Great views on the top but getting inside and out of the cave can be dangerous.
Mt. Banping: 半平山/半屏山, 713 meters (2,339 feet). Mostly hike on the ridgeline with great views.
Mt. Canguanliao: 燦光寮山, 738 meters (2,421 feet). There is a Class 1 Triangulation Stone on the peak and the views there are amazing.

Mt. Nanzilin : 南子吝山, 196 meters (643 feet). If you go to Mt. Nanzilin, you can’t miss Mt. Nanzilin Southeast Peak, 南子吝山東南峰, 60 meters (197 feet). Those two are very easy to reach, and the trail is very short, only 2 km (1.24 miles). But the views on the tops are stunning.

See the map and itinerary first

Mt. Teapot: Easy to Get There but Scary to Get Out

GPS coordinates at Quanji Temple: 25.11063, 121.859658
GPS coordinates at Mt. Teapot trailhead: 25.108815, 121.866061
GPS coordinates of the trailhead near Gold Museum: 25.106738, 121.859866

I took a slow stroll here before it got crowded with tourists in February 2021, and this reminded me of why many people including myself love Jinguashih and Jiufeng so much. The old buildings, history and mountains make this place so unique.

Two Trailheads to Reach Mt. Teapot

The first option is you can start from Quanji Temple, take the road to the parking lot. If you take this one, you get to see Yingyang Sea very close and the views from the parking lot are great. Then you just follow the signs and stairs, and you will find the trailhead to Mt. Teapot.

The second one is you can visit Gold Museum first and then take the trailhead near the museum to Mt. Teapot. You will see a sign pointing the direction to Mt. Teapot. This trail is obvious, just endless stairs.

Then you will see a very curved road and just take the road up. Soon you will see a pavilion and the entrance to Mt. Teapot. The rest is the same.

But if you decide to visit Gold Museum before your hike, you may not have enough time to hike Mt. Banping and Mt. Canguanliao later. Gold Museum opens at 9:30 am.

Option One: Get Inside Mt. Teapot and It Can Be Dangerous

The front sections of the trail were mostly stone steps. After reaching a platform, the stone steps disappeared and were replaced by rock footpath. I went to the platform and saw a footpath extending from there. I took that one, but it was a deadend. The views at the end of the footpath were great.

When reaching last pavilion before Mt. Teapot, I took a break at the pavilion to catch my breath. Walking on endless stairs is still not my strong suit after hiking several years.

From the pavilion, Mt. Teapot looked like a pile of rocks. When you started climbing, it was indeed like rock climbing.

Finally reach Mt. Teapot — Heading to Mt. Teapot

When I hiked there in December 2019, there was only one way to climb Mt. Teapot, which was to get inside the cave. If you take this route, please be aware of the huge gaps inside the cave and it’s very dark to see where you are inside. A headlamp will help. Please also check the rope first. This was what I saw when I hiked there in 2019.

Watch out the worn out rope inside the cave — Check the rope first before you grab it.

I have to say when I was inside the cave, I got disoriented and I just followed the light to get out. Then, here came to the scary part. I had to lower my body weight and tried to move myself forward on the edge of this rock. There wasn’t enough space for me to stand straight and it was easy to bump your head against the rock, and I was so afraid that I would slip and fall to my death.

When I came out of the cave, this was what I saw.

Looking at Mt. Keelung from the cave of Mt. Teapot — This was what I saw when I was trying to get out of the cave.

Finally, when I got myself out of this rock to the other side, there was a steep slope waiting for me. But compared with the excitement caused by climbing inside out Mt. Teapot, this one was manageable.

Looking at Mt. Banping from the cave of Mt. Teapot — A big steep slope after getting out of Mt. Teapot

Option Two: Bypass Mt. Teapot and Take the Outer Edge Route, But Still Scary

When I decided to hike Mt. Teapot in February 2021 again, I checked the map online and saw there was a bypass. When I was standing before Mt. Teapot again, I did see two warning signs to reminds tourists about the potential risks of doing either route.

I took a look at the outer edge bypass, I told myself that this one wasn’t easy either. The footpath was very narrow and the consequence of lose your footing there could also be deadly.

I sucked it up and told myself to go. While on this bypass, I could see where I came from in Jinguashih and peaks on the trail to Mt. Keelung.

I was so glad that I took this one on a work day, otherwise it would be difficult to pass when people from both sides trying to take this route.

It took within a few minutes to get to the other side of Mt. Teapot, but I didn’t have to deal with the steep slope.

teapot Mt-Teapot bypass — The view after leaving the bypass

You Can Stop Before Mt. Teapot or Continue with Extra Caution

You don’t have to get inside Mt. Teapot or take the outer edge route, and just turn back to Quanji Temple from here. I guarantee you that the views alongside with this trail are already worth it. The distance of the round trip from Quanji Temple to Mt. Teapot and back to the temple is around 5 km (3.1 miles).

Stone steps finally turn to a rock trail — You can take the same way back after seeing Mt. Teapot without hiking to Mt. Banping.

Please note that there were several injuries and even deaths here, whether you hike with a group or alone. If you still want to try it, please take it slow and make sure you are safe before making the next move.

Mt. Banping: A Rock Ridgeline Hike with Panoramic Views of Northeastern Taiwan

GPS coordinates from the easy side of trailhead: 25.09627, 121.866867

After exiting Mt. Teapot, I continued the trail. The following trail was on the ridgeline. It can be very hot to hike especially after you climb up Mt. Banping ridge because there is no shade, and you are exposed under the sun.

Trail condition changes. — Trail terrain to Mt. Banping was more rugged from Mt. Teapot to its peak.

A Detour to A Tableland and the Chimneys Ridges But Not Recommended

On the way to Mt. Banping, you will see an entrance cutting through Niufu Ore Body 牛伏礦體, to Gold Tableland 黃金台, Gold Cave 黃金洞, and to Mt. Fuxing 復興山.

I took this trail twice and it was so slippery and steep. From this photo, you can see where we descended, where Gold Tableland was. You can see it’s a huge descending if you take this entrance to Gold Tableland.

This trail can also take you to hike the old chimneys left from the old mines. But I don’t encourage people to hike there, because there have been accidents like hikers falling off the edge of the chimneys. Those chimneys are old and fragile, too.

Looking at Mt. Nanzilin and Rueifang

If you visit Gold Museum, you will get some ideas about mines in Jinguashih and Jiufeng areas, or you can check out Foreigners in Taiwan’s post to know more about the history of the mining in Taiwan.

teapot-20-gold-ore — There were several huge gold ores on the trail near Gold Museum.

When I looked back at where I came from, I could see Gold Tableland and Mt. Nanzilin Southeast Peak from the ridge.

Not to mention the whole view of Rueifang area.

Looking back at where I was near Mt. Banping. Mt. Teapot and Mt. Keelung are in the distance. — More wonderful view.

The trail terrain on the ridge to Mt. Banping was more of a dirt trail, and steeper. You'll have to climb a little bit on some sections, but not too difficult.

Exciting Rock Ridgeline Hike and the Notorious Stegosaurus Ridge Hike

After a while, I reached the end of the ridgeline trail and had to climb up the rock. There were many small spaces carved by hikers to help you find your footing.

The slope to Mt. Banping wasn't too bad to climb. — There were holes carved on the rock wall for hikers to finding their footing.

When I reached the top of the rock, the view of Mt. Keelung and Mt. Teapot looked amazing through the opening.

This was also a fork to two different trails, the one toward the south was to Mt. Banping, and the other was to the notorious Jianlong Ridge or Stegosaurus Ridge 劍龍稜 . Pease note that usually, people don’t get to Stegosaurus Ridge from the top. It's better to climb up to this ridge from the entrance of Mt. Nanzilin, and I'll explain this later.

This way takes you to Jianlong or Stegosaurus Ridge 劍龍稜, but this is not for me. — If you take left, it will lead you to Stegosaurus Ridge.

Different Weathers, Different Amazing Views

As a person who has a decent fear of height, I never considered climbing Stegosaurus Ridge, and I didn’t plan to do it at that moment, either. But I was curious about what it looked like if I could just take a look at it from the above. So, I plucked up my courage to move myself a few meters toward the ridgeline.

However, the fear of height still got hold of me and I told myself at least I was closer to the scary ridge by a few meters. That was enough for today.

It was probably because of the scare caused by the thought of Stegosaurus Ridge, I found it scarier to hike on the rock ridge to Mt. Banping. I thought it was quite easy last time.

More steep slopes ahead — The slope to Mt. Banping was steep, too, but it wasn't too scary.

When I visited Mt. Banping in December 2019, I was very lucky to have a sunny weather. But it was gloomy when I hiked again in February 2021. However, the weather forecast said it would turn sunny around noon, and I was hoping it would be true. By the time I got to the ridgeline of Mt. Banping, it was around 11 am and things started to look good.

Suddenly, I realized that this would be a great opportunity to try out time-lapse videos, and I scrambled to get my selfie stick/tripod ready. It took me several trials and errors to finally get a decent video.

Mt. Banping Might Be the Easiest If You Take Another Trailhead

The rest of the trail was easy to hike and there were wooden steps that led to the trailhead and connected to the road. I think this might be the easiest section among my loop hike if you take this one to Mt. Banping.

Trail becomes easy after you reach the summit of Mt. Banping. — The trail terrain near the road was much easier to hike.

But if you choose to continue the hike, you will get to the entrance of Mt. Canguanliao right after Mt. Banping.

Another trailhead to Mt. Banping, the easier one. — Signs tell you where you can go.

Mt. Canguanliao: A Peak That Lets You See Mt. Nanhu 3,742 meters, Located at 90 km Away

GPS coordinates from the easy side of trailhead: 25.096079, 121.867199

Whether you hike fast or take your time to enjoy the spectacular views on Mt. Banping, it will be around time for lunch after you get to the entrance of Mt. Canguanliao.

The entrance to Mt. Canguanliao is right next to the one of Mt. Banping, but for some unknown reason I didn’t find it during my first solo try.

Looking back at the trailhead of Mt. Canguanliao — Look at Mt. Banping from the trail to Mt. Canguanliao

Some parts of this trail are rugged, and you have to climb up some rock slopes, but still manageable.

teapot-24-climbing-Canguanliao — More rock slopes on the way to Mt. Canguanliao

It took me around 25 minutes to reach the peak of Mt. Canguanliao. On the way to the peak, I used an app called PeakFinder, and I was delighted to find out that I could see as far as Mt. Xue Main Peak 雪山主峰, 3,886 meters (12,749 feet) and Mt. Nanhu 南湖大山, 3,742 meters (12,277 feet), which were 90 km (55.9 miles) away from Mt. Canguanliao.

There was a Class 1 Triangulation Stone on the peak, and the panoramic views of mountains and sea were stunning. I almost forgot it was cloudy when I arrived in Rueifang on that morning.

I Got the Peak to Myself

I can’t remember how many times I've been to Mt. Canguanliao peak, but I can remember I was very lucky to have a gorgeous weather when I was on the top. When you are on the top, you get to see the whole view of Rueifang: Shenao Bay 深澳灣, Mt. Keelung Main Peak and its East Peak, Mt. Banping, Mt. Cao 草山, Fulong Beach 福隆海水浴場, etc., the whole 360-degree view.

teapot-view-fulong-beach — Looking at Fulong Beach from Mt. Canguanliao

Usually, this place was packed with hikers taking all kinds of photos. Lucky for me, I was able to go on the weekdays on my both trips. It still took me a while to be left alone by other hikers. I sat there, quietly, absorbing the surroundings by myself.

Finally, when it was time to leave, I reluctantly pulled myself away from the spectacular views. You can take the same way back and connect to the road or take the other direction to the northwest like what I did.

One of the filming locations of movie Silence. — Took the other way to leave Mt. Canguanliao

The following train terrain was rugged as well, and it could be slippery sometimes. There were ropes on the trails to help you descend. Always proceed with caution.

The trail becomes muddy and slippery. — It can be slippery when descending from the other side of Mt. Canguanliao.

When the views opened up, there were paddy-field like layers on the hills. Those were left by the mining industry in the old days.

A Historical Site and Also Movie Scenes

One thing worth to mention is some scenes of Martin Scorsese’s historical drama, Silence, were shot here.

When I got out of the bushes and reached the grass slope, I could see Ganzidian Ruins 柑仔店, the ruins of the old grocery store, from the trail.

When you reach Ganzidian Ruins, you also have two options. The first one is getting back to Quanji Temple or Gold Museum. The second one is taking Canguanliao Old Trail. I took Canguanliao Old Trail before, and you can check out Taiwan Trails and Tales for the details about this wonderful trail that is full of history.

Turn this way and you will get to Canguanliao Historical Trail — If you take this direction, you will get to Canguanliao Trail (no peaks on this trail).

I took the road and got back to Gold Museum/Quanji Temple. There are several things to see after you finish your hike, and I will elaborate on Thoughts about this Hike section.

More attractions to visit after the hike — Signs telling you where to go

Mt. Nanzilin: A Short and Sweet Hike to See All Mentioned Above and the Scary Stegosaurus Ridge Nearby

After finishing Mt. Canguanliao, you can either take a bus or walk to the entrance of Mt. Keelung Main Peak if you still want to enjoy the trails.

However, if you really don’t want to spend that much time on the trail but still want to see the epic mountain and ocean views, the trail to Mt. Nanzilin is for you. The round trip of this trail is 2 km (1.24 miles), and you will get to visit 2 peaks: Mt. Nanzilin and Mt. Nanzilin Southeast Peak. The views on both peaks are stunning.

You will find toilets near the temple before your hike. This is a popular trail, and you can just follow the crowd and take the stairs up. There will be some dirt trail, but very mild uphill.

teapot look at Bitou-Cape from Nanzilin trail — Looking at Bitou Cape from Nanzilin Trail. The trail terrain isn't difficult.

This trail reminds me of Bitou Cape Trail, which is also short and easy to see the amazing northeastern coast of Taiwan. You will find chairs on the peak of Mt. Nanzilin, and you can sit there quietly (if it is possible to find an empty chair with the crowd around) to enjoy the epic views.

Bitoujiao: the beautiful valley trail on the ridgeline — You can also see Mt. Keelung, Mt. Teapot, Mt. Banping and other peaks from Bitou Cape Trail.

I was surprised to see that Mt. Banping looked so different from this perspective. I could also see the trail going through Niufu Ore Body and heading to Gold Cave and Mt. Fuxing. It felt so surreal when I was able to see those trails where I’ve hiked.

If you aim for Stegosaurus Ridge, this is also one of the entrances to this challenging sharp ridgeline hike. There is a fork to Stegosaurus Ridge, and you will find a warning sign. This is because there were too many people who are not fit enough or underestimate their fear of height and ended up asking for rescue.

Before you go, please do a thorough homework. The trail to Stegosaurus Ridge isn’t for anyone. I don’t plan to hike there, either.

Thoughts about This Hike:

Since there are so many trails around here, it’s difficult to for me to cover them all. Those mountains are just my personal favorites and where I keep coming back.

Cangualiao Historical Trail used to be the main transportation for military defense in the 19th century. — This one was taken on Canguanliao Trail, which is also part of famous Tamsui-Kavalan Historic Trails 淡蘭古道.

For more trips around here, please check out Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area Administration and Taiwan Trails and Tales to exlpore Tamsui-Kavalan Historic Trails.

To Canguanliao Historical Trail — The trails here are marked thoroughly and it's easy to find your way.

Dagui Waterfall (Big Ghost Waterfall), Xiaogui Waterfall (Little Ghost Waterfall) and Xiaozhuilu Trail

Other than those easy trails to hike, there’s another trail that like Stegosaurus Ridge hike that I don’t think I dare to try. That is Dagui Waterfall (Big Ghost Waterfall) 大鬼瀑布, Xiaogui Waterfall (Little Ghost Waterfall) 小鬼瀑布 and Xiaozhuilu Trail 小錐麓古道 (yes, another with the same name but different from the one in Hualien).

Dagui, Xiaogui, Liaogui Waterfalls and Xiaozhuilu Trail in Rueifang, Taipei. Photo by Acer Lee — The trail to explore Xiaogui, Dagui and Liaogui Waterfalls is another one that I don't dare to try. Photo by Acer Lee

This trail is also famous for river tracing and very popular in summer. My favorite hiking group, LOHAS had this trip before, but I was too scared to try because it was involved of steep slopes.

To get to those waterfalls, you have to hike along with the water hoses 水管路, which is so dangerous that hiking guides don’t think it’s for everyone. Acer Lee shot this video and he is very generous to let me use this clip.

Rueifang: Wonderful Place to Visit and Hike

There are so many wonderful trails in Rueifang and it can take years to hike them all. Without a doubt, Rueifang is my favorite place to go hiking. You can check out Reference to see more attractions to visit. But please also remember certain trails are dangerous and it’s always Okay to turn back if you don’t feel right.

If you get to visit here, please stay longer and I'm sure you won't regret.

Map and Itinerary

Group Hike or Solo Hike: Solo hike
Date of Hike: December 16, 2019

Route map for Mt-Teapot_Mt-Banping_Mt-Canguanliao by Anusha Lee on plotaroute.com

Click Menu in the map to download, print or share the map.
Click timer

to change the speed to meet your condition.
Note:
Due to GPS accuracy setting, there may be some difference between my GPS tracking and the exact distance.

Based on my hike on December 16, 2019

08:55 Arrived at Quanji Temple, went to the toilet, and got ready for the hike

09:14 Reached the trailhead of Mt. Teapot

09:30 Reached the first pavilion

09:41 Arrived at the observation platform and took photos

09:52 Reached the second pavilion before Mt. Teapot

10:00 Arrived at Mt. Teapot

10:07 Sat next to the triangle Rock after getting out of the cave in Mt. Teapot

10:13 Left Mt. Teapot and headed to Mt. Banping

10:18 Reached the fork to another trail

10:40 Reached the rock slope before Mt. Banping. Took a short break.

10:45 On the top of the rock slope, which was also the fork to Stegosaurus Ridge

11:00 Reached the peak of Mt. Banping and took photos

11:26 Reached another trailhead of Mt. Banping. Took a while to find the trailhead to Mt. Canguanliao

11:45 Lunch break

12:13 Headed to Mt. Canguanliao

12:30 Reached the rock slope

12:40 Reached the peak of Mt. Canguanliao, and Class 1 Triangulation Stone

13:00 Reached the dirt slope

13:16 Reached Ganzaidian Ruins

14:20 Got back to Quanji Temple

Total time: 5 hours 25 minutes, including breaks

Back to the peaks

Recommended Blogs and Resources:

Chinese only:
Mark Choo: 無耳茶壺山、半屏山、燦光寮山--無敵環線
Hiking Biji: 半平(屏)山登山步道
Hiking Biji: 無耳茶壺山步道
Waytogo: 燦光寮山
Waytogo: 燦光寮山
Tony Huang: 燦光寮山．半平山
Tony Huang: 金瓜石．茶壺山賞秋芒
Hiking Biji: Dagui and Xiaogui Waterfalls and Xiaozuilu Trail in Rueifang 瑞芳-大鬼瀑布、小鬼瀑布順走小錐麓古道O型路線

English posts:
BANPING SHAN AND TEAPOT MOUNTAIN LOOP （半屏山/無耳茶壺山O型)
TEAPOT MOUNTAIN (茶壺山)
Jiufeng Old Street 九份老街
Ruifang Old Street 瑞芳老街
Elephant Trunk Rock (Shen'ao) 象鼻岩(深奧)
Teapot Mountain (無耳茶壺山)
Tour Attractions from Gold Museum website

Mt. Teapot, Mt Banping and Mt. Canguanliao with Panoramic Views of Mountain and Ocean. A Bonus Hike to Mt. Nanzilin