The iron eggs are the color of dark leather, shrunken to half their original size, and so chewy they resist the teeth before yielding to a burst of spice. They have been stewed and air-dried repeatedly, a process that turns an ordinary egg into something dense and intensely flavored. You can buy them from Grandma's shop on Zhongzheng Road, the old street that runs through the heart of Tamsui, and eat them while watching the sun drop into the Taiwan Strait. This is what Tamsui does best: it feeds you, gives you a view, and wraps both in four centuries of layered history.
Long before the iron egg shops and the MRT station, Tamsui belonged to Formosan indigenous peoples. Then the Spanish arrived in 1629, establishing the town and mission of Santo Domingo at the mouth of the Tamsui River. The Dutch expelled them in 1641 and built Fort Anthonio, known today as Hongmao Castle -- the "Red Hair Castle," named for the Europeans' appearance. After the Dutch departed in 1661, Tamsui grew under Chinese settlement, and by the 19th century it had become the largest port in Taiwan. Tea, camphor, and sulfur flowed out through its harbor to the world. But geography betrayed the town: silt accumulated in the river, choking the port, and by the 20th century most shipping operations had moved north to Keelung. Tamsui's era as a trading hub was over.
What saved Tamsui from fading into obscurity was the Taipei MRT. The Red Line runs from the center of the capital to Tamsui Station at its northern terminus, a 40-minute ride that deposits city dwellers at the edge of the river. Tamsui is the only station on the system that uses its Taiwanese name in English announcements rather than the Mandarin transliteration "Danshui." Turn left out of the station, then right along the waterfront promenade, and you are in the heart of a district that has transformed itself from declining port to weekend escape. The Danhai Light Rail Transit extends the network further, connecting Fisherman's Wharf and the new town developments along the coast.
Tamsui's culinary identity is built on a handful of specialties, each one specific to this town. A-gei are cubes of deep-fried tofu stuffed with flavored crystal noodles and sealed with fish paste, served with a spicy dipping sauce. The original A-gei restaurant sits on Zhenli Street, the last shop on the right as you climb the steep, narrow lane. Tamsui fish balls are handmade spheres of fish paste filled with pork and garlic, served bobbing in a light broth. Fish crisps are airy, cracker-like snacks with a texture similar to shrimp chips. To wash it all down, there is sour plum drink -- salted pickled plums cooked in syrup -- and almond tea, which contains neither milk nor tea but is a warm, fragrant almond beverage. The food is inseparable from the place, and the place is inseparable from the walk along the river.
Tamsui's greatest attraction requires no ticket and no reservation. The waterfront faces west, directly toward the Taiwan Strait, and on clear evenings the sunset performance is the reason half of Taipei seems to be standing along the railing with a cup of coffee. You can take a ferry across the river to Bali, where bike rentals line the opposite shore and a riverside path stretches for kilometers. Or you can ride the bus to Fisherman's Wharf, where seasonal concerts and festivals fill the pier. Fort Santo Domingo and other colonial-era historical sites are open for a joint ticket of NT$80, but most close by five in the afternoon -- just in time to send you back to the waterfront for the main event. The sun goes down over the strait, the food vendors light their stalls, and Tamsui does what it has done since the port silted up: it gives people a reason to come to the river.
Located at 25.17°N, 121.43°E at the mouth of the Tamsui River where it meets the Taiwan Strait. The district is visible from the air as the urbanized area along the river's western bank, with Fisherman's Wharf extending into the strait to the north. Fort Santo Domingo (Hongmao Castle) sits on the hillside above the waterfront. Nearest major airport is Taipei Songshan (RCSS), approximately 18 km southeast. Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (RCTP) lies roughly 25 km south. Best viewed at 2,000-4,000 ft altitude following the Tamsui River northwest from Taipei to the coast.