Tamsui is a town set in marvelous scenery only 22 kilometers north of Taipei City , so travel there is very convenient. The scenic area is entered at Kuantu, where the picturesque road skirts mountains on one side and the river on the other. The profusion of marvelousgreen colors is matched by a perfect climate.The wonderful views prepare the visitors to shake off the dust of earthly civilization in slow stages, for common things sink out of sight and the visitor suddenly realizes the divine framework of creation.

The area is noted for the many historic sights and relics, the most famous being the acres of carpet-like grass that can be seen on the Far East's noted Tamsui Golf Course, and the long level stretches of sandy beaches and temperate water of the excellently equipped Shalun Ocean Beach. The tidal waters of the Tamsui River are also scenic, along with such man-made wonders as the towering red Fort Santo Domingo , the old Chinese fort built by the Dutch soldiers back in 17th century, and Tamsui's old temples, the Buddhist Lung-shan Temple , and the Taoist Matsu and Ancestor Temples . Then, there are the 'eight scenes' so famous in poems and in paintings: the mists on the Goddess of Mercy Mountain, the green slopes of the Tatun Mountain, the views of mountains in the distance, the wind soughing in the pines around the Martyrs Shrine, the gun emplacement in the setting sun, the island of egrets under a floating moon, a solitary sail in a misty rain shower, and the picturesque Fisherman's wharf showered in the glittering sunset. The scenes of Tamsui are enough to make foreign and native men and women compose songs and whistle tunes as they wander around; it makes people want to borrow a spot to compete with the sailors, set sail or drop a fishing line in the water. Tamsui is one of the best places to find peace of mind.