Yinhe Cave Temple is one of the most picturesque temples in Taiwan. It is built in a cave that is under a waterfall, and you can go inside, so the feeling (and the photos) are awesome. Just below the temple, you have some tables where you can have a picnic. Do not forget to enter the temple and follow the path behind the waterfall until you reach a viewpoint.
The trail that bears his name ( Yinhe Cave Trail ) is very short, it leaves from the Yinhe Road and there are stairs that in about 20-30min reach the temple. To get to the entrance of this path, you can do it in your own car, by taxi, or by metro + bus / taxi. If you want to go by public transport take the subway to Xindian station (green line). Here you can take bus GR12 to the Yinhedong stop, and then walk along the road for 20min to the trail entrance. But this path is not very beautiful, so we recommend you take a taxi directly at the exit of the subway station and tell the driver to take you directly to YingHe Cave Hiking Trail. It's about 10min and it will cost you about 150 NTD. Once you have seen the temple, you can undo the path or continue up the mountain and go through the forest to the Maokong gondola. If you go with children, we do not recommend this option, because it involves climbing many steps and it is very tiring. Going with children, the easiest thing is to go directly to the trail and return the same way.
But if you want to extend the day and spend more time away from home, then it is best to start doing the Maokong gondola, then do the 2km trail that takes you to the temple (it is 1h-1h30min), see the temple and go down the Yinhe Cave Trail to the road, where you can take a bus, taxi or Uber. We explain it step by step (in our app you have everything geolocated).
- Take the brown subway line to Taipei Zoo MRT Station.
- Exit at exit 2 and keep walking for about 300m to Taipei Zoo Gondola Station.
- If you have enough time, you can see the water fountains show, just behind the station. It is every hour from 09.00-18.00. It's not as pretty during the day as it is at night, but it can entertain children.
- At the gondola station, go upstairs and queue to board. You can pay with your Easy Card (120 NTD adults, 60 NTD children and free under 6 years). The long queue is to get on the wagons that have glass floors... the truth is that it's a bit dizzy, so we don't think it's worth it.
- Get off at Maokong Station (last stop). When you leave, you will see that there is a road that goes to the left, and another road to your right that goes from top to bottom. Follow it up past Maokong Tea House. When you reach the bend, you will see an old stone oven. Continue a little further and take the path that comes out to the left.
- This path quickly forks. Although it seems strange, take the one on the right that passes through a house. This whole part of the road is very ugly, but it will soon start to improve, and you will begin to pass through tea fields with beautiful views of the city and 101.
- Follow this path through the forest until you come to a fork, where there is a sign to the left that clearly says Yinhe Cave .
- Take that path, and a little while later you will start going down the stairs to the cave. If you have small children, you will need to hold their hand here.
- Visit the temple, go along the path that runs through the waterfall to a viewpoint and have a picnic in the gardens below the temple.
- To return, continue down the stairs of the Yinhe Cave Trail (there are signs for Yinhe Road). It is a half hour downhill next to the stream.
- Once you hit the road, you can call an Uber, or try to take a taxi that leaves other people. If you see that neither one nor the other passes, start down Yinhe road to the main road (20min). There you can take the GR12 bus that will leave you at the MRT Xindian station.
