# Zhonghe

Zhonghe or Jhonghe (中和區) is a district in New Taipei . It is a wide district that spans between Banqiao (板橋) on the west side and Yonghe (永和) on the north side.

## Get in
### By train

* Banqiao (Banciao) Railway Station (板橋車站) is a major transportation hub in Taipei County. This station connects the railways, Taipei MRT and Taiwan High Speed Rail. It also has local and inter-city bus stations. (Wunhua Road Sec. 1, Banqiao City)

### By MRT

* Zhonghe Line (中和線) 's station: Dingxi (Yonghe), Yongan Market, Jingan and Nanshijiao.

## Get around

* Use city buses $^{[formerlydeadlink]}$ .
* There is also a free shuttle bus from Banqiao Railway Station (板橋車站) that services Zhonghe Juguang Road (莒光路) West side of Zhonghe. It departs from Zhi-Chang Middle School (自強國中) and arrives at Banqiao Railway Station (板橋車站) stopping in a few places in between on Juguang Road (莒光路). The shuttle bus is small and its stop sign is entirely in Chinese. It departs from Ziqiang Middle School (自強國中) every half hour start 07:00 and ends at 21:30. It then departs from Banqiao Railway Station (板橋車站) (right across from Banciao City Bus Station on Xinfu Road (新府路) at every 40 of the hour. If you cannot read Chinese, this shuttle is not recommended.
* Taxis are widely available starting at NT$70.

## See

Zhonghe is a typical Taiwanese suburb with heavily congested roads and population.
From Nanshijiao MRT you can take a taxi to 烘爐地 (Hong Lu Di) where there's a huge god on the mountain side. It's about NT$150 from MRT exit 4. It's well worth the trip as there are great views over all of Taipei. From up there, you can also hike around and enjoy the forest on top of the hills.

### History & culture

* 25.005553121.477141 Tzu Chi Shuang Ho Jing Si Hall (慈濟雙和靜思堂), No. 41, Section 3, Zhongshan Road, ☏ +886 2 8228 1628. (updated Jun 2019)
* 25.004743121.478932 Kaizan Shrine (海山神社), ☏ +886 2 2248 2688. 6AM-8PM. (updated Jun 2019)

### Temples

* 24.971845121.4976333 Nanshan Fude Temple (南山福德宮), No. 160-1, Lane 399, Section 2, Xingnan Road, ☏ +886 2 2942 5277. An ornate temple complex that looks good during the day, or illuminated at night. (updated Jun 2019)
* 25.012622121.4824574 Pili Temple (霹靂宮), No. 52, Zhongban Road, ☏ +886 2 2222 0989. (updated Jun 2019)
* 24.98236121.492795 Zhonghe Yuantong Temple (新北市中和區圓通禪寺), No. 64, Lane 367, Yuantong Road, ☏ +886 2 2247 2350. (updated Jun 2019)
* 25.000587121.5012756 Zhonghe Guangji Temple (廣濟宮), No. 95, Zhonghe Road, ☏ +886 2 2249 9862. (updated Jun 2019)
* 25.001643121.5015787 Zhonghe Fuhe Temple (福和宮), No. 112, Guangfu Road, ☏ +886 2 2249 5338. (updated Jun 2019)

### Parks & nature

* 24.99816121.4802358 Jiasui Park (嘉穗公園), No. 2, Lane 9, Minli Street. (updated Jun 2019)
* 25.003399121.5141369 823 Memorial Park (八二三紀念公園), Chungho 6, Zhong'an Street. (updated Jun 2019)

## Do

There are a few live Blue-Claw Shrimp fishing places around. You basically turn up, rent a rod by the hour, fish shrimp out of a swimming pool sized pond and drink beer. Once you've finished fishing, you can take your catch to the large grills, skewer 'em live and watch them crack under the flames. Then pack on the salt, order some stir-fry vegetables and enjoy your meal.
There are a couple, but the best one is near Jing-An MRT. Turn right out of Exit one and follow the overpass down the main street. Keep going for 5–10 minutes until you get just past BanAn road intersection. Here you should see a blue shed like building with the shrimp fishing inside.
$^{[deadlink]}$ National Immigration Agency, 1F., No.135, Min’an Street (Take taxi from the Banqiao MRT - the nearest station to the agency), ☏ +886 2 8228-2090, fax: +886 2 82282687, +886 2 82282697, +886 2 82282658. M-F 09:00-17:00. Visa applications/extensions for foreign residents of New Taipei City should be made at this agency. (updated Dec 2017)
* 24.99291121.4886941 Zhonghe Sports Park (錦和運動公園), No. 350-1, Jinhe Road. (updated Jun 2019)

## Sleep

* 24.993799121.4845091 SLv Hotel (君迪商旅), No. 232, Section 1, Hecheng Road, ☏ +886-2-8221-3666. Is clean, reasonably priced and be sure to check out the music channel if you are not travelling with children.
* 24.994948121.48532 RSL Hotel Taipei Zhonghe (瓏山林台北中和飯店), No. 631 Zhongzheng Road, ☏ +886 2 2222 9999. An expensive but upscale hotel.
* 25.053942121.5133 Golden Hotel (金弘旅店), No. 316, Nanjing West Road, ☏ +886 2-2555-4038. 台北中和金采商旅
* 25.006321121.4879984 Merry Day Motel, No.487, Bannan Rd, ☏ +886 2 2222 6868. 中和美麗殿精品汽車旅館

## Connect

* Jhonghe City Office$^{[deadlink]}$ if you can read Chinese, the Chinese version $^{[deadlink]}$ provides more information