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Maokong in Muzha, Taipei Zoo


Mao Kong (貓空)



Maokong is located in the southwest of Getou Mountain in Wenshan District of Taipei outskirts. It is said that tea farmers from southern China came here to open teahouses in the past. Later, the teahouses declined and customers stopped coming. The domesticated cats ran away and thus the place was called “Maokong”.

Taipei Tea Promotion Center for Muzha Tieguanyin (木柵鐵觀音) and Wenshan Baozhong (文山包種茶). There is a guided tour which is free – where you will understand more about how tea is grown. The tea is really cheap here so buy some home!


The Maokong Gondola (貓空纜車) is a four kilometer long cable car system in the mountains south of Taipei. It runs between the Taipei Zoo and Maokong with intermediate stops at the Taipei Zoo (inside station) and Zhinan Temple (指南宮).

You can take a short ride on the gondola to visit the Taipei Zoo or you can go further to Zhinan Temple and Maokong. There are hiking trails further up into the mountains from both these places. Maokong is famous as a tea growing area and has many tea houses where you can drink tea and enjoy the views of Taipei.

The Taipei Zoo Gondola Station is located about 300 meters from the Taipei Zoo MRT Station. Tickets cost NT$30, 40 or 50 depending on the number of stations. The system is operated by the Taipei MRT and you can use the Easy Card (悠遊卡) to pay the fare or purchase tickets in the stations. The gondola has proved very popular so expect long queues on the weekends.

The Gondola is closed for maintenance every Monday. This was because of numerous problems with the operations since the official opening (Taipei Times, 26 July 2007). The hours of operation are 9:00 am to 9:00 pm from Tuesday to Thursday, 9:00am to 10:00pm on Friday, 8:30 am to 10:00 pm on Saturday and national holidays and 8:30am to 9:00pm on Sunday.



1. By Taipei MRT
Take the Wenhu Line of Taipei Metro to the Taipei Zoo Station and then walk to the Maokong Gondola Taipei Zoo Station (about 350 meters). A detailed route map is available.
2. By Bus
Take Bus 236, 237, 282, 294, 295, 611, 676, 679, S12, Brown 3, Brown 6, Brown 11, Brown 15, Brown 18, Green 1, 1501, 1073, 1558, 1503 (except holidays) or Maokong Tour Bus Left Line to the Maokong Gondola Taipei Zoo Station or Metro Taipei Zoo Station and then walk to the Maokong Gondola Taipei Zoo Station. A detailed route map is available.


Maokong Tour Bus

Bus Route of the Maokong Tour Bus (Right Line)
Right Line: Maokong Gondola Maokong Station → Tianliao Bridge → Zhanghu →Zhangshan Temple → Xinghua Forest → Teapot Museum → Zhanghu Walkway → Sanxuan Temple (circulator service)
Frequency
Weekdays every 10-15 minutes (off peak hour 15-20 minutes); Weekends and holidays every 7-10 minutes (off peak hour 10-15 minutes)
Business Hours
Mon-Fri, 09:00-22:30; Weekends and Holidays, 08:30-22:30
Rates
Single-fare ticket
Bus Route of the Maokong Tour Bus (Left Line, Zhinan Temple)
Left Line (Zhinan Temple): Tea Promotion Center Parking Lot → Maokong → Pavilion → Yuanshan → Caonan → Maokong Gondola Zhinan Temple Station
Frequency
Regular Interval
Business Hours
Mon-Fri, 09:00-20:00; Weekends and Holidays, 08:00-20:20
Rates
Single-fare ticket
Bus Route of the Maokong Tour Bus (Left Line, Taipei Zoo)
Left Line (Taipei Zoo): Maokong Gondola Maokong Station → Tianen Temple → Tea Promotion Center → Tea Promotion Center Parking Lot → Maokong → Pavilion → Yuanshan → Caonan → Shuigangqin Community → Pei-cheng Junior High School → Xiaokengkou → NCCU → Wanxing Library → Dacheng High School → Wanshou Bridge → Maokong Gondola Taipei Zoo Station → MRT Taipei Zoo Station
Frequency
Regular Interval
Business Hours
Mon-Fri, 10:25-20:25; Weekends and Holidays, 10:25-24:10
Rates
Single-fare ticket


Maokong Gondola Taipei Zoo Station's Visitor Center
 
Service Hour:
Monday: Closed
Tuesday to Friday: 09:00~21:00
Saturday to Sunday: 08:30~21:00
Telephone:
886-2-86617627


Maokong Gondola Maokong Station's Visitor Center
 
Service Hour:
Monday: Closed
Tuesday to Friday: 09:00~18:00
Saturday to Sunday: 08:30~20:00
Telephone:
886-2-29378563


 

Tea Promotion Center
Address: No. 8-2, Lane 40, Sec. 3, Zhinan Rd., Wenshan Dist., Taipei City
Tel: 886-2-22340568
Fax: 886-2-22340569
Hours of Operation: Daily 09:00-17:00 closed on Mondays.

The center’s full name is the Taipei Tieguanyin and Paochung Tea Promotion Center. Opened in April 1985, it was originally called the Taipei Muzha Tieguanyin and Paochung Tea Promotion Center and changed its name in 1999.

The center includes an exhibition area, an educational area, an outdoor teaching area, an ecological pond, a weather observation platform, an artificial erosion trough and a tea plantation.

The exhibition area of the museum explains the production process of Muzha Tieguanyin as well as Nangang Paochung tea, showing how teas are tasted, brewed and preserved as well as the health benefits of drinking tea. There are also displays of different types of tea and diagrams of tea distribution around Taipei. 



Loving Maokong (Drink tea at rustic teahouses and savor the starry, starry night and Taipei twinkling lights)

14:00 from MRT Taipei Zoo Station→(Public bus approx. 30 minutes) → Tea Promotion Center stop: Getting to know Maokong with 〝Pothole Touring〞→Blue Zone teahouses for tea drinking→(Walk approx. 30 minutes)→Head to Degaoling to enjoy the starry sky→Maokong Gondola Maokong Station→(Maokong Gondola approx. 20 minutes)→ Maokong Gondola Taipei Zoo Station: Enjoy music and water dance → Return to Taipei downtown 




Maokong area has been divided into three excursion areas: The Red Zone, the Blue Zone, and the Yellow Zone.

The Red Zone boasts cultural and historical highlights that focus on the historical development of Taiwan’s local tea culture, with visits to attractions such as Three Stone Teapot Museum. The Blue Zone focuses on eco-tourism; visitors explore the potholes and other features of Maokong’s ecological landscape. The Yellow Zone (nearest to Maokong Station) focuses on scenic sightseeing, which include a bird’s-eye view of the Taipei Basin. 


The Red Zone is primarily located in the Zhanghu area. It comprises many unique tea houses and landscapes, three trails including Zhanghu, Camphor trees and Flying Dragon, the Tea Master Chang Nai-Miao Memorial Hall which hosts a wealth of tea industry culture and history, Three Stones Tea and Teapot Museum, the important Maokong art town at the U-Theatre Sacred Drummer in Lao-Quan village and the distant Zhangshan Temple in Taipei basin.

Maokong Gondola Station
----->Liou Ji Siang Tea House (enjoy Teikuanyin tea and tea farm landscape)
----->Tea Master Chang Nai-Miao Memorial Hall( learn about the culture of tea industry, about 30 minutes)
----->Zhanghu Trail (hike for about 1 hour)
----->Zizaitian Tea House (enjoy lunch, 1 hour)
----->Apricot Blossom Forest (experience making tea specimen, about 40 minutes)
----->Zhangshan Temple (view distant Taipei basin, temple culture, about 15 minutes)
----->return to Maokong Gondola Station.


The yellow zone of Maokong is located at Shipokeng with Maokong Gondola MRT Station in the center. After existing from the MRT Station, walk along Lane 38, Section 3, Zhinan Road. There are special tea houses everywhere. Spacious views can be viewed from the tea houses.

Maokong Gondola MRT Station
----->Station Square (Appreciate the design and take a rest, 15 minutes)
----->Tea Promotion Center (Learn about the history and culture of tea, 30 minutes)
----->A-Yi Master’s Dachahu Restaurant (Dinner, 1 hour)
----->Appreciate the night scenery of the Taipei Basin
----->Return happily at Maokong Gondola MRT Station


Drink
  • Yao Yue Teahouse (邀月茶坊), 6, Lane 40, Zhinan Road, Sec 3, 2939-2025, . Offers creative tea cuisine with restful views over the surrounding countryside. Open 24 Hours.
  • Yuan Xu Yuan Teahouse (緣續緣茶坊), 16-2, Lane 38, Zhinan Road, Sec 3, 2936-7089. Offers spectacular views of Taipei on a clear day. Specialties include Osmanthus Tieguanyin Tea (桂花鐵觀音) and tea cuisine.
  • Xing Hua Lin Teahouse (杏花林茶坊), 30, Lane 45, Laoquan Street, 2936-9367. Estimated best time for apricot blossom viewing – February to March. The best time for viewing varies according to the weather conditions.


 

 

Taipei Zoo, sometimes referred to as the "Muzha Zoo" (木柵動物園)

Opening Times
  • Open year round ever day (except for Chinese New Year's eve, 30 January 2014).
  • Zoo Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (no entry after 4:00 p.m.)
  • Animals Exhibit: 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (indoor and outdoor exhibits)

Exhibits Closed
Our "Indoor Exhibits" are closed on Monday by turns, please check before visiting...

Entrance Fees
  • Adults: NT$ 60
  • Discount Prices: NT$ 30 (Children aged between 6-12)

Internal Shuttle Train
  • Single Ride: NT$ 5 (exact change).
  • Operating Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • Shuttle Train Route: Main Shuttle Train Station ←→ Bird World Station
  • Main Shuttle Train Station is located beside the Koala House.
 

Half-Day Tour Suggestion
  • Encountering Formosan Animals Tour
    Enter the Zoo and turn right → Formosan Animal Area → Insectarium → Education Center → Panda House → Asian Tropical Rainforest Animal Area → Children's Zoo → Thank you, come again!
  • Discovering Tropical Rainforest Tour
    Enter and turn left → Panda House → Asian Tropical Rainforest Animal Area → Desert/Australian Animal Area → African Animal Area → Bird World (Temporarily closed before October, 2013) → Thank you, come again!
  • Uncovering Antarctic Penguins
    Enter and take the shuttle train → Bird World Station (Bird World is temporarily closed before October, 2013) → Amphibian and Reptile House → Penguin House → Temperate Zone Animal Area → African Animal Area → Bird World → Water Garden → Panda House → Thank you, come again!

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