A Quiet Morning at Zhinan Temple: Where We Ended Up

✧ Series Note – Taiwandering 2019 ✧
A third visit, a shared adventure—full of inspiration and discovery.
Thank you for reading and supporting my stories. ✨🇹🇼
📅 Travel Dates: November 1–4, 2019

🛕🐼 Roaming Through Zhinan Temple and Taipei Zoo

On Day 2 of our Taiwan adventure, we grabbed a quick breakfast—coffee and bread from 7-Eleven—before hopping on the MRT. From Taipei Main Station, we took the Red Line to Daan, then transferred to the Brown Line to reach Taipei Zoo Station, the gateway to our day’s journey—the final stop.

The Brown Line stretching below—tiny trains, big sense of movement.

Just a short walk away was the Maokong Gondola Station, where we boarded the Crystal Cabin (with glass floors!) toward Zhinan Temple Station. The ride offered sweeping views of Taipei and the lush mountains, a scenic escape from the city buzz.

From vouchers to real tickets—the adventure officially began.

The Maokong Gondola glides between four stops: Taipei Zoo, Taipei Zoo South, Zhinan Temple, and Maokong. Each one unveils something new—from leafy trails to serene temples. The gondola journey is a picturesque excursion across the mountains. It is a top spot for those who appreciate nature.

My very first cable car ride in Taiwan—and it started with a yes.

We boarded a Crystal Cabin, the ones with glass bottoms, and shared it with a cheerful Mandarin-speaking couple. Our stop: Zhinan Temple. As the gondola lifted us above the treetops, Taipei’s skyline danced beneath a blanket of greenery. The ascent alone felt like a prelude to peace.

🌸 A Pause at Zhinan Temple

Nestled into the hills of Houshan, Zhinan Temple is a Taoist retreat dedicated to Lü Dongbin, one of the Eight Immortals. The temple radiates calm and wisdom, perched quietly above the city like it’s watching Taipei breathe.

We didn’t plan for Zhinan Temple. We just followed curiosity—and sometimes, that’s where the quiet magic lives. 🌿

A calm morning at Zhinan Temple, where the noise quietly faded.

We didn’t plan for Zhinan Temple. We planned for Taipei Zoo only. And yet, curiosity—seeing the cable car—became the decision-maker. We agreed to ride it.

No destination in mind. No expectations. I didn’t realize it then, but this was one of the calmest moments of the trip.

I stood there longer than expected, quietly amazed by its beauty.

The peaceful aura made it easy to slow down—no rush, no noise, just mist, trees, and tradition.

Inside Zhinan Temple—soft light, incense, and stillness.

Every corner revealed an intricate design worth pausing for.

Traveling isn’t always about carefully planned itineraries. Sometimes, it begins with a simple yes—like stepping into a cable car with no destination in mind, trusting the moment instead of the map.

Zhinan Temple—beautiful, peaceful, and unexpectedly unforgettable.

And somewhere between moving forward and letting go, the journey quietly takes you exactly where you need to be. That day, I didn’t choose the destination—the journey chose me.