jiufen guided tour

Jiufen Old Street: A 2024 Guide to this Classic Taipei Day Trip

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Jiufen (九份 or Jioufen), a mountaintop former gold mining town in New Taipei City on the northeast coast of Taiwan , is one of the most popular day trips from Taipei .

Visitors and people who live in Taipei flock to Jiufen Old Street because it encapsulates the best of Taiwan in one small package: rich history, atmospheric lanes and teahouses, breathtaking views, and distinctly Taiwanese snacks at every turn. If you’re planning a trip to the country, chances are you’ve already got Jiufen Old Street on your Taiwan travel itinerary .

Below I’m going to share everything you need to know for planning a day trip trip to Jiufen based on multiple trips I’ve made there in the last 10 years, including things to do in Jiufen, what to eat in Jiufen, the best Jiufen teahouses, where to stay in Jiufen if you decide to spend the night, and things to do in Jinguashi nearby.

If you’re new to Taiwan, also check out my Taiwan travel guide !

Table of Contents

Jiufen Essentials

• Find all the transportation info in my guide to getting to Jiufen .
• Jiufen Old Street is a tourist magnet. It gets ridiculously crowded every day of the year. The best time to visit is from 10 AM (when most things open) till around noon . In the afternoon, crowds reach their peak, then taper off in the early evening. The lanterns come on from around sunset till about 9 PM.
• There are lots of stairs in Jiufen! For visitors with kids, elderly, or bad knees, ask your taxi or private driver to drop you off at the top of the Old Street instead of the bottom, where most people start. Then you can just walk down as far as you want into the Old Street or have the driver pick you up at the bottom.
• It is easy to combine a Jiufen day trip with a visit to a few of the following: Jinguashi Gold Ecological Park, Golden Waterdall, Shifen Waterfall, or Houtong Cat Village . Another option is to visit the incredible Keelung Night Market in Keelung city after Jiufen.
• There are some really good deals on organized day trips to Jiufen and other sights in the area, such as this one , this one , and this one on Klook, and this one and this one on Kkday.
• You can also get to Jiufen by riding a tourist shuttle bus , which is free for Taipei Unlimited Fun Pass holders. You can buy the pass here on Klook or here on KKday .
• Yet another option is to hire a private driver for the day, such as here or here .
• Find out the best time to visit Taipei & Jiufen , and plan your Taipei trip by consulting my Taipei 5 day itinerary .

Where to Stay in Jiufen

While most people do Jiufen as a day trip from Taipei, spending the night offers you the chance to enjoy the streets before and after all the tourists arrive. Also, seeing the view from your Jiufen accommodation or a teahouse at night when the lights in town and along the road light up is breathtaking.

Below are some of my recommended hotels and hostels in Jiufen:

For budget travelers, try On My Way Jiufen Hostel (see on Agoda / Booking / Klook / Tripadvisor ). Mid-range options with the choice of cheaper rooms or rooms with views include Dosun (see on Agoda / Booking / Klook / TripAdvisor ) and OwlStay (see on Agoda / Booking / Klook ). For something a luxurious stay in Jiufen, the rooms at Something Easy Inn (see on Agoda / Booking / Klook / TripAdvisor ) have unbeatable views, even from the en suite bath tubs. This is one of the best hotels in Jiufen. Prepare for a bit of a walk to get up there. If you don’t want to carry your luggage uphill, try Sunshine B&B (see on Agoda / Booking / Klook / TripAdvisor ), which is right by the Jiufen Old Street bus stop.

Was Jiufen Really the Inspiration for Miyazaki’s Spirited Away?

In nearly every article about Jiufen ever written, it is said that the Taiwanese town was the inspiration for Spirited Away , a Japanese animated film by Hayao Miyazaki about a girl who gets lost from her parents and works in a bathhouse for the kami (spirits).

Today in Jiufen you can buy all kinds of Spirited Away souvenirs and paintings, and nobody can deny that Jiufen’s narrow staircases with red lanterns and especially Amei Teahouse look straight out of Spirited Away .

In this interview with Miyazaki , as reported in the Taiwanese news, Miyazaki directly states that Jiufen was NOT the inspiration for Spirited Away . Rather, it was Dōgo Onsen in Matsuyama, Shikoku, Japan than inspired it. The Jiufen myth has been propagated by so many bloggers, writers, and businesses, however, that Jiufen and Spirited Away are now tied, despite the falsity of these claims.

See more details on this debate in the Reddit discussion below the video in the above link.

There’s another place in Taiwan that I personally think also looks particularly reminiscent of Spirited Away . Read my guide to Beitou Hot Springs in Taipei to find out where it is!

A Brief History of Jiufen

In the Qing Dynasty (1636-1911), Jiufen was a tiny, isolated village with nine families, who would request jiu fen (九分) or “nine portions” when ships arrived.

Gold was discovered in the area in the 1890s, resulting in a gold rush, and Jiufen developed as a gold boomtown. Jiufen reached its peak during the Japanese colonial occupation of Taiwan (1895-1945).

The town’s layout was dense, with building practically built on top of one another. Many Japanese inns from that era survive today. During WWII, the town was used as a POW camp, and after the war the gold industry declined, with the mine totally closed in 1971.

Nearby Jinguashi suffered the same fate as Jiufen, and today is the site of the Gold Ecological Park , commonly visited in combination with Jiufen.

Jiufen’s revival came in 1989, when the Taiwanese film A City of Sadness , set in Jiufen, received international acclaim. This initiated a domestic and later international tourism boom that saw the city redevelop into the tourism center that it is today.

Jiufen only seems to get more and more popular every year. It has been promoted heavily in Japan, Taiwanese people love going there on the weekend, and it is one of the top day trips from Taipei for international tourists.

If you are interested in Japanese-era architecture in Taiwan, you can find information about other Japanese buildings in Taiwan in my guides to the best temples in Taipei , historic Dihua Street in Taipei , and places to visit in Taichung .

For more fun day trip ideas from Taipei, see my guides to Jiaoxi Hot Spring in Yilan , Wulai Hot Spring , the best Taipei beaches , and the best theme parks around Taipei .

Things to Do in Jiufen

Here’s a detailed list of what to do in Jiufen during your visit. Spots 8-10 are in nearby Jinguashi, a 10-minute ride past Jiufen by bus. You only need about 2 hours to cover the Jiufen attractions, including stopping for food and tea, but you can easily double that if you add Jinguashi.

Explore Jiufen Old Street

The main reason people come to Jiufen is to explore the highly atmospheric Jiufen Old Street (Jishan Street or 基山街). The old street begins beside the 7-Eleven near the Jiufen Old Street bus stop, and meanders uphill, which numerous lanes and staircases branching off from it.

You could walk all the way up to the top of the village and back down in about 30 minutes, but most people spend a couple hours here, including some shopping, photo taking, snacks, and stopping somewhere for lunch or tea.

The old street is very touristy but still has a lot of charm. Don’t miss the staircase that leads from the Old Street down to Amei Teahouse and Shengping Theater, probably the most beautiful section.

The tourist section of the Old Street ends around Jishan Street Viewing Platform (基山街觀景臺). After that, the road leads to a collection of hillside houses that has a more local feel, where a temple, several guesthouses, and a very traditional teahouse are located.

Enjoy a Tea Set at Amei Teahouse

Amei Teahouse (阿妹茶樓, open 10 a.m to 9:30 p.m.) is the most iconic building in Jiufen, and the one everyone especially thinks looks like Spirited Away . You can find lots of Spirited Away souvenirs on the staircase leading up (or down) to it.

This beautiful wooden building once housed the only blacksmith in Jiufen, and it has been beautifully preserved and maintained.

Amei Teahouse is EXTREMELY popular. If you come during the afternoon, when Jiufen crowds reach their peak, it could be a long way. It is no longer possible to pre-order your tea set online.

I went quite early when I visited (around 9 a.m. on a weekday), and I was able to walk in and get a seat. If you come for a cocktail or dessert, you’ll be sent to the second floor, while tea drinkers get the best view on the top floor.

For the tea set, you only need to choose between hot or iced tea. Each set comes with four little treats: brown sugar mochi, green bean cake, sesame crackers, and sweet plums.

The tea is served in the traditional kung-fu style, and the waiter gave me a thorough demonstration on how to do it and speaks perfect English. The tea is high mountain tea (see my guide to Taiwan’s teas ) and they provide enough to make many pots of it.

To take the classic picture of Amei Teahouse , go up the stairs of Skyline Tea House (海悅樓觀景茶坊). It’s very obvious which one it is when you get there; it’s right across from Amei. The view is especially nice in the evening, when all the lights and lanterns come on.

For the best shots, try to get a seat in one of the upper floors of that teahouse. However, because of this, the line for a spot in Skyline Tea House can be just as long or even longer than the one for Amei Teahouse!

Give some Love to Other Jiufen Teahouses

Even if you don’t get into Amei Teahouse (or feel you don’t have to go there), there are many other great teahouses in Jiufen to choose from.

Jiufen Teahouse (九份茶坊, 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.) is the best choice for those who want a variety of fine local tea choices and don’t care about having a view. The building’s traditional interior is especially lovely. Each person pays a water fee of TWD100, then a packet of tea ranges from NT600-1200. Don’t miss the oolong tea cheesecake!

Taiwan Sweet Potato Teahouse (芋仔蕃薯茶坊, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.) just uphill from Amei Teahouse, is a decent alternative to Amei. You have to enter through a stone tunnel from the street that miners once used to get to the Jiufen mine, which is pretty surreal!

Another Amei alternative right beside it is Skyline Tea House (海悅樓觀景茶坊, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.), which is where you can take the best photos of Amei Teahouse from. You are more likely to get a seat with a view here than at Amei (or any seat at all).

Further up the Jiufen Old Street from the staircase down to Amei, there is a section with several quieter teahouses that all have great views. Try Forgetful House (忘情小築), Ocean See (九份觀海樓民宿), or Shan Cheng Creation House/Something Easy (九份山城逸境民宿), a pottery shop with a tea room on the third floor.

If you walk all the way to the local community at the end of the road, there is a very traditional and rustic looking teashop called Tree Grove (樹窟奇木樓).

Go Back in Time at Shengping Theater

Shengping Theater (昇平戲院, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., to 6:00 p.m. on weekends, free entry) is a handsome theater dating to 1934, when Jiufen was prosperous. It was built with Taiwanese cypress (hinoki) in the imitation Baroque style popular in Japan at the time.

Inside, you can see old movie posters, a well-preserved concession stand, and an old movie projector. The square in front of the theater was once a bustling social center and marketplace in Jiufen.

The theater is located on Qingbian street (輕便路), an atmospheric lane running between the main highway and Jiufen Old Street. The easiest way to get there is to walk up the staircase from the Jiufen Police Station (九份派出所) bus stop, or down the staircase from Jiufen Old Street and go past Amei Teahouse.

Rent a Qipao for Your Photos

Visitors to Japan love renting kimonos and yukatas for their visit; now the thing to do in Taiwan is to rent a traditional Chinese qipao (sometimes spelled chipao in Taiwan) to stroll around and take photos. The easiest way to do this is to rent a qipao here .

Jiufen’s atmospheric old streets, hanging red lanterns, and Japanese-era architecture are the perfect backdrop for taking some photos in costume. Also, imagine the feeling of dressing up to visit one of Jiufen’s traditional teashops just like locals did 100 years ago!

If you’re wondering what the locals may think, there’s no need to worry. None of them will take offense, and Taiwanese love renting kimonos when they travel to Japan.

Another popular place in Taiwan to rent a qipao is historic Dadaocheng in Taipei . Find even more in my guide to wearing qipaos in Taiwan .

Shopping on the Old Street

While entirely aimed at tourists, Jiufen Old Street is nonetheless a great place to pick up some typical Taiwanese products and souvenirs.

Some of the most popular items sold on Jiufen Old Street include tea, various cakes and desserts, Spirited Away and Totoro items, traditional whistles, cat-related items, postcards, old-fashioned candies, pottery, and all types of typical Taiwan-themed souvenirs.

For excellent, freshly baked pineapple cakes, try 老珍香餅店, a few minutes up the Old Street from the entrance. The smell inside the shop is amazing!

Hike to Keelung Mountain Peak

Keelung Mountain (基隆山 or 雞籠山) is the 588-meter peak you see to the right when looking down from Jiufen. From the pavilion at the top of the mountain, you can enjoy an incredible view of Jiufen and as far away as Taipei 101 on a clear day. I include the trail of my list of the best hikes near Taipei .

The Mount Keelung Trail (雞籠山登山步道) begins about 400 meters up the highway from the entrance to Jiufen Old Street. The hike only takes an hour return, but it is steep, tiring, and mostly involves stairs. According to one of my readers, if you follow the trail for a few minutes up, an alternative trail branches off to the left, with less stairs and a gentle (but longer) ascent to the peak.

See more details and pictures here for the Keelung Mountain Trail .

Jinguashi Gold Ecological Museum

The Jinguashi Gold Ecological Museum (金瓜石黃金博物館, NTD80, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m, to 6:00 p.m. on weekends), also known as New Taipei City Gold Museum or Gold Ecological Park, is only 10 minutes past Jiufen and definitely worth adding to your Jiufen trip.

The museum/park is fairly spread out amongst natural surroundings and there are some pretty incredible views to be had (even better than in Jiufen I would say).

Here you can explore the old mining facilities, touch a 220-kg gold bar that was once the large in the world, enter mining tunnels and even have a coffee topped with ice cream and gold leaf at the cafe on site!

All the buses to Jiufen continue on to Jinguashi before turning around. You can get a small discount if you book your Gold Ecological Park tickets on Klook or here on Kkday .

Hike to Teapot Mountain and the Shinto Shrine

A breathtaking 1 to 2-hour hike to Teapot Mountain (茶壺山) begins from right inside the Gold Ecological Park. A rock pile at the top of the mountain looks like a tea pot, and you can even climb right into and through it. This is one of my personal favorite hikes near Taipei .

To find the trail, locate Tunnel #5 (本山五坑), one of the Gold Ecology Park’s popular attractions. Just past it, take the walking bridge across the river and turn right at the end of it. It takes less than an hour to reach the tea pot.

After that, you can return the same way, or go through the tea pot and continue along a loop (2 hours total) that will bring you back to Jinguashi via the remains of a Japanese Shinto Shrine (金瓜石神社石燈籠).

If you only want to see the Japanese Shrine, it’s a 20-minute uphill stair walk, starting at the staircase just before the buildings at Tunnel #5.

Golden Waterfall

One of the most famous (but but slightly more difficult to get to) attractions in the Jiufen and Jinguashi area is the visually stunning Golden Waterfall (黃金瀑布). The waterfall bed’s unique color is the result of all the heavy metal deposits in the area. If you want to see the waterfall, I recommend joining this tour .

Nearby, the abandoned Shuinandong Smelter or “Remains of the 13 Levels” (十三層遺址) is a haunting beautiful spot popular among photographers. Nearby at the Shancheng Art Gallery Performance and Exhibition Gallery you can learn how to make tofu on this cultural tour .

To get to the Golden Waterfall, walk for 20 minutes downhill from Jinguashi Gold Ecological Museum on country road #34, or take bus #788 or 856 from Ruifang, Jiufen, or Jinguashi, or 826 from Jiufen or Jinguashi. These buses may be quite infrequent.

What to Eat in Jiufen

You don’t have to do much planning for what to eat in Jiufen; the old street is lined with food stalls, with both traditional and modern specialties on offer. You can find some of the most famous Taiwanese street foods in Jiufen.

Most Jiufen restaurants are hole-in-the-wall shops with only a few tables, though some have back rooms or second floors with balconies offering great views.

The most famous thing to eat in Jiufen is taro and sweet potato balls (芋圓 and 地瓜圓). You can find these in dessert shops throughout Taiwan, but the ones in Jiufen are especially good.

The balls are fairly bland but it’s all about the chewy texture. They are served hot or on ice, in a slightly sweet syrup, and often come with a variety of beans.

The best places to try them are Lai Ah Po Taro Balls (賴阿婆芋圓) right on the Old Street and Ah Gan Taro Balls (阿柑姨芋圓) up a staircase from the Old Street. At  both shops, you can usually see workers making the balls.

Another traditional specialty you’ll see in Jiufen is herbal rice cakes (草仔粿) and taro cakes (芋粿). These are thick, fist-sized dumplings that come stuffed with beans or vegetables. The most popular spot to buy them is Ah-Lan (阿蘭草仔粿芋粿).

A-Jou Peanut Ice Cream Roll (阿珠雪在燒) serves one of my favorite Taiwanese sweet snacks, a kind of wrap with traditional ice cream, peanut brittle shavings, and cilantro. It may sound like an odd combination, but they are SO GOOD!

A-Jou is really popular but extremely efficient, and because they know we all want to take photos, they even give you a moment to get a shot on their signed plate before wrapping it up.

For a proper meal, try 魚丸伯仔, a 60-year-old shop which does fish ball soup and tofu triangles stuffed with meat (豆腐包) .

Also try 郵局前油蔥粿, which specializes in you cong guo , a kind of savory cake made with rice flour and white radish. You’ll see a huge slab of it on the counter, and they cut chunks of it off and cover them with sweet soy sauce and fried shallots.

If you’re vegetarian or vegan and aren’t sure which items you can eat, find out how to ask in my Taiwanese vegetarian food guide .

Getting to Jiufen

There is so much information to share about this that I’ve written a separate article on how to get to Jiufen, Jinguashi, and Shifen from Taipei . For your stay in Taipei, also feel free to check out my favorite 50 things to do in Taipei and my recommended Taipei itinerary .

Well, I hope you’ve found all the information you needed in this Jiufen guide. If not, feel free to ask me questions in the comments below!

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28 thoughts on “Jiufen Old Street: A 2024 Guide to this Classic Taipei Day Trip”

Thanks so much for your website! We just bought last minute tickets to Taiwan. Arrive at Taipei and leave from Kaohsiung. We have 8 days on the island!

We have a 8 yo and a 5 yo. We want to do mainly Alishan and Kenting. Just hiking and beach! We know the kids are not keen on city walk, history and culture. But they will love the nature! Happy kids and happy parents. That’s what we want for this holiday!

We will obviously spend the first day in Taipei. Then we should leave the second day to Alishan. I reckon we should have at leave one full day in Alishan. Then we leave on the 4th or 5th day to Kenting. Then back home to Singapore!

My husband and i have been to JiuFen. I personally would love to go there again! So perhaps we skip Taipei and go straight to JiuFen. Do you think it’s worth it? I guess I only know Jiufen near Taipei and that’s why the notion stuck in my head!

Would love to hear from you! Again thanks so much for creating this website! Made me so excited about the trip in a weeks time!

Hi Carrie, Thanks for reading, and I’m glad you found some useful info on my site! Your plan sounds great, but I’m afraid I can’t really tell you whether to skip Taipei or do Taipei + Jiufen. It really is up to you! Taipei is such a huge city with so much to do, but it really depends on what kind of things you want to do with your kids. If you loved Jiufen a lot, then I guess only you can do decide if you want to do only that again! I think your kids might enjoy Jinguashi too, which is near Jiufen. Another place you could consider as a day trip or overnight trip from Taipei is Jiaoxi, which has an easy waterfall hike and lots of hot springs (some very kid friendly ones with slides too, such as Art Spa Hotel). For the rest of your trip, it sounds great, and seems like you already know what you want to do. Please let me know if you have any more questions though!

Heyy! Thanks so much for creating this post. Was super useful and adequate even years later 🙂 Glad I finally made it to Taiwan as well and tried all the weird but tasty stuff you mentioned here.

Thanks, I’m so glad to hear it was useful!

Hi Nick, We will do a vacation trip to Taiwan with our family (kids are 12 and 9) Of course, we also want to visit Shifen and Jiufen in a day trip. So I have a few questions for you as an expert: – we are thinking about getting a rental car for the trip. Jiufen does not look very spacious on the pictures. Do Hotels Usually have parking spaces and is it easy to get around by car? – we will not come during the lantern festival. Is it possible to have lanterns fly on a regular day? And if so, where is this done? – how are the travel distances between Shifen, Jiufen and the cat village on a weekday? Visiting all three look feasible in 1 day, but since streets appear small, I am wondering about the traffic. – what other places are for you a must see in Taiwan during a 1 week trip. Kind regards from Yokohama and thank you in advance for your insights. Simon

Hi Simon, I would honestly say sometimes taking public transportation in Taiwan is easier than driving because the roads can be so crowded, and especially because finding parking can be really tough. Jiufen is an extremely popular tourist destination, with only one tiny road going up to it, and most hotels are somewhere up in the village so you can’t even drive to them, as most of the village is for walking only, with lots of staircases. I’m sure if you search, you could find some that are on the main road or do have parking though. Having said that, I’m pretty sure there are still some little parking lots around the entrance to Jiufen Old Street; there will be signs and people out there to collect money. So if you are set on driving, you can certainly do it! For lanterns, setting off lanterns at Shifen train station, right from the train tracks, is also an extremely popular thing to do now, every day of the year. Again, I feel it would be easier to take the train there, but you can drive and they will have some parking lots there. Traveling on a week day will definitely be better for all of this. I think you can use GoogleMaps on a similar time/day of your travels (like check it when it’s a weekday afternoon in Taiwan) to judge the driving times. Just add a little more time for finding parking. If you are used to driving in places with narrow roads and lots of maneuvering that would be good! For me, I’ve been living in Taiwan for 10 years, and we have a family car, but I still let my wife (Taiwanese) do all the driving 🙂 For 1 week in Taiwan, I think it depends on what kind of attractions you want to visit. A lot of visitors with that time frame do Taipei, with 1-2 day trips, then a 2-night trip to Hualien/Taroko Gorge. Feel free to consult my articles on Taroko Gorge, traveling around Taiwan with kids, Taipei itineraries, and things to do in Taiwan for more ideas!

Hi Nick, I’m travelling to Taiwan with 5 other students from Germany and we have 6 days after a one week workshop in Taipei with students from the Design University of Taipei. Which sites, national parks and cities would you recommend that are mostly in the North and East and have low budget travel options? Thanks a lot for your answer in advance!

Best wishes, Clara

Hi Clara, there are many different things you could do, and it depends on what kind of sights (cultural? natural?), the season you are traveling, and just how low your budget is. But I suppose I would say you could take the slower (cheaper, easier to get a seat) train to Hualien City, where there are many great hostels, then do a day trip to Taroko National Park (see my article about that). Next, continue on the train from Hualien to one of the villages in southern Hualien County or Taitung County, such as Yuli, Guanshan or Luye, which feature beautiful countryside scenery. You can rent bikes and ride around. See my article on “East Coast of Taiwan” for all the details. This is just one idea that you can consider.

Hi Nick, we want to thank you so much for producing such high-quality content! We are using your guide the second time to explore Taiwan (last time Alishan) and I must say the info you provide are gold! Really appreciate your effort in writing original and insightful content!

Well thank you very much, glad it helped! And thanks for taking the time to leave some feedback!

Hi, I am doing a girls trip this January and was thinking of renting a private car to drive us to Pingxi, Shifen and Jiufen. What are the routes would you recommend for us and places to visit? What time does the shops close at Jiufen?

Hi Lia, I think it doesn’t make a huge difference which route you take for this tour. You could start at Jiufen, then do Pingxi/Shifen or Shifen/Pingxi. Or you could do Pingxi/Shifen then Jiufen last. I guess it depends, which place do you want to visit with less crowds? Then go there first. Personally I would choose to do Jiufen first, because the old street and staircases there get extremely crowded in the afternoon. It’s more annoying to pass all the people. However, don’t go to Jiufen TOO early. One time I went too early, and I found that most of the food stalls and shops didn’t open until around 10 a.m. The shops and food there are pretty interesting, so you don’t want to miss that. For Shifen waterfall, even if it’s still crowded, you still have the same view of the waterfall, so it’s not such a problem, in my opinion! I would recommend this deal for your driver. I’m sure they will also give you advise on the best schedule, based on factors like parking too: https://affiliate.klook.com/jump/en-CA/activity/9909-popular-sightseeing-charter-tour-taipei/?adid=89163&af_wid=3452 Enjoy your trip!

Hi Nick, Thank you very much for your guides to Jiufen. You’ve put a lot of thought into them. I took the bus to Jiufen and had no trouble at all following your clear instructions. Had a fantastic time. Appreciate your work, and thanks again.

Hello Nick! I’m taking my second trip to Taiwan later this month, and your website has been so helpful for planning it. My first trip was in 2016, and I saw many of Taiwan’s most popular attractions, including Taipei 101, Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, Beitou’s hot springs, Foguangshan, Sun Moon Lake, and Kenting National Park. Jiufen was at the top of the list of things I wanted to see and didn’t get to, and I’m very excited to go this time! The Klook link to preorder a tea set at A-mei is saying it’s currently unavailable. Do you have any suggestions on what to do, or will I just have to stand in line? Thank you!

A-mei teahouse no longer takes any kind of bookings, so yes, you just have to stand in line. Try to go earlier in the day so you can beat the crowds, and you shouldn’t have to wait too long. Some people recently even reported that they didn’t have to wait in line at all, but of course the line will be bigger on weekends, holidays, high season in Taiwan (winter), and in the future once Taiwan’s tourism industry fully recovers (right now we are still at only 50% of pre-covid figures)

To photograph the classic picture of Amei teahouse, do you have to be a customer of Skyline Teahouse? Thanks

If you see the photo in my article with the caption “The entrance to Amei Teahouse”, that one was taken from the cement path between the two lighthouses, so anyone can stand there and take this photo. But if you want a higher photo like the photo in my article with caption “he famous view of Amei Teahouse in Jiufen”, then you will have to go up Skyline Teahouse.

Is it possible to do Shifen(waterfall & Pingxi), Jiufen(gold eco park & teapot mountain hike) all in one day?

Between teapot mountain hike and keelug mountain hike which do you reccomend?

Yes, you could certainly do those in one day if you get an early start. Between those two hikes, I liked Teapot Mountain more. Keeling mountain is just up up up, then a great view. Teapot mountain has more fun terrain, including climbing inside a cave in the teapot part, and another ladder climb later on. It also has a great view of Yinyang sea on the coast, where the two colors of water mix together.

Thank you for a fantastic website! Do you think Juifen will open up on the 11.th or the 12.th of February 2024, or is everything still closed down to new years at that time? Kind regards, Lea

Jiufen is a town, so it can’t close. But many of the small shops and restaurants will take a break on LNY Eve and LNY Day. After that, they will gradually start to open again.

If we arrive to Jiufen around 4pm (staying the night and exploring the next morning) will we have any trouble finding restaurants to eat dinner on/near old street? Do we need to hurry to have dinner or will places be open at a normal time? Thanks!

Most things will stay open until around 6 or 7 PM. You can use GoogleMaps and click on various restaurants to check their opening times.

Great article as always Nick! I wanted to ask if Uber is available in the Teapot mountain area or do I have to book a cab in advance? I actually wanted to photograph the Remains of 13th level after the lights turn on at 6 pm, but the last bus back to Jiufen is of 5 pm. So will I be able to get a cab then?

That’s a tough call. I’ve never personally tried, so I don’t know. You might get lucky and catch an Uber driver who happens to be around Jiufen and is willing to pick you up. But you also might not. However, you can walk from Remains of 13 levels to Jinguashi Gold Ecological Park (where tea pot mountain located) and there are buses (788 to Keelung and 965 to Ruifang) going from there back to Jiufen and Ruifang until late. Use GoogleMaps directions to find the times.

My wife and me decided to stay 5 nights in Jiufen in July 2024, as a base to explore sights in the area. I can recommend this. The bus connections are very efficient and with reliable real time information on google maps. When you stay over night in Jiufen you should know that it is full of cockroaches at night. Walking the streets of Jiufen after darkness is a very ugly experience as you will see hundreds of these insects, especially in the area around Amei Teahouse. This may be also a reason why restaurants and most shops close with dawn and no people are on the streets in darkness. When you choose your accommodation in Jiufen, the most important decision point is that it is dense, so that the cockroaches can’t come in. Have a close look to holes, gaps under doors and if any dead insects lie around inside the house. Best Regards, Wolfgang from Austria, Europe

Thanks for sharing! That’s pretty gross about the cockroaches. I’ve also seen a lot even on the streets in Taipei, so this can apply to anywhere. It’s just probably more noticeable in Jiufen due to the narrow streets.

Hi, Nick! I’m really enjoying reading your blogs. I hope you know you’re helping travelers like me find the best spots in Taiwan. Thank you so much and all the best.

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Yehliu, Jiufen & Pingxi Day Tour from Taipei

• Operation Day Monday to Sunday
• Departure Morning
• Duration 1 Day
• Pick-up Time 08:30
• Vehicle Type 20-seater mini bus or 9-seater mini van (according to the number of participants)
• Meeting Point MRT Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station (BL14 /O07), Exit 2
• Drop-off Point MRT Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station (BL14 /O07) / Xinyi Shopping District (Taipei 101)
• Marvel at the unique rock formations in Yehliu Geopark
• Savor the nostalgic charm of the picturesque Jiufen Village
• Experience the iconic tradition of flying Sky Lantern in Shifen, Pingxi District
• Enjoy the stunning scenery of the “Little Niagara Falls” of Taiwan—Shifen Waterfall
• Guaranteed departure with a minimum of 1 participant

Without having to travel far away, through this guided day tour from Taipei, you can discover the unique charm of the rural districts along the north and northeast coast of Taiwan.

On this tour, you will visit Jiufen Village, a hillside village prosperous in the 1940s that will bring you an old-time vibe with its atmospheric alleys; Yehliu Geopark, known for its unique coastal erosion features, will blow you mind away; Pingxi District, a former mining town that is known for the world-famous "Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival", where you will experience the iconic tradition of flying sky lantern and visit the “Little Niagara Falls” of Taiwan—Shifen Waterfall.

Whether you are a first-timer or a repeat visitor, you will fully enjoy what Taiwan's north and northeast coast has to offer. With your tour guide’s help, you will have an insight into the history and truly appreciate the natural landscapes in this area. Join us for a full-day adventure and enrich your travel experience!

• Description

Meet your tour guide at MRT Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station (BL14 /O07), Exit 2

Yehliu Geopark

Your day tour to the north and northeast coast of Taiwan starts with a visit to Yehliu Geopark. Located in Wanli District, New Taipei City, is one of the premier attractions in the northern coast of Taiwan, Yehliu Geopark is home to a number of unique rock formations caused by wind and sea, such as the mushroom rocks, the chessboard rock, the trace fossils and all that.

The most famous rock formation is the iconic “Queen’s Head”, a mushroom rock that resembles the profile of England’s Queen Elizabeth. Every year, the “Yehliu Night Tour” features light shows, water projection, etc, attracting over ten thousands visitors flock to see the Queen’s Head illumined at night.  

Besides the Queen’s Head, other remarkable formations such as the Sea Candles, the Fairy Shoe, the Ginger Rocks, the Elephant Rock, the Ice Cream Rock, the Kissing Rock, and the Princess’ Head, are worth taking a look at.

Jiufen Village (lunch on your own arrangement)

The next stop on your day tour is Jiufen, is a hillside village in Ruifang District, New Taipei City. The village was flourished in the 1940s due to the gold mining industry, and then fell into disrepair and decrepitude for years. Even though the golden age has long gone, this small village still has a lot of stories to tell.

The awarded movie “A City of Sadness”, directed by the famous film director Hou Hsiao-hsien, was shot there. Its unique historical background, the melancholic and emotional atmosphere attracted enormous global attention. The success of the movie also brought vitality to Jiufen’s tourism, making it the most popular destination in northeastern Taiwan.

Since you are in Jiufen, it’s recommended to have a cup of tea at a teahouse, where you can appreciate the picturesque scenery, and the freshly brewed tea at the same time. Jiufen Old Street that is winding along the hill has so many differences from other old streets. Besides the teahouses, here you can also tastes various local foods and buy souvenirs. If you have a sweet tooth, don’t miss the traditional Jiufen dessert—Taro Ball!

Shifen Waterfall

After lunch, your tour continues with a visit to Shifen Waterfall in Pingxi District, New Taipei City. It is one of the most popular attractions in this area, widely-known as the “Little Niagara Falls” of Taiwan, a cascade-type waterfall similar to North America’s Niagara Falls.

There are several viewing platforms near Shifen Waterfall, where the visitors can see the waterfall from different angles, even have a close-up look. On sunny days, if you are lucky, you can capture a beautiful rainbow created by the mist of this 20-meter tall waterfall as it splashes into the lake.

Shifen Old Street (Sky Lantern release)

Shifen Station is located down Keelung River from the waterfall area, originally built for transporting coal during Japanese colonization. The station is right alongside Shifen Old Street, today it stands as a reminder of Taiwan’s history.

The street is lined with souvenir shops, sky lantern shops and eateries. You can also see a lot of people set up their sky lanterns on the railway track, getting ready to release them into the sky. Of course, you will not miss out on the opportunity to experience this special tradition. 3 or 4 people will share one lantern, and each of you can write down your wishes on one side of the lantern. Your tour guide will teach you how to release a sky lantern correctly, so you can fully enjoy the tranquil and peaceful moment.

Drop off at Xinyi Shopping District (Taipei 101)

At the end of the tour, you may choose to disembark at Xinyi Shopping District (Taipei 101) or MRT Zhongxiao XInsheng Station.

Drop off at MRT Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station (BL14 /O07)

Inclusions & exclusions.

• Professional licensed tour guide (Mandarin / English / Japanese)
• Local transfer by air-conditioned vehicle
• Entrance ticket (Yehliu Geopark)
• Sky Lantern launching experience (3-4 people share 1 lantern)
• Local general liabilities insurance
• Food and beverage
• Tour will be conducted in Mandarin, English and Japanese. (Please note that Japanese commentary will only be available on Mondays and Fridays starting on April 1, 2024.)
• Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
• The sequence and time of stay at tour stops may be adjusted according to the traffic/weather condition.
• If the tour has to be cancelled due to bad weather, we will contact you no later than the evening before the excursion day by email or SMS.
• Please arrive at the meeting point 10 minutes earlier than the pick-up time.
• Each guest is allowed to bring one piece of carry-on baggage.
• This tour is not recommended for wheelchair users and people with physical disabilities.
• Ensure you carry enough cash with you to cover your expenses for meals, beverages, souvenirs, tips, etc. Convenience stores and most of the eateries in Taiwan don't accept credit cards as a form of payment.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, you must cancel your booking at least 24 hours before the listing ’ s local pick-up time(GMT+8). Please contact us by email or phone. 

Email: [email protected] 

Phone: +886 2 25635313

No-shows are defined as passengers who do not show up on time for the tours. In this event, the bookings will be cancelled and non-refundable.

Cancellations made 24 hours or more in advance of the listing’s pick-up time in the local time zone: full refund

Cancellations made less than 24 hours in advance of the listing’s pick-up time in the local time zone: non-refundable

Related Posts

Jiufen: The Real Life Sense of ‘Spirited Away’

A Day in Yehliu Geopark: Meet the Queen and Discover the Hidden Gems

Unearthing Taiwan’s Mining Legacy and Jiufen’s Tourism Charm

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私密內容: Jiufen Village and Northeast Coast Tour from Taipei

私密內容: Yehliu Geopark and Keelung Harbor Guided Tour from Taipei

Jiufen Night Tour from Taipei

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Jiufen Taiwan: Spirited Away From Taipei To Shifen Old Street

Jiufen Taiwan is one of the most popular day trips from Taipei city. This town is a perfect blend of history, nostalgia, shopping, and sightseeing, and it’s super easy to reach from Taipei.

Famous for its similarity to the village from the movie Spirited Away , this mountain town in Taiwan also draws crowds of tourists wanting to see Jiufen Old Street, which has loads of souvenir shops, tea houses, and good restaurants to try.

This travel guide will explain how to get to Jiufen town, which day tour packages to use, what to see and do in the town, and everything else you need to know before you go!

What Is Jiufen Taiwan?

Jiufen Taiwan is an old seaside gold mining town (turned ghost town) that became popular for its connection to the Japanese animated movies City of Sadness and Spirited Away .

The town of Jiufen (also spelled Jioufen or Chiufen) was revived by tourism in the 1990s, and now lots of people come here for the street markets, good food, tea, and neat photo ops.

Things To Do In Jiufen Taiwan

• Jiufen Old Street: The street markets are packed with cafes, souvenirs, and of course lots of great street food. Some top foods to try are the braised pork rice, squid kabobs, mango ice cream, taro balls, Japanese mochi, and Taiwanese bubble tea.
• A-Mei Teahouse: This traditional teahouse with its rows of windows and paper lanterns is the most famous view in Jiufen. If you plan to have tea there, you’ll want to book ahead online .
• Qipao Rental: For the ladies, Jiufen is a great place to wear the traditional Chinese dress . My wife decided to do hers in Taipei city instead, but Jiufen would have been a good spot too.
• Golden Waterfall: This is a unique looking waterfall on orange rocks just 10 minutes from Juifang. Most Jiufen tour packages include this in the itinerary, or you can take a quick taxi from Jiufen.
• Teapot Mountain Hike: If you have more time, knock out this hike on the coast with stunning mountain views. It starts from the nearby Jinguashi Gold Ecological Museum and takes about 4 hours total.

How To Get To Jiufen Taiwan

Jiufen is located about 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of Taipei city, in Taiwan.

You can get there by taxi, private car charter , public transport, or day tour package .  

A one way ride to Jiufen will cost at least 1,200-1,400 TWD ($40-50 USD) and takes about 45 minutes from Taipei.  

• By Private Car Charter

Klook has a Taipei private car charter for 3,100 TWD ($105 USD) as of this posting.

This is the most convenient and cost effective option if you’re traveling in a group, because you can split the costs and your driver will wait for you all day while you’re sightseeing. The round trip price is not much higher than a taxi.  

• By Train & Bus

You can take the train from Taipei Main Station to Ruifang Station (by TRA train), and then the bus from Ruifang Station to Jiufen.

The whole journey will take about 1 hour (40 minutes on the train and 20 minutes on the bus) and cost 65 TWD (50 TWD for the train and 15 TWD for the bus).  

• Best Jiufen Tour From Taipei

Klook has a Jiufen day tour by bus from Taipei starting at 450 TWD ($15 USD) per person as of this posting. That’s for a 9 hour full day tour.

This is the same tour we used for visiting Jiufen from Taipei, and the great thing is that it also includes Yehliu Geopark, Shifen Waterfall, and the Houtong Cat Village near Juifang. There was plenty of time at each of the sights.

We’ve used Klook for lots of tours and activities around the world, and they’re great. Highly recommended!

Book Now: Jiufen Tour + Yehliu + Shifen  

Where To Stay In Jiufen

Listening To The Wind B&B

Homestay Shabby Home 28

Kao Mama B&B

Changhong Homestay

More Taiwan Travel Tips

Thanks for looking! I hope you enjoyed these travel tips for visiting the ‘spirited away’ village and Jiufen Old Street in Taiwan.

Don’t forget to check out my Taiwan Travel Guide for more tips, info, and photos!  

More Taiwan Tours

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Jiufen Day Trip From Taipei, Taiwan Guide + Photos 2024

Exploring the mountain town of Jiufen in Taiwan (east of  Taipei ) feels a little like being in a fantasy movie.

With its historic narrow streets, packed full of beautiful tea-houses and street food stalls, set amidst a backdrop of stunning coastal views, Juifen almost feels unreal.

In fact, legend has it that Jiufen was the inspiration behind the setting for the classic animated Studio Ghibli movie, Spirited Away (although many dispute this so who knows?!).

This article was originally published on cktravels.com in June 2019.

This post may contain affiliate links to tours and hotels. These help us earn a small commission at no additional charge to you.

Just a short train ride or bus trip away from Taipei, Juifen is one of the best day trips in Taiwan and can easily be combined with a trip along the world famous  Pingxi Line  including  Houtong Cat Village.

From traditional temples to ancient alley-ways lit up by red lanterns at night (Jiufen Old Street), there are lots of things to do in Jiufen.

A visit to Jiufen should be high on your list when planning your Taiwan itinerary – here is our guide to all things to do in Jiufen, Taiwan:

How to get to Jiufen from Taipei

Getting to jiufen by train and bus.

To get to Jiufen from Taipei, you can take the northbound train from  Taipei Main Station  to  Riufang Station.

The journey takes 30 minutes for express trains, or 50 minutes for local trains. The cost of the trip from Taipei Main Station to Ruifang Station is 49 TWD.

After alighting the train at Riufang, exit the station, turn left and walk around 200 metres to the bus stop (located next to the police station named Local Residents Plaza 區民廣場).

Here you can take  bus number 827 or 788  which both head towards Jiufen Old Street. The bus journey from Ruifang to Jiufen should take around 20 minutes and costs around 15 TWD each way.

Taipei to Jiufen bus

Alternatively you can take the new  Taipei Bus express route 965  from outside  Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT Station  directly to Jiufen for around 100 TWD.

The bus also picks up from Banqiao Bus Station, Wanhua Railway Station, MRT Ximen Station and MRT Beimen Station.

Jiufen shuttle bus

Alternatively you can book a return transfer from Taipei with the  Jiufen Shuttle Bus from Ximen with Klook . The shuttle bus also takes you to the nearby town of Shifen to visit the waterfall and to watch people release sky lanterns.

Private transfers between Jiufen and Taipei

You can also book a private hire transfer between Jiufen (or Shifen) and Taipei. Choose between a 5-seater or a 9-seater car whichever will fit your traveling group and luggage best!

Book a Jiufen private transfer with Klook >

Juifen as part of a tour from Taipei

There are several tours which depart from Taipei every day which include Juifen as part of their itinerary. These are a great way to visit Juifen if you are short on time and unable to stay overnight:

Tours from Taipei that visit Jiufen include:

• Yehliu, Jiufen & Pingxi day tour from Taipei >
• Taipei: Private Tour to Jiufen, Yehliu Geopark, and Pingxi >
• Yehliu, Jiufen, and Shifen day tour with Taiwanese Pastry Making >

Best time to visit Jiufen in Taiwan

We would recommend visiting Jiufen on a weekday as weekends can be super crowded and a bit unbearable! We would also suggest avoiding public holidays too.

Our very first trip to Juifen coincided with the Chinese New Year holidays and the crowds were huge and accommodation was expensive.

Jiufen is an  easy day trip from Taipei , but if you want to experience Jiufen without any tourists at all then we recommend staying overnight.

That way you get to explore the town at night after everyone has gone home and all the buildings are lit up, or early in the morning before the day trippers arrive.

Taiwan checklist We love using agoda.com and booking.com  for researching and booking all our hotels, and Hostelworld  for booking hostels. For booking tours, transfers and SIM cards we recommend  Get Your Guide ,  Viator  or  Klook .

Things to do in Jiufen in Taiwan

A mei tea house.

The 100-year old A-Mei Tea House (阿妹茶楼) in Jiufen is likely Taiwan’s most famous teahouse and the centre of the tourist universe here.

A Mei Tea House is also said to be most associated with being the inspiration for the  Studio Ghibli  / Spirited Away connection (although many debunk this – so believe what you want as it still pretty either way!).

An Instagrammer’s delight and featuring in many tourism brochures, the A Mei Tea House is perched on the side of Keelung Mountain, just below the main old street, and boasts stunning views over Taiwan’s north shores and the surrounding mountains.

All in all, A Mei Tea House is tea-riffic and definitely our cup of tea (sorry, not sorry).

View this post on Instagram A post shared by syy👸 | foodie😋 | travel🌏 (@travel.2.food)

As you would expect, A-Mei Teahouse offers a variety of cold and hot tea dishes (including tasting demonstrations) as well as wide range of homemade sweet treats and snacks. It is also worth visiting the teahouse at night, to see all the lanterns on the side of the building lit up.

Fans of Phil Rosenthal’s Somebody Feed Phil Netflix series will recognise this teahouse from his recent Taiwan episode! Read more about where Phil ate in our guide >

Other top Tea Houses in Jiufen

• Artist Teahouse in Jiufen
• Skyline Teahouse in Jiufen
• SIIDCHA Teahouse in Jiufen

BRAND NEW FOR 2024! Join our Facebook Taiwan Travel Tips Group! Need help with your Taiwan itinerary or have any questions? Head on over to our Facebook group and ask the experts! Click here to join our group >

Jiufen Old Street

The focal point of Jiufen, the narrow, windy ancient streets that dissect the centre of this hillside town are what most people have come to experience. No trip to Taiwan’s Jiufen is complete without a walk along Jiufen Old Street, like stepping back in time.

Awash with gift-shops, street food stalls and tea-shops, half the fun along Jiufen Old Street is just wandering around without a map and seeing what you can find – a definite jewel in Jiufen!

The downside to these thin, narrow alleyways along Jiufen Old Street is that they get full very quickly, especially once the daily glut of tourist buses arrive from Taipei New City (the stampede generally starts from 10am every day).

On one of our visits to Jiufen, it became unbearable at times to move around on Jiufen Old Street, especially as many tourists use large umbrellas rather than wear waterproof ponchos! This was one of the very few times in Taiwan as a tourist where it felt too crowded / like overtourism.

To enjoy without the crowds, we would recommend staying in Jiufen overnight and exploring the central old street early in the morning or later at night.

Most of the shops and restaurants stayed open until about 7pm at night although the Juifen 7-Eleven and FamilyMart stay open until much later (the FamilyMart in Jiufen is the best convenience store as it has an indoor dining area with a view of the sea).

Something also rather unique were the tuneful Jiufen garbage trucks that would drive along the central old street (generally at night).

These rubbish trucks in Jiufen have loud-speakers blaring out tinny tunes, a warning for shoppers to quickly get out of the way and seek refuge in a nearby shop entrance or alleyway. Be warned they don’t stop for anybody so jump out of their path as soon as possible.

You might like –  things to do in Taipei at night >

Jiufen Shengming Temple

Located at the top of the town and overlooking Jiufen and the nearby Keelung Mountain, the Shengming Temple dates back to the 1880s and is the centre of faith for the Jiufen region.

We actually stumbled across this temple at first quite by accident and then ended up visiting Shengming Temple several times during our Jiufen stay and never found it too busy.

Given the views from the temple and lack of people, it is one of the more tranquil and calm temples we visited during our time in Taiwan.

You might like – the perfect 3 day Taipei itinerary >

What to eat in Jiufen

Xiao long bao.

We found this awesome restaurant called Jiufen Jie Jiao Traditional Diner ( map ) on Central Old Street.

It served some delicious Pork Xiao Long Bao soup dumplings which you can enjoy on their small outdoor terrace with incredible views of the ocean. If you fancy eating there, keep an eye out for a restaurant with the menu pictured below.

Vinasse Taiwanese Meatballs

These are traditional meat dumplings from a restaurant called  Jin Zhi Red Yeast Rice Meat Ball  ( map ) on Old Central Street (which also operates a separate vegetarian version a few stalls away).

The dumplings have a gelatinous casing and a filling of pork which has been soaked in red yeast (vinasse). People say it is an acquired taste – Neil hated it but I (Caroline) loved it!

Taiwanese Sausage

Hugely popular in Jiufen, nearly everyone we saw was eating one of these. To be honest we weren’t a fan – they tasted very sweet and had a lot of gristle (ew). We ate two bites of one and then threw the rest away, but you might want to try it yourself!

We think this might be the most popular food/dessert stall we saw in Jiufen.  A Gan Yi Taro Balls  ( map ) serves cheap pots of freshly made taro and sweet potato balls and beans, either served hot in a soup, or chilled on shaved ice and queues to purchase these are always long.

Most people order the taro balls to take away but there is a small dining area here with great views of the ocean.

Deep fried seafood balls

We always saw huge queues for these seafood balls, so decided to see what the fuss was about. These deep fried balls are served with sweet chilli sauce and pickled vegetables and are very delicious.

Peanut Ice Cream Roll

We were obsessed with peanut ice cream rolls during our trip to Taiwan, and saw many stalls along Central Old Street selling this dessert dish – peanut ice-cream rolls were popular in nearby Shifen too along the  Pingxi Line .

The vendor lays out a thin flour tortilla which is then covered with shavings of peanut candy brittle and a row of scoops of ice cream before being tightly wrapped up.

The ice cream flavours are usually either taro, vanilla, red bean or pineapple. You can add Coriander to the mix and it is highly recommended as an extra aromatic layer.

The mixture of ingredients taste sweet, nutty and salty, whilst the texture is creamy and crunchy. A very n-’ice’ thing to do in Jiufen, Taiwan!

Eating late in Jiufen

Most restaurants and food stalls close for the day quite early here, compared to the big cities.

If you don’t eat before 7pm, your best affordable option is to get a toasted sandwich or microwave meal from either  7-Eleven  or  FamilyMart.

We visited both on several occasions. The FamilyMart in Jiufen also has a little indoor seating area, with coastal views which was always very quite busy.

You might like – top things to do in Keelung >

Other things to do near Jiufen, Taiwan

Houtong cat village.

‘Feline’ like a ‘paw-some’ day trip from Jiufen? How about heading to the Houtong Cat Village located along the Pingxi Line in Taiwan?

Home to dozens of cats and kitties, Houtong Cat Village is a riverside town in the Ruifang valley (also easily accessible from Jiufen).

Hutong has quite the history – a former coal mining town that once had riches galore, it was most famous for having a cave full of monkeys about 100 years ago (‘Hutong’ translates as ‘monkey cave’).

Now it is best known for its feline residents which outnumber humans hence the name ‘Houtong Cat Village. You know you are going to be in for something very different when one of the first things you see as you arrive at Houtong station is a massive metal footbridge, shaped like a cat.

Houtong is a short drive from Jiufen or approx 30 minutes away via public bus then the Pingxi Line.

Read our guide to Houtong Cat Village in Taiwan here >

Yehliu Geopark

Taiwan on the rocks – yahoo for Yehliu Geopark, home to a number of unique geological formations (‘rock stars’?) formed over thousands of years.

Located on a beautiful part of the North Taiwan coast, the peninsula stretches around 1,700 meters, formed by geological movement that forced the Datun Mountains to change their shape, jutting out into the ocean.

It also kinda reminded me of the New Zealand and Western Australia landscapes. Rock on!

Book your Yehliu Geopark day tour from Taipei here  or  book your discounted Yehliu Geopark ticket in advance with Klook.

Pingxi Line stops

The Pingxi rail line is a journey into the past and a perfect day trip from either Jiufen or Taipei City.

A 13km stretch of railway that goes through some of Taiwan’s most beautiful landscapes, the Pingxi Rail Line celebrated its 100th anniversary recently (in 2021).

With several villages and towns to explore along the way including  Shifen , there are many things to do along the Pingxi Line.

So jump aboard a local train on the Pingxi Line and exploree a few places along the 8-mile long ‘verdant valley’.

From starting your Pingxi Line adventure in Ruifang and through to taking in waterfalls, floating sky lanterns and a quirky cat village along the way,  check out our guide to the Pingxi train line >

Accommodation in Jiufen

There are plenty of accommodation options in Jiufen from boutique hotels to guesthouses. Booking as far in advance is recommended however as Jiufen is a very popular to visit.

As we were visiting during the Chinese New Year holidays, we heard that good value, budget accommodation in Jiufen was hard to come by, so we booked months in advance choosing to stay at a family run lodgings called  Jiufen 280 Guesthouse.

Whilst our hosts were lovely and it had sea views, the weather during our three night stay coincided with some particularly cold and wet weather, so our room was very damp. We had water literally dripping down the walls so all our backpacks and gear smelled of damp for days afterwards. The room was also a little on the small side.

If you aren’t staying during Chinese New Year, you should find plenty more options, here are some highly recommended ones:

On My Way JiuFen Hostel Highly rated hostel in a central location with dorm rooms. Check availability on hostelworld.com and agoda.com

Something Easy Inn  Highly rated guest house with a garden and shared lounge, with some rooms offering outdoor terraces and sea views. Check availability on booking.com and agoda.com

Shanyuhai Guesthouse with private outdoor deck with stunning sea views just 350 yards from Jiufen Old Street. Check availability on booking.com and agoda.com

All in all and despite the serene setting, we were not totally ‘Spirited Away’ by Jiufen. The hordes of tourists in such a small space left us a little weary. Jiufen was much better explored early in the morning or late evening, when the tourist buses were no longer here and it really came alive.

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Jiufen and Pingxi Day Tour

• • Release sky lanterns in Shifen, Pingxi, home to Taiwan’s lantern festival
• • Sip tea in the mountainous, anime-like village of Jiufen
• • See the unique “Yin-Yang Sea” in the old mining town of Ruifang
• • Visit the spectacular Golden Waterfall

Take a step back in time with a full-day tour of Taiwan’s northern villages renowned for their charm, history, and culture: Jinguashi, Jiufen, and Pingxi. Jinguashi is a quaint, coastal town famous for its former gold mines. Tour the Thirteen Ruins, an abandoned refinery high up in the mountains overlooking the gold and blue Yin Yang Sea of Ruifang. The coastal town of Jiufen is said to be the inspiration for the Miyazaki classic Spirited Away, so expect to be similarly enchanted as we wander the narrow cobblestone streets and the Japanese-style Amei Teahouse. Finally, cast your wishes into the heavens with the help of lanterns in Shifen, Pingxi, Taiwan’s lantern festival capital. Just a stone’s throw away from bustling Taipei, this day tour will allow you to bask in the different old-world atmospheres of three beautiful towns, take in astounding scenery and learn about Taiwan's cultural heritage.

**Please note: This tour at Jiufen Old Street with stairs requires a reasonable degree of physical fitness**

▴ Visit the spectacular Golden Waterfall

▴ Jiufen is said to be the inspiration for the Miyazaki classic Spirited Away.

▴ Pingxi is where Taiwanese people go to send their wishes into the heavens.

▴ Create and launch your sky lantern.

▴ Be spirited away in the magical village of Jiufen

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Taipei Day Trip: Jiufen and Shifen Guide To All The Must-Eat-See-Dos

First published:  12 Nov 2017

Charming old towns in Keelung, Jiufen (九份) and Shifen (十分) are popular spots to visit on a day trip from Taipei. 

Before the 1950s, Jiufen and Shifen were gold and coal mining towns respectively. Today, their rustic vintage vibes, great local Taiwanese delectables, and iconically Taiwanese activities such as releasing sky lanterns make them popular day trip destinations from Taipei.

However, these places aren’t the most accessible to visit despite the proximity. Public transportation involves too many transfers across various means, while cab drivers are known to mark up fares to unsuspecting tourists. No one wants to spend additional time and money when those can be spent on better things, such as food. Oh yes, all the great food to be discovered in Taiwan 😋.

Read also: 4D3N Taipei Itinerary: Insider Guide to Exploring Taipei and its Outskirts Like a Local

How to get to Jiufen & Shifen from Taipei

Most visitors will head to Shifen and continue to Jiufen, as Shifen is nearer to Taipei. Although both towns share similar-sounding names, they aren’t actually very near to each other.

1) By Public Transport

From Taipei to Shifen: Take a rail train from Taipei Main Stn. (台北車站) to Ruifang Stn. (瑞芳站) and transfer to the Pingxi Small Railway (平溪支線) to Shifen Stn. (十分站)

From Shifen to Jiufen: Take the Pingxi Small Railway to Ruifang Stn. (瑞芳站), and transfer to bus #788, #827, or #1062 to Jiufen Old Street (九份老街)

*Pro-tip: There’s no public transportation between Jiufen and Shifen, so you’ll have to return to Ruifang Stn. (瑞芳站) for transfers.

From Jiufen to Taipei: Take bus #1062 from Jiufen Old Streets (九份老街) to Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT Stn. (忠孝復興站) in Taipei

Cost:  ~S$16 (round-trip) Total travel time: ~4hrs (round-trip)

2) Shuttle bus (Highly recommended)

Probably the most cost-effective and convenient way to get from Taipei to Jiufen & Shifen is to pre-book a shuttle service with a guided tour package . It picks you up from Taipei Main Station and stops at Jiufen before heading to Shifen. Take note of what activities and transfers are included in the tour package !

Cost of tour: ~ S$34/pax (Shifen and Jiufen package; round-trip from Taipei) Meeting time: 9:15AM

*Pro-tip: Redeem 5% OFF Klook activities for use later, up to 5x. Just enter code <THETRAVELINTERNKLOOK> at checkout. New users get 10% OFF their first booking. T&C’s apply!

Must-dos in Shifen (十分)

Shifen is somewhat like the less popular sibling of Jiufen, kinda forgotten yet attractive in her own ways. Shifen’s alluring old-school charms and the Shifen waterfall makes this an equally worthy stop.

We only had an hour to spare here so we narrowed down these three must-do things in Shifen!

1) Release Sky Lanterns (放天燈)

Releasing sky lanterns on the old rail track in Shifen (which still functions btw!) is almost ritualistic. Like everyone, we bought a lantern from one of the many lantern shops along the old rail track, wrote our wishes in unintelligible Chinese, and released it to the heavens. Let’s hope the gods above can read our handwriting 😃

Cost: ~S$11/lantern via Klook Opening hours: Varies (most operators open from sunrise to sunset) How to get there:  Pingxi District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 226 [台湾新北市平溪区226]

2) Ride an electric scooter to Shifen Waterfall (十分大瀑布)

The second most famous sight in Shifen is this natural beauty, the  Shifen Waterfall 十分大瀑布 . You can rent an electric scooter from operators along Shifen Old Street to get here.

Cost of scooter rental:  ~NT$200/hr Opening hours: 24 hours Location:   Nanshan Village, Pingxi District, New Taipei City, Taiwan [ 台湾新北市平溪区南山村]

*Pro-tip: Book a half-day guided tour to do these activities in Shifen if you don’t plan to drop by Jiufen! Or, book a guided day tour to explore Shifen Waterfall, Yehliu Geopark, and Jiufen hassle-free.

3) Get Onboard an Old Choo-choo Train (平溪線小火車)

A fun way to get to Shifen is via the Pingxi Small Railway Train 平溪線小火車 . This Japanese-era train used to transport coal when the mining industry was thriving but has since become a means of transportation for visitors to get to Shifen from Ruifang station (瑞芳站).

From Shifen station itself, you can also board the train to visit  Pingxi station (平溪站)   and Jingtong station (菁桐站) , which are scenic old towns too.

Bonus: Snack on LiouGe BBQ Stuffed Wings (溜哥燒烤雞翅包飯)

What’s the best way to find the best food? Ask the locals, and that’s exactly what we did in Shifen. We actually asked an uncle from another food stall what his favourite food at Shifen is. And LiouGe BBQ Stuffed Wings was his recommendation. Now, we’re recommending it to you.

The chicken wings from this stall are no ordinary wings. Besides being deboned and stuffed with rice, the homemade barbeque sauce is fragrant and very flavourful.

Cost: NT$65/piece Opening hours:  10AM – 6PM How to get there:  2min walk from Shifen Train Station ( Google Maps )

Must-Eats in Jiufen (九份)

Those who have been to Jiufen will know what a food haven it is. The tight winding street is lined with food stalls from the beginning to the end. From Taiwanese Sausage to chewy Taro Balls, there are all kinds of food from savoury to sweet, hot to cold.

If you’re taking the shuttle bus , you’ll have about 2 hours to explore the nooks and crannies of this charming old town on your own!

1) Zhang Ji Traditional Fishballs (張記傳統魚丸)

At Zhang Ji Traditional Fishball 張記傳統魚丸 , one does not simply only try the fishballs. Get the Combination Soup that comes with three different types of fishballs — meat-encased fishballs (Fuzhou balls), squid balls, and regular fishballs.

From the same stall, you also have to try their Braised Pork Rice (滷肉饭) with Braised Egg (滷蛋). Who would have imagined such simple-looking dishes would taste so good?

Cost: NT$50/bowl for Combination Soup; NT$35/bowl for Braised Minced Pork Rice Opening hours: 10:30AM – 7:30PM (Mon – Fri), closes 8PM on Sat and Sun How to get there:  3min walk from Jiufen Old Street bus stop ( Google Maps )

2) Shi Mi Jiufen First Stinky Tofu (食謎店 九份第一家臭豆腐)

Stinky Tofu is a love-or-hate thing. Fans of this dish will love the store  Shi Mi Dian 食謎店 . They sell both deep-fried and spicy braised versions, but we personally prefer the deep-fried version.

The fried skin added a crunchy texture to the surprisingly soft tofu without being too dry. The unmistakable scent can be picked up from tens of metres away, just imagine the punch it’s packed with.

Opening hours: 11AM – 8PM (Mon – Fri), closes 9PM on Sat and Sun How to get there:  6min walk from Jiufen Old Street bus stop ( Google Maps )

3) Jin Zhi Red Yeast Vegetarian Dumpling & Jin Zhi Red Yeast Meat Dumpling (金枝紅糟素肉圓 & 金枝紅槽肉圓)

Jin Zhi is one of the most famous dumpling stores in Taiwan primarily due to the fact that the meat is soaked in red yeast ( vinasse ), and that there’s actually a vegetarian branch  a few stalls down.

Available at the meat dumpling stall is also a combination meatball soup (五色綜合丸湯)   that’s worth a try too! It comes in five different flavours — Codfish, Squid, Pork, Kimchi, and Bamboo charcoal, this soup is definitely something out of the ordinary you should try.

Vegetarian Dumpling Opening hours: 10AM – 8PM (Mon – Fri), 9AM – 10PM (Sat – Sun) How to get there: 4min walk from Jiufen Old Street bus stop ( Google Maps )

Meat Dumpling Cost:  NT$45/piece of meatball; NT$50/bowl of combination balls Opening hours:  10:30AM – 7PM (Mon – Thu), 10AM – 8PM (Sat – Sun) How to get there: 6min walk from Jiufen Old Street bus stop ( Google Maps )

4) Jiufen Old Noodle Shop (九份老麵店)

Although 九份老麵店 Jiufen Old Noodle Shop sells a variety of noodles and soups, their signature beef noodles (招牌牛肉麵) are a must-try. The chunks of beef are cooked until perfectly tender and go very well with the spicy broth.

Another great find is the Century Egg Tofu (皮蛋豆腐) side dish. Served cold, the tofu is smooth yet firm, creating a gastronomic adventure when eaten together with a bite of century egg.

Cost: NT$120/bowl of Signature Beef Noodles; NT$40/plate of Century Egg Tofu Opening hours: 10:30AM – 7:30PM (Mon – Fri), closes 8:30PM on Sat and Sun How to get there:  4min walk from Jiufen Old Street bus stop ( Google Maps )

5) Wu Di Taiwanese Sausage (無敵黑豬肉香腸)

Taiwanese locals are some of the friendliest and most fun people I know of, and it’s not hard to understand why. Not only is the lady boss of  Wu Di Taiwanese Sausage 無敵黑豬肉香腸 extremely friendly, but she’s quite a charmer too. Whenever she’s around, visitors would crowd and vie to catch her attention to their cameras.

Of course, her sausages (香腸) are as charming and unforgettable as her. Fragrantly charred skin that crunches with every bite, exposing the juicy meats inside. The squid and fish egg sausages are an interesting alternative to the wild boar sausage too!

Cost: ~NT$40 per piece or ~NT$100 for 3 pieces Opening hours: 9AM – 7PM How to get there: 5min walk from Jiufen Old Street bus stop ( Google Maps )

6) Ah Lan Hakka Glutinous Rice Cake (阿蘭草仔粿)

Photo credit: you.ctrip.com

If there’s only one thing you can try at Jiufen, make it the Glutinous Rice Cake ( 草仔粿) from Ah Lan Hakka Glutinous Rice Cake stall. They come in multiple variations of fillings, from the sweet red bean to salted green bean and preserved turnip flavours.  

The Steamed Taro Cake (芋粿巧) sold in the shop is also well-loved by many.

Cost: NT$10/piece Opening hours:  9AM – 9:30PM How to get there: 5min walk from Jiufen Old Street bus stop ( Google Maps )

7) Misty Cake (米詩堤甜點王國)

Misty Cake 米詩堤甜點王國  sells cream and ice-cream puffs in every possible flavour. We tried the classic sweet potato-filled puff. The sweet potato was on point, fragrant but not too sweet. The generously-filled puffs can be quite a mess to eat as the freshly baked outer layer crumbles with every bite to expose the oozing fillings.

Cost: ~NT$85/piece Opening hours:  9:30AM – 6.30PM Address:  No. 6-1, Sec. 1, Mingdeng Road, Ruifang District, Taiwan [6-1号，二段。台湾瑞芳区明登路1号]

8) A-Zhu Peanut Ice Cream Roll (阿珠雪在燒花生捲冰淇淋)

Just watching the stall owner of A-Zhu create this delicate roll of ice cream is satisfying enough. Peanut shavings are ground off a huge block of compressed peanuts before being added to two scoops of ice cream and cilantro (IKR, weird but oddly delicious) and skillfully wrapped into a roll of ice-cold goodness.

Cost: NT$40/piece Opening hours:  10AM – 7PM (Mon – Sat), closes 8:30PM on Sun How to get there:  4min walk from Jiufen Old Street bus stop ( Google Maps )

9) Grandma Lai’s Taro Balls (賴阿婆芋圓)

Taiwanese Taro Balls have since entered Singapore’s market, coming in an assortment of flavours and toppings. But nothing beats eating a bowl of traditional chewy taro balls in Jiufen Old Street amongst the locals at Grandma Lai’s .

Cost: NT$50/bowl Opening hours:  7AM – 9PM How to get there:  7min walk from Jiufen Old Street bus stop ( Google Maps )

Other Things to Do in Jiufen

Sheng-ping theatre (昇平劇院).

Built in 1934, Sheng-Ping Theatre 昇平劇院 is one of the first film theatres in Taiwan. It was ultimately closed in 1986 due to the dwindling population of Jiufen. After being used as a film location in a 1989 Taiwanese film, A City of Sadness 悲情城市 , Sheng-Ping Theatre gained attraction again and is now being conserved.

The theatre sometimes shows reruns of old-time Taiwanese movies and operas at certain times of the day, so do try to catch one if you have time to spare in Jiufen.

Opening Hours:  9:30AM – 5:30PM (Mon – Fri), closes 6PM on Sat and Sun How to get there:  6min walk from Jiufen Old Street bus stop ( Google Maps )

A-Mei Tea House (阿妹茶樓) 

Another iconic landmark made famous through films is the A-Mei T ea House . You might recognize it from Hayao Miyazaki’s 2001 movie, Spirited Away . Touristy is what A-Mei Tea House has become due to its popularity, but it’s still a nice backdrop for photos and worth checking out when at Jiufen!

If you’re averse to crowds, there are other tea houses such as Artist Teahouse and Skyline Teahouse with equally stunning views, just a stone’s throw away from A-Mei.

A-Mei Tea House Opening Hours: 8:30AM – 9:30PM Address:  6min walk from Jiufen Old Street bus stop ( Google Maps )

Jiufen Chipao Rental Shop

Photo credit: @qey89757 via Instagram

It’s becoming a recurring theme for us to dress up in kimonos or yukatas overseas when the opportunity arises. We even rented one in Taiwan’s Hinoki Village ! But when in Jiufen, it’s probably more appropriate to don a traditional Chinese outfit instead.

Head to Jiufen Chipao which provides qipaos, shoes and accessories for ladies, as well as cheongsams for men and children. The outfits only need to be returned before the shop closes at 7PM, so there’s ample time to explore Jiufen’s alleyways and stop for plenty of photos.

Cost: From ~S$35/day Opening hours: 2PM – 7PM How to get there: 1min walk from Jiufen Old Street bus stop ( Google Maps )

Jiufen and Shifen Guide

We hope that this itinerary has piqued your interest in visiting the quaint townships of Jiufen and Shifen. In today’s rapidly changing world, it’s nice to have somewhere to remind us how vibrant life used to be in the yesteryears. Not forgetting how convenient it has now become to cover these two towns on a day trip!

Save up to 35% on Taipei activities : Psst… the Klook Pass Taipei lets you bundle up to six experiences from a list of 40 choices (including the Yehliu Geopark, Shifen & Jiufen day tour , Shifen sky lantern , and EasyCard ) for extra savings! 😉

Read also: 8D Taiwan Itinerary: Insider’s Guide to Hidden Adventures from Taipei to Kaohsiung via THSR

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I write about the gold rush day.

Re Peanut Ice Cream Roll: It’s cilantro, not parsley.

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Yehliu, Jiufen, Shifen 1 Day Tour

Taipei to Jiufen, Yehliu, Shifen is the most popular day trip from Taipei. Escape from the bustling city of Taipei to Taiwan's scenic northern coast of Yehliu and rustic (former) gold-mining towns of Jiufen and Shifen.

• Child safety seat available
• English service available
• Private tour, flexible pick-up time
• Up to 8 guests per vehicle only. More than 8 guests require 2 or more vehicles.
• Pick up at Taipei City

Hotel, BnB or any place within the city

Witness the famous Queen's Head and other interesting stone formation made by nature at the Yehliu Geopark.

Along the way, stop by for a view of this fascinating mix of yellow and blue seawater from the top.

Located near the Gold Ecological Park in Jinguashi, here you will find a waterfall created by gold mining in the past, though you probably need a lot of luck to find real gold flowing now!

A former mining town that inspired Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away, Jiufen is a must-see for any tourist visiting northern Taiwan.

The Old Streets of Shifen have a nostalgic charm that attracts many from all over the world. It is also a popular place to release sky lanterns.

• Drop off at Taipei City

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A girl's adventure in food and travel around the world, jiufen old street: a day trip from taipei for real-life miyazaki experience.

One of the items I really wanted to check off from Taipei is visiting Jiufen. Jiufen is a small village in the mountains located 1-hour drive from Taipei. It has been made famous largely due to its similarity to the village in Spirited Away, arguably Hayao Miyazaki’s most popular movie.

Here are some topics I will cover in this post:

Is Jiufen the town that inspired Spirited Away anime?

How long should i spend in jiufen, where to stay in jiufen, how to get to jiufen from taipei, how to get back to taipei from jiufen, what to do in jiufen old street, check out other places outside of taipei, the verdict: was jiufen old street worth a visit.

Many sources have claimed Jiufen is the village that inspired Spirited Away, but it was never actually confirmed whether it indeed has a connection to the movie. In fact, Miyazaki has flat-out denied it, saying the village was inspired by many different places.

But for fans of the highly popular anime, the red lanterns all over Jiufen will still be a very familiar sight. I still think it’s a worthwhile visit whether you’re a fan of the movie or not. I have always been a huge fan of Miyazaki, so during my Taiwanese food marathon , I had to take a break and make my way to Jiufen!

(If you haven’t seen the movie – what are you waiting for? do yourself a favor and watch it now!)

Jiufen is very doable as a day trip from Taipei . You only need to set aside about 6-8 hours to enjoy and explore Jiufen.

Staying overnight is optional, though it could be a good option if you’re looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of Taipei!

Even though a day trip from Taipei is usually sufficient, some visitors would stay overnight in Jiufen. The benefit of staying overnight is that you’ll be able to enjoy it to yourself in the morning or at night when most of the day trippers have left.

Here are a few places you can consider:

• Jiufen Aromatherapy B&B
• Jiufen Cafe Sleep B&B

From Taipei, Jiufen can be easily reached by a multitude of options: public transport, shuttle bus, or taxi.

Taking a taxi from Taipei to Juifen will cost you about TWD 1,200-1,400 (US$38-45) and the ride will take less than an hour. I think if you are traveling in a group of 4 people, this is the best option. The cost per person is not that much more compared to the bus and it gets you there faster.

Just make sure your driver actually knows where they are going – we got taken to Keelung instead. However, our driver was very nice about it and drove us to the right place without charging extra. Show this place on google map and make sure to highlight these characters: 九份老街 which means Jiufen Old Street.

2. By Private Car Charter

Booking a Private Car is probably the best and most cost-effective way to go if you are traveling in a group and want to have a driver who can wait for you and your group for the entire day.

• Book a straightforward charter from Taipei to Jiufen – Book a Private charter here .
• If you have a few other spots you want to go to aside from Jiufen, you can book this sightseeing car for 8 hours! You can also ask them to stop at any locations along the way and they have suggested itineraries you can follow too! – Book a Sightseeing Car here

3. By Train and Bus

Taking public transportation will take 1.5 hours and cost TWD 113. Take the MRT blue line to Zhongxiao Fuxing Station Exit 2, then take bus 1062 to Jiufen Old Street Station. Check the bus 1062 timetable here and note the last departure, usually at 18:40.

4. By Shuttle Bus and Tours (includes other places too)

Alternatively, you can book a shuttle bus tour which will take you to other places in Taiwan too – such as Shifen waterfall and Shifen Old Street.

If you are keen on visiting Yehliu, you can consider this tour: Yehliu, Jiufen, and Shifen Day Tour (click this link to book). These are both great options to save time if you want to see more outside of Taipei. Jiufen Old Street itself is quite small and can be explored in under 2 hours, so definitely check out other places too if you have the time!

Going back to Taipei from Jiufen is really easy since it’s a popular tourist place. You can pretty much take the same route as I’ve described above in reverse.

If you want to take a taxi back, fret not – there will be plenty of taxis waiting to take you back to Taipei.

If you are planning to take the bus though, make sure to check the bus 1062 timetable here and note the last departure time so you are not stranded in Jiufen.

Alright, now that you know the basics about Jiufen, here is what you can do when you finally get here!

1. Walk along the Jiufen Old Street

The Jiufen Old Street is a narrow alleyway lined up with small food stalls, tea houses, souvenir shops, and pottery stores.

I am not going to lie, if you expect an idyllic calm experience you won’t find it in Jiufen. This alley will be jam-packed with people since it’s the main thing to do in Jiufen. But just go with the flow and explore any shops that catch your eye!

2. Visit the famous A-Mei Lantern Tea House

This is the spot you’ve all been waiting for – the richly decorated tea house of Jiufen. The most picturesque one that you see in all photos depicting Jiufen is the A-Mei Teahouse .

This multi-story teahouse is strategically located just a little off the main street, perched on top of a hill. From their balcony, you can admire the picturesque view in front of you, Keelung Mountain to the right, and the Northern shores of Taiwan on the left.

But if you don’t care to have tea there, skip to my next point!

3. Visit a Tea House and chill out there for awhile

Although the most photographed teahouse is A-Mei Teahouse, we opted to chill out at a quieter teahouse since I didn’t make a reservation.

We went to a place (with a very original name) called Jiufen Teahouse . It was right off the main alley and doesn’t look much from the front, but once you get in, you’ll see that it’s very beautiful and it has a nice open balcony in the back.

Happy to say we were one of the few patrons there. We were seated outside on the balcony, so we were able to enjoy the view with our tea. Although it was probably not as good as the view from A-Mei, I still enjoyed my time there very much.

4. Eat all the good local food and snacks

What’s a trip to Taiwan without trying local food? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Here are some dishes you can try in Jiufen:

Braised Pork Rice (Lu Rou Fan) is a very simple but comforting dish, consisting of small cubes of braised pork marinated in thick, dark gravy sauce, served over piping hot steamed rice.

Learn more about Lu Rou Fan in my Taiwanese food post !

Taro Ball Soup is one of the most famous snacks in Jiufen. The taro balls are famous because they have the perfect chewy texture – not too soft and not too hard. You can have it steamed hot or served cold over ice with kidney beans. By the way, this is actually dessert – it’s very common in Asian countries to have beans as part of sweet dishes.

A-zhu Peanut Ice Cream is yet another item you must have in Jiufen. Located on the main old street, you won’t miss it since there would already be a queue forming along this small stall. It is a thin crepe-like layer filled with ground peanuts and balanced with two scoops of ice cream. Super delicious! I loved the contrast between the wet ice cream texture and the dry ground peanuts.

Want to know more about food in Taipei? Check out my 10 Must Eat Food in Taipei – a one-stop guide for all the good food in Taipei, including a guide to the night markets!

5. Learn about Jiufen as a Gold mining town

Before finding its status as a tourist attraction, Jiufen was a gold mining town back in the World War days. Keep your eyes peeled for the mining tunnels, remnants of the mining days. One of them is located right next to A-Mei Teahouse and serves as a quaint entrance to Taiwan Sweet Potato Teahouse.

If you are interested in learning more about Jiufen’s history as a mining town, definitely visit the Jiufen Gold Ore Museum .

6. Hike up Mount Teapot

This is a very popular hiking trail close to Jiufen. If you want to do this hike, you’ll want to be dropped off at Quanji Temple. Bus 1062 which I talked about will take you from Taipei to both Jiufen and Quanji Temple, which is the last stop for the bus.

As I have mentioned above, Jiufen Old Street itself is quite small and can be explored in under 3 hours, so it’s worth researching what other places you want to visit. Here are a few destinations you can consider lumping together with Jiufen!

Keelung Food Market – This is one of the most famous night markets in Taipei. It’s located about a 15-minute drive away from Jiufen, so if you’re already in the area and you love food – definitely make a stop here. You probably want to go in the late afternoon or at night time, since that’s usually when the food markets in Taiwan start to come alive.

Shifen Waterfall – This waterfall is one of the most scenic waterfalls in Taiwan. Aside from the waterfall, you can also visit Shifen Old Street nearby.

If you want to visit Shifen and Keelung in addition to Jiufen, you might be interested in this shuttle bus tour: Shifen, Jiufen and Keelung Bus

Yehliu Geopark – This nature park is located on the northern coast of Taiwan. It is known for its unique geological formations. If you like nature, this is definitely a place to visit.

You can book the Yehliu Geopark, Shifen, and Jiufen Shuttle Bus for easier transport.

Jiufen is hardly a “secret” spot. I have to agree that the small village is extremely touristy and crowded. When I visited, the narrow alleyway was packed with people, as you can see in my photos above. Jiufen is also a really small area, so you’d likely be done with it after a few hours.

But personally, I think it’s still worth a visit ! Jiufen is a charming place and there are other places you can explore aside from the old street. We were able to get away from the tourist area and explored alleys with practically no one else in it.

So manage your expectations and don’t think you will be able to take photos with no one else around at such a popular place. And, keep an open mind! You never know what you’ll come across. If you really want to see the village without anyone else, then you’re better off staying overnight and exploring it in the morning.

Plus, it’s only an hour away from Taipei , so it’s not super hard to get to!

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16 Comments

• March 23, 2024

This post was so helpful to get started on a visit to Jiufen. Thank you for the detail and options! Thank you for your work!!

Note, I found the 1026 bus stop is now best accessed from Exit 2 of MRT Zhongxiao Fuxing Station.

Hey Emma, thanks for the info!

• November 12, 2023

Jiufen is like visiting the past but with a mixture of the new era! Even the old wood mixed with the new woods as part of the furnitures and the carpentry work of the inns and shops make it a continuing history! Safety, security, cleanliness , sanitation and reasonable pricing of everything makes our vacation a wonderful and worth reminiscing!

• November 8, 2023

Thank you for sharing this idea. It’s very informative. Im planning that I will be there in Jiufen soon to explore it as well.

• September 11, 2022

Thank you for this! In your observation, where there tour options in Jiufen Town? I checked Klook and it seems that our date of travel is fully booked.

• April 8, 2020

Thank you Melissa. Very great info.

• October 23, 2019

helpful , thx !!!

• October 8, 2019

Wait, does it really cost $1200-$1400? Thats like $50++ in SGD! So expensive? Nice photo by the way!

• October 12, 2019

yeah, but it’s also proportionate to the fare in the city. i don’t think they’re trying to scam or anything!

• September 15, 2019

Hi Melissa, We are planning to go to Nov. What and where do we get the bus tour to Yehleu, juvien, shifien? How much will it cost? We are 6.also do the taxi agree if we rent them for a day? Thanks espie

Hi Espe, I have tour booking links above that you can go to and book.

For the bus tour to Yehliu, Jiufen, and Shifen: https://affiliate.klook.com/jump/activity/13827-yehliu-jiufen-shifen-tour-pastry-making-taipei/?adid=46976&af_wid=5711

For private car charter: https://affiliate.klook.com/jump/en-SG/activity/9909-popular-sightseeing-charter-tour-taipei/?adid=74222&af_wid=5711

Since there are 6 of you, I think getting the private car is better.

• April 20, 2019

Hi Melissa, Great post !! I have questions about Jiufen. Is it much better to visit at night? I saw many beautiful pictures of the Tea house & city at night. If yes, what time the stores / shops closed? What about transportation back to Taipei at night?

Hey Chris, if you want to see it at night I recommend getting there maybe by around 5 PM so that you can be there by sunset and stay til after dark. I am not sure when the shops close. For transportation, you can see the bus link I provided above, but I think taxis should still be available.

• December 24, 2019

Hi, the shop is start to close from 6.30 to7pm. Hope this info help.

• April 4, 2019

I already want to go back there as I went there last summer with my two friends and had such a great time! There was more food (the pork rice I tried in Taipei but I wanted to try it in Jiufen too) and places that I wanted to visit more. I didn’t even know there was a museum there and I need to go to the teahouse next time! Thanks for a great post Melissa!

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