Day Trip to Jiufen: Is it Worth it & How to Plan the Perfect Day

Wondering if a day trip to Jiufen (pronounced j-OW-fun) is actually worth it – or if it’s just another overhyped tourist stop near Taipei?

After planning and testing my own Yehliu–Jiufen–Shifen route while exploring Taipei, Jiufen ended up being one of my favourite places in Taiwan. It’s easily one of the most rewarding day trips from the city – if you plan it properly.

I visited in the early afternoon after Yehliu Geopark, spent three hours wandering Jiufen’s lantern-lined alleyways, then continued on to Shifen – and it turned into one of the most memorable days of my trip.

Set in the misty mountains of northeastern Taiwan, this former gold mining town feels like stepping into another world: sweeping sea views, traditional teahouses, glowing red lanterns, and street food drifting through narrow hillside lanes.

Yes, it’s busy. Yes, it’s touristy. But honestly? The atmosphere makes it completely worth it.

If you’re debating whether to add a day trip to Jiufen to your Taiwan itinerary, this guide will show you exactly how to plan it. From what to see and how to get there, to deciding between public transport and a private driver, I’ll walk you through every step. I’ll also show you how to combine Jiufen with Shifen and Yehliu into one smooth, full-day adventure – no complicated transport logistics required.

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Is a day trip to Jiufen worth it? 

Absolutely.

Even with the crowds and the travel time, Jiufen has a special atmosphere that you won’t find in Taipei. If you’re visiting Taiwan for the first time and want a day that combines history, scenery and street food – Jiufen is absolutely worth it.

Why Jiufen is so popular

Jiufen isn’t just popular because it looks pretty on Instagram (although it absolutely does).

It’s popular because it offers something that Taipei doesn’t.

Within about an hour of leaving the city, you’re suddenly in the mountains, surrounded by narrow staircases lined with red lanterns, traditional teahouses clinging to the hillside, and sweeping views of both the ocean and Keelung Mountain. The setting alone feels cinematic.

Add in the street food stalls steaming in the humid air, the gold mining history, the tea culture, and the fact that it’s easy to combine with places like Shifen and Yehliu – and it becomes one of the most “wow factor” experiences in northern Taiwan.

For first-time visitors especially, it’s an easy way to see a completely different side of the country without needing to venture too far from Taipei.

Is Jiufen overhyped?

Let’s be honest – Jiufen is busy.

By late morning and early afternoon, the main street can feel packed shoulder-to-shoulder. The queues for the iconic A-Mei Teahouse can be long. And yes, you’ll see plenty of Spirited Away souvenirs whether you’ve watched the anime or not.

But here’s the thing – once you step off the main artery and wander down the quieter staircases, the atmosphere shifts.

The side lanes feel calmer. The views open up. You can hear the sizzle of the street food being cooked. And if you stay into the late afternoon when the lanterns start to glow, the entire town softens into something far more magical than the midday crowds suggest.

It’s not untouched or hidden, but it is atmospheric.

If you go expecting a silent, secret mountain village, you’ll be disappointed. If you go expecting a lively, slightly chaotic, visually stunning hillside town with incredible scenery, you’ll probably love it.

I did.

Should you add Jiufen to your Taiwan itinerary?

Jiufen is a great fit for:

• First-time visitors who want to see more than just Taipei
• Travellers with limited time looking for an easy, high-impact day trip
• Couples or solo travellers who enjoy scenic towns and photography
• Food lovers who want to snack their way through local specialties
• Anyone curious about Taiwan’s gold mining history and tea culture

It’s especially ideal if you only have 3–5 days in northern Taiwan and want one day that feels completely different from the city.

It might not be for you if:

• You strongly dislike crowds
• You’re looking for remote, off-the-beaten-path experiences
• You only enjoy destinations with structured attractions rather than atmosphere

For most first-time visitors, though, Jiufen strikes the perfect balance – scenic, culturally interesting and easy to combine with other highlights nearby.

If you’re debating whether to include it, I’d lean toward yes.

The key is planning your day well so you experience the best of it.

If you’re spending a few days in Taipei before heading out to Jiufen, I’d recommend balancing this scenic day trip with a cultural experience in the city itself – like participating in traditional fortune telling at Longshan Temple.

What is Jiufen Old Street?

Jiufen is a former gold mining town tucked into the mountains of Ruifang, New Taipei City – steep, compact and atmospheric. Today it’s known for its lantern-lined staircases, traditional teahouses and sweeping coastal views.

But Jiufen wasn’t always a tourist hotspot.

Was Jiufen really the inspiration for Spirited Away? 

Jiufen is famously linked to Hayao Miyazaki’s film Spirited Away, largely because of its dramatic staircases and the iconic A-Mei Teahouse glowing with red lanterns at dusk.

While Miyazaki has publicly denied that Jiufen directly inspired the film, citing Japan’s Dogo Onsen instead, the resemblance is undeniable. Whether coincidence or not, the cinematic atmosphere is part of what draws so many visitors here.

The jury is still out on what people truly believe. And yes, you’ll see plenty of Spirited Away souvenirs while you wander.

Jiufen’s Gold Mining History

Jiufen’s story is rooted in Taiwan’s gold rush.

In the late 1800s, gold was discovered in the surrounding hills, transforming what had been a small mountain village into one of Taiwan’s wealthiest mining towns. During the Japanese colonial era (1895–1945), Jiufen flourished; earning a reputation as a “Gold Mountain” settlement.

When mining declined in the 1970s, Jiufen nearly faded into obscurity.

Its revival came decades later, when filmmakers and artists rediscovered its nostalgic architecture and dramatic setting. Today, the old staircases and preserved buildings are remnants of that boom period – part living town, part historical echo.

Understanding that history makes wandering the narrow lanes feel less like visiting a theme park and more like stepping through layers of Taiwan’s past.

How to plan a day trip to Jiufen from Taipei

Planning a day trip to Jiufen isn’t complicated, but choosing the right transport option can completely change your experience.

Technically, you can get there by bus or train. Practically, if you’re trying to combine Jiufen with Shifen and Yehliu in one day, logistics matter more than you think.

Here’s how the options compare.

Hire a private driver (best for flexibility and zero stress)

This is the option we chose – and honestly, I’d do it the same way again.

We had the flexibility of customising our day, which completely elevated the experience for us. We got to:

• Spend longer in Jiufen because we loved it
• Leave Shifen as soon as we felt ready
• Stop at unexpected viewpoints along the coast
• Avoid waiting in long public bus queues

It felt relaxed instead of rushed.

Because it was our last day in Taipei and we were heading to Jiaoxi afterwards, this option made the most sense for us. We didn’t have to drag our suitcases onto crowded buses or worry about storage between stops. Our driver simply adjusted the day around our onward travel, while our luggage was safely stored in his car.

Instead of navigating train schedules, bus queues and multiple transfers, we simply got picked up from our hotel, followed a customised route, and were dropped off exactly where we needed to be – luggage and all.

We paid around £125 for 8 hours with a non-English-speaking driver (using Google Translate worked perfectly). English-speaking drivers cost slightly more, but for many first-time visitors, that extra comfort may be worth it.

If you’re travelling as a couple or small group, this option becomes even better value per person – and you’ll save hours of transport time.

You can book a private 8-hour driver here and customise your route to include Jiufen, Shifen, Yehliu and more.

If your Taiwan itinerary is short and you want one seamless, stress-free day outside Taipei, this is the most comfortable way to do it. There are multiple options available for English, Mandarin, Korean or Japanese-speaking drivers.

If you’re on a tighter budget, a group tour works just as well – but if you value flexibility and comfort, the private driver is worth every penny.

Book a day tour (easiest option for first-time visitors)

If this is your first time in Taiwan and you don’t want to spend half your day figuring out train schedules, bus queues or Google Translating your way through connections – booking a guided day tour is honestly the simplest way to visit Jiufen.

The public transport system works, but combining Yehliu, Jiufen and Shifen in one day requires multiple transfers – and if you miss one connection, you can easily lose an hour. On a short Taiwan itinerary, that’s precious time.

This full-day Jiufen–Shifen–Yehliu tour from Taipei costs just under $22 USD per person and includes:

• Transport from Taipei Main Station
• Visits to Yehliu Geopark, Jiufen Old Street, Shifen and the Golden Waterfall
• An English-speaking guide
• Return transport to Taipei

For the price, it’s incredible value – especially when you consider how much smoother the day feels when someone else handles the logistics.

You’ll have structured time at each stop without worrying about navigating rural bus routes, and you won’t need to rush back early out of fear of missing the last connection.

If you’re travelling solo or as a couple, this is by far the most stress-free way to experience Jiufen in one day.

You can check availability and current prices for your dates here.

If you prefer something more flexible, there’s also a private tour option where you can customise the stops – ideal if you want to spend longer in Jiufen and less time in Shifen.

This tour consistently gets high ratings and often sells out during weekends, so it’s certainly worth checking availability in advance.

This tour has the option of visiting the Tiaoshi Coast too, but you skip Yehliu. You have options within both tours to choose the sites you want to visit and they both include transfers to and from Taipei too.

Direct bus from Taipei (cheapest, but most unpredictable)

Taking bus 1062 from Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT or bus 965 from Ximending is the most direct route from Taipei to Jiufen and back. The drawback of this is that the bus is very crowded and the queues to board are very long, so you may be waiting for a couple of buses depending on how long the queue is.

Once you are in Jiufen, you will then need to use public transport to navigate between other attractions you want to visit.

The bus fare between Taipei and Jiufen is around 100 TWD each way, so this is the most affordable way to travel.

Train and Bus via Ruifang (more structured, still DIY)

Instead of waiting for a bus, you could take a train from Taipei main station to Ruifang, which is the closest station to Jiufen.

There are multiple trains daily, so you don’t need to pre-book and it takes between 30-60 minutes depending on which type of train you catch. You can check the current times for the dates you want to travel on the Taiwan Railway website.

From Ruifang, you will need to take a bus or taxi to Jiufen. There are multiple buses you can take; 827, 856, 788, 825, 965 or 1062 – and they usually say Jiufen/Jinguashi in English on the front. The bus takes around 10-15 from the station to Jiufen and costs around 20 TWD. 

Renting a car

Renting a car gives you maximum independence, but parking in Jiufen can be limited and narrow mountain roads may not be ideal if you’re not confident driving abroad.

For most first-time visitors staying in Taipei, a tour or private driver tends to be simpler.

So Which Option Should You Choose?

If you value comfort and flexibility → hire a private driver.
If you want simplicity and great value → book a guided tour.
If you’re confident with transport logistics → public transport works.

There’s no wrong answer, but there is a smoother one depending on your travel style.

And when you only have one day to experience Jiufen, smooth matters.

Best time to visit Jiufen

The best times to visit Jiufen are early in the morning, just before 10am and after 7pm, if you want to avoid the crowds. Monday – Thursday are said to be slightly quieter days to visit too.

Bearing in mind the restaurants and shops open between around 10am-7pm, you will have to factor that in.

Personally, I would advise arriving mid-afternoon, around 3-4pm to experience the transition from day to night. Just in time to see the red lanterns light up.

If I were doing it again, I’d skip arriving at midday in summer. The heat and the crowds made it hard to fully enjoy wandering round the Old Street.

Jiufen Old Street Opening Hours

Jiufen is technically always open as it is effectively a collection of some atmospheric streets. 

The teahouses, shops and restaurants open from 10am until 7 or 8pm, so if you are looking for food early in the morning, 7-Eleven will be your best bet.

The famous red lanterns remain lit until around 9pm though – creating a scenic, less crowded atmosphere in the evenings. 

How long should you spend in Jiufen?

You only need to set aside around 3 hours to explore Jiufen Old Street. Longer if you plan to hike up Teapot Mountain too.

Jiufen makes for the perfect day trip from Taipei and there is no need to stay overnight, unless you want to enjoy Jiufen without all the crowds.

Things to do in Jiufen

I’ll be honest, the real highlight of Jiufen is simply soaking up the atmosphere. Yes, it’s super touristy and packed shoulder-to-shoulder, but the atmosphere more than makes up for all the insane crowds.

That said, there are a few experiences you shouldn’t miss while you’re there.

1. Wander through Jiufen Old Street

This is the heart of Jiufen and where you’ll likely spend most of your time.

Top tip: If you have hired a driver, the best access to Jiufen Old Street is to get dropped off at the 7-Eleven on Jiishan Street. This means you can avoid walking up hundreds of stairs. 

There are restrictions around the area preventing drivers from pulling up too close, so you may have a short walk uphill to get to the entrance – but in my opinion, that’s better than stairs!

The Keelung bus 1062 and bus 965 both typically stop near this main entrance or the nearby Jiufen Old Street bus stop, which provides flat, immediate access too. 

The narrow alleyways are packed with street food stalls, pottery shops, traditional teahouses – and if you’re lucky, you may even see some artists and performers showcasing the local creative spirit. 

To manage your expectations, do not expect a calm atmosphere. It gets busy (huge understatement) especially in the middle of the day, but part of the fun is getting lost down the smaller side streets and staircases.

The lanes branching off the main street are usually quieter and much more atmospheric.

2. Eat all the street food

Jiufen is a great place to snack your way around as you meander through the narrow lanes. 

I was truly blown away by the amount of vegan and vegetarian food options available to me. I hadn’t expected to find much I’d be able to eat, so it was a very pleasant surprise – I just wish the intense heat hadn’t curbed my appetite! 

Some vegan-friendly options include:

• Taro balls (Lai Ah Po or A Gan Yi) – these are a Jiufen speciality; Chewy balls that are served in sweet soup or on ice. I liked them.
• Peanut ice cream rolls with coriander (A-Zhu) – personally, I’d say skip the coriander here. It made for a weird addition to what would have otherwise been a wonderfully cooling treat!
• Grilled oyster mushrooms – I loved these savory snacks found at several stalls
• Shop number 63 is a dedicated vegan restaurant – and with vegan steak on the menu, you can bet I tried it. Truly sensational!
• Bubble tea! Sometimes called boba – a Taiwanese tea-based drink, with milk, fruit and/or syrup. It is commonly served cold with chewy tapioca pearls. You can’t be in Taiwan without taking every opportunity to try their infamous refreshing drink.

You don’t need a sit-down meal here – you can just snack as you walk around. Half the fun is trying small bites as you explore. 

3. Visit A-Mei Teahouse

The iconic A-Mei Teahouse is likely the biggest reason why people take a day trip to Jiufen. You will have seen it in photos, the multiple story building perched on a hillside, richly covered in red lanterns; it is the postcard view of Jiufen. 

You don’t need to have tea there – there will be a long queue, and people really go for the view of it from the steps and building opposite it. So even if you don’t go inside, it’s worth stopping for photos.

If you do have time, sitting down for a traditional tea experience is a nice way to relax and enjoy the view. You can admire the picturesque view from the balcony of Keelung Mountain to the right and the Northern shores of Taiwan on the left.

It does feel like a bit of a maze trying to find the teahouse, but then I spotted hundreds of stairs going down with hoards of people. I quite literally just followed the crowds – and before I knew it, the teahouse was on my right! 

Look out for the cutesy shops along the way (left hand side), some of them have a viewing platform where you can stop for some shots of A-Mei without it being too crowded.

We were in Jiufen at around midday, but late afternoon is the best time to visit, when the lanterns start to glow.

4. Stay for the lantern lights

Speaking of which, if your schedule allows, one of the best things you can do on a Jiufen day trip is to experience it both early in the morning and at sunset for two completely different vibes.

Typically, we experienced neither! Visiting in the afternoon meant so many more people were there at the same time, but it was also a super-sweaty time of day to be there.

I have seen that as the afternoon crowds start to thin, the red lanterns switch on and the whole town feels calmer and far more atmospheric. This is also the best time for golden hour photos.

5. Enjoy the mountain and ocean views

Jiufen sits high on the hillside, so there are plenty of viewpoints where you can see the coastline and mountains at the same time. You just need to look out for them.

Look for terraces near all the teahouses or small lookout points along the main paths. On a clear day, the views are beautiful. If it’s misty, the town has a completely different, almost magical atmosphere.

6. Visit a tea house

You can’t visit Jiufen without a trip to a teahouse – even if, like me, you aren’t normally a tea drinker. It’s such a lovely and calm experience. 

We went to a place called Jiufen Teahouse – totally original name, right? It didn’t even look open from the outside, but inside it’s beautiful – with it’s moody interior and a spacious open balcony at the back.

Jiufen is renowned for its traditional Taiwanese high-mountain teas, particularly Oolong (including Li-shan and Alishan Jin-Xuan) and Red Oolong. The area is also famous for ginger tea, a popular local specialty, and Lei Cha (ground tea). 

Tea is served in all the iconic teahouses overlooking the ocean, and some stores also offer a complimentary tea tasting so you can find and purchase your favourite. 

7. Visit the gold mining heritage sites

Jiufen was originally a gold mining town, and you can still see traces of its history.

If you’re interested in the history, you can visit the small local museums in town. If you are spending longer than a day in Jiufen, you can also take a short trip to nearby Jinguashi Gold Ecological Park for old mining tunnels and panoramic views.

This is a good option if you want to experience something beyond the food and shopping.

8. Browse the local shops 

All along the Old Street you’ll find plenty of small shops selling:

• Handmade crafts
• Tea and teaware (you will also be offered samples of tea as you walk around)
• Local snacks and sweets
• Lantern-themed souvenirs

I’m not one for traditional souvenirs, but I do like to buy unique items that I will use everyday  at home. I saw some really quirky tote bags and jewellery, along with some fabulous homeware.

Even if you’re not planning to buy anything, the shops add so much character to the town.

9. Explore the quiet backstreets

One of the best things to do in Jiufen is simply walk away from the main crowds.

Head up or down any of the staircases and you’ll often find quieter residential lanes, hidden viewpoints and small cafés. These quieter corners are where Jiufen feels most authentic.

I had some wonderful interactions with some locals and other tourists in the quieter spots. A Japanese lady came up to me and randomly whipped out a sheet of paper from her handbag, showing me her origami skills while her travel companions looked on in amusement. 

Through the powers of Google Translate, I learned that she just wanted to give me a gift – for no reason. It was a very wholesome moment.

10. Hike up Teapot Mountain

Teapot Mountain is a very popular hiking trail close to Jiufen. It is aptly named as such because it looks like a teapot without a handle.

You will need at least two hours to hike up to the mountain, so this is perfect if you are either spending a night in Jiufen or aren’t on a group tour visiting other attractions around the area.

What else can you see on a day trip from Taipei?

If you have hired a driver for the day, you can visit multiple places on a day trip from Taipei. The driver will suggest an itinerary that follows that of group tours – and this is loosely what we did.

Most visitors want to visit Jiufen and several other attractions in the area on a day trip from Taipei. The logistics of this can become a little complicated if you are relying solely on public transport. So my best advice would be to book a tour or hire a driver to customise the trip for you.

Shifen Old Street

Shifen Old Street is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Taiwan. This is where the Pingxi Line trains run right through the middle of the market street. 

It draws thousands of visitors every day of the year. People come here for the classic experience of writing their wishes on sky lanterns and releasing them into the sky from the train tracks.

It’s chaotic, fun and full of local snacks. In fact, I could smell the stinky tofu being cooked before we even crossed the suspension bridge towards the train tracks. It’s quite an overwhelming (read: unpleasant) smell.

We overestimated how long we would need to spend at Shifen Old Street, but there really isn’t much to do or see here aside from setting off a sky lantern. 1 to 2 hours in Shifen is plenty.

If you want to release a sky lantern, I would encourage you to buy the eco-friendly sky lanterns. The regular ones are terrible for the environment because of the metal and plastic parts in them. They also contain harmful dyes and often get stuck in trees or bushes, causing fires.

After all, what goes up must come down – and once the fire inside has burned out, that lantern is falling back down to the Earth.

I thought it was a cute activity, but one I could have easily skipped. It does feel like a tourist trap because as soon as you enter, the vendors start trying to get your attention – and before you know it, you have to choose whether you want a single colour or a multi-coloured lantern while being ushered towards the painting stations. 

We paid around £8 for a four coloured lantern, which quite honestly seemed a bit steep.

Shifen Waterfall

Shifen is a popular destination for day trippers to Jiufen as they are both close by – around a 30 minute walk from the Old Street.

Known as Taiwan’s Niagara Falls, Shifen Waterfall is wide, powerful and surprisingly scenic. 

You probably need about 45 minutes to walk there and back.

Jinguashi Gold Ecological Park 

This ecological park is a former Japanese-era mining complex in Ruifang, that has now been transformed into an open-air museum.

It showcases rich gold-mining history, including a 220kg gold bar, restored Japanese residences, mining tunnels, and scenic mountain views, offering a glimpse into the region’s 20th-century boom. 

Yehliu Geopark

Yehliu sits right on the northern coast and is famous for its unusual rock formations shaped by wind and sea. Some of them genuinely look like sculptures, and the coastal views alone make the stop worthwhile. 

The Queen’s Head is the top draw of the geopark and there will be a queue for pictures with the rock. It is believed to be 4000 years old and is under constant threat of destruction by erosion.

Our driver also stopped along the road near the Geopark, where there are some incredible viewpoints that offer stunning, elevated views of the East China Sea and dramatic coastal cliffs.

What really blew me away was seeing the natural beauty of the rock formations as the waves crashed into them. I truly never thought I’d be so excited about rocks! The entire stop is a stunner.

Plan to spend around 1.5 – 2  hours here. Yehliu is quite exposed, so bring sun protection and water, especially in summer.

Keelung Food Market 

Keelung night market is one of the most famous night markets in Taipei and is around a 15-minute drive away from Jiufen. It opens at 12pm until around 2 or 3am, so if you’re already in the area and have some time on your day trip, I’d suggest stopping here. 

In my experience, the best time to visit food markets in Taiwan is in the evening, as that’s when they really come alive. 

Houtong Cat Village

I’m mentioning Houtong Cat Village only because it is said to be one of the quirkiest places to visit on this day trip. Once a formerly prosperous coal mining village is now home to hundreds of cats.

Honestly speaking, this place may have been a great attraction a few years ago, but it looks super run down now. We saw some photos online before deciding whether we wanted to visit and it didn’t look great. Our driver validated our decision by saying it’s a bit too far out of the way, and unless you are desperate to just see a ton of stray cats – it’s not worth it.

Where to stay in Jiufen

A day trip from Taipei to Jiufen is usually sufficient, but some people may opt to stay overnight. 

The benefit of spending a night is that you’ll be able to enjoy Jiufen without the crowds, early in the morning and/or at night when most of the day trippers have left.

• Arabian Nights in Jiufen is an upscale B&B with sleek rooms and sea views, located a very short walk away.
• Chiu Chunt Dint B&B is a cosy B&B with sea views, and it couldn’t be any closer to Jiufen Old Street; just 100 yards away.
• Yu Apartment offers slightly more luxe accommodation for adults only, but slightly further away – though it is only a 5 minute walk.

Should you add Jiufen to your Taiwan itinerary?

If this is your first trip to Taiwan and you’re wondering whether Jiufen is worth giving up a day in Taipei for – my honest answer is yes.

Jiufen offers something completely different from the capital. Within an hour, you can swap skyscrapers and night markets for something that feels cinematic, slightly chaotic, occasionally overwhelming – but undeniably memorable.

Is it touristy? Absolutely.
Is it crowded? Absolutely.
Is it still worth it? Without a doubt.

The key is planning your day properly.

If you’re short on time, travelling for the first time in Taiwan, or don’t want to navigate rural transport connections, booking a guided tour or hiring a private driver will make the entire experience smoother and far less stressful. You’ll maximise your time and avoid spending half the day in bus queues.

If you’re comfortable with public transport and travelling slowly, you can absolutely do it independently – just be prepared for a little more effort.

But however you choose to visit, Jiufen is one of those places that lingers in your memory long after you’ve left. The glow of the lanterns at dusk, the mountain-meets-ocean views, the smell of street food drifting through narrow staircases – it’s a place that feels distinctly Taiwanese, yet unlike anywhere else on the island.

If you only take one day trip from Taipei, make it Jiufen.

You won’t regret adding it to your itinerary.

And don’t forget to leave time to explore the capital itself – Taipei has far more to offer than most first-time visitors expect.

If you’d rather experience Jiufen without the transport stress, check out the tour and driver availability before finalising your Taipei itinerary.

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Read more about planning a trip to Taiwan:

• 40+ Unique Things to Do in Taipei for First Time Visitors
• How To Participate in Secret Fortune Telling at Longshan Temple Taipei
• Day Trip to Jiufen: Is it Worth it & How to Plan the Perfect Day