Jiufen Taiwan is one of the most popular day trips from Taipei City. This city is a perfect mix of history, nostalgia, shopping and sightseeing and is very easy to reach from Taipei.
This Taiwanese mountain town is famous for its resemblance to the village from the movie Spirited Away, and also attracts many tourists who want to visit the old Jiufen Street with souvenir shops, tea rooms and good restaurants.
In this guide you will learn how to get to Jiufen City, what day packages you should use, what to see and do in the city and everything you need to know before you go!
What Is Jiufen Taiwan?
Jiufen Taiwan is a former gold mining town by the sea (became a ghost town), which became known for its connection to the Japanese animated films City of Sadness and Spirited away.
The city of Jiufen (also spelled Jiufen or Chiufen) was revived by tourism in the 1990s, and now many people come here to enjoy street markets, good food, tea and well-kept photo ops.
Most people visit Jiufen on a day trip from Taipei, but if you want to stay longer, there are plenty of guesthouses!
Things To Do In Jiufen Taiwan
Jiufen Old Street: the street markets are full of cafés, souvenirs and of course a lot of good street food. Some of the best foods you should try are braised pork rice, squid skewers, mango ice cream, taro balls, Japanese mochi and Taiwanese bubble tea.
A-Mei Tea House: this traditional tea house with its rows of windows and paper lanterns is the most famous sight of Jiufen. If you want to drink tea there, you should book online in advance.
Qipao rental: for ladies, Jiufen is a great place to wear traditional Chinese dress. My wife decided to make her own in Taipei City instead, but Jiufen would have been a good place too.
Golden Waterfall: this is a unique waterfall on orange rocks, just 10 minutes from Juifang. Most jiufen tour packages include it in the itinerary, or you can take a fast taxi from Jiufen.
Teapot Mountain Hike: If you have more time, knockdown out this coastal hike with breathtaking mountain views. It starts at the nearby Jinguashi Gold ecological Museum and takes about 4 hours in total.
How To Get To Jiufen Taiwan
Jiufen is located about 40 kilometers east of Taipei City, Taiwan.
* By taxi
A one-way trip to Jiufen costs at least 1,200 to 1,400 TWD and takes about 45 minutes from Taipei.
* By private car
Klook has a private car rental in Taipei for 3,100 TWD at the time of this listing.
This is the most convenient and inexpensive option if you are traveling in a group, because you can share the cost, and your driver will be waiting for you all day while you are sightseeing. The round-trip fare is not much higher than a taxi.
* By train and bus
You can take the train from Taipei Central Station to Ruifang Station (by TRA train) and then take the bus from Ruifang Station to Jiufen.
The entire journey takes about 1 hour (40 minutes by train and 20 minutes by bus) and costs 65 TWD (50 TWD for the train and 15 TWD for the bus).
