Exploring the mountain towns of Jiufen and Jinguashi 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, Jiufen 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 in our Taiwan Travel Tips (TTT) Facebook group dispute this so who knows?!).
This article was originally published on cktravels.com in June 2019.
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Just a short train ride or bus trip away from Taipei, Jiufen is one of the best day trips from Taipei and can easily be combined with a trip along the world famous Pingxi Line including Houtong Cat Village and Shifen Falls.
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 and the neighbouring town of Jinguashi.
A visit to Jiufen and Jinguashi should be high on your list when planning your Taiwan trip and Taipei itinerary – here is our 2025 guide to all things to do in Jiufen and Jinguashi, Taiwan.
You might like – Our first timers guide to Taipei and Taiwan >
Taiwan checklist
We love using agoda.com, expedia.com and booking.com for researching and booking all our hotels.
For booking tours, transfers and buying SIM cards/eSIMs we recommend Get Your Guide, Viator, KK Day or Klook. You can also purchase eSIMs from Airalo.
For booking rental cars visit Discover Cars. For private drivers and taxis, check out our Transfer guide >
For more recommendations, check out our Taiwan travel booking resources page >
All set for Taiwan? Do one final check with our Taipei first timers guide and our packing list guide. Travelling with kids? Check out our Taipei For Kids eBook >
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 Ruifang 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 and can be made using a Taiwan EasyCard – train fare correct as of March 2025.
After alighting the train at Ruifang, 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.
Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Bus 965 – Taipei to Jiufen
Alternatively you can take the new Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Bus 965 directly to Jiufen and Jinguashi for around 100 TWD.
The bus makes pick up from Banqiao Bus Station, Wanhua Railway Station, MRT Ximen Station, MRT Fuzhong Station and MRT Beimen Station. Pay with EasyCard or you can book your bus journey on Klook >
The journey from Ximending to Jiufen takes about 1 to 1.5 hours. You can check the bus timetable and route here >
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 >
Jiufen as part of a tour from Taipei
There are several tours which depart from Taipei every day which include Jiufen as part of their itinerary. These are a great way to visit Jiufen 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 like Lunar New Year in Taipei.
Our very first trip to Jiufen many years ago coincided with the Lunar New Year holidays and the crowds were huge and Jiufen 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, expedia.com and booking.com for researching and booking all our hotels.
For booking tours, transfers and buying SIM cards/eSIMs we recommend Get Your Guide, Viator, KK Day or Klook. You can also purchase eSIMs from Airalo.
For booking rental cars visit Discover Cars. For private drivers and taxis, check out our Transfer guide >
For more recommendations, check out our Taiwan travel booking resources page >
All set for Taiwan? Do one final check with our Taipei first timers guide and our packing list guide. Travelling with kids? Check out our Taipei For Kids eBook >
Things to do in Jiufen in Taiwan
A Mei Tea House
The 100-year old A-Mei Tea House 阿妹茶楼 (map) 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!).
One of the most Instagrammable places in Taiwan, 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).
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 >
Jioufen Teahouse
Whilst possibly not as famous as ‘A Mei’ next door, Jioufen Teahouse is the area’s oldest teahouse now owned by artist Hung Chi-Sheng (map).
Located across several stories, you can enjoy traditional Taiwanese tea looking out over Jiufen, visit the artists’ workshops and pottery kiln downstairs or simply have a taste for free.
This is one of our favourite things to do in Jiufen and much much quieter than nearby A Mei teahouse.
The downstairs area has an exquisite ‘showroom’ of tea from all over Taiwan; the packaged tea would make a great Taiwan souvenir to take home.
Other top tea houses in Jiufen
- Artist Teahouse in Jiufen
- Jiufen Old Street Taiwan Tea Experience
- Skyline Teahouse in Jiufen
- SIIDCHA Teahouse in Jiufen
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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.
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.
Old Street at night
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 (map) and FamilyMart (map) stay open 24 hours (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 unusual at night were the tuneful Jiufen garbage trucks that would drive along the central old street.
These rubbish trucks in Jiufen have loud-speakers blaring out tinny tunes (actually European melodies!), to alert locals to bring out their rubbish.
It also acts as 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.
PS ‘Old Streets’ in Taiwan don’t always mean ‘historic’ – it is more a term used to describe tourist streets with a high concentration of traditional restaurants and shops.
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 its location away from Old Street, it is one of the more tranquil and calm places in Jiufen to catch your thoughts or escape the wall of people.
You might like – the perfect 3 day Taipei itinerary >
Jiufen Old Theatre / Shenping Theater 昇平戲院
One of the oldest yet newest attractions in Jiufen, Shenping Theater reopened to the public in January 2024 after a long period of closure.
Free to visit, the restored theater originally opened in 1934 and has been lovingly restored to its original condition.
As well as the huge screen and cinema rows inside (old movies are shown sometimes), you’ll see all the old cinema features like the old ticket desk plus old movie projector.
Shenping Theater is open from 9.30am to 5pm and until 6pm on the weekends (it is also a good free toilet stop) – the theater is closed the first Monday of every month.
You might like – Our monthly guides to Taiwan’s best festivals, events and exhibitions >
Ghostlore Jiufen
Just across from Shenping Theatre, a quick mention of Ghostlore Jiufen – a spooky haunted house with the most bizarre posters outside, it is a museum of horrors that tells tales of traditional Taiwanese horror stories.
Another excuse to be ‘Spirited Away’, this one is probably best suited to families or a quirky Jiufen wet-weather activity. Admission is NT$150.
Try this – Jiufen Old Street and Yinyang Sea half-day historical and nature tour >
Things to do in Jinguashi (a short drive from Jiufen)
Gold Museum
Jiufen has always been ‘gold’ in our eyes but a lot of people see it as a busy tourist-trap.
Recently, we were staying in Keelung and got a bus into Jiufen. We explored the Old Street early in the morning before the crowds arrived and then jumped on a local bus to the Gold Museum in Jinguashi.
The Gold Museum is a sprawling site and costs only NT$80 admission – the exhibits and buildings onsite are quite diverse.
They have a gold refinery building, an old railway you can ride along plus lots of gift shops and some lovely pitstops like the Jin shuei tea house.
You can even pan for gold at the museum and the whole site is surrounded by lovely trails and walks into the surrounding hills.
A special mention to the FamilyMart next to the Gold Museum as it is a godsend on hot days with its selection of cold drinks, ice-creams and even beer. The secret FamilyMart terrace tucked away behind the store has amazing views of nearby Teapot Mountain too. Find it on Google Maps here >
Chuen Ji Hall 金瓜石勸濟堂 and Rainbow Steps
Stairway to heaven? Away from usual Jiufen crowds, these rainbow steps are a colorful way to arrive at Chuen Ji Hall, a hillside temple in the Jinguashi district (and a short walk from the Gold Museum).
The views looking back from Chuen Ji Hall 金瓜石勸濟堂 are amazing and just behind the temple, you will find one of the main Teapot Mountain trailheads 茶壺山步道口 (alas this is something we haven’t done yet – next time for sure).
You might like – Our guide to the most colorful places in Taiwan >
Qitang Old Street 祈堂老街
The antithesis of Jiufen Old Street, Qitang Old Street doesn’t have souvenir shops, convenience stores or masses of visitors – it is a quiet village thoroughfare in Jinguashi that leads from the Gold Museum towards Chuen Ji Hall.
A tranquil spot with some epic views, Qitang Old Street has a couple of tea-shops and building ruins and is a popular photo spot.
Golden Waterfall 黃金瀑布
One of the local areas natural wonders, Golden Waterfall is free to visit and is said to get its name from the discoloration of the local water supply by the heavy levels of copper in the area – we really are in ‘ore’ of it (yes, that was a mineral pun).
Given its unique colouring and vast size, the Golden Waterfall is well worth a visit.
Incidentally, the water is said to be toxic given the high metal levels found in it – so definitely don’t drink it!
Located on the roadside, this is an easy attraction to visit if you have a car – we decided to walk from Jinguashi to the falls but it was a very hot and sweaty hike along a main road. So maybe opt for a bus or taxi.
You might like – Our guide to the Shen’ao Rail Bike and Capybara Rock, 10km from Jiufen
Remains of the 13 Levels 十三層遺址
As we made our way down the valley from Golden Waterfall to the nearest bus stop, we spotted a huge abandoned building on the hill.
Located near Shuinan Cave, the Remains of the 13 Levels is actually what is left of the Taijing Mining Plant which closed in 1988 after 55 years of mining activity.
Vegetation has now taken over the various strata – it almost looks like Aztec ruins from afar.
Given its unusual setting It has been used as a filming location and the site lights up every evening.
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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.
We eat here every time we visit Jiufen as the views are amazing and the prices very reasonable.
On our last trip to Jiufen Jie Jiao Traditional Diner in late 2024, we paid NT$120 for a set of steamed xiao long baos, NT$50 for edamame and greens plus NT$30 for soft drinks.
Taiwan beer was also available for NT$100 and local craft beer for NT$200 – cheers / ganbei!
You might like – Our guide to Taiwan’s best night markets and Taipei’s best night markets
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!
Fishball Bozai
Fishball Bozai (map) is a simple restaurant that serves a small menu of dishes that include braised pork and rice, oil chicken, noodles and fish ball dumplings in soup. Phil Rosenthal visited this restaurant as part of his Taipei Somebody Feed Phil episode.
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!
Taro balls
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.
Grandma Lai’s Sweet Taro balls
Taro balls are a staple of Taiwan’s street food scene and one of the best places to try them in Jiufen is at Grandma Lai’s Sweet Taro ball stall (map).
Chewy and a relatively cheap snack (well for Jiufen anyway), a large portion of taro balls costs just NT$100.
Ah Lan Herbal Glutinous Rice Cake 阿蘭草仔粿
Stall (map) that sells mustard green rice cakes (hakka glutinous rice cake) that are usually filled with either sweet red bean, preserved turnip or salted green bean. This was also featured on the Taipei Somebody Feed Phil episode.
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:
Budget
On My Way JiuFen Hostel
Highly rated hostel in a central location with dorm rooms. Check availability on hostelworld.com and agoda.com
Expensive
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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