The Northeast Coast and Jiufen Village are two of the most famous tourist spots in Taipei. Both are located in the northern part of the city and take around an hour from Taipei Main Station. These places offer travelers a unique experience, as they offer a different side of Taipei than what you’ll find elsewhere in the city.
The Northeast Coast is on the opposite side of Xinyi Road, which can be easily accessed by MRT. Once you get off at Jiantan Station, it’s just a short walk to see the beautiful coastline. On your way there, you’ll discover several restaurants serving fresh seafood dishes as well as some local shops selling souvenirs and traditional snacks that you won’t find anywhere else.
Jiufen is an old mining town and one of the most popular tourist attractions in New Taipei City (the successor of former Taipei County). If you are interested in exploring this mining town that has escaped modernization, then read on to find out more about these two must-see destinations from Taipei.
The Northeast Coast
Northeast Coast at Night
You can take a road trip up the northeast coast and stop in a few of the more rural villages along the way. Along the route of the coastal drive, there were several lookout locations where travelers could pull over and take in the scenery. The Yin Yang Sea and the Bitou Lighthouse, two of Jiufen’s most famous landmarks, can be glimpsed from the roadside.
Yin Yang Sea
Bitou Lighthouse
Jiufen Village
One of Taiwan’s remaining gold mining villages, Jiufen, is an important component of Asian culture because of its history and historic architecture. In the 1990s, it emerged as a popular destination for tourists, primarily as a result of the eclectic mix of Japanese and Chinese architectural styles found there, as well as the vintage Chinese cafes, tea houses, and gift shops. Additionally, Jiufen’s proximity to Taipei City contributed to its development as a popular tourist destination. Jiufen was once known as Asia’s gold capital. It was also known as “Little Shanghai” or “Little Hong Kong,” due to the village of Jiufen appearing to have an optical vortex when viewed from the sea.
History
Jiufen means “nine sections” because, in the early Qing Dynasty, the village had nine families and requested nine portions of town shipments. In 1893, a district that was rich in gold was discovered in Jiufen, and the location seemed promising for gold mining. This discovery led to Jiufen’s rise to fame. Gold fever followed, which resulted in the development of the village into a town that peaked during the time Japan occupied the territory during World War II. The land was occupied by Fujita Company, Taiwan’s first Japanese quartz mining company. Jiufen’s operations made them a few thousand yen from time to time. After World War II, mining activities began to diminish, resulting in the closure of the mine in 1971. After that, the city fell into a slumber that lasted until the 1990s, when it all of a sudden sprang back to life.
It was only after the release of A City of Sadness (1989) that the town was resurrected and made into a popular tourist attraction. Jiufen’s similarity to the anime film Spirited Away made it a popular Japanese tourist destination in 2001. Supposedly, Miyazaki was inspired by Jiufen, but that is denied. The fact that several travel guides and magazines recommend it has helped make it one of Taiwan’s most popular tourist destinations.
How to Get There?
You can get to Jiufen from Taipei in two ways: by public transportation, which is more common and cost-effective, or by taxi, which is faster and more convenient.
Public Transportation
Purchase a train ticket to Ruifang Station from Taipei Main Station. From Ruifang Station, walk straight and turn left. You’ll find a bus stop after walking down the street for around five minutes. Take Bus 788, but make sure you check the schedule before you get on. Continue riding the bus until it arrives at its final stop, which will let you out just a short distance from Jiufen Old Street. The train ride will cost you about NT$60, while the bus ride will cost you about NT$20.
Things to Do
- Explore the Gold Ecological Park and Learn About Its History
We recommend that you explore the mining tunnels as part of your jiufen tour. There is a village called Jinguashi not far from Jiufen. Jinguashi S main tourist attraction is the Gold Ecological Park, which showcases the town’s history of gold mining. Visit the park’s museum, which houses the world’s largest 99.9 percent pure gold ore, and the historic mine tunnels to gain a better understanding of the challenges faced by gold miners.
Overlook of Gold Ecological Park
Golden Waterfall
The Golden Waterfall, which is located next to the Gold Ecological Park, is another option for visitors. The water in these falls is a magnificent gold color due to the combination of regular rains in this mining area and the presence of heavy metal components deposited in the riverbed. The hillside is contrasted with dazzling green grass at the top of the hillside with a waterfall of gold. Indeed, newlyweds flock to this location because of its natural beauty. Everyone who visits will get spectacular photos, not just couples.
The Remains of the 13 Levels
The historic Taijing Mining Plant is located near Shuinan Cave and the Yinyang Sea. It was the largest beneficiation and refinery factory near Shuinan Cave, Jinguashi, and Jiufen. The beneficiation and refinery plant used to extract and refine gold, silver, and copper mines seems like an abandoned palace from a distance, and the 2-kilometer-long abandoned smoke duct on top of the mountain gives it a little mystery.
- Go Hiking
On a Jiufen tour, one of the highlights you won’t want to miss is stopping to take in the spectacular scenery. From higher up in the surrounding mountains, Jiufen and Jinguashi appear much more stunning than they do from Jiufen and Jinguashi proper. Mount Jilong, located north of Jiufen, as well as TeaPot Mountain, located east of Jinguashi, offer fantastic hiking opportunities. The trails in both mountains are well-marked, but they are strenuous and lack any form of shade; hikers should bring sun protection and plenty of water in the summer months.
Surrounding Mountains at Night View
- Learn More About Jiufen’s Historic Old Street
The old street starts by a 7-Eleven near the Jiufen Old Street bus stop and goes uphill, branching off into many other streets and stairs. Visitors can walk up and down the hill in about thirty minutes, but the average stay here is at least two hours, including time to do some shopping, take photos, and stop for lunch or tea along the way.
Jiufen Old Street
- Enjoy Some Tea
Tea can be enjoyed at the Jiufen A Mei Teahouse, which is a well-preserved wooden building with stunning vistas and is available to guests during their Jiufen tour. The Amei Teahouse is often considered to be the most recognizable structure in all of Jiufen, and it is also the structure that most people identify as having taken inspiration from the film Spirited Away. The tea sets they offer are hot or iced tea. Each set includes four bite-sized candies: sweet plums, green bean cake, sesame crackers, and brown sugar mochi.
A Mei Teahouse
There are many teahouse experiences during your Jiufen tour that you can enjoy, regardless of whether you are able to get inside Amei Teahouse or if you don’t feel the need to. Jiufen Teahouse is the best choice if you’re looking for a wide selection of quality local teas.
- Wearing a Traditional Chinese Qipao and Strolling Around
Renting a traditional Chinese qipao in Taiwan has become a popular activity for tourists and locals alike. The easiest approach is to order online.
At Night, Red Lanterns
The evocative old alleyways of Jiufen, complete with their hanging red lanterns and architecture from the Japanese era, make for the ideal background for capturing some shots while dressed in a costume. Imagine going to one of Jiufen’s traditional tea shops dressed up 100 years ago.
