Things to do
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Jiufen Old Street
Narrow stepped lanes thread the hillside where gold miners once lived, now lined with teahouses and stalls selling braised pork and peanut ice rolls. Views run down over the sea from the balconies above Shuqi Road. The lanes are shoulder to shoulder in the middle of the day, so avoid midday. Most shops close around 18:00.
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Shifen Waterfall
Water spills in a broad curtain into a green plunge pool on the Keelung River, reached by a paved walk and suspension bridges from Shifen station. Viewing platforms sit above and below the drop. Entry is free and coach groups arrive after eleven, while heavy rain turns the fall brown and leaves the walkways slick.
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Gold Museum
The Gold Museum sits in Jinguashi, 2.5 km from Jiufen, with a mine heritage park around it. It closes at 17:00 on weekdays and an hour later at weekends and on national holidays. It shuts on the first Monday of each month, at Chinese New Year and on declared natural disaster days.
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Golden Waterfall
The Golden Waterfall runs down the hillside beside Provincial Highway 102 near Jinguashi, a five-minute walk from a roadside pull-in. A car or a tour bus reaches it easily, but public transport is awkward. The light on the falls is strongest from three to five in the afternoon.
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Houtong Cat Village
Houtong is a former mining village in the Ruifang valley, with walkways up the hillside and cat-themed cafes. From Jiufen, take a bus down to Ruifang Station and then a local train of six minutes. Many of the shops and themed cafes have closed, so plan it as a short stop on the way to Shifen.
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Mount Jilong
Mount Jilong is the peak directly above Jiufen, with views over the sea and the mountains around the town. The trail starts across the road from the Geding bus stop on Provincial Highway 2, a short uphill walk from Jiufen Old Street, and climbs stone steps all the way. There is no shade and the summit is fully exposed, so carry water and sun protection; the round trip takes 1 to 2 hours.
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Shengping Theater
A restored cinema of 1934 stands where Shuqi Road meets Qingbian Road, beside A-Mei Teahouse. Inside are the old seats, the projection equipment and vintage film posters, and entry is free. It opens daily except the first Monday of each month, election days and Chinese New Year, until 17:00 on weekdays and an hour later at weekends.
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Shifen Old Street
Shops here sit either side of a live railway track, and the Pingxi line trains pass close enough that stallholders clear the rails by hand before each one. Painted sky lanterns are released from the street over the countryside. Trains from Ruifang run about hourly and take 15 to 20 minutes.
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Shuqi Road
A stone stairway of more than 350 steps, about 200 metres long, climbs through the middle of Jiufen from Jishan Street up to Qingbian Road. Teahouses with sea views line it, A-Mei Teahouse among them, hung with red lanterns. The steps are steep and turn slippery in rain, so wear shoes with grip.
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Teapot Mountain
Teapot Mountain is a hilltop above Jinguashi with a view down over the coast and the town. The trail starts at the Quanji Temple car park and is nearly an hour of stairs, with a precarious final stretch at the top. Save it for a dry day: the steps and the summit turn slippery in rain, and the heat builds fast once the sun is up.
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Yehliu Geopark
Sandstone on this cape has weathered into mushroom rocks, honeycomb hollows and the slender Queen's Head, whose neck thins a little further every year and is fenced off from touch. A boardwalk loop takes under an hour. Sea spray and full sun make midday hard going, and the cape closes in typhoon weather.
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Yinyang Sea
The Yinyang Sea is a bay seen from a roadside viewpoint on Provincial Highway 102, between Jiufen and Jinguashi. There is no walk to make: the view is from the road. Late afternoon gives the water its best colour, and the Shuinandong ruins nearby are lit at night.
