By rail
Ruifang station, then a bus; ~1 h from Taipei
East Asia · Taiwan
Jiufen, Taiwan
Lantern-lit teahouses on a mountainside
Getting there
By air
Taoyuan (TPE), ~1.5 h
Best time to visit
October to April — mild
Don't miss
Jiufen Old Street
The Gold Museum
Shifen Waterfall
Pingxi
Things to do
Old Street snacks
A teahouse at dusk
Sky lanterns and the waterfall at Shifen
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Gregg Tavares from Stanton, California · CC BY 2.0
What to pack
Comfortable shoes, an umbrella
A quieter corner
The Golden Waterfall and the Yin-Yang Sea at Shuinandong
Questions travellers ask
How do I get to Jiufen from Taipei?
Take the train to Ruifang station, then a bus, about 1 hour in all.
When is the best time of day in Jiufen?
Dusk. Find a teahouse and take your time.
What snacks should I try on Jiufen Old Street?
Taro balls and peanut ice-cream rolls.
What's near Jiufen?
Shifen, for sky lanterns and its waterfall, and the Golden Waterfall and Yin-Yang Sea at Shuinandong.
About Jiufen
- Hills
- Coastal
Where it is
Jiufen is an old mountain town in Ruifang District of New Taipei, on the north-east coast of Taiwan, climbing the slopes of Keelung Mountain above the sea not far from the port of Keelung.
History
Jiufen was a small village until gold was found nearby in the 1890s, and under Japanese rule it grew into a busy mining town. After the mines declined and closed in the early 1970s it emptied, until the 1989 film A City of Sadness, shot here, brought visitors back to its lanes and teahouses.
People
Jiufen's residents speak Taiwanese Hokkien and Mandarin, and many are descended from mining families; today they run the snack stalls, teahouses and guesthouses along the stepped lanes. Taro balls, fish ball soup and peanut ice-cream rolls are the local favourites.
Known for
- The lantern-lit Old Street and its snacks
- Teahouses overlooking the sea
- Taro balls and fish ball soup
- The Gold Museum at nearby Jinguashi
- Sky lanterns at Shifen and Pingxi
Did you know?
Jiufen means nine portions: the story goes that the village once had just nine families, who asked for their supplies to be brought in nine shares.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.