For many travellers in Taipei, Jiufen is the first option for a day trip outside the city. That’s also justified. The scenery is great and when the weather permits you can hike or climb several mountains. It’s also possible to combine Jiufen with other towns like Shifen or Jinguashi. I combined Jiufen with the small mining town Jinguashi.
The journey to the towns
You have the option to take a train or bus to the town. I personally prefer the busy, because then you don’t have to change from the train to a bus in Ruifang. But it also depends on the area where you stay. When you stay near to the main station, you can simply board the train to Ruifang and change to a bus there.
I stayed near Ximen MRT Station, so the bus which departs from there was my best option. The other stops of this bus, number 965, are the stations of Fuzhong, Banqiao, Wanhua and Beimen. Bus 1065 departs from Zhongxiao Fuxing Station. Both train and bus roughly take 1 to 1 1/2 hours to Jiufen and Jinguashi.
I didn’t start the day too early and got on the bus at around 9am at Ximen Station. The good thing about bus 965 is the fact that it drives farther than just Jiufen, because I also planned to visit Jinguashi with its gold museum at a former mine. It was forecasted to be a nice day with good weather, but on the way up the mountains the fog became thicker and thicker. Even though it was foggy, I was able to enjoy the great landscape which started after Ruifang.
New Taipei City Gold Museum in Jinguashi
My first stop was the New Taipei City Gold Museum in Jinguashi. It’s also known as the Gold Ecological Park. As I got off the bus, I first made myself comfortable with the surroundings. I looked towards other parts of the village which were slightly hidden by the fog. Moreover, it was also cold compared to the city, and I had to close my jacket. The area of the gold museum is quite big, so better get a map of the area at the entrance.
Frst, I tell you something about the history of the place. Jinguashi Mine was once one of the largest gold mines in the world and became infamously known due to its history in World War II when Japan controlled the island. Several prisoners of war had to work under terrible conditions in the mine there. Many of them were caught when Singapore was invaded by Japan in 1942. Three years ago, I actually was at the place where the British Government of Singapore surrendered in Fort Canning. It can be very interesting and sometimes also slightly crazy when you’ve travelled a lot and then visit completely different places which are connected to each other.
Furthermore, it was also a big copper mine before. But after the war, mining activity declined and stopped in the 1970s. Two decades later, the area was turned into a museum.
The first sight of the museum I visited was the Crown Prince Chalet which was built by the Japanese in the 1920s. You can definitely see the Japanese influence, as it’s designed in a traditional style with a garden surrounding it. Unfortunately, it was getting renovated when I visited it. So I was only able to look around the garden a little.
Gold Museum and Benshan 5th Tunnel
I continued my journey to the actual museum and former mine entrance. There you can see some relics of the old mining days, and you have the chance to spend some more money. At first, I paid the fee of 80 NT$ for the Gold Museum which tells you more about the history of the village and mines. Moreover, on the upper floor you can see a giant gold bar of 220kg from Jinguashi gold. Although you can’t take it with you, at least you have the chance to touch it. Better than nothing.
For another 50 NT$ you can also walk through one of the mines independently. In a small part of the Benshan 5th Tunnel, which operated until 1972, you can see models on how the gold was mined. The tunnel itself is very wet with much water dripping from the walls and roof. It’s quite convenient that you have to wear a helmet, so you stay dry. As it was a cold day, I already wore a jacket.
After I got out of the tunnel, I walked some more around the area. You can still see some train tracks and other buildings of the former mine. But most of them have been demolished. In some of these buildings are restaurants, including gold meals, and galleries. There were actually quite a few exhibitions when I visited the area.
The Gold Waterfall
My original plan was to go to Jiufen directly afterwards. But instead I spontaneously decided to visit the Golden Waterfall a few minutes bus ride away. I hadn’t have to wait long until the right bus arrived, and I drove down the mountains closer to the coast. The bus stops next to the waterfall, so you can’t miss it.
The main attraction of the waterfall is the golden color which was caused by decades of mining activity. Even the small riverbed itself has this specific color, because I was able to see it in the village down the road. Overall, the waterfall and surrounding area with the village is very beautiful and photogenic. So I would recommend to visit it when you have enough time. I didn’t spend that much time there, around 30 minutes. There were also quite many taxi drivers, but I declined their offers.
Jiufen Old Street
The bus ride to Jiufen was quick, and I got off at the station next to the entrance of Jiufen Old Street, Jioufen St. Station. It’s the main attraction of the city together with the tea house. But I personally also count the great panoramic views of the surroundings as a major attraction.
The old street is very narrow and partly roofed. But the roofs are so close together that it wouldn’t surprise me when you stay dry in the rain in other parts of the street as well. Moreover, it was also the perfect spot for lunch. First, I had some gelee like dish which I didn’t recognize. Afterwards, I ate xiaolongbaos with which I fell in love in Taiwan. Needed energy to explore the rest of Jiufen.
I walked all the way through the Old Street and passed dozens of souvenir shops, other restaurants and cafes. At the end of the street is an observation platform with great views downhill. Although the fog was still visible, I was able to see the ocean in the distance. An amazing scenery where you can stay for a few minutes and enjoy the view.
More observation decks
When I looked to the left side, I found a smaller viewing platform a few hundred metres away. I thought that it might be a great spot to see more of the city too, and not only the ocean area.
The walk to there was quite uneventful and not too many people followed that route. But step by step, it became clearer that I made the right choice by going there. The scenery from the viewing platform, which I only shared with another family, was simply great. I was able to see the town in its full glory. Nevertheless, the fog was still there and the mountains in the background were invisible. The fog just started above the cemetary, like in every bad horror movie. I also saw a temple uphill which was right below the fog level. So why not go there next?
Fushan Temple
The way to the temple wasn’t too interesting, I just saw some cats escaping to yards or houses. Later, I found out that the temple I visited is Fushan Temple which is over 200 years old. It’s dedicated to the Earth God Tudigong. So many miners went to the temple to pray for their safety. Even though the mines have closed, the temple remains important for the locals. The view from there is similar to the one a few metres downhill. It was still worth it for me, as I explored more of the local town and not the tourist areas.
The way back to Taipei
I chose the direct way back via a few staircases. The street became narrower and narrower, so the walls nearly touched me. It was maybe half a metre wide when I saw people walking on a different alley a few metres away. Suddenly, I was back on the Old Street.
As I arrived there, I felt that the fog thickened. It came down the hill towards the city centre. Within a few minutes, the good view was gone, and I decided that it’s time to go back. It was already after 4pm.
I catched the same bus back to Taipei, but I still had an option open. Should I also visit Shifen? It’s a small town famous for its sky lanterns and waterfall. Then I would need to get off the bus at Ruifang station and take the train to Shifen. I thought about it quite extensively, but in the end I decided against it. The connection isn’t the best with only one train per hour. And because the fog was already quite thick in Jiufen, I was scared that I don’t see anything there. So off I went all the way back to Taipei. But when you would like to go to Shifen, that’s the way to go.
Overall, this day trip was one of my highlights in Taiwan. The scenery was breathtaking, and I imagine it to be even more beuatiful on a clear day. Even when you only have a few days in Taipei, I would recommend to visit the places. At least the beautiful town of Jiufen.