Jiufen, located in the Ruifang District of New Taipei City, is a charming hillside town known for its vibrant old street, which many consider the best in Taiwan. Visitors can wander through narrow alleys filled with classic Taiwanese snacks, steep stairways, and historic buildings. From nearly every spot in town, you’ll find sweeping panoramas of Shen’Ao and Keelung Harbors. In addition to its scenic beauty, Jiufen is rich in historic and cultural landmarks, making it a fun trip for the whole family.
🏯 Planning your trip to Taipei? 🏮
Here are some top travel tips for you:
- Best time to visit: March-May, and October – November when the temperatures are nice and there is not as much rain
- How to get there: Taiwan High Speed Railway and Inter-City Bus
- Best places to stay: Yuanshan Grand Hotel or Fu Chang Hotel
- Book tours and activities in Taipei on Klook
- Stay connected with a local SIM
- Rent a car to explore distant sights
Background:
Jiufen gets its name from the original nine families who settled in the village during the Qing dynasty, who asked for nine portions of shipments every time they arrived (九Jiu=nine 份Fen=portion). The discovery of gold in the area created a gold rush in the town that lasted until the last Japanese Era. When gold mining ended in 1971, the town began to decay. After A City of Sadness was filmed there, the town began to see a tourist boom. Also, the town began to see many visitors, especially from Japan after 2001 due to the resemblance of the town in Spirited Away, even though Miyazaki has said that Jiufen was not the inspiration for the movie.
Hours:
Around 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Price:
Free
Tours:
You can book a tour of Jiufen Old Street with TripAdvisor here, Klook here, or KKday here.
Where to Stay Near Jiufen:
We recommend Fullon Hotel, which has locations in Tamsui and Fulong near the beach (book on Booking.com here or Agoda here).
We have stayed at and recommend Gold Mountain Ranch, which is a horse ranch and glamping destination in Jinshan. You can book a night at Gold Mountain Ranch on Klook here. You can also check out our full blog on the ranch here.
We have also stayed at and recommend Hai Xia Your Home, which is right in front of Fulong Beach (book on Booking.com here, or Agoda here).
Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Agoda here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan.
Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here.
How to get there:
By Train: Take TRA to Ruifang Station, then transfer to Keelung Bus which goes directly to Jiufen every few minutes (about a 15 minute ride from Ruifang). Book tickets via the normal train (TRA) on Klook here. You can book tickets to the high speed rail (HSR) on Klook here or KKDay here.
By Bus: Buses directly to Jiufen leave from Taipei Main Station and Songshan Station regularly. You can also book a shuttle bus to Jiufen from Taipei on KKDay here. You can also book tickets to travel to Jiufen via inter-city bus on Klook here.
By Car/Scooter: Take provincial highway 2 to Ruifang and then travel on highway 102 all the way up to Jiufen. Parking is scarce and some of the most expensive in Taiwan. Expect at least 250 NT per day for a car and 50 NT per day for a scooter.
Looking for scooter rental in New Taipei? Click here or here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here.
If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search here. You can also check out our car rental guide here.
By Taxi: You can take short rides for about 150 NT, or hire a Taxi for a day for around 150 USD. You can also charter a car for a day to Jiufen on Klook here.
By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan’s landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can use Taiwan’s many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a cycling tour on TripAdvisor here.
For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here.
Map:
Please see below:
Our Journey:
I have been to Jiufen three times, once by bus and twice by scooter, and I have never been disappointed.
You can book a tour of Jiufen Old Street with TripAdvisor here, Klook here, or KKday here.
Laoyouhao Taro Balls (老友號芋圓）
Azhu Burning Snow 阿珠雪在燒
Ahlan Herbal Rice Cakes 阿蘭 草仔粿
Rouyuan 肉圓
Jiufen Elementary School 九份國小
I imagine on weekdays the views from Jiufen Elementary School 九份國小 are amazing. However, on weekends the school is closed.
Shengming Temple 聖明宮
Shengping Theater 昇平戲院
“The Shengping theater was called originally the Shengping Stage set up in the 9th year of Emperor Shiawa (1934). In 1961, the Shengping stage reconstructed once more and the building materials were hollow bricks to build walls. Chinese cypress is the best one as the roof’s structure with fir tacked on it, laid asphalt and bushed tar, it covers an area of 660 square meters. Its architecture belongs to the Baroque imitated style which was the most popular during the Japanese occupation time. Inside the theater, there were six-seat style seating that could be opened and were put in a U-shape. The cornerstone was hexagonal. The items on the programs included movies, Taiwanese Opera, New Opera, Palmardrama, and so on. The theater’s front square, called the entrance of stage, was surrounded with the shops, commodity supply depots, in a scene of bustle and excitement.”
Mr. Stone Lee’s Postcards
Keelung Mountain 基隆山
You can book a tour of Jiufen Old Street with TripAdvisor here, Klook here, or KKday here.
Don’t forget that there are many activities available along Taiwan’s Northern Coast such as Wakeboarding, Surfing, Speedboat Surfing, SUP / Paddle Boarding, Diving, Snorkeling Kayaking, Canoeing, Water Biking, River Tracing / Canyoneering, ATVing, Horse Riding, Archery, Tree Climbing, Glamping, Motorcycling, Motorbike Tour, Dragon Boat Racing, Shen’ao Rail Bike, and more on Tripadvisor here, Klook here, or KKday here.
Check out our guide to Taipei’s Old Streets here.
Check out our full guide to Taiwan’s Northern Coast here.
Also be sure to check out our full guide to Taipei here.
You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here.
