If you and your partner or family are planning a relaxing and romantic little getaway to Taiwan, Jiufen and Pingxi are absolutely must-visit romantic destinations! Since Jiufen and Pingxi are pretty close to each other, they’re often combined into a single day trip. Plus, Jiufen Old Street’s attractions and food are all clustered together, so you can easily explore everything in half a day. Planning them for the same day lets you connect Jiufen’s stunning mountain town scenery with Pingxi’s railway and sky lanterns, creating a perfect route that combines cultural history with natural beauty.
Jiufen Old Street’s food scene and attractions are perfect for foodie-focused trips, while releasing sky lanterns for blessings in Pingxi is ideal for couples and family trips. However, if you’re not into cultural landscapes, you might find Pingxi a bit boring.
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How to Get to Jiufen & Pingxi
Public Transportation
Starting from Taipei city center, there are several ways to reach Jiufen and Pingxi. To get to Jiufen, you can take the Taiwan Railway to Ruifang Station, then transfer to a bus or taxi to Jiufen. If you want to go to Pingxi, you can transfer at Ruifang Station to the Pingxi Branch Line train, which passes through stations like Jingtong, Pingxi, and Shifen, letting you enjoy beautiful scenery along the way.
Since there’s no direct transportation between Jiufen and Pingxi, you’ll need to use Ruifang Railway Station as your transfer hub. After exploring Jiufen, you can take a bus or taxi back to Ruifang Station, then transfer to the Pingxi Line to reach Pingxi; or you can return to Ruifang from Pingxi first, then take another ride up the mountain to Jiufen. It depends on which attraction you want to visit first.
Private Car/Shared Car Day Tours
Since there’s no direct public transportation between Jiufen and Pingxi, hiring a private car or joining a shared car tour makes moving between the two attractions much more convenient. You can arrange your itinerary in order – for example, start with releasing sky lanterns in Pingxi in the morning, have lunch, then head to Jiufen Old Street, enjoy the red lantern-lit Jiufen Old Street at dusk with dinner, and finally return to Taipei in the evening. Or you could explore Jiufen in the morning, then visit Pingxi in the afternoon, release sky lanterns at dusk, and head back to Taipei.
For travelers who don’t want to deal with transfers or are traveling with elderly people or children, choosing a private car day tour is the most effortless option.
This KKday package includes a private car tour to Jiufen and surrounding attractions. The best part of this package is the guaranteed departure for solo travelers. It also offers multilingual guided tours, with three different route options to choose from:
-Itinerary A: Yehliu, Jiufen & Shifen
-Itinerary B: Shifen, Shifen Waterfalls & Jiufen Old Street
-Itinerary C: Yehliu, Jiufen, Shifen, Yingyang Sea, Remains of the 13 Levels & Golden Waterfalls Day Tour
If you’re only looking for a half-day trip, this tour is a great option. Departing from Taipei, it includes Shifen Waterfall, Shifen Old Street, Jiufen Old Street, and a scenic mountain city night view. However, please note that the guided tour is available only in Chinese and Japanese.
The previous two tours might require sharing the experience with other travelers. But if you prefer more privacy, these two options on Klook offer private car services (with a slightly higher price tag). And both include English-speaking guide options!
Lastly, this is the most budget-friendly option, as it’s just a carpool day trip without a guided tour. It’s a good choice for travelers on a tighter budget.
Jiufen: Where Golden History Meets Nostalgic Charm
Jiufen is located in Ruifang District, New Taipei City. It used to be a remote fishing village that rapidly developed after gold was discovered during the Qing Dynasty, reaching its mining peak during the Japanese colonial period, earning it the nickname “Taiwan’s Golden City.” Mining brought population growth, business opportunities, and infrastructure development, leaving behind many streetscapes that blend Japanese and Minnan architecture. However, starting in the 1970s, mineral resources were depleted, and Jiufen declined, becoming a forgotten mountain town.
It wasn’t until 1989 when the movie “A City of Sadness” was filmed here that Jiufen regained attention. From the 1990s onwards, Jiufen successfully transformed from a mining town to a tourist destination, preserving its complete old streets, teahouses, and mining heritage. Combined with streetscapes reminiscent of Studio Ghibli animations, it attracts massive numbers of domestic and international visitors. Today, Jiufen is not only an important tourist attraction in northern Taiwan but also represents successful industrial transformation while preserving cultural heritage.
Jiufen Old Street: Tea Fragrance, Stone Steps, and Healing Street Food Romance
Unlike city tours with towering buildings and fast-paced rhythms, Jiufen Old Street offers a retro journey combining mountain and sea views, nostalgic streetscapes, and a slow pace of life. The stone-stepped old street winding up the mountainside not only hides old teahouses, handmade sweets, and gold mining history in locals’ memories but also provides a peaceful perspective to gaze at the Pacific Ocean from above, creating an immersive old-world atmosphere perfect for travelers who enjoy savoring experiences slowly.
Whether you want to capture cinematic streetscapes or go on a eat-and-explore street food tour, Jiufen offers a completely different experience from typical city tours. What makes it most memorable are the signature foods hidden in streets and alleys, passed down through generations.
Must-Try Foods in Jiufen Old Street
1. A-Mei Tea House
This is Jiufen’s landmark and Instagram hotspot, an absolutely unmissable attraction when visiting Jiufen Old Street. A-Mei Tea House sits at the highest point of Jiufen Old Street – this four-story red building with walls covered in red lanterns becomes especially eye-catching when lit up at night, and it’s the place most reminiscent of the bathhouse scene in “Spirited Away.”
The interior maintains traditional Taiwanese tea room decor with wooden furniture and antique decorations, offering an authentic Taiwanese tea ceremony experience. Sitting in the teahouse, sipping tea while admiring the magnificent mountain and sea views outside the window, is a unique cultural experience in Jiufen. Many visitors choose to linger here, tasting kung fu tea and traditional pastries while experiencing the leisurely pace of slow living.
2. Grandma Lai’s Sweet Taro Balls
One of Jiufen’s most representative traditional dessert shops, Grandma Lai’s Sweet Taro Balls insists on cooking fresh daily. Their taro balls and sweet potato balls are chewy and bouncy, paired with red beans, mung beans, grass jelly, and other toppings for rich layers without being overly sweet – available hot or cold. Many visitors love carrying a bowl of sweet soup to sit on the viewing platform, eating taro balls while admiring the beautiful scenery where the Pacific Ocean meets the mountains, creating the warmest memories of their journey.
3. A-Gan-Yi Taro Balls
As famous as Grandma Lai’s Sweet Taro Balls, A-Gan-Yi Taro Balls is another highly popular taro ball shop. Their handmade taro balls and sweet potato balls are perfectly chewy, paired with smooth beans and silky grass jelly in a warm sweet soup that’s comforting and healing. The shop has a large ocean-viewing terrace in the back where afternoon breezes blow while you enjoy the scenery and eat hot taro balls – this is Jiufen’s unique leisurely time.
4. Jiufen Red Yeast Rice Meat Balls
This snack combines Minnan tradition with local flavors, featuring pork marinated in red yeast rice as filling, with a chewy and smooth outer skin. Served with garlic sauce or chili sauce, it’s savory and appetizing without being greasy. The wine and sauce aromas from the meat filling blend beautifully – this is a unique meat ball flavor rarely seen in Jiufen Old Street, perfect as an energy-boosting snack while strolling.
5. A-Lan Grass Jelly Cake and Taro Cake
Walking through Jiufen Old Street, you’ll always see long queues in front of A-Lan Grass Jelly Cake. The grass jelly cakes come in various flavors, from classic red bean and peanut to savory radish, with soft outer skins and substantial fillings that are quite filling. The taro cakes use Dajia taro steamed into thick cake bodies, with every bite full of taro fragrance – one of the most traditional-flavored snacks on the old street.
6. Fish Ball Uncle
If you want some hot soup to warm your stomach, try this long-established fish ball soup shop. The fish balls made from handmade fish paste have a firm and bouncy texture, served in sweet kelp broth with fried tofu or rice noodles – it’s a simple yet satisfying meal for many visitors. Follow it with a cup of hot tea to refuel before continuing your old street exploration.
7. Traditional Fried Chicken and Roasted Sweet Potatoes
The small stalls along Jiufen’s streets hide many delightful surprises. The crispy and juicy traditional fried chicken is perfect energy fuel when you’re tired from walking – crispy outside and tender inside. The sweet potatoes slowly roasted over charcoal have rich aromas and taste creamy and sweet – they’re the warmest street snacks in this cold mountain town. These simple traditional flavors are the most charming scenery on Jiufen’s streets.
Additional Small Attractions in Jiufen (Worth Visiting If You Have Time)
While Jiufen Old Street is the main battlefield for travelers, if you have more time or want to avoid crowds, you can also check out these spots (though since I mainly go to Jiufen Old Street for eating and drinking, these attractions don’t really appeal to me):
1. Shengping Theater | One of Taiwan’s Oldest Theaters, Witnessing Miners’ Entertainment Time
Built in 1934, Shengping Theater was once an entertainment center for miners during the Japanese colonial period. Now renovated as an exhibition space, it preserves old movie projectors, vintage tickets, and historical images with a strong retro vibe – it’s a window into understanding Jiufen’s local culture and life memories.
2. Jishan Viewing Platform | Perfect Vantage Point for Yin-Yang Sea and Keelung Islet Views:
Looking out from Jiufen’s heights, mountains meet the sea and sky, with panoramic views of Yin-Yang Sea, Keelung Islet, and the Pacific Ocean. When dusk falls and lights gradually brighten, the scenery becomes even more romantic, perfect for taking postcard-quality photos.
3. Jinguashi Gold Museum | Step into the Past of the “Golden Mountain Town”
If you’re interested in mining history, the Jinguashi Gold Museum near Jiufen is an excellent choice. It preserves old mine shafts, ore cart tracks, and rich mining culture displays, perfect for bringing children to experience the gold rush era.
4. Light Railway Path | Jiufen’s Quiet Back Mountain Trail
This former light railway has now become a stone path that’s quiet with few people, offering sea views and mining heritage along the way. It’s especially suitable for travelers wanting to escape tourist crowds and find Jiufen’s peaceful side.
Pingxi: Railway and Sky Lantern Romance in the Mountain Town
Sky Lantern Blessings: Traditional Customs’ Romantic Transformation
Pingxi’s sky lantern culture originated in the Qing Dynasty, when locals would release sky lanterns to report safety and pray for blessings to ward off evil. Today, this folk custom has transformed into a tourism feature, attracting global visitors to experience it. In the old streets of Shifen, Pingxi, and Jingtong, almost every shop sells sky lanterns. Visitors can choose four-color or eight-color sky lanterns and write different wishes according to different colors (like red for safety, yellow for wealth, blue for career, etc.), then light and release them.
Pingxi is surrounded by mountains, forming natural barriers that make it a relatively safe area for sky lantern releases. You can release sky lanterns during the day in Pingxi, but it’s more romantic and suitable for couples when it gets darker in the evening! If you want to see the most spectacular scenery, you can visit during the Lantern Festival period when the annual “Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival” features thousands of sky lanterns rising simultaneously, lighting up the entire night sky in a spectacular and moving scene – it’s one of Taiwan’s most dreamy festivals.
However, in recent years, some people have raised concerns about sky lanterns harming the environment, so we recommend purchasing eco-friendly sky lanterns that completely burn up in the air, though they cost a bit more.
Railway Walks and Photography: Stepping into Movie Scenes of Daily Life
Besides releasing sky lanterns, walking on the railway is another major feature of Pingxi tourism. The Pingxi Line is one of the few branch lines in Taiwan that still preserves traditional railway scenery, with some sections still allowing pedestrians to walk on the tracks. Especially in Shifen Old Street, visitors can feel the thrills of trains passing by up close and can slowly walk on the tracks between train intervals, as if stepping into movie scenes.
Along the way, you can capture classic scenes of trains passing through old streets, as well as the unique scenery created by the intersection of mountain town afternoon slanted sunlight, wooden old houses full of human warmth, and railways – unmissable hidden photo spots for photography enthusiasts and walking lovers.
Recommended Pingxi Attractions
Shifen Old Street
Shifen Old Street is located in Pingxi District, New Taipei City. It’s a popular spot for visitors to experience sky lantern releases and a mountain town old street full of nostalgic charm. What’s most special is that a Pingxi Line railway runs directly through the center of the street, with trains slowly passing by beside you, creating the most unique scenery here.
Traditional shops line both sides of the old street, selling various snacks, sky lanterns, souvenirs, and nostalgic toys in a friendly and lively atmosphere. The most popular activity here is releasing sky lanterns – many visitors write blessings on sky lanterns and release them into the blue sky, adding romance and ceremony to their journey. The annual “Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival” held during the Lantern Festival is particularly spectacular, eagerly anticipated by both tourists and locals.
Shifen Waterfall
About a 15-minute walk from Shifen Old Street, this is Taiwan’s widest curtain-type waterfall, known as “Taiwan’s Niagara.” The waterfall is about 20 meters high, with water cascading down from rock walls in magnificent fashion. The waterfall area has viewing platforms and trails with lush greenery along the way, perfect for walking, photography, and getting close to nature.
Jingtong Station
As the terminal station of the Pingxi Line, Jingtong Station preserves Japanese colonial period wooden architecture with a uniquely charming retro appearance. In front of the station, many bamboo tubes filled with written wishes hang on frames – a popular photo spot for travelers to pray and make wishes. Near the station are mining history exhibition halls and specialty shops, perfect for travelers who enjoy exploring cultural history and quiet streets.
Nostalgic Railway Experience
The Pingxi Line is one of Taiwan’s few still-operating branch railways, stretching 12.9 kilometers and passing through valleys, streams, and old mining villages along the route. When the train slowly travels, the scenery outside includes mountains, red brick and tile houses, and lush pastoral landscapes, making you feel like you’ve traveled back in time. For travelers who love railway journeys or photography, the Pingxi Line isn’t just a transportation route but a railway journey full of memories and stories.
Conclusion: Jiufen & Pingxi Travel Tips
Although everyone thinks of city tours when going to Taipei, a Jiufen + Pingxi day trip is actually an awesome and unique choice for travelers who enjoy scenic views. Whether to visit Jiufen or Pingxi first really depends on personal preference – Jiufen Old Street’s red lanterns create an amazing atmosphere when lit up at night, but releasing sky lanterns in Pingxi after dark is also very romantic.
Personally, I prefer visiting Jiufen during the day because Jiufen’s roads are more winding and curved with many stairs, some areas are quite steep, and the road surfaces are uneven, making walking less convenient at night (I’m the overly worried type). By the way, if you have elderly people with mobility issues, you need to pay attention to this aspect too – you can specifically choose flatter route sections like near the viewing platform at Jiufen’s entrance and the front section of the old street’s main road, which are relatively flat. You can pick shops in these areas to eat snacks and take photos.
Also, to avoid crowds, weekday trips are the best choice. During weekends, Jiufen and Pingxi often get flooded with tourists, causing long queues at popular attractions and shops. Plus, Jiufen Old Street’s roads aren’t very wide, so when there are too many people, it gets too crowded and affects the experience. Additionally, we can avoid Taiwan’s plum rain season (May-June) and summer’s thunderstorm peak (July-August) because the slippery mountain terrain might make your itinerary less smooth.
Looking for more activities near Taipei? Check these out:
Yangmingshan National Park: A Day Trip from Taipei | Stunning Hydrangea & Butterflies in Summer 2025!
Maokong Tea Village Day Trip Guide: Taipei Zoo, Gondola & Tea Houses + 6 Must-Try Enjoyable Tea Restaurants in Maokong Taipei
