Few of the best places to visit in Taiwan can be found on the north and east coast areas of the country and that includes the ever famous site in Yehliu, Jiufen, and Shifen. Normally, one day is not enough to visit the places but is totally doable.
Lucky enough, KKday is offering this day tour from Taipei that covers Yehliu, Shifen, and Jiufen which we availed and had a great experience with.
Day tour from Taipei: Yehliu Geopark, Shifen, and Jiufen
The tour starts at 8:45 am given that the roster for the people who booked for the day is complete. However, we left the station at around 9:10 am due to other people who came in late. It was okay though, they paid for their trip but they should have been mindful of the time.
Meetup point for the KKday Day tour from Taipei is at Taipei Main Station, Exit East1. If you are are not familiar with the place, you might get lost so you better ask for directions or head out outside and look for the exit signs. Taiwanese people are somehow similar to Japanese people, they are also polite and cool so you can ask those people you think could understand you. Also, read your voucher thoroughly as the information about the trip is already provided. All you just need to do after the booking is to read.
On Exit East1 of Taipei Main Station, we found the KKday officer/guide who will be with us on the trip – Emma.
After making sure that the participants are complete, we then headed to the KKday bus. At first, I actually thought that the bus will be a small one, similar to what was provided on the KKday Shuttle Bus to NPM and Taipei 101 but it’s a regular tourist bus.
While on the bus, Emma explained our itinerary. Our first stop will be in Yehliu for the Geopark. The voucher doesn’t come with an entrance ticket so you have to pay for the Geopark Entrance Ticket (NTD 80) separately. Next, Shifen for the lantern and waterfalls. Lastly, Jiufen, one of the oldest towns in Taiwan. Day tour from Taipei
Note: There will be a supply of bottled water for everyone. But lunch and other food costs are at your own expense.
First Stop: Yehliu Geopark
One of the best destinations to go to Northen Taiwan is the Yehliu Geopark. This geopark is home to many unique geological formations made by nature itself. The most iconic of all the unique geological structures in the land is the “Queen’s Head”. Other remarkable formations include Sea Candles, Fairy Shoe, Ginger Rocks, Elephant Rock, Ice Cream Rock, Kissing Rock, and Princess’ Head. Certainly worth visiting.
Our group got here at about 10 am after an hour ride from Taipei Main Station and the entrance is overwhelming with people and the weather was hot. Luckily, KKday is a partner of the Geopark and everything went smoothly in the entrance.
We were given only an hour to explore Yehliu Geopark, which certainly wasn’t enough but is just fine for a short exploration. We dearly wished we had more time to explore to see the whole and all of the Geopark itself. This part, I believe, should have at least 90 mins to explore. We were there on a weekday and yet there are a lot of people visiting.
Bring loads of Imagination Day tour from Taipei
Another thing, if you’re visiting the Geopark, you should bring all the imagination you can have to appreciate the stone formations. We recommend bringing water, hat, umbrellas, and fan to keep yourself from sweating so much because of the heat.
The Queen’s Head has a steady long queue for picture taking so find time for yourself to enjoy the other stone formations. Though our trip here was a little short for my taste, we still were able to take good photos of the area. Do not forget to have fun!
Second Stop: Shifen (Shifen Old Street, Sky Lantern, and Shifen Waterfalls)
Shifen Old Street is a roundup of paths and alleys in and around the Shifen railroad station area. Basically built for transporting coal during the Japanese era, the station and tracks run straight through the village. Around the area is a marketplace where you can buy an ample amount of souvenirs. There also are lots of stores where you can buy street food and milk tea refreshments.
Shifen Old Street
Quite famous in Shifen area is the lighting up of Sky Lanterns that is held on the railroad tracks. I believe it’s best experienced at night so you can see the light when your lantern is going up to the sky. Since KKday tour is during the day, we had no other choice but to experience it during daytime which is also a good experience. Day tour from Taipei
Emma told us each sky lantern costs $100 NTD for single color and $150 NTD for those with assorted colors. Each color represents a certain meaning such as happiness, love, wealth, health, etc, so you definitely can pick a lantern color of your liking. Almost every store is offering a lantern so if you’re not with a tour, it’ll be a hard choice. With KKday, a designated store is readily available. All you need to do is let them know the color of the lantern that you want. Day tour from Taipei
White Lantern for Good Health
For us, we picked the white lantern, meaning for GOOD HEALTH, which is the most important factor of all. You won’t be able to achieve anything if your health is at risk. I think you already know why.
You will be writing your wishes on your own by the four (4) sides of the lantern and you can fill it as much as you want, short or long. See how we did ours.
Once you are done, you will be in the queue for lighting your lantern up and photo taking by either a friend or a designated guide from the store. Mind you, they take good photos!ay tour from Taipei
We were situated on the railroad tracks (they know when the next train will arrive) so it will be safe for sure. We also had pictures on all the sides of our lantern as a remembrance of what we have written for a wish. After making sure we had nice photos, it was then the time that we light up and fly our lantern up to the sky.
NOTE: The store owner mentioned that the materials they have for the Sky Lantern are biodegradable so it will be decomposed by itself in time. Some of the lanterns are also getting lit/fire while in the air making it disappear in mid-air before the material drops to the ground.
Shifen Waterfalls
Shifen Waterfalls is a 40-meter tall waterfall that creates a rainbow as it splashes into the lake, regarded as one of the most scenic spots in Taiwan. It is located 30 mins away from the Shifen Old Street but since we had the guided tour from KKday, it only took us five (5) minutes by the bus.
To get to the waterfalls, you need to walk or trek (from the parking area) for about 10 minutes under the hot and humid weather. Since during the day a lot of tourists are visiting in, there also have been stores situated inside the park going to the waterfalls. By that, you don’t have to worry about getting dehydrated. But seriously, if you’re a sweaty kind of person, you need to bring extra clothes for this trip to the waterfalls. Day tour from Taipei
The area surrounding the waterfalls have already been developed so there were picture-taking spots in the area. You cannot get closer unless you would want to hike a little more to get to the bottom to see the waterfalls upfront and personal. I am not also sure if you could swim in it as I have not seen anyone did this before. Nevertheless, a must-visit spot in Shifen is the Shifen Waterfalls. Day tour from Taipei
Third Stop: Jiufen
Jiufen became famous because of the anime/cartoon movie “Spirited Away”. It was originally built by the Japanese as a gold mining town but it is now a maze of alleys with rich culture and history. Now, the town is filled with both retro Chinese and Japanese styled cafes, tea houses, souvenir shops, as well as the fantastic views of the ocean. Day tour from Taipei
Since this is an old town, it’s also recommended to explore the area by wearing a Qipao, a traditional one-piece dress for women, available for rental.
After getting off the bus, we were delighted by Emma with a treat from a famous store in town, Coffee Biscuits by the Saint Peter shop. It was one of the “must-eats” in the town. It was tasty enough and a good one to try. You should buy a box. PS: Thank you, Emma!
We have about 40 to 50 mins to explore the area which is an ‘okay’ amount of time actually considering it is a small town and you have the option to drop off here and not go back to the bus to Taipei by KKday. You may opt to explore more of the township and spend a few more hours to see how Jiufen shines at night.
To get back to Taipei by commute, make sure to ride Bus 1062 and maybe spend a few hours at Raohe Night Market.
Explore Jiufen Old Street
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Of course, we didn’t let the opportunity pass to take some photos and the photo of the Jiufen Old Street, the stores, the famous tea house, and the overlooking view of the ocean. According to Emma, it is also where you can find the cheaper goods. Day tour from Taipei
Spending time here is enjoyable as every corner is filled with different shops and a lot of ‘free’ samples of food and drinks. You didn’t even have to spend a penny here because it’ll feel like you have eaten a lot from all those free samples. We also loved how the dogs are fat and friendly in this place.
This day tour of the three (3) famous areas in Northern Taiwan is really a great deal especially if you are looking into an affordable and convenient way to travel to these places from Taipei. Although the time to explore is quite shorter than expected, it has been planned well making a visit to these three spots entirely possible.
Since you also have the option to drop off by the third stop (Jiufen), you can surely explore more of the town and or go to a nearby town, Pingxi, for another ‘laidback’ sky lantern experience.
How to book for this Day Tour package via KKday?
1. Go to KKday website or visit this link for Day Tour from Taipei: Jiufen, Yehliu, and Shifen.
2. Select the date you want for the tour to take place. We recommend you do it on a weekday. Click Book Now.
4. Login with your FB or Google account (or register and sign-in).
5. Update and input your information. If you have a promo code, please add it. This will save you some cash for the trip.
6. Pay using a credit card or debit card. Your debit card needs to have a Visa or MasterCard logo in order to be used. Day tour from Taipei
7. You will receive an email regarding your voucher which can also be viewed using the KKday app. Print the voucher and present it to the KKday guide at Taipei Main Station Exit East1.
Other KKday discounted offers in Taipei
1. Daytour from Taipei: Jiufen, Yehliu, and Shifen
2. Taipei City Sightseeing Bus Tour
3. Taiwan Northeast Coast Day Tour
4. Daytour from Taipei: Jiufen Old Street, Golden Waterfall, and Bitou Cape
5. Join-in Tour From Taipei: Yehliu, Pingxi, Jiufen
6. Taiwan Unlimited 4G Pre-Paid SIM Card
7. Taipei Night Market Walking Tour
8. Taiwan High-Speed Rail Unlimited Pass
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Recommended cheapest hotels near Taipei Main Station:
Booking.com
1. Chia Rong Hostel (Highly Recommended Spot)
You can book at Booking.com or Agoda
Price: ₱1,131/Night (Private Room)
2. Homey Hostel
You can book via Booking.com or Agoda
Price: ₱900/Night (Bunk Beds)
*They also offer private rooms
3. Taipei City Home
You can book at Booking.com or Agoda
Price: ₱957/Night (Bunk Beds)
*They also offer private rooms
4. Main Inn Taipei 梅樓驛站
You can book at Booking.com or Agoda
Price: ₱713/Night (Bunk Beds)
*They also offer private rooms
Stay connected while in Taiwan
We availed the 5 Days Unlimited Data SIM Card for Taiwan via the Pinoy Traveler’s Unlimited Sim Card. Read our review and why we love this particular product sold in the Philippines. As a digital nomad, being connected all the time is my number one priority. REVIEW and HOW TO AVAIL.
Alternatively, you may opt to choose a WiFi device rental via KKday.
KKday: Taiwan Unlimited 4G Portable Wi-Fi Rental (₱ 139/day)
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