My Jiufen & Shifen Itinerary: Best Taipei Day Trip for First-Timers

Most people visit Taipei for the night markets and bubble tea—but the real magic happens once you leave the city.

I had an unfair advantage on my first day trip from Taipei: my partner, who used to live in Taiwan, basically became my personal tour guide. While I was figuring out which MRT exit to take, they already knew the best trains to Jiufen, the quietest times to visit Shifen, and which teahouse in Jiufen had the view without the crowd.

In this post, I’ll share the exact Jiufen & Shifen itinerary we followed—routes, timing, costs, and all the little local tips that made our day trip feel less like a checklist and more like a proper adventure. Even if you don’t have a built-in guide, you can use this plan to do Jiufen and Shifen like someone who already knows the way.

What Order Should You Visit?

For most first-timers, the smoothest (and most photogenic) order is:

Taipei → Shifen (morning) → Jiufen (afternoon/evening) → Taipei

This is the route my partner and I followed, and it’s also what most local guides recommend if you want good light, fewer crowds, and a natural “build to the highlight” flow.

Why Shifen first, Jiufen second?

• Shifen is best in daylight. You’ll want bright light for Shifen Waterfall and clear photos of the trains rolling through the old street.
• Jiufen shines at dusk. The teahouse lights, lanterns, and “Spirited Away” vibe only really kick in late afternoon and evening.
• Crowd strategy. Tour groups often hit Jiufen around midday. By going Shifen → Jiufen, you arrive in Jiufen as the day-trippers start to thin out.

If you’re doing a very early start and care more about empty streets than evening atmosphere, you can flip it (Jiufen first, then Shifen), but you’ll miss the lantern-lit magic that makes Jiufen special.

How we did it (simple version)

• Morning: Train from Taipei to Ruifang, transfer to the Pingxi Line to Shifen. Sky lanterns, old street, then a walk to Shifen Waterfall.
• Afternoon/evening: Train back to Ruifang, short bus ride up to Jiufen. Explore Jiufen Old Street, grab tea with a view, and stay until the lights come on.
• Night: Direct bus from Jiufen back to Taipei (or bus to Ruifang + train, depending on your hotel location).

Shifen Must-Sees: Waterfall, Old Street & Sky Lanterns

If you only have a few hours in Shifen, focus on these three things. They’re close together, easy to combine, and together they give you the full Shifen experience: nature, food, and that iconic sky-lantern moment.

Shifen Old Street (and the train that runs through it)

Shifen Old Street is the heart of the town: a narrow lane packed with snack stalls, souvenir shops, and the famous railway track running right through the middle. Trains still pass through several times a day, and watching vendors fold away their awnings as the train inches past is a strangely hypnotic experience. This is also where you’ll find most of the sky-lantern shops, but we’ll come back to that. For now, treat Old Street as your food and wander zone.

Sky Lanterns on the Railway Track

Releasing a sky lantern is the most “iconic” thing to do in Shifen—and yes, it’s as cinematic as it looks in photos. You buy a lantern from one of the shops along Old Street, write your wishes on it, and then a staff member helps you light and release it over the active railway line.

However I personally did not participate in this due to personal feelings around sky lanterns and the impact they have on local wildlife and nature however this is entirely your own call to make.

Shifen Waterfall

Shifen Waterfall is the widest waterfall in Taiwan and the main reason many people detour off the train tracks. Locals call it “Little Niagara,” and once you see the broad curtain of water crashing into the gorge, the nickname makes sense.

From Shifen Old Street, it’s an easy 10–15 minute walk along a well-signposted path. The park itself is free to enter, with boardwalks and viewpoints that let you get surprisingly close to the falls. We went mid-afternoon and had plenty of light for photos without the peak lunchtime crowds.

What not to miss here:

• The main viewing platform for the full waterfall panorama
• The upper walkways for different angles and fewer people
• A quick rest on the benches while you listen to the water (our favorite quiet moment of the day)

Jiufen Must-Sees: Old Street, Teahouses & Lantern-Lit Alleys

If Shifen is your nature-and-lanterns stop, Jiufen is where you come for atmosphere, views, and old-town charm. The core of any visit is Jiufen Old Street, but the real magic is in the side alleys, teahouses, and viewpoints just off the main drag.

Jiufen Old Street (Jishan Street)

Jiufen Old Street is the heart of town: a steep, narrow lane lined with food stalls, souvenir shops, and traditional architecture from its gold-mining heyday. It’s touristy, yes, but still genuinely atmospheric—especially as the lanterns come on and the light turns golden.

What to do here:

• Wander the main street from bottom to top, then double back to explore side alleys and staircases.
• Stop at the Jishan Street Viewing Platform for your first real view over the rooftops and out to sea.
• Try street snacks as you go: stinky tofu, fish balls, taro balls, and the now-famous peanut ice cream wraps.

We hit Old Street late afternoon, when the crowds were thick but the light was perfect. My partner pointed out the small staircases that branch off the main lane—those quieter stretches felt like stepping back in time.

A-Mei Teahouse (and the “Spirited Away” vibes)

No Jiufen visit feels complete without at least looking up at A-Mei Teahouse, the iconic red building that everyone says looks like it belongs in Spirited Away. Whether or not Miyazaki actually based the film on Jiufen (it’s never been confirmed), the resemblance is uncanny, especially at dusk.

You can sit on the balcony for tea and pineapple cake, or just admire it from the lane below if you’re short on time. We opted to watch the sunset from a viewpoint, watching the lanterns flicker on as the street below filled with people—it was the highlight of the day for me.

Views, Temples & Short Hikes

f you have extra time and energy, Jiufen has some excellent viewpoints and short hikes:

• Keelung Mountain Trail offers panoramic views over the northeast coast and is a good option if you want a proper walk with a payoff.nickkembel+2
• Xiahai City God Temple and the small hillside temples give you quiet moments and great photo angles over the rooftops and sea.
• Even just walking a little higher up from Old Street, past the main tourist section, you’ll find quieter guesthouses, local teahouses, and residents going about their day.

We didn’t do the full Keelung Mountain hike, but we did wander up a few staircases past the busy part of Old Street. The views opened up quickly, and within 10 minutes we felt like we’d found a different Jiufen.

Top Tips for Visiting Jiufen & Shifen (From Someone Who Went With a Local)

These are the tips that made our day trip feel smooth instead of stressful. Some are standard “do this” advice; others are the things my partner—who lived in Taiwan—insisted we do.

1. Go on a weekday if you can

Jiufen Old Street gets seriously crowded on weekends and public holidays. If your schedule is flexible, aim for a weekday.

• Jiufen: Try to arrive before 10 AM or after 4–5 PM to miss the worst of the tour groups.
• Shifen: Also busier on weekends, but the crowds are more spread out along the street and waterfall path.

We went on a weekday afternoon and still had busy moments in Jiufen, but it never felt like a human conveyor belt.

2. Time Jiufen for dusk, not midnight

The “Spirited Away” vibe only really kicks in when the lanterns come on, but you don’t want to arrive in total darkness either.

• Aim to be in Jiufen around sunset so you see the street in daylight, then watch it transform as the lights turn on.
• Most shops stay open until around 8 PM, so you have a good window for photos, snacks, and tea.

My partner timed us to arrive just before golden hour, which meant we got both the views and the lantern glow without feeling rushed.

3. Pack light and wear comfortable shoes

Both towns involve a lot of walking, and Jiufen in particular is steep with stone steps and uneven lanes.

• Bring a small day bag, not a big backpack.
• Wear shoes you don’t mind getting a bit damp if you go near Shifen Waterfall.

We saw people struggling with huge suitcases and tour bags on the stairs—definitely not worth it for a day trip.

4. Use cash and bring small bills

While some bigger shops accept cards, many food stalls, lantern shops, and small vendors are cash-only.

• Have enough NT dollars for snacks, drinks, lanterns, and bus fares.
• Small bills (NT$100, NT$50) make it easier to buy snacks and pay for buses without waiting for change.

5. Let the lantern shop staff handle the flame

In Shifen, you buy a sky lantern from a shop along the old street, write your wishes, and then a staff member lights and releases it for you.

• Don’t try to light it yourself; they’re fast and know exactly how to do it safely on the active railway.
• Decide on your wishes before you get to the shop so you’re not panicking with a marker in your hand.

We wrote our wishes while walking over, then handed the marker back and just watched them work. It took seconds and felt very smooth.

6. Expect to share the track with trains

In Shifen, trains still pass through the old street several times a day. Vendors fold away their awnings, and everyone steps back as the train inches through.

• It’s safe, but pay attention when you hear announcements or see people moving.
• It’s also a great photo moment—just step back to the side and let the train roll by.

7. If you’re short on time, prioritize Old Street + one extra

If you only have a few hours:

• In Shifen: Do Old Street + sky lanterns, and add Shifen Waterfall if you have another 30–45 minutes.
• In Jiufen: Stick to Old Street, one teahouse stop, and maybe one viewpoint or side lane.

On our trip, we accepted that we wouldn’t see everything and focused on the bits that mattered most to us: lanterns, views, and good tea. That mindset made the day feel relaxed instead of checklist-driven.