Jiufen Shifen Tour Review 2026: Is It Worth It?

Before I share my experience, I have a confession to make.

I am absolutely NOT a tour group person! 😅

Up until now, I've planned every single one of my trips abroad entirely on my own,

hating the idea of moving around in huge crowds,

and frankly, being way too much of a free spirit (?) to let someone else control my schedule.

But while planning my trip to Taiwan,

"You absolutely HAVE to do Yehliu, Shifen, and Jiufen (Yeh-Shi-Ji) via a guided tour"

I heard this advice so many times that I decided to look into a tour for the very first time.

And the verdict? I was completely and utterly satisfied! 😊

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｜Table of Contents｜

1. Why should you visit Taiwan's Yeh-Shi-Ji on a tour?

2. My honest, unsponsored review of the Yeh-Shi-Ji tour

3. Price Comparison: Klook vs. Fun Trip vs. Chakan Tour vs. Hana Tour

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1. Why should you visit Taiwan's Yeh-Shi-Ji on a tour?

"Yeh-Shi-Ji" stands for Yehliu Geopark + Shifen + Jiufen,

which is a popular itinerary designed to efficiently cover all three spots in a single day.

Because they are scattered across northeastern Taiwan, trying to get there on your own

takes an incredible amount of time.

▶ Quick Guide: Yeh-Shi-Ji vs. Yeh-Shi-Jin-Ji vs. Yeh-Shi-Pok-Ji Explained

When you add up all the public transit transfers and travel times,

you'll end up wasting half your day just getting from place to place.

That's why I eventually gave in, looked up tours, and chose Hana Tour.

I chose them for two main reasons:

1️⃣ The price is unbelievably cheap.

Most Yeh-Shi-Ji tours only cost around ~$6 to ~$13,

which is ridiculously cheap 🫢

Even if you just treat it as bus fare, it's an absolute steal, right?

2️⃣ Ultimately, it all comes down to the guide.

A tour can be made amazing or completely ruined

depending entirely on who your guide is.

Paying a higher price doesn't mean

you get to pick your guide anyway,

so since it's a game of luck anyway...

there was no real reason to pay extra for an expensive agency.

(Most reviews are quite positive, with bad ones being the exception!)

Key feature of the Hana Tour Yeh-Shi-Ji tour!

👉 You join a larger package tour group

That's why it's cheaper than other tour agencies,

but because of this,

I occasionally saw reviews mentioning they felt treated differently.

I suppose that also depends on your guide!

(Personally, I didn't experience any difference at all!)

From the start, I kept my expectations low, treating it just as paid transit,

but I ended up being absolutely thrilled with it! 😊

2. My Honest, Unsponsored Review of the Yeh-Shi-Ji Tour

Our guide for this Yeh-Shi-Ji tour, Han* Lee,

was a young woman who was absolutely wonderful.

Any differential treatment compared to the package tour group? None at all,

and actually, having them there made the overall atmosphere even better! 😍

I had to ask her to translate a few things for personal reasons,

and she was incredibly helpful and pleasant about it the whole time!

She even gifted us a guide map.

And while some tour companies ban eating on the bus,

Hana Tour allows both drinks and snacks!

Since there is no designated lunch or dinner time,

you can just grab delicious street food at the attractions.

When I visited, I got incredibly lucky—

even though it was the weekend, it wasn't crowded at all.

Just flexing a bit here, hehe.

​

📌 Yehliu Geopark

This was my absolute favorite out of the three locations.

Strolling among the uniquely shaped rock formations while feeling the cool sea breeze

was incredibly healing.

You don't really *do* anything specific here,

but just being there brings an immediate sense of peace.

Taking a photo with the Queen's Head is the most popular activity,

but instead of waiting in a long line, I chose to just capture it in my memory!

📌 Shifen

Write your wishes on a sky lantern and release it from the train tracks.

The staff take professional-grade(?) photos and videos for you,

and watching my lantern float up into the clear blue sky

left me with a truly beautiful memory.

I also tried the famous BBQ stuffed chicken wing rice and peanut ice cream roll here.

The sky lantern, chicken wing rice, and peanut ice cream

are all free if you book through Hana Tour!

(Other operators charge extra fees for these!)

📌 Jiufen

This was the place I was looking forward to the most, but personally, Yehliu was the clear winner for me.

Still, the narrow alleyways at dusk were absolutely beautiful.

Even if you're not at the famous photo spots, Jiufen itself is just so charming.

Even the journey back to Ximen Station as night falls is absolutely breathtaking,

so you should definitely experience it at least once!

3. Price Comparison: Klook vs. Fun Trip vs. Chakan Tour vs. Hana Tour

If you look up Yehliu, Shifen, and Jiufen (YSJ) tours in Taiwan,

you'll find several options in the ~$6 to ~$8 range.

At first glance, those prices look incredibly cheap.

But after comparing them closely,

I realized Hana Tour was the only one with absolutely zero hidden costs.

​

📌 Klook vs. Fun Trip vs. Chakan Tour vs. Hana Tour

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Klook3ha.in	~$6~	⚠️ Entrance fees, sky lantern, meals/snacks/shuttle bus not included
Fun Trip3ha.in	~$7~
Chakan Tour3ha.in	~$7~
Hana Tour3ha.in	~$8~	✅ No extra costs

Based on price alone, Klook, Fun Trip, and Chakan Tour might seem cheaper,

but Hana Tour actually includes all of the following for free.

​

✅ Yehliu Geopark Admission: 120 NTD ✅ Shifen Sky Lantern: 200~350 NTD ✅ Chicken Wing Fried Rice + Peanut Ice Cream: 110~125 NTD ✅ Weekend Jiufen shuttle bus: 15 NTD Total｜Approx. 445~610 NTD (Approx. ~$13 to ~$19)

"Covering transportation, sightseeing, and snacks all for just ~$8"

While other tour companies claim there are "no forced shopping options,"

they only assist with booking these practically mandatory activities,

and you still have to pay for them out of pocket on-site.

With Hana Tour, I didn't have to pull out my wallet even once during the tour!

However, please note that Hana Tour only drops off at Ximen Station,

while Klook, Fun Trip, and Chakan Tour

let you choose between Raohe Night Market, Ximen Station, and Taipei Main Station.

So, choose based on your accommodation or your plans for after the tour!

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This Taiwan YSJ tour

completely changed my perception of guided day tours.

Here is a quick summary guide to help you choose the best YSJ tour for you:

📌 YSJ Tour Choice Guide

Highly Recommend Hana Tour	Highly Recommend Klook, Fun Trip, Chakan Tour
• You hate dealing with complex extra fees • You want an all-inclusive package • You plan to get off at Ximen Station	• You want drop-off options like Raohe, Main Station, or Ximen • You want to opt-out of certain activities/snacks
▶ Hana Tour [12:30] ~$83ha.in	▶ Klook [13:45] ~$63ha.in ▶ Fun Trip [14:00] ~$73ha.in ▶ Chakan Tour [13:30] ~$73ha.in

Also, if you book Hana Tour and leave a review by December 31, 2026,

they are running a guaranteed ~$3 Naver Pay point reward event,

so make sure to claim this if you go!

(You can get an additional ~$3 for a "Best Review," up to ~$6 in total)

With the tour costing only ~$8

and getting a ~$3 reward back,

that's practically ~$4...!

Honestly, this price is absolutely insane 😮😮

▼ Hana Tour Naver Pay ~$3 Reward Event ▼

If you're planning a trip to Taiwan,

you should absolutely book a YSJ tour—it feels like you're actually saving money!