Taipei Bus Tour Review 2026: Yehliu, Shifen & Jiufen

Taiwan Day Trip

Yehliu, Shifen & Jiufen Tour

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Hey fellow travelers, Lisa here!

If you're currently mapping out your Taipei itinerary, listen up.

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Have you heard of the famous North Coast bus tours that let you hit Yehliu Geopark, Shifen Old Street, and Jiufen

all in a single day?

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I just got back from taking one of these tours myself.

Honestly, when I heard it was only around $8 per person,

I was highly skeptical about the quality.

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But after experiencing it firsthand,

I can confidently say you're missing out if you skip this.

Today, I'm sharing my honest

2026 review, price comparisons, and itinerary tips

for the ultimate Taiwan day trip!

In today's post, we'll cover:

Let's dive right in! - 💚

1. What's the Difference Between the Tour Routes?

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When you search for Taipei day trips, you'll often see confusing acronyms.

Usually, they are variations of the stops included.

Here's the breakdown of the two most popular routes:

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✅ Route A (The Historic Route)

Yehliu + Shifen + Jinguashi + Jiufen

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✅ Route B (The Nature Route)

Yehliu + Shifen + Shifen Waterfall + Jiufen

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Jinguashi is an old mountain town famous for its Japanese-era gold mines.

Today, it's a popular tourist spot featuring a Gold Museum and abandoned mining sites.

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While the history is fascinating,

I personally prefer natural landscapes, so I opted for

Route B, which includes the majestic Shifen Waterfall.

2. Honest Review of the Nature Route Tour

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⏰ Duration: Approx. 9.5 hours

✔️ Agency: Gogo Tour (Guide: Sung Woo-yong)

💳 Price: ~$8 per person

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Out of all the options out there, I chose

to go with Gogo Tour.

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✔️ Incredibly affordable

✔️ Well-paced itinerary & generous free time in Jiufen

✔️ Stellar reviews

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These three factors made booking with them

an absolute no-brainer.

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( Here is the exact tour I booked ⬇︎ )

[100% Guaranteed Departure] Taiwan Bus Tour - Jiufen Night View Day Tour - Klook

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Here is what our day looked like:

1) Ximending Pickup (11:00 AM)

2) Taipei Main Station Pickup (11:30 AM)

3) Yehliu Geopark (1.5 hours)

4) Shifen Lanterns & Waterfall (50 mins & 50 mins)

6) Jiufen (2 hours)

7) Drop-offs at Raohe Night Market, Taipei Main Station, or Ximending

Being able to get dropped off right at Raohe Night Market

made this the absolute perfect full-day itinerary.

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I chose to board at Ximending.

Pro tip: Boarding early at Ximending lets you snag the front seats.

Only the front row has tray tables, so I highly

recommend grabbing those if you can.

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Also, if you're prone to motion sickness,

definitely board at Ximending to secure that front spot.

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Our first stop was the famous

Yehliu Geopark, a staple on every

Taipei travel bucket list.

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I had only seen photos, but seeing it in person

was truly breathtaking.

The bizarre, lunar-like rock formations

set against the backdrop of the crashing ocean

created a stunning contrast.

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We were blessed with gorgeous weather.

It was quite warm, but the clear blue water

made the coastal walk incredibly scenic.

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Everyone wants a photo with the iconic

"Queen's Head" rock.

However, the official line takes at least 20 minutes.

I didn't want to waste time, so I just snapped photos from the back.

Honestly, it looks just as good from the reverse angle!

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Keep that in mind if you hate waiting in lines!

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✅ Sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses are a MUST on sunny days!

✅ There's a lot of walking, so wear your most comfortable sneakers!

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Next up was Shifen, famous for releasing sky lanterns right on the active railway tracks.

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Because we were with a tour, we were taken straight to a partnered shop.

Everything was pre-arranged, so there was no need to wander around

haggling with vendors. We got started immediately.

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The local staff are absolute pros at taking photos and videos.

No need for a tripod; they will capture the perfect shot for your Instagram.

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I chose the classic, budget-friendly red lantern.

Watching it float up into the sky was the moment it really hit me:

"Wow, I'm really in Taiwan."

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Now, let's talk about the food here.

You absolutely cannot miss the chicken wing stuffed with fried rice

and the peanut ice cream roll.

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The original stuffed chicken wing stall is in Shifen,

but since it's a bit of a walk, our amazing guide

actually pre-ordered and had it delivered to us.

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They ordered the peanut ice cream for us too.

Both are an absolute must-try.

The stuffed chicken wing was easily the #1 thing I ate

on this trip. It's not spicy and has a universally delicious savory flavor.

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If you're hungry, I'd honestly recommend getting two per person.

My partner and I split three and we still wanted more!

✔️ Stuffed Chicken Wing: 75 TWD (~$2.30) / Peanut Ice Cream: 50 TWD (~$1.50)

✔️ Pre-order with your guide to get it hand-delivered!

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Just a quick 2-minute drive from the lantern tracks is the waterfall.

Locals call it the "Niagara of Taiwan."

While it's beautiful, I wouldn't quite compare it to Niagara, haha!

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It was a lovely spot to take some photos and chill.

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Right in front of the waterfall, there are vendors selling

fresh fruit like mango and dragon fruit, as well as

sizzling black pork sausages.

I grabbed a sausage and a cold beer to enjoy the view.

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The sausage has a dense, slightly sweet, jerky-like texture

and is packed with juices. It pairs flawlessly with a beer.

The savory and sweet combo is addicting.

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✅ Black Pork Sausage Price: 60 TWD (~$1.90)

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The grand finale: Jiufen Old Street.

We arrived around 5:40 PM, which was perfect.

We got to experience the town during daylight and watch it

transform as the iconic red lanterns lit up for the evening.

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The narrow alleys are packed with street food

and quaint souvenir shops.

The atmosphere is incredibly nostalgic and cinematic;

just wandering the stairs is an experience in itself.

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Because it's nestled in the mountains, it can get quite humid,

but there's plenty of shade in the alleys, so it wasn't too exhausting.

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As you explore, you'll be tempted by

endless street food options.

I highly recommend the shrimp balls and the tofu pudding.

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Grabbing some savory shrimp balls,

then heading straight to the shop across the way for shaved ice with tofu pudding

is the ultimate combo. The refreshing ice,

sweet red beans, and silky tofu pudding

reminded me of a comforting, classic summer dessert.

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You can get it served warm too,

but I definitely needed the cold version.

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✔️ Tofu Pudding: 60 TWD (~$1.90)

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Q. Is the stinky tofu smell really that bad?

Unless you are standing right in front of the stall, you barely notice it!

Don't let the rumors scare you away.

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Q. Is it easy to get lost?

Yes, it is. The alleys are a maze.

Luckily, our guide pinpointed all the best photo spots

and gave us clear directions, so we felt completely at ease.

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Pro tip: Just search "Jiufen Photo Spot"

on Google Maps to find the best vantage points.

3. Tour Prices & Budget Hacks

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The base price of the tour is unbelievably cheap.

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While the prices are nearly identical,

if you are booking for a group, using discount codes on Klook

makes it the cheaper option.

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[First-Come, First-Served Promo Codes]

세시간전26001

세시간전26002

세시간전26003

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These codes only work when you book

through the specific link below.

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Discount Link ⬇️

[100% Guaranteed Departure] Taiwan Bus Tour - Jiufen Night View Day Tour - Klook

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Keep in mind that the base tour fee does NOT include

the Yehliu Geopark entrance ticket or the Shifen lantern cost.

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For the Yehliu entrance ticket,

Trip.com consistently has the best rates,

so I booked mine there.

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>> Book Yehliu Geopark Tickets

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As of 05/29/2026, there's even a special buy-one-get-one-free event,

so definitely take advantage of that!

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For the Shifen lanterns, you just pay

your guide directly on the day of the tour.

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One of the best perks of this guided tour is

that the guide is super accommodating with payments. They often accept quick digital transfers based on current exchange rates,

saving you from needing a ton of local cash.

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You can even pay for the chicken wings

and ice cream this way,

which is incredibly convenient! :)

4. Final Thoughts & Who Should Go

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✅ First-time visitors unsure of how to navigate outside Taipei

✅ Travelers without a rental car who want to see Yehliu, Shifen, and Jiufen

all in one seamless day

✅ Budget travelers looking for an unbeatable ~$8 experience

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If any of these sound like you,

I cannot recommend this tour enough.

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I never expected this level of quality from an $8 tour. I loved the Nature Route with the waterfall, but

if you're a history buff, the Historic Route is a great alternative!

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Whichever route you choose, booking through Gogo Tour

will guarantee a fantastic day. :)

P.S. This is a 100% honest review paid with my own money!

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