Taiwan Day Trip 2026: Yehliu, Shifen, Jiufen Bus Tour
Embark on an unforgettable 2026 bus tour from Taipei to Yehliu Geopark, Shifen, and Jiufen. Experience nature's artistry, cultural traditions, and historic charm all in one day!
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Embark on an unforgettable 2026 bus tour from Taipei to Yehliu Geopark, Shifen, and Jiufen. Experience nature's artistry, cultural traditions, and historic charm all in one day!
This is my second trip to Taipei, and one thing I did last time and again this time is... the Yehliu-Shifen-Jinguashi-Jiufen (YSSJ) Bus Tour! These spots are a bit far from the city center, making them a little tricky to visit independently. But with this tour, you can cover Jiufen, Shifen, Yehliu Geopark, and Jinguashi all in one go as a day trip.
When you arrive at the meeting point, the guide will already be there. I thought we'd check in by 9:50 AM and then depart at 10:00 AM, but surprise, surprise! We moved to the bus promptly at 9:50 AM.
The bus actually departed at 9:55 AM! Haha.
Last time, it was a bit rainy and gloomy, but this time, it was so bright and sunny, so I set off with high expectations!
>> Yehliu Geopark & Jiufen & Shifen & Golden Waterfall Day Tour - Klook
>> Taiwan Yehliu-Shifen-Golden Waterfall-Jiufen Day Tour | Jiufen, Yehliu, Shifen Trip - KKday
Yehliu Geopark
The first destination on the Taiwan YSSJ bus tour is Yehliu Geopark.
It's a place with mysteriously shaped rocks formed by nature, and the coastal scenery alone is beautiful.
Honestly, last time I came, the weather was gloomy and I had to walk around in a raincoat, so it wasn't great. But with this sunny weather, it was absolutely wonderful!
To take a photo with the Queen's Head Rock, the park's mascot, you'll need to queue up, and it's roped off with stones.
Don't like waiting in line? There's a replica near the exit, so taking a picture there is another option.
The line wasn't too long, thankfully.
This is the Queen's Head Rock replica near the exit... but honestly, it just doesn't have the same majestic vibe, haha!
When you come out, there's a bit of a traditional market feel with various snacks available, so it's a good idea to leave with a little extra time rather than rushing out.
There are two of these areas.
One is right outside the exit, and there's another near the parking lot.
Shifen, Taiwan
The second stop on the YSSJ bus tour is Shifen, famous for its sky lanterns.
Last time I visited, I remembered how incredibly delicious the fried chicken wing rice here was, so I was excited at the thought of trying it again.
So, I put the sky lanterns aside for a moment and immediately went in search of that fried chicken wing rice, haha!
It was different from the taste I remembered, but still delicious.
This time it was teriyaki flavored, but I remembered it being spicy.
I kind of wish I had looked for a place that sold the spicy version.
Prioritizing food, I didn't release a sky lantern myself, but I did enjoy taking photos of others releasing theirs haha.
Earlier, when they told us to take a picture of the bus number before departing, I thought it was just to help us find our way back, but it turns out showing it here also gets you a discount!
Not much, just about 5 Taiwanese dollars haha.
And the fried squid is absolutely divine! You HAVE to try this.
Jinguashi
The third stop on our Taiwan bus tour was Jinguashi, famous for its Miner's Lunchbox.
Last time I visited, it didn't leave much of an impression, and I barely remembered it. But this time, the scenery was just so beautiful... it was better than I expected!
First things first, we filled our bellies with the famous Miner's Lunchbox before diving into the sights, because as they say, 'even the most beautiful scenery is better on a full stomach!'
There's a Gold Museum, but honestly, there's not much inside... except for the giant gold bar at the very end!
Instead, the outdoor scenery is stunning, so taking a leisurely stroll and soaking it all in is definitely one fantastic way to enjoy the Yehliu, Shifen, Jinguashi, and Jiufen (YESJ) tour in Taiwan.
Jiufen
And now for the absolute highlight of the YESJ bus tour: Jiufen in Taiwan! It's truly the most anticipated spot for many, and also where you get the most free time to explore.
It was bustling right from the entrance!
This is the teahouse that becomes the main photo spot once the sun sets. If you want to grab a drink here, a good strategy is to come right away and get your name down for a table. Before sunset, it's relatively less crowded (though there's still usually a line).
Another fantastic photo zone: these narrow stairs lit up with lanterns.
But seriously, only this exact spot is crowded; if you go further down, there's absolutely no one else there! haha
Definitely, coming here for the second time made it clear exactly what I wanted to do, so I was able to explore at a much more relaxed pace.
Enjoying a Taiwanese dessert like this~
This was a place a local I met at a bar yesterday told me I absolutely *had* to visit, and the tteok (rice cake) was deliciously chewy and sweet.
However... after finishing all the tteok, the ice underneath (kind of like patbingsu, shaved ice with red beans) had a somewhat ambiguous taste?
When I bought this, I could choose between Hot / Ice, and I wonder if I should've gone with Hot, haha. Anyway, the tteok was delicious, haha!
Jiufen has so much to see, so much to buy, and so much to eat... I honestly expected a lot of people to be late for our meetup time, but surprisingly, no one was?!
We arrived just one minute before, but everyone was already settled in their spots, seemingly having been there for ages, haha.
My friend had told me that after buying souvenirs here, there wasn't much else to do, so people would probably show up early, and they were totally right...
But seriously, having a cup of tea, navigating through crowds, exploring every alleyway... doing all that snacking seemed incredibly busy! It was only because I skipped souvenir shopping that I managed to do it all... (Oh, and of course, I did enjoy my tea very leisurely, haha!)
It was so convenient to be able to see everything in one go.
Having a guide made it really comfortable, and they managed the time so well that we could truly enjoy everything to the fullest.
>> Yehliu Geopark & Jiufen & Shifen & Golden Waterfall Day Tour - Klook
>> Taiwan Yehliu, Shifen, Jiufen Day Tour | Jiufen, Yehliu, Shifen Travel - KKday
Honestly, I had visited before, so I thought, 'Yehliu and Jinguashi again... really?' But because the weather was so good, it felt completely different this time. The Taiwan Yehliu, Shifen, Jinguashi, Jiufen bus tour allowed for such a fulfilling and enjoyable trip.
According to the driver, the meeting time is by 9:50 AM, and the vehicle departs at 9:55 AM. Please arrive by 9:50 AM for check-in and then proceed directly to the bus.
You can receive a discount by showing your bus number in Shifen. The driver mentioned that a discount of approximately 5 New Taiwan Dollars is possible.
To take a photo with the Queen's Head Rock, you'll need to queue. If you prefer not to wait in line, there's a replica near the exit, which is another option for taking pictures.
If you plan to have a drink at the Jiufen teahouse, it's best to queue immediately upon arrival. The line tends to be shorter before sunset.
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