TAIWAN TRAVEL GUIDE: JIUFEN OLD STREET
The city view in Taiwan is quite impressive especially when you see Taipei 101, but if you find yourself wanting a refreshing view of the mountains and the sea, and a deeper understanding of Taiwan's rich culture and history then this place is definitely noteworthy for your itinerary!
Nestled in the mountains of Riufang District, New Taipei City is the picturesque Jiufen Old Street known for its golden past, mouth-watering delicacies and century-old teahouses with a majestic panorama of the mountains and the ocean.
If you are into animated films, you can easily distinguish similarities of Jiufen's bustling streets and attractions with the highest-grossing Japenese film of all time - "Spirited Away" by Hayao Miyazaki. Many have also called Jiufen Old Street as the "Little Santorini of Taiwan" because of how the houses are stacked on top of one another and its incredible view of the sunset.
If you are into animated films, you can easily distinguish similarities of Jiufen's bustling streets and attractions with the highest-grossing Japenese film of all time - "Spirited Away" by Hayao Miyazaki. Many have also called Jiufen Old Street as the "Little Santorini of Taiwan" because of how the houses are stacked on top of one another and its incredible view of the sunset.
Jiufen Old Street was founded during the Qing Dynasty (1683-1895). It was only known as an isolated village that housed nine families who would ask for "nine portions" back then, hence the name Jiu (nine) fen (portions). Upon the arrival of the Japanese, Jiufen became a gold mining area and the town quickly developed. Many of its older buildings were retained up to this day to reflect the influence of the Japanese in architecture and culture. In 1989, a movie called 'A City of Sadness' by Huo Hsiao-hsien, which was inspired by the 2-28 incident, was filmed in the streets of Jiufen which gained praises throughout Taiwan and revived the tourist attraction in 1990 up to this day.
How to get there
My tita, mom and I took two buses going to Jiufen Old Street from our Airbnb apartment. The 1062 bus goes directly to Jiufen (and back) for around NT$83-87 per trip. It took us around two hours to get to Jiufen but you will surely enjoy the view as buildings slowly fade from a distance and you are welcomed by small houses and abundant trees.
Other options you might want to try:
TRAIN - BUS (approx. NT$118)
From Taipei Main Station, take the Bannan Line (Blue) then go down at Zhongxiao Fuxing Station [3 stops]. From Zhongxiao Fuxing Station, take the 1062 Quan Ji Tang bus to Jiufen Old Street [23 stops].
BUS - BUS (approx. NT$113)
From Executive Yuan, take the 202 bus to Tainan Adventist Hospital [9 stops] then transfer to the 1062 Quan Ji Tang bus to Jiufen Old Street [20 stops].
Note: depending on the time and your current location, routes might change so I highly suggest using the apps such as Google Maps and Metro Taipei which can guide you in your trip real-time. We mostly used Google Maps because it gives all the important information like expected time of arrival, travel hours, expected amount, etc.
What to do
The view at Jiufen Old Street is really one of its strongest features. Wherever you are, you will surely get a glimpse of the clear blue skies, forests and the sea. They also have these "scenic areas" where they give you the best view throughout the place.
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| Photo taken from TaiwanDay |
Where to stay
Many tourists opt to visit Jiufen Old Street during the day but if you want to watch the sunset and see the red lanterns light up the streets, you might want to try staying here for at least one night. Unfortunately, we never got to do so because our flight back to the Philippines was scheduled on the same day and we also had to go back to Taipei 101 for our tax refund.
We were able to pass by a few 'homestays' while walking along the area but if this is a sudden decision, you can easily distinguish which ones accept guests by looking for a gold sign with a picture of a house (see photo above) or you can check out Booking.com's 10 Best Homestays in Jiufen for more suggestions and prices.
What to eat
Taro balls
Taiwan's version of Takuyaki (but with shrimp!)
Vermicelli balls
Misty's Sweet Potato Bun with ice cream
Fish balls
(A Filipino favorite! They also have other flavors besides the original. I recommend trying the kimchi flavored one!)
Deep Sea Squid
Vinasse Balls
(it looks really odd but it is delicious and worth the try!)
Other activities worth trying
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| Photo taken by My Fat Pocket |
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| Photo taken by The Girl Who Ate Everything |
Cat lovers (or animal lovers in general)! Taiwan has its own cat village! Although the name is not connected to cats (I think it means monkey... or mining), Huotong Cat Village is surely one you should not miss. Aside from its furry inhabitants, cafes, shops and restaurants that are cat-themed are all over the area but they also have a museum if you are interested to know more about their mining days! Visit The Girl Who Ate Everything's blog to know more about Huotong Cat Village!
This travel guide is one of three articles that I wrote about our recent Taiwan trip.
If you wish to see more, click here.
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Kamsahamnida!
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Kamsahamnida! Have a great day!