One of my favorite day trips from Taipei, but can be full of insane tourist groups. It’s said that this is where Director Miyazaki got his idea for the Ghibli Studio film, Spirited Away! After walking around (ignoring the crowds), I could see it really well.
Jiufen side street. It was a cloudy day but still nice in the area.
When to go…
Taiwan tends to open later. As in most shops and resaturants wont open until 11am or noon at earliest. I reccommend leaving Taipei city around 9 or 10am if you can. This will help to avoid the bus load of tourists. Food will be fresh and it will be easier to walk leisurely down the narrow passages.
How to get to Jiufen
There are two options, bus or taxi/private taxi that try to nab you at the bus stop.
The bus is 100NT one way, takes a little over an hour and barely makes stops.
The private taxi will charge 200NT to start, and will sell it at a 45 minute ride. Don’t let them fool you saying that the bus will take 2hrs. The bus really isn’t baf if you have time to kill to take the scenic route. If you’re pressed for time then consider the taxi. But know that sometimes those taxi buses will loop back around if they can pick up more people.
What to do in Jiufen
They have a few temples around, with amazing colors! Even on a cloudy day we could see them.
But Jiufen is really known for its tea. Find a nice tea house if you have time to relax. It can be a really nice hideaway from the crowds or escape from the weather.
How to Asian Tea Time
The way of tea between Taiwanese and Chinese culture are almost similar. You pay by the choice and type of tea. The tea house will then prepare a container of tea leaves for the customers, usually accompanied with a small cookie snack.
They will do the first pour to show you how to properly make the tea.
From the pot you can reuse the first scoop several times before the leaves are finished.
If you don’t finish all the leaves, which you probably won’t…they’ll doggie-bag the rest of the leftovers.
There’s no time limit, as tea time is a traditional practice for relaxation and leisurely conversation. You could easily spend hours in there.
BC Roll in Japan 