6 Incredible Day Trips From Taipei You Have To Experience

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This charming old Japanese mining town Jiufen, is made up of enchanting atmospheric alleyways and colourful streets that reflects the vibrancy of Taiwanese culture. This picturesque mountain town has amazing sea views, rolling hills and an abundance of small shops, eateries and old Chinese tea houses.

The focal point of Jiufen is Jishan/Jiufen Old Street. A narrow market strip that twists through the town. Snacks such as Taiwanese sausages, fish balls, peanut ice cream, glutinous rice cakes and Jiufen’s specialty. The squishy taro and sweet potato balls served hot in a sweet soup or cold over shaved ice, can be found on this strip. If the crowds get too much, take refuge in one of the many tea houses here. Notorious for being the inspiration behind Studio Ghibli’s animation film, “Spirited Away”, is the A-Mei Tea House.

Jiufen is also home to the picture-perfect Shengping Theatre, which is considered the first modern theatre in Taiwan. Other great sightseeing options nearby include Teapot Mountain (Chahushan), an invigorating hike that offers some stunning scenery on a clear day. The Gold Ecological Park in Jinguashi, Shifen Waterfalls and Keelung Mountain are also worth visiting.

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Pingxi is another rural Taiwanese town just next to Jiufen which makes it another perfect Taipei day trip option.

This town is famous for the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival, which is held around 8 February every year. Pingxi is special for its unique architecture and design as its main market area, Shifen Old Street, is built alongside the Pingxi line railway tracks, previously used to transport coal. Along here, you’ll find a multitude of souvenir shops and can also find some delicious Taiwanese snacks to munch on.

The most popular thing to do here, of course, is the lighting and releasing of lanterns. During the festival, there’s a mass ascension of glowing lanterns that cover the sky in a magical display of colour, absolutely mesmerising. The entire main street gets busy with an active night market selling all sorts of nick knacks and treats. If you can’t make it in time for the festival, that’s okay! The releasing of lanterns actually happens all year round. Vendors and shops sell a variety of paper lanterns that can be personalised with blessings or wishes for the coming year.

In this area, you can also enjoy some amazing waterfalls. Shifen is well known for the Shifen Waterfall, 40m tall, it creates a beautiful rainbow as it cascades into the lake. The waterfall is located about 30 minutes away from Shifen Old Street.

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Soak your troubles away at the district of Beitou, which is home to some of the most popular hot springs in Taiwan. Beitou is a hot spring village and thermal valley within the mountains, located on the outskirts of Taipei. You can either spend a relaxing day here enjoying the hot springs and the views of the lovely surrounding hills or stay overnight at one of the amazing resorts.

Visiting the Thermal Valley is a must at Beitou. This incredible hot spring is the primary source of water in all the bathing houses in this area. Thermal valley earned itself the name of “Hell Valley” due to the endless steam that rises and continues to hover over the jade waters. You don’t want to dip your feet or hands in here though, as temperatures range between 80 to 100 degrees.

Other places worth a visit here are the Beitou Hot Springs Museum and Millennial Hot Springs, which is a public bath house with several open-air bathing pools.

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Experience Taiwan’s beautiful natural scenery by heading to Yehliu Geopark, which is found near the coastal town Yehliu north of Taipei. This is a beautiful area; a fine demonstration of what nature can create on its own.

Perfect for those craving a bit of sea air, the Yehliu Geopark is home to some unusual yet spectacular geological limestone rock formations, which are quite unlike anything else found anywhere else in the world. Look out for the iconic “Queen’s Head” as well as other remarkable formations like the Sea Candles, Fairy Shoe, Ginger Rocks, Elephant Rock, Ice Cream Rock, Kissing Rock, and Princess’ Head.

Nearby, you’ll also find the Yehliu Ocean World which is great for families and travellers of all ages, which features acrobatic performances by dolphins and sea lions as well as a 100m long under ocean tunnel. Yehliu Geopark is open 8-5pm every day and it costs 4 AUD to enter.

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For something a little more slow-paced, head over to Tamsui. This lovely seaside town sits at the mouth of Tamsui river and is only 40 minutes away from Taipei, making it a perfect day trip candidate.

Along the river boardwalk as well as the town’s famous Tamsui Old Street, you’ll find an array of souvenir shops, game stands, incredible street food and tasty Taiwanese treats. Be sure to get your hands on some “ah gei” (tofu fishcake filled with noodles) as well as some freshly made fishballs whilst you’re there.

As the day winds down, make your way to Fisherman’s Wharf by catching a ferry from Tamsui Old Street so you can witness one of Taipei’s most renowned and iconic sunsets. For others, you can head over to Lover’s Bridge just down Fisherman’s Wharf. A favourite spot for couples and tourists alike to capture amazing photographs against the setting sun.

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Wulai is the perfect destination for a little bit of history and culture as it offers an intriguing look into the Taiwanese indigenous culture of the Atayal Tribe. When you get to the village, head over to Wulai Old Street. This is different from most other old streets in Taiwan as all the shops and restaurants have an indigenous flair to them. Here you’ll find lots of original aboriginal handcrafts and foods that are also tinged with indigenous influence, such as roasted wild boar, raw pickled pork, sticky rice cakes and river prawns.

Wulai however, is more famous for its scenery – riverside hot springs and mesmerising natural attractions like the brilliantly turquoise river, dense jungles, cliffs, and waterfalls which makes it a perfect day trip from Taipei for the more adventurous travellers. Wulai falls reigning 80m tall, is the largest of the waterfalls located within the Wulai Gorge. Walk 20 minutes from Wulai Old Street or take a ride on the Wulai Scenic Train to the base of the falls and view this magnificent waterfall plunging into the river.

You can also learn more about the indigenous Atayal people by checking out the Wulai Atayal Museum. Here you can witness them doing cultural performances like singing traditional songs.