Travel Taiwan: To The North, We Go! (Yehliu, Shifen, Jiufen)
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Tour Package
We originally contacted Kenly, the one who assigned our driver for the airport pick up, to give us a packaged tour. Prior to sending him a message, I already prepared a schedule for our itinerary.
10-Hour Tour with Driver (4 persons):
NTD 4600 = Php 7600 (approximately)
Tour Driver
Mr. Lin can understand and speak basic English. If he is unable to get his message across, he will translate it on his phone and show it to you. He was very courteous and dependable. He followed our prepared itinerary to the tee!
Contact Info via WhatsApp:
+886 981 800 607
Itinerary
Yehliu Geopark
One of the most visited places in Taiwan is Yehliu Geopark. Due to its unique geological formations, the place is full of honeycomb and mushroom-like rocks that were eroded by the sea. Since it is beside the sea, it is very windy. So girls, if you’re wearing a skirt during your visit, like I was, make sure that you’re wearing shorts underneath. I was wearing black tights, thank goodness!
One of the famous formations there is the Queen’s Head. There’s a staff that make sure that there’s a line for photo opportunities. Everyone gets their turn! But this is my favorite. It looks like a mermaid tail, doesn’t it?
Jingtong Station
It’s part of the Pingxi District and used to be a coal mining town. It is somewhat similar to Shifen Old Town but with less crowds. You can leisurely walk over the train tracks and capture beautiful photos. The small town is lined with local foods and souvenirs.
It is less crowded than Shifen Old Street and there are lots of places for a photo opportunity.
Shifen Old Street
This is where the famous lanterns are flown up to the sky. We quickly looked for the sky lanterns. Before you fly the sky lantern, you write your wishes on all four sides. I was tasked to do the writing and we did wish for a lot of things, especially my family’s good health.
From either side of the train tracks are souvenir shops and food stalls. Don’t forget to eat the Peanut Ice Cream!
The railway is active and trains do pass by from time to time, so be careful when taking photos.
Shifen Falls
Shifen Falls is a 40 metre tall waterfall that was said to create rainbows while it splashes onto the lake. However, we did not witness that. If you are a nature buff, you will definitely love staying here for a while. The sound of the waterfalls is very relaxing. We did walk towards the viewing deck, where there were less people. You can just sit there, have your snacks, and enjoy the view and tranquility that Shifen Falls offers.
Jiufen Old Street
Spirited Away was inspired by this place. I saw the movie a few years back and I loved it. If you’re planning to come here, do it in the afternoon. It’s much more beautiful when the lanterns have their lights on.
To be very honest, it can be a tourist trap in there. Everything in that place is a souvenir shop and a place to eat. However, find the shop that sells these delicious pineapple cakes! Among the ones that I bought, this is the best.
Taiwanventure Series
Things to Do:
Where to Go:
Where to Eat:
Astonishing pictures, Dre! Taiwan seems truly amazing and definitely worth exploring! How many days would be enough to explore it properly?
Hi, Agness! If you’re only going to stay in Taipei, 3 full days is enough. However, we went from North to South, so we stayed for a week. 🙂
Hi Dre!
Nice blog in Taiwan. May I know from where did you find Mr.Lin? And did you contacted him while you were still in the Philippines?
Hello, Cristina! I just browsed through different DIY travel groups and found Mr. Lin. I contacted him two months before our trip via WhatsApp.