Every Taipei itinerary includes the question: Jiufen or Shifen? Some guides combine them into one rushed day trip, which I think is a mistake. Here's a detailed comparison to help you choose — or decide if you genuinely want both.
| Jiufen | Shifen | |
|---|---|---|
| Distance from Taipei | 40km (90 min by bus) | 50km (75 min by train) |
| Famous for | Red lanterns, tea houses, Spirited Away vibes | Sky lanterns, waterfall, train tracks |
| Vibe | Mountain village, moody, atmospheric | Small town, festive, celebratory |
| Time needed | 4-6 hours minimum (overnight recommended) | 2-3 hours |
| Best time | Dusk (4-7PM) | Daytime |
| Cost for the day | 400-800 TWD | 300-600 TWD |
| Crowd level | Very high on weekends | Moderate |
Jiufen is a former gold mining village clinging to a mountainside above the Pacific Ocean. Narrow stone stairways connect multiple levels of the village, red lanterns hang from wooden buildings, and fog rolls in from the ocean without warning. The atmosphere is moody, cinematic, and slightly melancholic — especially at dusk when the lanterns glow against the gray sky.
Shifen is a small town in a river valley where the Pingxi Railway line runs directly through the middle of the main street. The famous activity is writing wishes on paper sky lanterns and releasing them into the air. The atmosphere is festive and communal — couples writing love notes, families celebrating birthdays, tourists from every country watching colored lanterns drift upward.
They're completely different moods. Jiufen is introspection. Shifen is celebration.
Jiufen wins this category easily. Taro balls from Ah Gan Yi (60 TWD) are the signature, but the entire Old Street is lined with food stalls — herbal tea eggs, peanut ice cream rolls, fish ball soup, and multiple tea houses serving oolong with proper gongfu ceremony (250-400 TWD per person).
Shifen's food options are limited and mostly tourist-oriented. There's a night market-style strip near the train tracks with standard Taiwanese snacks (grilled sausages, stinky tofu), but nothing that's specifically worth traveling for. You eat in Shifen because you're hungry, not because the food is a destination.
Jiufen: Walking the Old Street, visiting tea houses, photographing the Shuqi Road Stairway, hiking to the Yin-Yang Sea viewpoint, exploring the Gold Ecological Park in Jinguashi (gold mine tunnels, 80 TWD entry). For tea and history lovers, there's enough content for two full days.
Shifen: Releasing a sky lantern (150 TWD for a single-color, 200 TWD for four-color), visiting Shifen Waterfall (Taiwan's widest, free entry, 20-minute walk from the station), and walking along the train tracks through the town center. You can cover everything meaningful in 2-3 hours.
Both are extremely photogenic, but for different reasons.
Jiufen delivers moody, atmospheric shots — the red lanterns on the stairway at dusk, fog-shrouded tea houses, the Yin-Yang Sea from above. The challenge is timing: you need dusk, you need a weekday, and you need the weather to cooperate.
Shifen delivers colorful, joyful shots — sky lanterns against blue sky, the train passing through the market street, the rainbow spray of the waterfall. These shots work in almost any weather and at any time of day.
Shifen. The sky lantern activity is fun for all ages, the waterfall walk is easy, and the whole experience is completed in under 3 hours before kids get restless. Jiufen's steep stone stairs and narrow, crowded alleys are less kid-friendly, especially with strollers.
Jiufen. An overnight stay, a tea ceremony at dusk, and a quiet walk through the village at night is genuinely romantic in a way Shifen can't match. Writing a wish on a sky lantern together is a nice moment, but Jiufen's atmosphere sustains romance for an entire evening.
Jiufen. The tea houses are perfect for solo contemplation, the hikes are manageable alone, and the guesthouse scene is welcoming for solo stays. Shifen's sky lanterns are designed as a group activity — releasing one alone feels slightly awkward (I did it, I know).
Technically yes. Many tours combine them. But here's why I'd avoid it:
The logistics require either a car or a complicated bus-train transfer through Ruifang Station. You'd spend 3-4 hours just on transport. And because Jiufen is best at dusk and Shifen is best in daylight, you'd be rushing Jiufen (which defeats the purpose) or visiting Shifen when the light is wrong.
If you absolutely must combine them: do Shifen in the morning (arrive by 10AM, sky lanterns and waterfall by 1PM), then bus from Ruifang to Jiufen for the afternoon and sunset.
| Expense | Jiufen | Shifen |
|---|---|---|
| Transport from Taipei | 98 TWD (bus) | 76 TWD (train + Pingxi line) |
| Food | 200-400 TWD | 100-200 TWD |
| Activities | 80-400 TWD (tea + mine) | 150-200 TWD (lantern) |
| Day trip total | 378-898 TWD | 326-476 TWD |
Choose Jiufen if you want atmosphere, photography, tea culture, and don't mind crowds (or can visit on a weekday). Best with an overnight stay.
Choose Shifen if you're traveling with family, want a shorter day trip, or care most about the sky lantern experience.
Choose both if you have two separate days and don't try to cram them together.
Skip Jiufen if you're only available on a weekend and hate crowds. It won't be the experience you're imagining.
Skip Shifen if you're not interested in sky lanterns and are mainly visiting for the waterfall. The waterfall is nice, but it's not worth 3 hours of travel on its own.
Honestly? If I had to pick one — Jiufen. But only on a Tuesday.
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