7 best day trips from Taipei

Day trips compared

The day trips

40 km · About 1–1.5 hours by bus

1.Jiufen

A former gold-mining town clinging to a hillside above the north-east coast, with lantern-hung lanes, steep stairways and tea houses with sea views. The Gold Museum at nearby Jinguashi tells the mining story.

Getting there

Direct bus from Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT, or train to Ruifang and bus

Best for

First-timers, Couples, Food lovers

40 km · About 1.5–2 hours by train

2.Shifen and the Pingxi line

A small branch railway runs through a forested valley to Shifen, where visitors write wishes on paper sky lanterns and release them beside the tracks, and a short walk leads to the broad Shifen Waterfall. Houtong, a nearby station, is known for its cats.

Getting there

Train to Ruifang, then the Pingxi branch line

Best for

First-timers, Families, Couples

40 km · About 1–1.5 hours by bus

3.Yehliu Geopark

A cape on the north coast with wind- and sea-sculpted sandstone formations, including mushroom rocks and the Queen's Head, a rock shaped like a profile with a long neck.

Getting there

Intercity bus from Taipei towards Jinshan

Best for

Families, First-timers

20 km · About 40 minutes by MRT

4.Tamsui

A riverside town at the mouth of the Tamsui River with an Old Street of snacks, Fort San Domingo, built by the Spanish and later used as the British consulate, and sunset views across to Guanyin Mountain.

Getting there

MRT red line to Tamsui

Best for

Couples, Families, Food lovers

25 km · About 1 hour by MRT and bus

5.Wulai

A mountain village of the Indigenous Atayal people on a clear river, with hot springs, a small museum, Atayal food and a tall waterfall reached by a short scenic train or walk.

Getting there

MRT to Xindian, then bus to Wulai

Best for

Quiet stays, Culture, Couples

50 km · About 1 hour by bus

6.Jiaoxi

A hot-spring town in Yilan County with free public foot baths in a park, spa hotels and nearby waterfalls, reached through one of Asia's longest road tunnels.

Getting there

Express bus through the Hsuehshan Tunnel

Best for

Couples, Quiet stays, Families

30 km · About 45 minutes by train

7.Keelung

A port city known for the Miaokou night market's seafood stalls around a temple, with coastal rock formations at Heping Island Park on the edge of town.

Getting there

Taiwan Railway from Taipei Main Station

Best for

Food lovers, Families

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• Some buses charge on boarding and others on exit; watch for the sign by the driver.
• Taiwan Railway trains from Taipei Main Station serve Keelung, Ruifang for Jiufen and the Pingxi line, and Yilan; High Speed Rail heads south.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask