Taipei itself is compact and excellent, but here’s what the guidebooks undersell: some of Taiwan’s most memorable moments live just 30 to 90 minutes away by train. You can soak in mountain hot springs at dawn, hike through misty tea plantations, or eat your weight in seafood in a fishing village—all without needing a rental car or a guide. The magic of visiting Taipei and Taiwan more broadly is that the infrastructure makes this absurdly easy. Trains are cheap, clean, and almost always on time.
If you’re building a taipei itinerary or just need a break from the urban sprawl, these five day trips will change how you see the region. Most are reachable from Taipei Taoyuan International Airport within an hour of landing.
Jiufen: Nostalgia, Night Markets, and Red Lanterns
Getting there: Take the Northeast Coast Line train from Taipei Main Station toward Ruifang (45 minutes, around NT$95). From Ruifang station, it’s a 10-minute taxi or bus ride uphill to Jiufen Old Street.
How long to stay: 3–4 hours, ideally arriving in late afternoon to catch both daylight and the evening market glow.
Why go: Jiufen is the Taipei day trip everyone mentions, and yes, it’s touristy. Yes, the teahouses are overpriced. And yes, you should absolutely go anyway—just be strategic. The narrow red-lantern-lit alley is where Spirited Away drew inspiration, and standing there at dusk, watching vendors call out to crowds below, you’ll understand why. The key is arriving before 5 p.m., when buses of organized tour groups flood in. Grab a seat at one of the side-alley teahouses (avoid the flagship spots), order a pot of tie guan yin or some high-mountain oolong, and watch the light change. The street food—taro balls, fish cakes, mochi—is legitimately good if you queue at the original vendors (look for lines, not English signs).
Skip the souvenir shops entirely. Instead, walk the quieter lanes perpendicular to the main strip, where locals actually live and where you’ll find better-priced snacks and real tea shops. Leave by 7 p.m., or commit to staying until 9 p.m. when the crowds thin again.
Yehliu Geopark: Otherworldly Rock Formations and Ocean Views
Getting there: Train to Ruifang (45 min, NT$95), then a local bus or taxi to Yehliu (another 20–30 minutes). The drive is scenic and winds along cliffs; if you’re comfortable driving, a scooter rental from Taipei offers more flexibility.
How long to stay: 2–3 hours.
Why go: This is Taiwan’s most visually unusual destination within day-trip range. Yehliu is a headland carved by wind and water into jagged sandstone towers, mushroom rocks, and honeycomb formations that feel genuinely alien. It’s touristy in the sense that there are crowds and a gift shop, but the landscape is so striking that it transcends. The boardwalk threading through the formations is about 1.5 km and takes roughly 90 minutes. The ocean is usually rough and gray-blue, which only adds to the otherworldly vibe.
Go on a clear day—visibility matters here. Wear good shoes because the rocks are sharp. Bring sunscreen and a hat; there’s almost no shade. If you’re visiting during taipei taiwan time in winter (November–February), conditions are rougher, waves are bigger, and it’s actually more dramatic. Skip this on rainy or smoggy days; you’ll see almost nothing.
Beitou: Hot Springs, Temples, and Mountain Air
Getting there: MRT Red Line directly from Taipei Main Station to Beitou Station (40 minutes, NT$65). From there, local buses or a 10-minute taxi to most hot spring resorts.
How long to stay: Half day or full day, depending on whether you want to bathe.
Why go: Beitou is technically part of greater Taipei, but it feels like a complete escape. It’s a mountainside onsen town with steaming sulfur-tinted streams, traditional Japanese-era bathhouses, and excellent hiking. The Beitou Hot Spring Museum is worth an hour (small entry fee, interesting exhibits about the town’s Japanese colonial history). For actual soaking, you have options: pay NT$250–400 to use a public bathhouse like Beitou Public Bath (atmospheric, vintage, no-frills), or splurge on one of the riverside resort hotels if you want privacy and luxury.
The real reason to come is Beitou Park, a free, serene greenspace with hiking trails and natural hot spring streams (the water is very hot; dip your feet in cautiously). The Thermal Valley trail climbs through sulfur-smelling forest to viewpoints and is moderately steep but short—about 1 hour round trip.
Go midweek if you can; weekends get packed with families. And honestly? Soaking in an outdoor onsen with mist rising and mountains around you, even for 30 minutes, will reset your brain better than any spa in the city.
Keelung: Fishing Port, Night Market, and Temple-Side Seafood
Getting there: Train from Taipei Main Station on the Northeast Coast Line (35 minutes, NT$75). Keelung Station is right by the harbor.
How long to stay: 4–5 hours; this works well as an evening trip.
Why go: Keelung is gritty, working, and utterly real in a way tourist zones aren’t. It’s a major fishing port, which means some of the freshest and cheapest seafood you’ll eat in Taiwan. Keelung Miaokou Night Market (open afternoons, best from 5 p.m. onward) is older and less polished than Taipei’s equivalent but more authentic—vendors here are feeding locals, not tourists. Try the taro-filled soup dumplings, grilled squid, and fish cakes. Bring cash.
Walk along the harbor before dark, visit Qingshan Temple (a working shrine perched right on the water with outstanding views), and don’t miss the side streets where seafood restaurants operate out of warehouse spaces. These places often have no English signs; pointing at the tank you want is perfectly acceptable. Prices are 20–30% cheaper than Taipei for the same meal.
Weather warning: Keelung is notably damper and foggier than Taipei, especially October through February. Bring a light jacket and don’t expect sunshine, but the mist adds to its moody charm.
Jiufen Taiwan Travel Guide Alternative: Shifen and the Sky Lantern Villages
Getting there: Train from Taipei to Ruifang (45 min, NT$95), then the Pingxi Branch Line train directly into Shifen village (another 20 minutes, NT$27). The Pingxi Line itself is the attraction—it’s a narrow-gauge railway that clings to hillsides and winds through small mountain towns.
How long to stay: 3–4 hours.
Why go: Shifen is where you release sky lanterns (roughly NT$100–150 per lantern), which is cheesy and unforgettable in equal measure. The village straddles a narrow river gorge, and old wooden buildings lean over the water. The main street is closed to traffic and reserved for wandering, snacking, and lantern launching. The waterfall nearby (about a 15-minute walk uphill) is a bonus if you have energy.
The Pingxi Line itself—riding between stops, watching the track curve ahead of you, seeing rural mountain life tick past—might be the best part. Consider riding the entire line end-to-end (several stops available) rather than just going to Shifen. Stations like Pingxi and Shifen are worth exploring.
This trip feels touristy because it is, especially on weekends. Weekday visits are markedly better. And yes, the lantern thing is kind of a gimmick, but doing it as the sun sets over mountains, with other travelers around you, is genuinely moving.
The beauty of these day trips is that each one answers a different question: Where do I eat like a local? (Keelung). Where do I see something I’ve never seen before? (Yehliu). Where do I slow down? (Beitou). You don’t need a car, a tour guide, or even much planning. Buy a train ticket, spend less than NT$100, and go. Most people visiting Taipei stay in the city proper, which means these places stay refreshingly uncrowned on weekdays—go on a Tuesday if you can.
