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Looking for the best Taipei day trip with kids? Here’s our honest review of the Yehliu, Jiufen & Shifen tour — a top-rated Taipei itinerary highlight packed with nature, culture, and unforgettable things to do in Taipei for families.
We don’t book many day trips. As a travelling family on a budget, we’re usually piecing together itineraries ourselves, researching how to get around and stretching every dollar. But sometimes, the logistics are too tricky, the distances too far, or the experience too unique to pass up. So when we do book a tour, it has to tick all the boxes: affordable, educational, something the kids will actually enjoy – This ticked all the boxes.
If you want to skip the stress and just book the exact tour we took, click here to check prices and availability.
Booking through this link will secure your tour with MyProGuide, who we found to be the best in this area. Our guide, Kent, was fluent in English and really made the day special—he even went out of his way to make sure the kids were included and having fun throughout.
Our guide Kent even let our little one be the leader for a while, which made the tour extra fun and memorable
Stop 1: Yehliu Geopark
How the Tour Begins
We took the Yehliu Geopark, Jiufen, Shifen and Shifen Waterfall tour and it was one of the rare times we handed over the planning to someone else.
The meeting place is Taipei Main Station, and you really can’t miss it. This company is known as one of the best in Taipei for a reason. There were five coaches heading out on the same day as ours, so there were plenty of people milling around, you cant miss the meeting spot. The staff were clearly experienced. They could spot who looked lost (we did) , came over to introduce themselves, and within a minute we had our group stickers, knew which coach we were on, and were lined up and ready to go.
Our English-speaking guide was called Kent, and he was perfect. He was full of interesting facts throughout the day, made everything clear, and added just the right amount of cheesy energy to break the ice between guests. It helped set a relaxed tone for the rest of the day.
Yehliu Geopark Day Trip: What to See and Expect
Yehliu Geopark is a coastal area famous for its unusual rock formations, many of which were formed by sea erosion over thousands of years. The two most well-known formations are the Queen’s Head and Princess Rock – and no they don’t look anything like a queen or princess, to me anyway. They are cool formations however and worth getting your picture taken. You get around an hour here, which at first felt short when looking at the park map, but it turned out to be just right. Unless you’re an avid geologist, it’s mostly about walking, spotting the formations, and photo op’s – especially when it’s 35°C like it was for us.
It’s nice, especially with the kids, not having to work out public transport. To get to Yehliu Geopark on your own, you’d be looking at around 90 minutes on the Kuo-Kuang Bus 1815 from Taipei Main Station, and then there’s still a bit of a walk at the other end. You could get a taxi, but that adds up fast. Having the coach waiting for us made everything so much easier. We’d done the hot walk, taken the photos, and then just climbed back on, cooled down in the air con, and relaxed while it took us straight to the next stop, Shifen Old Street, where you get to release the famous sky lanterns.
Right outside the park, there’s a little market where you can grab snacks or a fresh juice. Across the road, there’s a shaved ice stall too. We didn’t catch the name, but it was exactly what we needed after walking around in 35-degree heat. One traveller we spoke to said the mango one was the best they’d had, and honestly, they weren’t wrong.
Parenting Hack:
Inside the park, there’s a statue of Lin Tien‑chen, a local fisherman who died trying to rescue a drowning student in 1964. Both were sadly swept away. The statue was put up to honour his bravery. Set it as a challenge for the kids to find. When you’re mostly looking at rocks, anything that keeps them engaged is a win.
Stop 2: Shifen & Lantern Experience
Shifen Sky Lantern Experience: History, Meaning and How It Works
The tradition of sky lanterns in Shifen dates back to the Qing Dynasty (I learned all this from Kent – our guide). They were originally used as a way for villagers to signal safety when hiding from bandits. Over time, the practice turned into something more symbolic. Its become a way to send prayers, wishes, or messages into the sky. Today, Shifen is the only place in Taiwan where public lantern releases are still allowed, which means if you want this Instagram worthy experience, then this is your only chance to do it.
The town and its train line date back to Taiwan’s coal‑mining days. The Pingxi railway branch was built in 1918 (during Japanese rule) and officially opened in 1921 to transport coal out of the valley. The trains still run right through the middle of Shifen Old Street (regularly, we had 2 go past whilst we were there).
Warning:
The alarm that a train is coming, is literally just shouts from the locals. Typically 2/3 tourists get injured a year by not paying enough attention. Keep an eye on the kids at all times.
Shifen Old Street: Sky Lanterns and the Train That Runs Through It
Shifen Old Street is known for two things: sky lanterns and the train that runs straight through the middle of it.
Kent (the tour guide) took our order on the coach for what lanterns we wanted and how many. (It’s not included in the price of the tour, because it depends on how many you want to do, what colour combinations you go for), and whether you’re doing one as a family or individually. But this system works. It means that once you arrive, you’re taken straight to one of the lantern shops and your lanterns and paintbrushes are already waiting for you.
We did check afterwards to see if we were being charged more by doing it through the guide, but the prices were the same. It’s just a better way to maximise the limited time you have there, especially with kids.
This stop is also your chance to grab lunch. Kent can also take your food order on the coach as well, and while you’re decorating and releasing your lantern, he goes off and collects it. When you’re finished, your food is ready and waiting, including a peanut roll ice cream dessert that went down ridiculously well with the kids.
The lantern experience itself is brilliant. You paint all four sides with your wishes, and then the staff take over. And they’re pros. They’re like well-rehearsed directors, posing you, grabbing your phone, switching to slow motion, telling you exactly where to stand and when to smile. They even used a slow motion feature on my phone, which I didn’t know I had. Social media ready, simply hit post once completed.
If you havn’t organised you eSim yet for when you are away. Click here to order now.
Stop 3: Shifen Waterfalls
Shifen Waterfall: Why It’s Taiwan’s Most Famous Cascade
Shifen Waterfall is often called the “Niagara Falls of Taiwan” a bit of a stretch, but it is the widest waterfall in the country and genuinely impressive. It’s a proper cascade, with water pouring over a curved drop into the pool below. Don’t bring your trunks, you don’t swim here, and you’re not scrambling across rocks it’s a viewpoint waterfall. Clean paths, proper viewing platforms, and a dramatic payoff at the end. We recently visited a fair number of Japanese water falls and this beats all of them for the “wow factor”.
Why This Scenic Stop Is Better With a Tour
The waterfall is about a 20-minute walk from the town. If we’d done this trip on our own, that’s exactly what we would have been doing. But with the tour, the coach drops you right at the viewing spot, saving everyone time and energy.
We saw quite a few waterfalls during our time in Japan (click here to read more about our time in Okinawa), but none of them were as impressive as this. You don’t need your swimming trunks. It’s not that kind of waterfall. This one is all about the view. It’s nature doing its thing, and doing it well.
Kent knew his role here. He walked around offering to take photos for everyone. No awkward shuffling or waiting your turn. You could just step in, get your picture, and move on. It’s another solid reason to book the tour instead of trying to piece it all together yourself.
Stop 4: Jiufen Old Street
Jiufen Old Street: Worth the Climb for the Views (and Snacks)
Jiufen was once a small village during the Qing Dynasty, but that changed in the late 1800s when gold was discovered in the surrounding hills. The area quickly transformed into a booming mining town during the Japanese colonial era, with steep staircases, narrow alleys, and tightly packed hillside homes built to support the rush. Today, it stands as a living postcard of its gold-mining heritage, with red lanterns, traditional teahouses, and market stalls winding their way through the mountainside.
Jiufen with kids: Stair climbing and coffee
You are given two hours to explore here. For anyone who might not be up for the climb, Kent offered to pre-book a taxi to take them straight to the top. There’s a steep set of around 200 stairs, to get you to a gentler sloped road which leads to the top (the guide takes this route) or alternatively we decided to mission it straight up the steps, ignoring the sloped walk.
At the top, there are loads of shops, food stalls, and shaded spots to grab a coffee or an ice cream and take in the views. Once we’d caught our breath, we started winding our way back down through the market streets.
You can’t move for testers and freebies. Everyone’s trying to tempt you in with something from marzipan and peanut brittle to squid on a stick. It honestly felt like a condensed version of everything Taiwan has to offer.
A Quiet Tea with a View: The Perfect Way to End the Day
You find a tunnel walkway that almost makes you think you’ve taken a wrong turn, but it actually leads straight to A-Mei Teahouse. It’s probably the most iconic spot in Jiufen. You can sit with a traditional pot of Taiwanese tea and look out over the rooftops, the ocean, and the mountains in the distance. It’s calm, peaceful, and feels like a proper travel moment (I mean just look at that view).
This really is probably the headline moment from the day. Sat back, unwinding in this environment with this view. This is what travelling is about, isn’t it? And it was the perfect end to what had already been an amazing, lifelong memory of a day.
Once back on the coach, it’s a little over an hour to return to your starting point. You get back around the 5.30 to 6.00pm mark.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, we wouldn’t recommend it if we didn’t think it was worthwhile. The organisation and cost of separate taxis, trying to work it all out yourself and cut out the middle man, just wouldn’t have been worth it.
From first thing in the morning until you get back in the evening, everything is covered. You don’t have to think. You just get to enjoy the day.
The price is really good value for what you get, and it has everything you need to keep the kids and the adults entertained. It felt like a proper cultural slice of the best Taiwan has to offer, and one of those rare days where everyone gets something out of it.
Click here to book the exact trip we did.
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