When preparing my trip to Taipei, I asked many friends what they recommended. That’s how I learned about Elephant Hill near Taipei 101. Almost everyone raved about Jiufen. This small mountain town is not too far away from the city, and many tours can be arranged very easily if you don’t want to figure out the transportation yourself. That’s what I chose to do.
Seaside
Jiufen is an old mining town in the mountains. It lies near the coast, so the tour I chose took us to a few sights along the sea. First, we stopped for a short time at this small cluster of colored sandstone formations. They were lovely, but shouldn’t really be listed as a must-see destination. We also paused to look at the discolored water at the edge of an old mining town where the water had been contaminated by leeching.
Jiufen
From there we drove into the mountains to Jiufen. On the way we passed by a town that I would have loved to stop at. It looked so interesting with a shiny golden temple on the slopes. At first I thought that would be Jiufen, but it wasn’t.
The main draw in Jiufen is the ancient street, which is a covered market street that meanders through the narrow passages between buildings in this mountainside village. Being a holiday in Taiwan, it was packed! The street was lined with food stalls and shops, but it was super touristy.
Our guide told us to meet at a certain point at a particular time, so we had the freedom to wander as we chose. I quickly took some side paths up and down the hill away from the maw. It was much more rewarding. It took me by past more authentic spaces where people were living. It also took me by a few less busy boutiques.
Just before our meeting time, I enjoyed some mango shaved ice. This Taiwanese treat does live up to the hype. It is sweet and creamy and smooth and so yummy.
After grouping back up, we walked down a stepped street to the old movie theater and then to meet our van.
I don’t get it
Maybe I don’t get the hype over Jiufen because I haven’t seen “Spirited Away,” which takes place in this village. Or, maybe it was because it was a holiday and was very crowded. I just don’t understand why everyone said this was their favorite place and so highly recommended it. I might have to try it again and spend a day or two to get intimate with the town, but until then, I will say I’ve been but not gush over its awesomeness. Sorry, if this opinion doesn’t jive with yours. We can still be friends.
There were a couple of other nearby mountain towns I didn’t get a chance to visit on this trip. I will have to try them next time I visit Taiwan.
