Northern Coast from Keelung Port

This tour will start with a pick up at the Port of Keelung. Your private guide/driver will be waiting for you. Your schedule of today will be: 

► JIUFEN
Your first stop will be at Jiufen Old Street. During the Qing Dynasty, the isolated village housed only nine families, thus the village would request "nine portions" every time shipments arrived from town. "Jiu" means "nine", "Fen" means "portions". Until the 1950's, Jiufen was a prosperous gold mining town but in the next years the town started its declined. This small village is located within hills, next to the mountains, and facing the ocean. Its special location, saved it from becoming another anonymous mining ghost town. Jiufen is now a popular tourist destination for Taipeites eager to relive scenes from the past.



► HOUTONG CAT VILLAGE
Houtong Cat Village is a must-see for cat lovers; a home to hundreds of cats. The village used to be a small coal mining town during the Japanese time. However, in 2008, a local who had a huge love for cats, began taking care of the abandoned cats in the town. This person found volunteers to let them post pictures of the cats on online platforms. These pictures are noticed by tourists and nowadays it is the ultimate cat lover - destination in Taiwan. 



In between, you will have time to have lunch which is not included. Your guide/driver can suggest you some restaurants in the area.

► SHIFEN OLD STREET
Shifen Old Street is filled mainly by sky lantern and souvenir shops, grocery stores, fruits and vegetables vendors and restaurants on both sides of the railway. In little Shifen, the train passes through the village just metres from the houses; houses are really built adjacent to the rails.
Located in Pingxi District, Shifen is the most famous stop along Pingxi Branch Line. Pingxi Line was originally built to transport coal and now has transformedin to a renowned railway to discover the coal-mining history of Taiwan.  About 15 to 20 minutes walking distance from the Old Street, you will find the Shi Fen Waterfall one of the the widest, largest, and most abundant water waterfalls in Taiwan.



► PINGXI
Famous for the unique railway passes above houses and streets. Pinxi is also world renowned for their sky lanterns; visitors can write their wishes on a lantern and release it in to the sky. In almost evry little shop in the town you will find a lantern seller. The old houses have become now stores selling souvenirs and local flavored snaks. The Lantern Festival is held in February and attracts thousand of visitors, making impossible to move easily.

As your cruise will continue in the end of the afternoon/beginning of the evening, you will have to be back at the Port of Keelung at 16:00. Therefore, your guide will bring you back to the Port of Keelung at around 15:15 (the drive is approximately 45 minutes).

END OF SERVICES