We headed up into the misty hills, stopping first at the Golden Waterfall, where the rock is stained orange and gold. The colour comes from water running through ground rich in pyrite and copper ore around the old Jinguashi mines, and the falls can be seen from a viewpoint beside the road. Then we climbed on to the old town of Jiufen, which sits on the same hillside road that carries on to Jinguashi.
As it got dark the red lanterns came on along the narrow alleys. Sitting with a pot of tea at A-Mei Tea House while that happened felt like being inside a storybook.
Good to know
- Golden Waterfall: the colour comes from water running through ground rich in pyrite and copper ore around the old Jinguashi mines. It’s a roadside viewpoint, so you can stop at any time. Taiwan Tourism
- Getting to Jiufen: bus 1062 runs from Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT station to Jiufen Old Street and on to Jinguashi. Bus 965 runs from Banqiao via Ximen MRT, or you can take the train to Ruifang and a local bus up the hill. Allow around an hour to an hour and a half. New Taipei Travel
- A-Mei Tea House: open every day from 9am to 9.30pm. Dusk, when the lanterns come on, is the time to be there.
We checked these times and prices in October 2026. They do change, so it's worth a quick look at the official sites before you go.