Yehliu Geopark guide — Queen's Head rock, formations, and how to visit
Taipei: Yehliu geopark and Keelung harbor guided tour
Duration: 4 hours
How do I get to Yehliu Geopark from Taipei?
Take Bus 1815 from Taipei West Bus Station A (Gate 12), direction Jinshan/Yehliu. The ride takes 70–80 minutes and costs NT$90. Buses depart roughly every 30 minutes during the day. Alternatively, join a guided tour that combines Yehliu with Jiufen and Shifen — the most common way to visit.
What makes Yehliu worth the 80-minute bus ride
Yehliu is one of those places that photographs do not fully prepare you for. The geology at this cape on the north coast of Taiwan has been worked by seawater, wind, and differential erosion for millions of years into formations unlike anything most visitors have seen: mushroom rocks balanced on narrow necks, honeycomb textures covering entire cliff faces, candle rocks, tofu rocks, and ginger rocks — all named for what they resemble.
The Queen’s Head is the most famous individual formation, but the context of standing in a field of hundreds of these structures simultaneously is the real experience.
Entry costs NT$80 for adults. The park requires about 2 hours for a thorough visit.
| Where | North coast cape, roughly 80 min from Taipei |
| Cost | Around NT$80 adults, NT$40 children |
| Time needed | 1.5–2.5 hours for the full trail |
| Getting there | Bus 1815 from Taipei West Bus Station A |
| Best time | Weekday mornings, or after 16:00 |
Getting there from Taipei
By public bus (recommended for independent travellers)
Bus 1815 departs from Taipei West Bus Station A (台北轉運站, adjacent to Taipei Main Station, west side). The stop is at Gate 12 (ground floor, clearly signposted). The bus runs toward Jinshan and passes through Yehliu.
- Journey time: 70–80 minutes
- Fare: NT$90 (EasyCard accepted)
- Frequency: approximately every 30 minutes during the day (06:30–21:00)
- Stop: “Yehliu” stop, clearly announced on the bus; the geopark entrance is about 200m from the stop
Return: Catch the same bus line back from the Yehliu stop. Last buses toward Taipei run until approximately 20:00–21:00 — check the timetable at the stop. The return trip is also 70–80 minutes.
By guided tour
Most Yehliu visitors arrive as part of a Yehliu + Jiufen + Shifen day tour, which is the most efficient way to cover all three north-coast highlights:
Yehliu, Jiufen and Shifen guided group day tourFor a guided tour combining Yehliu with Keelung Harbour:
Yehliu Geopark and Keelung Harbor guided tourBy pre-purchased ticket
You can buy a Yehliu admission ticket in advance via GetYourGuide to skip the cash queue at the entrance — useful on weekends when queues form:
Yehliu Geopark admission ticketWhy the formations look the way they do
Yehliu’s cape sits on a sandstone shelf where two different geological processes worked simultaneously: differential erosion, where softer layers wear away faster than the harder, calcareous concretions embedded within them, and constant exposure to sea spray, wind, and rain. The concretions — the harder nodules that eventually become the “heads” of mushroom rocks — formed millions of years ago as minerals accumulated around a nucleus point within the sandstone, in roughly the same way a pearl forms in an oyster.
As the surrounding softer rock erodes away over centuries, the harder concretion is left standing proud on an increasingly narrow neck of stone, exactly like the Queen’s Head. Given enough more time, every mushroom rock in the park eventually loses its head to gravity, wave action, or a storm — visible evidence of this exists in several “headless” stumps around the park, remnants of formations that already collapsed.
How Yehliu compares to other north coast stops
If you are deciding between a north coast day trip focused on rock formations versus one focused on mountain villages and sky lanterns, this comparison helps:
| Destination | Main draw | Time from Taipei | Best paired with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yehliu Geopark | Rock formations, geology | ~80 min | Keelung or Jinshan |
| Jiufen | Hillside old town, tea houses | ~90 min | Shifen |
| Shifen | Sky lantern releases, waterfall | ~80 min | Jiufen |
Most full-day guided tours combine all three, since the region’s roads connect them efficiently — see the guided tour options above if you want to cover Yehliu without sacrificing Jiufen or Shifen from the same day.
The three zones
The park is laid out along a 1.7km coastal headland with a one-way walking trail. Three zones run from the park entrance toward the cape:
Zone 1: The main formations This is where the Queen’s Head stands. The zone also contains the most densely clustered formations — Fairy’s Shoe, Peanut Rock, Ice Cream Rock — all with English labels. This is the busiest section and where most tour groups spend the majority of their time. If you are visiting on a tour with a fixed timeline, this zone is the priority.
Zone 2: The geological variety zone Fewer visitors reach Zone 2. Here the formations diversify: honeycomb rocks with perfectly hexagonal cells, horizontal erosion ledges, and larger mushroom rocks with more dramatic profiles. The interpretation signs here are genuinely informative about how differential hardness in the sandstone creates these shapes.
Zone 3: The cape area The furthest from the entrance. Fewer formations but the coastal views back toward Zones 1 and 2 are the most photogenic context shots. Some visitors skip Zone 3 entirely; if you have 2+ hours, the walk is worth it for the perspective.
The Queen’s Head: photograph it properly
The Queen’s Head (Nüwang Tou) stands in Zone 1 and has a designated photography queue on busy days. Park staff manage the flow. To get a clear shot:
- Arrive before 09:30 or after 16:00 when the queue is shorter
- The best angle is from slightly left of the formation facing sea (the neck-to-head profile is clearest from this side)
- Late afternoon light from the west catches the rock well; harsh midday overhead sun flattens the texture
- The formation is behind a rope barrier — do not attempt to touch or climb on it
The Queen’s Head’s neck is estimated to narrow by approximately 1–2cm per year. While precise predictions are difficult, geologists and park officials have noted the ongoing erosion publicly. Visit while the formation is still intact.
What else is nearby
Jinshan: Continue on the same bus line 25 minutes north of Yehliu to reach Jinshan Old Street — a quiet market town known for its salted duck, mochi, and local snacks. Jinshan Old Street is a less-visited alternative to more crowded Jiufen for traditional Taiwan market food.
Keelung: 20 minutes south by bus or taxi from Yehliu. The Keelung Night Market (Miaokou Night Market) is one of Taiwan’s most genuine night markets — not primarily a tourist show but a real local institution. Keelung Harbor has sea views and the Keelung Islet ferry. A combined day (Yehliu morning, Keelung evening) is a good alternative to the Yehliu+Jiufen circuit.
Practical details
- Entry: NT$80 adults, NT$40 children (6–12)
- Hours: 08:00–17:00 daily (last entry 16:30). Extended hours during major holidays.
- Facilities: Toilets inside the park, café and gift shop near the entrance
- Weather: The north coast receives more rain than central Taipei. Bring a light waterproof jacket year-round. The rock surfaces are slippery when wet.
- Shoes: Closed-toe shoes with grip recommended — the rock surfaces are uneven. Do not wear sandals or flip-flops.
What the crowds look like
Weekend mornings (09:00–10:30): moderate, manageable. Weekend afternoons (12:00–16:00): very crowded — tour bus high season. Weekday mornings are the most relaxed time.
The formations are spread across a 1.7km trail, so crowds thin as you move further from the entrance. Zone 3 at the cape is almost always quiet.
For the full context of how Yehliu fits into a day-trip itinerary, see best day trips from Taipei and north coast loop guide.
For combining Yehliu with Jiufen and Pingxi sky lanterns in one day:
Yehliu, Jiufen and Pingxi day tourFor more on the Keelung area: destinations/keelung. For the Jinshan area: destinations/jinshan.
Is Yehliu worth the trip
Frequently asked questions about Yehliu Geopark guide — Queen's Head rock, formations, and how to visit
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