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.

Yehliu Geopark Guide 2026 | Taipei Day Trip

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$120 for adults. The park requires about 2 hours for a thorough visit.


Where	North coast cape, roughly 80 min from Taipei
Cost	Around NT$120 adults
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 tour

For a guided tour combining Yehliu with Keelung Harbour:

Yehliu Geopark and Keelung Harbor guided tour

By 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 ticket

Why 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.

Planning your day around the park

Yehliu works best when you treat it as one chapter of a longer north-coast day rather than a stand-alone outing. The trail is a one-way walk, so you will not backtrack, and that makes it easy to pace: spend your first stretch in Zone 1 while your energy is high, then let the crowds thin as you move toward the cape. If you are building a full itinerary, the north coast day trip itinerary shows how the stops fit together, and the north coast loop guide explains the road logic that links them.

Independent travellers have a few sensible shapes to choose from. One is a slow morning at Yehliu followed by a lazy lunch in Keelung. Another is to pair the cape with the hillside lanes of Jiufen and finish with lanterns at Pingxi. A third is to keep things simple and give the geopark a relaxed half day, returning to the city in time for dinner at one of the Taipei night markets.

If you are weighing whether to organise all this yourself, the comparison in tour vs DIY day trips lays out the trade-offs honestly. A guided tour removes the bus timetable and the connections; going alone gives you the freedom to linger at the formations you like most and to skip the ones you do not.

What to look for as you walk

Most visitors rush to the Queen’s Head and miss the quieter details that make the park rewarding. Slow down and look closely at the surfaces of the rock rather than only at the famous silhouettes. You will notice fine honeycomb pitting, thin layered ledges where the sandstone has peeled away, and shallow basins carved by water. These small features are the same erosion story told at close range, and they are often more interesting than the formations that carry a name.

The interpretation signs along the trail are worth reading, especially in the middle zone, because they explain why one patch of stone stands tall while its neighbour has worn flat. Try to match what the sign describes with what is in front of you. Once you can recognise a hard concretion sitting on a narrowing neck, you will start spotting the same pattern in dozens of places, including the headless stumps that mark where earlier mushroom rocks gave way.

Keep an eye on the sea as well. The cape is exposed, and the way waves break against the shelf shows you exactly the force that keeps reshaping the shoreline. On a calm day the water looks harmless; on a rough day the same rocks look like a different place entirely, and the spray is a reminder of why the footing deserves care.

Making Yehliu work for different travellers

Families. Children usually enjoy the game of spotting rocks that look like everyday objects, and the names on the signs turn the walk into a treasure hunt. Keep a close eye on young ones near the edges, since surfaces are uneven. For wider ideas on keeping a trip comfortable with small travellers, see Taipei with kids and the Taipei for families itinerary.

Photographers. Patience pays off here. Give yourself time to wait for gaps in the crowd, shoot the texture of the rock in side light, and look back along the trail from the cape for wider frames. A lightweight setup is easier to manage on the uneven ground than a heavy kit.

First-time visitors to Taiwan. Yehliu is an easy introduction to the island’s dramatic coastline. If it is your first trip, the Taipei first-timer guide and the Taipei itinerary guide help you decide where a north-coast day belongs in the wider plan.

Budget-minded travellers. The park is one of the more affordable outings you can do from the capital, particularly if you go by public bus. The Taipei on a budget guide has more ways to stretch a trip without cutting out the highlights.

Weather and timing considerations

The coast is exposed, so conditions here can differ noticeably from the city. Before you commit to a date, check the forecast, and read the Taipei typhoon season guide if you are travelling in the warmer months. Wet rock is slippery, wind can make the cape feel much colder than the city, and low cloud can hide the views you came for. A clear, dry day makes the experience far better, so keep your plans flexible if you can.

For help choosing the right season overall, the best time to visit Taipei guide covers the broader picture, and the blog post on Taipei in the rain offers ideas for making the most of a grey day. Because the park has little shelter along the trail, bring a layer you can put on and take off easily.

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$120 adults
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 tour

For more on the Keelung area: Keelung. For the Jinshan area: Jinshan.

Is Yehliu worth the trip

Mistakes to avoid

Visiting only Zone 1 — it’s the busiest and most crowded section; Zones 2 and 3 have quieter, arguably more striking formations and a fraction of the visitors.
Arriving midday for photos — harsh overhead sun flattens the rock texture; early morning or late afternoon light gives far better results, especially for the Queen’s Head.
Wearing sandals or flip-flops — the rock surfaces are uneven and slippery when wet, and the park does not permit unsafe footwear near the formations.
Skipping Keelung or Jinshan because “it’s just a rock park” — both are a short bus ride further and add genuine local flavor (see the north coast loop guide) to what would otherwise be a two-hour stop.
Touching or climbing on the Queen’s Head — it’s roped off for a reason; the formation is actively eroding and physical contact accelerates the damage.

Frequently asked questions about Yehliu Geopark guide — Queen's Head rock, formations, and how to visit

What is the Queen's Head rock at Yehliu?

The Queen's Head (Nüwang Tou) is a natural mushroom rock formation created by thousands of years of differential erosion by seawater and wind. The neck-like profile with a rounded top resembles a profile head and has been one of Taiwan's most reproduced geological images since the 1960s. The neck erodes about 1cm per year and geologists estimate it may topple or collapse within decades. No touching is permitted.

How long does Yehliu Geopark take to visit?

The park has three zones along a 1.7km coastal trail. A brisk walk through all three zones takes about 1.5 hours. A leisurely visit with photography and reading the interpretation signs takes 2–2.5 hours. Allow at least 2 hours if you are combining with a guided tour that moves at its own pace.

What does Yehliu Geopark entry cost?

NT$120 for adults. The ticket is valid for the entire park. No additional fees inside. There is also a Yehliu e-ticket available via GetYourGuide that lets you skip the cash queue at the entrance, useful on busy days.

Is Yehliu accessible by train?

Not directly. There is no train station at Yehliu. The bus from Taipei West Bus Station A is the most direct public option. Alternatively, you can take the TRA train to Keelung and then a local bus, but this route is slower and involves a connection. Most visitors use the direct bus from Taipei or join an organised tour.

What else is near Yehliu?

Jinshan Old Street (25 min further on the same bus) has local snacks and the famous Jinshan duck. Keelung (20 min by bus from Yehliu in the other direction) has the Keelung Night Market, which is genuinely one of Taiwan's better night markets, and Keelung Harbor. The north coast road between Yehliu and Keelung passes several beaches worth a quick stop if you have private transport.

Can I swim near Yehliu Geopark?

Not at the geopark itself — the rocky coast there is not suitable for swimming. The nearest beaches are at Wanli (about 5 km south) and Jinshan (25 min by bus north). Both have sandy beaches with lifeguards in summer. The water is clean but currents can be strong on the northeast coast.

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