North coast day trip from Taipei — Yehliu, Jinshan, and Keelung

The north coast loop — a genuinely underrated day trip

Most Taipei visitors default to the northeast (Jiufen, Shifen) for their day trip. The northwest coast — Yehliu, Jinshan, Keelung — is less visited, requires no train-timetable juggling, and has the added bonus of Keelung’s famous night market at the end. This one-day loop runs entirely by public bus from Taipei Main Station Bus Bay, costs under NT$250 in transport, and delivers one of Taiwan’s most unusual geological landscapes.

NT$35 ≈ €1, NT$32 ≈ US$1.


Where	Yehliu, Jinshan, Keelung — New Taipei’s north coast
Cost	around NT$285 transport + entry, plus NT$400–600 food
Time needed	Full day, roughly 08:00–21:00
Getting there	Public bus from Taipei Main Station North Exit
Best time	Spring or autumn; avoid the July–September typhoon window

Morning: Taipei to Yehliu Geopark

Departure: Bus 1815 from Taipei Main Station North Exit, Bay 2 (departs roughly hourly from 06:40, NT$96, 80–90 minutes). Or: Bus 790 from Danshui/Tamsui (Red Line terminal) connects via Jinshan — if you want to start at Tamsui and work east, this is an efficient morning route.

Arrive Yehliu around 08:30–09:00. Entry to Yehliu Geopark: NT$80.

Yehliu Geopark (09:00–11:30)

Yehliu is a 1.7 km rocky promontory where 25 million years of sea erosion, tectonic uplift, and wind have carved sandstone into some of the most surreal shapes in Asia. The most famous is the Queen’s Head — a mushroom rock with an uncanny resemblance to a regal bust. Queue to photograph it peaks 10:00–14:00; arrive early.

Beyond the Queen’s Head (which takes all of 5 minutes to walk to), the rest of the cape is worth a full 2 hours: honeycomb weathering formations in Zone 2, sea cave arches accessible at low tide, and coastal rock pools. The geological explanations on the information boards are surprisingly readable. The path is flat and stroller-friendly; avoid rainy days when the rocks become dangerously slippery.

Practical note: the souvenir shops and tourist restaurants immediately outside the park entrance are overpriced. Buy water before you enter, and eat in Jinshan instead.

Late morning: Jinshan old street

Bus 862 from the Yehliu Geopark stop runs east to Jinshan (15 minutes, NT$15). Jinshan is a working coastal town rarely covered in English-language travel content. The old street (Jinshan Old Street) runs parallel to the main road and has bakeries, sweet potato shops, and stalls selling the local speciality: duck meat in every format. Jinshan Duck (鴨肉) is the town’s food identity — crispy skin, braised variations, and duck rice bowls from NT$80. Several family-run shops have been cooking the same recipes for three generations.

The Zhuwei Fish Market (15-minute walk from the old street) is worth a look if you arrive on a weekend when fishing boats unload in the morning.

Lunch in Jinshan: NT$100–180 for a duck rice bowl set or noodle soup. There is a 7-Eleven for those who don’t eat duck.

Afternoon: Keelung

Bus 862 continues from Jinshan to Keelung (NT$38, 45 minutes). Or Bus 790 from Jinshan connects via the north coast scenic road — longer but better coastal views.

Keelung is Taipei’s port city, 30 km northeast. The old harbour area (Zhongzheng Park on the hill, NT$0, steep 20-minute climb for views) has an unmistakable giant Buddha visible from the container ship channel. The Miaokou area below the park is the original Keelung night market zone, but the daytime food stalls around Temple Street (Ren 3 Road) are worth a 45-minute wander. The Keelung Historical Museum near the harbour is free and has good exhibits on the city’s Japanese colonial period.

If you want the geological and historical context narrated rather than read off signs, this guided half-day tour covers Yehliu and Keelung harbor with an English-speaking guide (from NT$900/person, transport included).Check availability

Keelung Miaokou Night Market (17:30–19:30)

The Keelung Miaokou Night Market runs along a canal near the Rensan Temple and is technically a “harbour front market” rather than a traditional lane market. It’s one of the most genuinely local night markets near Taipei — far less tourist pressure than Shilin or even Raohe. Specialities:

Ba-wan (NT$50): steamed pork-and-vegetable glutinous rice ball
Tian bu la (NT$30–50): fish cake skewers in clear broth
Crab congee (NT$80): whole small crab in rice porridge
Oyster noodle soup (NT$65): thick wheat noodles with oysters and pork

Budget NT$250–400 for a full market eating session.

Return to Taipei

Bus 1815 or 1062 from Keelung Bus Station returns to Taipei Main Station (NT$56, 50–60 minutes). Last buses around 22:00–22:30. Alternatively, TRA train from Keelung Station (NT$41, 40 minutes, more frequent than buses in the evening).

Total transport for the day (bus only): NT$96 (Taipei–Yehliu) + NT$15 (Yehliu–Jinshan) + NT$38 (Jinshan–Keelung) + NT$56 (Keelung–Taipei) = NT$205. Add Yehliu entry (NT$80) for NT$285 total day cost before food.

Should you combine with Jiufen or Shifen?

This is a common question, and the honest answer is: don’t. Yehliu + Jiufen + Shifen in one day creates a 12-hour rush where you spend more time on buses than actually looking at anything. The best day trips from Taipei guide covers this directly: north coast and northeast coast are separate day trips.

If you’ve only got one day for the entire north and northeast, this guided tour combining Yehliu, Jiufen, and Shifen handles the logistics — the trade-off is 60–90 minutes less time at each site versus doing them separately.Check availability

Who this loop suits

This itinerary rewards independent, unhurried travellers more than first-timers chasing a checklist. If your priority is ticking off Jiufen’s lantern-lit alleys, this isn’t that trip — see the Jiufen day trip guide instead. But if you’d rather stand on a near-empty geological formation, eat duck where locals actually eat duck, and finish at a night market with almost no other foreign tourists, the north coast delivers all three without a single reservation needed. Solo travellers and couples do it easily by public bus; families with young children may prefer the guided option below, since bus transfers with a stroller add friction at each stop.

A shorter two-stop version

Short on time, or travelling with young kids who tire of buses? Cut Keelung and turn Yehliu + Jinshan into a half-day: leave Taipei by 09:00, spend 09:30–11:30 at Yehliu, lunch and browse Jinshan Old Street until 13:30, then bus 862 back toward Taipei via Tamsui (transfer at the Jinshan stop). You’ll be back in the city by mid-afternoon, having skipped the night market but kept the two most photogenic stops. This also works well tacked onto a Tamsui sunset visit, since the return bus passes near the Red Line terminal.

Practical notes

Weather: Yehliu’s rocky cape is exposed. Wind and sea spray can make the path treacherous in typhoon season (July–September). The Taipei typhoon season guide covers what to check before you go.

What to bring: Water (no shops inside Yehliu), sunscreen (the cape is zero shade), comfortable non-slip shoes.

Photography: Queen’s Head is best photographed from slightly uphill at Zone 1 entrance — not by standing directly in front of it (blocked by queuing tourists). Zone 2 rock formations, while less famous, photograph better.

North coast loop by scooter: If you have a licence, renting a scooter from Danshui (NT$400–500/day) and riding the north coast route (New Taipei City Route 2) is one of Taiwan’s best day rides — 80 km of coastline. The north coast loop guide covers the full scenic route.

Frequently asked questions about Taipei

Can I do this trip without a car or scooter?

Yes — the entire loop runs on public buses (1815, 862, 790, 1062) departing from Taipei Main Station’s North Exit, with no train timetable to juggle. Total bus fares run around NT$205 for the full Yehliu–Jinshan–Keelung–Taipei loop.

Is Yehliu Geopark worth it if I’ve seen photos of the Queen’s Head already?

Yes — the rock itself takes five minutes, but the honeycomb weathering in Zone 2 and the coastal rock pools are less photographed and worth the full two hours most visitors skip. Go early to beat the 10:00–14:00 queue at the main formation.

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