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It was a brand new day and it rained. But we didn’t want anything to rain down on our parade. So we head on... We got a big day ahead of us!

If you plan to travel to Taiwan, you can check my pre-Taiwan checklist for the not-so-smart travellers like myself. Also, we booked the entire tour package via Klook. If it’s your first time travelling to Taiwan, I would recommend booking for a tour package. It takes you to wonderful places outside Taipei ⁠— fast and easy 😉

Yehliu Geopark

First stop was Yehliu Geopark. It was a 1-hour drive from Taipei City. Yehliu Geopark was known for its unique rock formations. You can create your own checklist since they have a huge directory of rock formations you can visit.

I don’t have the right words to describe the place but if I were to say only one relevant word, that would be BROWN. The pavement was grey brown-ish, the sand was light brown, the rocks were dark brown. But then again, it was BEAUTIFUL.

Imagine this. The air was cool while the waves were crashing against the rocks. The rocks along the pathway and on the shoreline had honeycomb-like structures, which made it weird and cool at the same time.

Yehliu Geopark was known for the Queen’s Head, which I thought would be huge! But it’s not. It’s big but not as jaw-droppingly massive as I have expected.

Still, we had to line up and see the Queen’s Head for ourselves. There was a lot of tourists at that time and we had to take turns in taking photos in different corners. The wonderful rock formations were perfect for photo ops.

Jiufen

Next stop made me feel like a kid again! Ever heard of Spirited Away? Yes, Jiufen was the Spirited Away-themed place and I just couldn’t contain myself. I was honestly hoping I’d meet No-Face in real life!

P.S. Spirited Away is one of the BEST anime movies I’ve ever seen.

When the tour guide told us to go up, she didn’t mention a really long flight of stairs. Still, it was all worth it.

Stores were very interesting. There was even a part where it looked like a cursed cave.

The Best Tea Houses were also found in Jiufen but we didn’t go in. It was quite expensive and I wasn’t a fan of tea. Souvenir shops were everywhere. You can also grab popsicles, shakes, and other beverages along the stairs.

Lunchtime! 

And guess what we had… steamed chicken!

And a few dumplings and rice too…

Sky Lantern at Shifen Old Street

We were supposed to go to the Shifen Waterfall but with the bad weather, it was too dangerous. Instead, we went to the Shifen Old Street where people and tourists light up sky lanterns with prayers and messages written to it. It looked like an abandoned train railway that was transformed into a tourist destination.

But when I thought it was impossible for a train to pass there, signals went out and the ground started to move. And there it was! An actual train! I stood there, awed. I looked around and everyone was so used to stepping out from the railway whenever a trained passed. Once it was gone, everyone went back to lighting lanterns.

A bit paranoid about the next train to pass, I quickly asked my friends to take a photo of me while the railway was train-free.

Okay. Let’s take a breather here. That was only two-thirds of the 2nd-day trip and they were all beyond Taipei City. In the next blog, I’ll share the last but definitely not the least stop we had for the day. It was so beautiful that I think it deserves a separate post. 😉

You can also check out my other Taiwan blogs...

Pre-Taiwan Checklist: The Tanga Travel Guide

First International Trip in Taiwan • Day 1 at Taipei 101 & Shilin Night Market

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