Calligraphy stall in Jioufen

At first glance, it’s easy to disregard Jioufen. Initially appearing to be yet another hillside town of nondescript buildings, the town unveils itself under the cover of a series of narrow alleys lined with shops, selling everything from calligraphy to condoms. Walking through the alleys of Jioufen takes the better part of an afternoon, and don’t worry about getting lost, just follow the red lanterns above, which marks the route. A great place to start is by entering Jishan Road, which is actually an alley to the right of the 7-11 (the town’s constantly referred to meeting point). As you mosey down Jishan Road, occasionally look right and left down stairstepped alleys — you may see something worth diverting to.

Jioufen's alleys are easy to navigate, just follow the red lanterns

Only 40 minutes or so from Taipei, Jioufen has a colorful history. Gold was discovered in the late 1890s near here, and a boomtown was born. It was occupied by the Japanese during WWII, and was soon chosen by artists and craftspeople for its beautiful locate (the seaviews are wonderful) and affordable rentals (your walk down Jishan Road will eventually take you to Shuchi Road, a more “arty” street than Jishan, where you’ll see great views of the sea at virtually every corner).

Deceptively simple from without, Jioufen's fascinating once you're inside

Jioufen was the location chosen by director Hou Hsiao-Hsien for his film City of Sadness, a story of post-war Taipei, drawing huge number of visitors every year. Tour buses love Jioufen, so we here at WoWasis encourage you to try to come during the week for a less-hectic experience. If you’re just in Taipei for a few days, though, you won’t want to miss the charm of Jioufen.