If you have a spare day between business meetings or family reunions, enjoy a one-day private tour exploring the villages of Jiufen and Pingxi.

Pickup from your hotel in Greater Taipei, or Taipei or Keelung railway stations. Includes lunch, mineral water and insurance.

Itinerary:

• The hills to the east of Taipei are dotted with tiny settlements that boomed during the late 19th and early 20th centuries thanks to the area’s coal, copper and gold deposits. When mineral extraction ended most inhabitants sought jobs and better lives elsewhere, leaving towns full of history and memories.
  
• Jiufen, so bustling in the 1930s that outsiders nicknamed it ‘Little Shanghai’, has been rescued from obscurity by tourists who adore the narrow streets, quaint atmosphere and superb panoramas down towards the sea. It’s a place that rewards those who wander purposelessly – but we’ll make sure you find the tastiest taro balls (a local speciality) and the teahouse with the best views.
  
• Moving onto to the string of villages served by the Pingxi Branch Railway Line, we’ll learn about an intriguing local tradition: The launching of ‘sky lanterns’, paper-covered bamboo frames propelled upwards by the heat of a burning wick. Originally used in the bandit-ridden past by remote households wanting to tell their neighbours that all was well, the custom is now popular with visitors of all ages who daub their wishes on the sides of a lantern then watch it float off into the distance. If you fancy launching a lantern we’ll help you do it in the most environmentally-friendly way possible.
  
• Depending on the location of your hotel (or the transport hub you wish to be transferred to) the drive back to the city is very likely to be another opportunity to take in more of this region’s rugged, verdant scenery.