Visiting Yehliu Geopark from Taipei by Bus
An easy day trip from Taipei is the fascinating and beautiful Yehliu Geopark. What makes this geopark so special is the rugged coastline, spectacular rock formations, and ancient fossils protruding from the sandstone. Yehliu Geopark’s most popular rock formations include the Queen’s Head, Fairy’s Shoe, and the Candle Rocks. With so many activities in the Yehliu area, visitors can spend an entire day exploring the geopark, visiting the aquarium, browsing the markets, sampling local seafood, seeing the vibrant temples, or just simply enjoying the beaches and views. Visiting Yehliu Geopark should be included on everyone’s Taiwan itinerary, especially if staying in Taipei.
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If you are a budget traveler, enjoy buses, or just looking for a cheap and easy option to get to Yehliu Geopark from Taipei, then I’d recommend taking the local bus.
If taking public transit in a foreign city seems complicated and nerve wracking, I can assure you that finding the bus station in Taipei and finding the right bus to Yehliu Geopark is stress free and easy!
We stayed near Taipei Main Station and walked to the station the day of our visit to Yehliu Geopark. Buses to Yehliu Geopark depart from Kuo-Kuang Bus Taipei Terminal.
Once in Kuo-Kuang Bus Taipei Terminal, you want to take Bus#1815 that heads toward Dharma Drum Mountain. At the station, this was at line 5. Thankfully, we knew we were in the right section, there was a sign that displayed 1815 (Jinshan > Yehliu > Dharma Drum Mountain). There is a arrival and departure sheet as well, so you can view when Bus #1815 comes and goes.
The bus ride was about 1 hour and 15 minutes give or take. It made several stops between Taipei and Yehliu. Surprisingly, the bus was very comfortable and I enjoyed seeing more of Taipei and the beautiful country side. The bus even had USB ports to charge electronics. Once the bus arrived at the Yehliu bus stop, it was about a 10 minute walk to Yehliu Geopark.
To get back to Taipei from Yehliu Geopark by bus, simply go to Yehliu bus stop on the opposite side of the road and wait for Bus #1815 heading back to Taipei. The bus will make it’s way back to Kuo-Kuang Bus Taipei Terminal.
Condensed version of getting to Yehliu Geopark from Taipei by bus.
- From Taipei Main Station go to Kuo-Kuan Bus Taipei Terminal
- Take the Bus #1815 headed toward Dharma Drum Mountain
- Get off at Yehliu Bus Station
- 10-minute walk from the bus station puts you at Yehliu Geopark
Tours and Day Trips to Yehliu Geopark
Not into taking the bus or trying to figure out times and bus routes? There are day tours to Yehliu Geopark that might be better suited for your travel style.
Many tours offered by reputable companies like Viator or Get Your Guide, offer day trips to Yehliu Geopark. Most day tours include Jiufen, Yehliu, and perhaps another destination on the day tour.
Here are some of the recommended day tours to Yehliu. I’d plan a full day for day trips to Yehliu from Taipei.
History of Yehliu Geopark and the Rock Formations
Yehliu Geopark is as old as Taiwan itself. Yehliu Geopark as some of the most unique rock formations on Earth. So how did the coastline and rock formations here at Yehliu come about?
The Datun Mountains in the area were pushed up by geologic forces and the harsh environment near the coast began to erode the rocks. The salt water, harsh winds, and powerful waves shaped the rocks at the park to what they are today. Because of the erosion, this park is constantly changing. So it’s best to visit Yehliu Geopark sooner then later!
Like Mushroom Rock State Park and Rock City in Kansas, many of the rock formations at Yehliu Geopark are considered hoodoo formations.
In short, the rock formations at Yehliu Geopark are a result of the geological forces and erosion. The environment here constantly changes and some of the famous formations like Queen’s Head may not exist in the near future.
Visiting Yehliu Geopark
Yehliu Geopark is relatively small but there is a lot of ground to cover. The cape here is 1.7 km long but many visitors tend to hang out near the park entrance where the rock formations exist. If you want to see more of the cape, there is a trail that ends at an observation deck looking out to the East China Sea. The trail was paved and the views were well worth the extra exercise. But the majority of the attractions and sites are just beyond the entrance. Here you can take photos with some of the more famous rock formations and watch the powerful waves crash against the rocks.
Below you can find more information on the park to include the admission and hours and some of the attractions and site we recommend seeing while visiting Yehliu Geopark.
Admission and Hours
Admission
Adults – NTD 120
Children – NTD 60
Hours
Yehliu Geopark is open daily from 8:00 until 17:00
For more information, you can view the Yehliu Geopark website.
Must See Attractions and Sites at Yehliu Geopark
Yehliu Geopark as a whole is a natural attraction worth visiting. But within the geopark there are certain geological formations that cannot be missed, Queen’s Head, Fairy’s Shoe, and Candle Rocks to name a few. As someone who loves nature and interested in geology, here are my most recommend things to do and sites to see within Yehliu Geopark.
Hike to the Observation Deck
Just past all the stunning rock formations, there is a trail that meanders through forests, towers above cliffs, and eventually ends at an observation deck overlooking the East China Sea. Don’t worry, the trail is relatively short and is paved. The whole roundtrip of this trail can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.
Although there are no geologic formations along the trail, you are rewarded with stunning views and a break from the crowds.
Fossils
One of the most noticeable features I saw at Yehliu Geopark was the exposed fossils found throughout the park, especially the oversized sand dollars. The fossils appeared to be everywhere, the more I looked, I couldn’t help but notice fossils extruding from the sandstone waiting to be photographed by me.
Candle Shaped Rocks
Some of the most unique rock formations at Yehliu Geopark is the Candle Shaped Rocks. The waves crashing against these rocks was dramatic, I tried shooting the waves using a slow shutter, even then my pictures did not do this scene justice.
The name of this rock is called “Candle Shaped Rock” because the conical rocks standing upright have nearly perfect circular rocks on top of them giving a candle like appearance. The way these rocks form is far to complex for me to explain. I’d recommend reading more on these rock formations through the Yehliu Geopark website.
Fairy's Shoe
Not far from Queen’s Head is the Fairy’s Shoe. This rock formation took a bit of hunting. I asked a security guard in the area where the Fairy’s Shoe was located. It’s just over the ledge and easy to spot once you know the location, you can’t miss it.
Sure enough, the rock looks like a shoe. Legend has it that this was actually left here by a fairy that made a brief stop at this location to control an elf that was up to no good!
Queen's Head
By far the most popular rock in Yehliu Geopark is Queen’s Head. It’s so popular that there is a boardwalk in front of it with a location to stand for photos.
Quite honestly, I found this to be cringy and sad that people wait in line to take a photo by the rock. I wouldn’t be so angry about this but all I wanted was a quick photo of the rock. But there were tour groups in line with tons of people who took group and individual photos! Move along!
With that rant aside, Queen’s Head is an interesting formation. It’s a mushroom rock that was created by erosion. The neck holding up the head of the rock is eroding away. Eventually, the neck will get so thin and no longer be able to support the head. So go see Queen’s Head while it’s still there.
The name “Queen’s Head” comes from the resemblance the face of the rock has to Queen Elizabeth of England.
Outside the Geopark
A visit to Yehliu doesn’t have to end at the geopark. In fact, there is much more to do and see in Yehliu. Honestly, one can spend an entire day here, but we were here for a solid half day. Just enough time to visit some temples, see Yehliu Geopark, and grab lunch at one of the local seafood restaurants.
When first entering Yehliu, we couldn’t help but notice the large fishing boats at port. They were quite unique compared to fishing boats I am used to seeing in the United States and even Japan.
In town, there are a few beautiful temples that are worth a brief stop. Yehliu Baoan Temple and Noyanagi Ninna no Miya Sukura General Army Temples come to mind. Both temples are your traditional temples found in Taiwan with their beautiful vibrant colors and highly decorative figurines on the roof.
There is the Yehliu Ocean World right next to Yehliu Geopark. It’s an aquarium with a dolphin show. It has good reviews, but I’m not a fan of using animals as entertainment, so I passed on this attraction.
When it comes to food, there are a lot of local restaurants surrounding the giant parking lot. It didn’t take us very long to find a restaurant as we popped in the first one we found. The restaurant we ate at was called, in English Fisherman Dishes. We ordered a plate of calamari, clams, and fried rice, all which were very good! For fresh seafood, the price was very reasonable.
Yehliu Geopark - An Ideal Day Trip from Taipei
If you are looking to escape the noise, pollution, and crowds, that come with a huge city like Taipei, then a day trip to Yehliu Geopark is definitely worth the effort.
We found getting to Yehliu Geopark from Taipei to be easy and affordable and a great escape. This park is one of Taiwan’s most popular attractions so unfortunately, you won’t escape the crowds. We ended up staying in Yehliu Geopark for several hours and loved every minute of it. It was nice to hike to the observation deck for the views then walk amongst the unique rock formations that make up Yehliu Geopark.
So if you are looking for day trips from Taipei, might I suggest a trip to Yehliu Geopark.
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Activities and Tours 🏖 🚁
Find fun activities and things to do through Tripadvisor. If you are looking for tours and day trips, Viator and Get Your Guide have a lot of great options.
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9 Comments
Steve Rohan
I lived in China for six years but regrettably never made it over to Taiwan. Hope to do so later this year and will definitely hit up Yehliu as it looks amazing!
zimminaround
Hopefully you saw a lot of China. Taiwan is so much fun! I hope you get to make it out this year. Yehliu is an easy trip from Taipei.
Sean
Do you need to book a bus ticket in advance to reserve seat?
Anna Vee
How did you order your food at the restaurant? Is the menu in English? Are there pictures of dishes that you can simply point at? Thanks.
zimminaround
Good evening,
The restaurant we went to had a menu with English translations. There were also pictures on the menu. The staff was friendly and had no problems helping us out. Traveling throughout Taiwan, we found that ordering food was pretty simple and most restaurants and businesses were accommodating to us.
Sean
Hello, thanks for the infor, do we need to get bus ticket in advance to secure a seat?
zimminaround
Sean,
No problem. We got our tickets the day of right at the station. The ticket office was right by the bus line. We went earlier and had no trouble finding a spot on the bus. I hope this helps.
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