Jinguashi Gold Ecological Park
Jinguashi Gold Ecological Park
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The area
Neighbourhood: Ruifan District
With its air of historical heritage, Shuijinjiu (ShueiNanDong, Jingguashi, Jiufen) used to be prosperous and glamorous due to mining. Although its magnificent semblance no longer exists, the peaceful and beautiful atmosphere has persisted. With a wave to the age of the gold rush, one can still see a glimpse of its glorious past through the Golden Waterfall. Gazing at the ShueiNanDong Remains of the 13 Levels, it is like a beautiful palace that was deserted, earning it the name of “Potala Palace of the Mountain Mines”. Probing forward to the mouth of the river is the considerably distinguished Yinyang Sea, with its half gold half bluish green spectacle inspiring countless imaginations of romance.
Walking along the streets of the meandering old streets of Jiufen and tasting the various kinds of authentic eateries is the love of tourists. Stepping into the Golden Museum, one can glimpse the historical traces of the mining industry culture, reminiscing of past glories from its museum, living quarters, and shrine remains.
The unassuming mountain city of Houtong used to be a mining village. With the call of cat lovers, volunteer groups were established to create a friendly environment for cats and turned Houtong into a cat village for cat lovers.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.0
426 reviews
Excellent
135
Very good
216
Average
69
Poor
6
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0
lee
1 contribution
Jan 2020
A place of an old gold mine,located in Taipei,Taiwan.
Its a place with beautiful view,like the green mountain,web looking like waterfall,etc.
And a place of history,with just 80 NT dollars you can get a ticket of the museum of the gold museum,where tells visitors the tale of a gold mine.
Plus if you want to taste Taiwanese food there are lots of choice around.
Its a place with beautiful view,like the green mountain,web looking like waterfall,etc.
And a place of history,with just 80 NT dollars you can get a ticket of the museum of the gold museum,where tells visitors the tale of a gold mine.
Plus if you want to taste Taiwanese food there are lots of choice around.
Written December 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
shuurei
manila81 contributions
Apr 2011 • Solo
I am surprised that there are few reviews on Gold Ecological Park in Jinguashi, Taiwan when it is in fact, worth a visit. Moreover, entrances to the Park and to the museums are FREE, except for the gold panning experience and the tunnel.
The Park houses the Four Joined Japanese-Style Residences which were restored allowing visitors to take a glimpse into Taiwan’s Japanese colonial occupation period and mining industry of days past. The Residences are converted into a museum, offering free guided tours in different languages, including English.
The Prince’s Chalet also stands inside the Park. Apparently, it was built for the arrival of Crown Prince Hirohito of Japan. The Chalet exemplifies a traditional Japanese structure amidst a glorious Japanese garden. When inside the Chalet’s compound, you’d feel like you’re in Japan instead of in Taiwan.
From the Park, you can go to the Japanese Shinto Temple, 600 meters away from the Tunnel and you can get a clear view of the Teapot Mountain.
According to the Information Office of the Park, visitors can best appreciate Taiwan’s old mining industry through the gold panning experience and the tunnel tour. I chose the gold panning experience and for TWD 100.00, I had great fun finding gold particles in my small plate of earth and stones. To commemorate the experience, a small bottle is provided as repository for the gold particles you can find to bring back home as souvenir.
To completely relive the mining experience, I suggest visitors to buy a miners’ lunch available at some food stalls at the Park. One restaurant offers a miners’ lunchbox set, complete with a stainless lunch box, a wrapping cloth designed with a map of the Park, chopsticks, rice, porkchop and pickled sidedish, which you could take away with you and eat anywhere. The lunchbox set also serves as a great souvenir.
Getting to the Park is easy. There are direct buses from Taipei to Jinguashi that passes by the Park. Or, one could board a train from Taipei to Ruiefeng and board a bus to the Park. The Park comes after Chiufen, another popular destination in Jinguashi.
The Park houses the Four Joined Japanese-Style Residences which were restored allowing visitors to take a glimpse into Taiwan’s Japanese colonial occupation period and mining industry of days past. The Residences are converted into a museum, offering free guided tours in different languages, including English.
The Prince’s Chalet also stands inside the Park. Apparently, it was built for the arrival of Crown Prince Hirohito of Japan. The Chalet exemplifies a traditional Japanese structure amidst a glorious Japanese garden. When inside the Chalet’s compound, you’d feel like you’re in Japan instead of in Taiwan.
From the Park, you can go to the Japanese Shinto Temple, 600 meters away from the Tunnel and you can get a clear view of the Teapot Mountain.
According to the Information Office of the Park, visitors can best appreciate Taiwan’s old mining industry through the gold panning experience and the tunnel tour. I chose the gold panning experience and for TWD 100.00, I had great fun finding gold particles in my small plate of earth and stones. To commemorate the experience, a small bottle is provided as repository for the gold particles you can find to bring back home as souvenir.
To completely relive the mining experience, I suggest visitors to buy a miners’ lunch available at some food stalls at the Park. One restaurant offers a miners’ lunchbox set, complete with a stainless lunch box, a wrapping cloth designed with a map of the Park, chopsticks, rice, porkchop and pickled sidedish, which you could take away with you and eat anywhere. The lunchbox set also serves as a great souvenir.
Getting to the Park is easy. There are direct buses from Taipei to Jinguashi that passes by the Park. Or, one could board a train from Taipei to Ruiefeng and board a bus to the Park. The Park comes after Chiufen, another popular destination in Jinguashi.
Written June 22, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
palawanismyhome
Palawan Island, Philippines24,383 contributions
Sept 2016 • Solo
I wandered through Jiufen and was not too impressed with the busy commercial and touristy Old Street so i hopped on the bus for the 5 minute trip to the Gold Ecological Park at Jinguashi. The bus dropped me off just by the entrance to the park where i paid the entrance fee (think it was 80 NT$) and immediately i was asked if i wanted to take a free guided tour of an old Japanese house where the management used to stay. The guide spoke in Taiwanese and English. Wandering through the park i saw the house which was specially built for the visit of the Japanese Crowned Prince, the area where the workers used to wash the gold, saw the old turbines, a museum detailing life in the mines, saw many sculptures and ended up in another museum where you can touch the largest gold bar in the world, weighing 220 kgs and worth over $30,000,000. Afterwards i had the chance to hike up to the Japanese shrine which has mostly been destroyed.
TIP
After visiting the park you can follow a path which takes you to a temple, then follow the road to the the rest house where Chiang Kai Shek used to admire the wonderful view of the ocean, and from here jump on the bus back to Jiufen.
TIP
After visiting the park you can follow a path which takes you to a temple, then follow the road to the the rest house where Chiang Kai Shek used to admire the wonderful view of the ocean, and from here jump on the bus back to Jiufen.
Written May 21, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TIersHasie
Sydney, Australia1,002 contributions
Jan 2012 • Couples
The Gold Ecological Park in Jinguashi/Jioufen area ia worth a visit. The easiest way to explore this area I was told is to get the train to Ruifang, once there, see the information staff at the train station and they'll hook you up with all the info. Basically there's 2 type of buses that run in that area which will take you to see a handful of tourist attractions for a small daily bus fee. $120NT?
This attraction in particular is probably the most popular in the area as it does have a lot to offer. There are small museums, stalls, food but more importantly for me, decent walks!
It is filled with history and you can even touch a real gold bar in the musuem, or see small mining tunnels (extra fee). The park is popular with Japanese tourists as they are the ones that really took over and deleveoped this area during the Japanese colinial occupation. In short there is a lot of history here and you can even visit traditional japanese houses that have been restored on small tours for free.
Food there is available but pricey as you'd expect and nothing spectucular. I suggest you bring your own to not waste time stuffing your gut and not enjoying the scenary and walks available. Be warned though, a lot of these walks go up inclines and elevations that for those unfit, you'll break a sweat. But the view is worth it whichever walk you go on as long as you're climing up. I suggest the Shinto Temple walk (even though there isn't an actual temple building there) as it is the shortest walk providing great scenary.
This attraction in particular is probably the most popular in the area as it does have a lot to offer. There are small museums, stalls, food but more importantly for me, decent walks!
It is filled with history and you can even touch a real gold bar in the musuem, or see small mining tunnels (extra fee). The park is popular with Japanese tourists as they are the ones that really took over and deleveoped this area during the Japanese colinial occupation. In short there is a lot of history here and you can even visit traditional japanese houses that have been restored on small tours for free.
Food there is available but pricey as you'd expect and nothing spectucular. I suggest you bring your own to not waste time stuffing your gut and not enjoying the scenary and walks available. Be warned though, a lot of these walks go up inclines and elevations that for those unfit, you'll break a sweat. But the view is worth it whichever walk you go on as long as you're climing up. I suggest the Shinto Temple walk (even though there isn't an actual temple building there) as it is the shortest walk providing great scenary.
Written January 31, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Keith B
Mandaluyong, Philippines85 contributions
Dec 2017 • Friends
This place is a mountain where the Japanese used locals to mine for gold. The walk up to the museum is a bit long, but the scenery is beautiful. (More on that later.) The museum is nice, though the entrance to the example mine was under rehabilitation, so we didn't get to go into the actual mine. The inside of the museum itself was nice, with pieces of gold on display, id cards from workers, history of the mountain and the WW2 prisoners that were forced to work there. It also had some outside areas where you could touch the rail cars that carried workers or gold back and forth inside the mines. You could try your hand at panning for gold or grinding up rocks in a hands-on section. The coolest part was this HUGE gold bar that weighed 200kg and was worth $9,000,000 USD (as of Dec 2017) that you could actually touch.
Overall, the museum was ok, but it was a bit of a drive and a walk to get to it. If you have other things you want to do more, it is ok to skip this. But if you are a gold bug or want amazing scenery, this is worth the trip. On the way back down from the museum, I would recommend going by the coast. There are some awesome waterfalls that are great photo ops. The water that comes down from the mountain picks up dirt and minerals, so when it empties into the ocean, it turns the ocean this brown color. This makes for quite the sight. As you travel down the mountain, zig zaging back and forth, the views of the ocean and the rock cliffs make for a spectacular contrast.
Overall, the museum was ok, but it was a bit of a drive and a walk to get to it. If you have other things you want to do more, it is ok to skip this. But if you are a gold bug or want amazing scenery, this is worth the trip. On the way back down from the museum, I would recommend going by the coast. There are some awesome waterfalls that are great photo ops. The water that comes down from the mountain picks up dirt and minerals, so when it empties into the ocean, it turns the ocean this brown color. This makes for quite the sight. As you travel down the mountain, zig zaging back and forth, the views of the ocean and the rock cliffs make for a spectacular contrast.
Written December 10, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
twobigfeets
Moreton Bay Region, Australia224 contributions
Jun 2014 • Couples
So many attractions are free in taiwan. You can walk here from juifen. Google maps is your friend. The japanese house was really interesting and we did the walk through the fifth tunnel. Lots of buses stop here. We walken from here to the golden waterfall and pow memorial. Free water and lots of stunning views and scenery. You can also do other walks here. Best to get here early. You can catch the bus from jiufen to here and it goes frequently.
Written July 2, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jasapple
Cape Town58 contributions
Sept 2013 • Solo
If you are feeling a bit claustrophobic in Taipei then you should just do a little getaway to Jiufen (九份), but I would definitely recommend the nearby Jinguashi (金瓜石).
I am not saying Jiufen is not a great place; it is because the place is way too crowded, especially during weekends. If you are opting for a relaxed day out, away from the pushing and shoving, then Jinguashi is definitely a great option to take.
Coming from the other side of Jinguashi, our first stop was Remains of the 13 Levels (十三層遺址). The remains are actually an abandoned copper smelting refinery during the booming time of Jiufen and Jinguashi. Wasn’t sure if the vicinity opens to the public for viewing so we just continued driving our way up to our next stop.
Our second stop, we pulled over by the Gold Waterfall (黃金瀑布). Thanks to the perfect weather on the day, the grass and bushes is vividly green and the sky is the bluest I’ve ever seen in Taiwan. The water running though has a yellow hue due to the copper and iron deposits it picks up as it passes through old mines.
After the waterfall, we've struggle to find our way to the Gold Ecological Park. So after some turns and misses, we managed to find a parking lot just above the Cyuanji Temple, and from there we can actually see the park snuggled nicely up in the valley right across the temple, and there is even a pathway heading to the back of park. The Cyuanji Temple has the world’s largest statue of Guan Gong (關公), one of the Chinese deities.
After a brisk 10 minutes walk to the Gold Ecological Park . I immediately see stunning outline of the park, which preserves some of the area’s Japanese era buildings, old-mining heritage and natural surroundings of the area.
You can buy a ticket to go into the Benshan Fifth Tunnel (本山五坑) for a hand-on mining experience and the museum. But the park if free so I just walked around the park and enjoyed the magnificent views and check out the old Japanese buildings.
Around the park, there are the translation aids for the non-mandarin speakers.
One of the highlight is to view and touch the 220kg gold brick, the world’s largest gold ingot, on display at The Gold Building (黃金館). This is probably the main attraction of this exhibition space. Besides that, it exhibits some history of the local mines and the cultural importance of gold.
Another memorable part of the park is the hike to the remains of the old Shinto temple. It is quite a hike up so if you are not fit enough, you might need to reconsider. But it is worthwhile, not only you see the remains of the temple, but the view from up there was just way too awesome.
You can also spot the Teapot Mountain (茶壺山) on the hill right across the park.
One of the main Japanese-style buildings is the Crown Prince Chalet. This was built to welcome a visit by the Japanese crown prince, even though the prince never actually stays there. Sad part is that we weren’t allowed into the house, I think mainly because of their way to preserve the building.
The last stop was the Residence of Mike Kikujirou (三毛菊次郎宅), where the park organizes tour for the visitors. We can actually go inside and tour the interior of the restored building once used by Japanese mine technicians and their families.
Just one or two things you need to remember if you are coming to Jinguashi: be prepared to do a lot of walking. And do come early! I was quite surprised that I managed to most of the major sightseeing in the park, but obviously I would like to take my time and enjoy surrounding nature and the rest of its historical value.
I am not saying Jiufen is not a great place; it is because the place is way too crowded, especially during weekends. If you are opting for a relaxed day out, away from the pushing and shoving, then Jinguashi is definitely a great option to take.
Coming from the other side of Jinguashi, our first stop was Remains of the 13 Levels (十三層遺址). The remains are actually an abandoned copper smelting refinery during the booming time of Jiufen and Jinguashi. Wasn’t sure if the vicinity opens to the public for viewing so we just continued driving our way up to our next stop.
Our second stop, we pulled over by the Gold Waterfall (黃金瀑布). Thanks to the perfect weather on the day, the grass and bushes is vividly green and the sky is the bluest I’ve ever seen in Taiwan. The water running though has a yellow hue due to the copper and iron deposits it picks up as it passes through old mines.
After the waterfall, we've struggle to find our way to the Gold Ecological Park. So after some turns and misses, we managed to find a parking lot just above the Cyuanji Temple, and from there we can actually see the park snuggled nicely up in the valley right across the temple, and there is even a pathway heading to the back of park. The Cyuanji Temple has the world’s largest statue of Guan Gong (關公), one of the Chinese deities.
After a brisk 10 minutes walk to the Gold Ecological Park . I immediately see stunning outline of the park, which preserves some of the area’s Japanese era buildings, old-mining heritage and natural surroundings of the area.
You can buy a ticket to go into the Benshan Fifth Tunnel (本山五坑) for a hand-on mining experience and the museum. But the park if free so I just walked around the park and enjoyed the magnificent views and check out the old Japanese buildings.
Around the park, there are the translation aids for the non-mandarin speakers.
One of the highlight is to view and touch the 220kg gold brick, the world’s largest gold ingot, on display at The Gold Building (黃金館). This is probably the main attraction of this exhibition space. Besides that, it exhibits some history of the local mines and the cultural importance of gold.
Another memorable part of the park is the hike to the remains of the old Shinto temple. It is quite a hike up so if you are not fit enough, you might need to reconsider. But it is worthwhile, not only you see the remains of the temple, but the view from up there was just way too awesome.
You can also spot the Teapot Mountain (茶壺山) on the hill right across the park.
One of the main Japanese-style buildings is the Crown Prince Chalet. This was built to welcome a visit by the Japanese crown prince, even though the prince never actually stays there. Sad part is that we weren’t allowed into the house, I think mainly because of their way to preserve the building.
The last stop was the Residence of Mike Kikujirou (三毛菊次郎宅), where the park organizes tour for the visitors. We can actually go inside and tour the interior of the restored building once used by Japanese mine technicians and their families.
Just one or two things you need to remember if you are coming to Jinguashi: be prepared to do a lot of walking. And do come early! I was quite surprised that I managed to most of the major sightseeing in the park, but obviously I would like to take my time and enjoy surrounding nature and the rest of its historical value.
Written June 30, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KeithLim
Singapore, Singapore294 contributions
Apr 2012 • Couples
Jiufen used to be a gold mine in the olden days. There is a museum up in the Gold Ecological Park which you should visit. Inside this museum, you will learn how people live and work in a gold mine. Entrance fee is 50NT per adult, children 25NT.
Written April 30, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
wengSDK
Sandakan Division, Malaysia431 contributions
Oct 2019 • Family
The waterfall is just next to road, so you can park your car literally just in front of the waterfall. The water flowing is from closed mining factory so it is yellow in colour from gold mining.
Written October 31, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kimitaka S
Taichung, Taiwan15,193 contributions
Jun 2019 • Solo
It is a museum park about gold mine in Jinguashi. It is actually not far from Jiufen. So, if you visit Jiufen, you can include this park in your itinerary. The entrance costs NT$ 80 and it allows you visit five key attractions in the park. If you just walk around, you don’t need to buy a ticket. It takes at least 2 hours to visit the whole park.
Written July 6, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Are there taxi outside the Gold Ecological Park going to Jiufen Old Street?
Written October 28, 2018
You can consider hire a taxi guide instead of taking public transport. More flexible and value for money if traveling with family
Written November 18, 2018
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