## The Four North Coast Classics in One Day
Yehliu, Shifen, Jinguashi and Jiufen — these four names are practically shorthand for a north coast day tour from Taipei. Yehliu's Queen's Head rock, Shifen's sky lanterns and waterfall, Jinguashi's gold-mining mountain, and Jiufen's red-lantern hillside town combine into one seamless route from morning to lamplight. Korean travelers even coined a nickname for it — "예스진지" — which has grown into its own search category. Chinese, English, Japanese and Korean guests can all join, and the whole loop takes about 9 hours in a single private car.
## What Exactly Is "예스진지"?
"예스진지" is simply the first syllable of each stop's Korean name strung together:
- 예류 (Yehliu)
- 스펀 (Shifen)
- 진과스 (Jinguashi)
- 지우펀 (Jiufen)
Put the first sounds together and you get 예스진지. You may also see two variants:
- 예스허지 — a version built around Yehliu + Jiufen with a slightly different mix of stops;
- 예진스 — a trimmed, shorter version with fewer stops, good for tight schedules or families with elders and kids.
Once you know this code, the keywords in Korean blogs and 택시투어 (taxi charter) or 단독투어 (private tour) listings will all make sense.
## The 9-Hour Itinerary (times are a guide — confirm on the day)
A typical private-car day trip from central Taipei runs roughly like this:
- 08:30–09:00 Pickup at your Taipei hotel, highway toward the north coast
- 09:30–11:00 Yehliu Geopark — Queen's Head, Candle rocks, sea-eroded formations (arrive early on weekends)
- 11:30–13:00 Shifen — release a sky lantern on Old Street, walk to Shifen Waterfall, lunch nearby
- 13:30–14:30 Jinguashi — Gold Museum park, Golden Waterfall, Benshan mine ruins
- 15:00–17:00 Jiufen — Old Street, Shuqi Road steps, red lanterns near A-Mei Teahouse, taro balls
- 17:30–18:30 Head back once the lanterns glow, drop-off in central Taipei
Order can flex with weather, crowds and your pace — that's the whole point of going private.
## Jinguashi: The Most Underrated Stop
Many people rush in for Jiufen and skip its neighbor, Jinguashi. Once East Asia's largest gold-mining town, it is now the Gold Museum park: see a giant real gold ingot, step into the Benshan No. 5 tunnel, and gaze at the mineral-stained Golden Waterfall and Yin-Yang Sea. Compared with buzzing Jiufen, Jinguashi offers the quiet of an old mining hillside — ideal for history buffs and photographers. With a private car you can linger an extra 30 minutes here, or detour to the Baoshi Mountain trail for a knockout ocean view on a clear day.
## 단독투어 (Private) vs 조인투어 (Join / Shared) — Which to Pick?
- 단독투어 (private tour) — the whole car is just your group. You can customize the order, hop on and off freely, adjust the pace for elders and kids, and add stops (Badouzi, Bitou Cape). It costs more but gives maximum flexibility — great for families, couples and small groups of friends.
- 조인투어 (shared / join tour) — you share the vehicle with other travelers. The price is fixed and cheaper, but the route and schedule are set and can't be changed. Best for budget-first solo or duo travelers who don't mind a group pace.
In one line: choose shared to save money, private for freedom. If you're traveling with elders, a stroller, or want to dwell longer at one spot, a private car is really the only comfortable answer.
## When Do Jiufen's Red Lanterns Look Best?
The soul of Jiufen is its red lanterns glowing after dark. There's no official switch-on time — it shifts with the sunset by season, so treat the times below as a guide and confirm on site:
- Summer — daylight lasts longer; lanterns start warming up after about 15:00, with the dreamiest scenes near sunset;
- Winter — earlier sunset means the mood builds from around 14:00 onward.
To catch the classic "blue hour + red lanterns" shot, put Jiufen last on your route and stay until the lamps come on. A private car fits this rhythm perfectly — no last bus to chase.
## How Are Prices Calculated? How to Get a Fast Quote
Market rates for a north coast day tour depend on vehicle type (4-seat sedan or 9-seat van), group size, route length and language needs: shared tours are usually priced per person, private tours per car. RaywayGO does not post a single fixed price — instead we quote based on your group and route, with a fast enquiry answered within 2 hours and Chinese / English / Japanese / Korean-speaking drivers available. To extend or swap parts of the route, explore these too:
- Go deep on Yehliu alone: Yehliu Geopark Day Tour
- Focus on Jiufen: Taipei Jiufen Charter
- Release lanterns at Shifen: Pingxi Shifen Sky Lantern Day Tour
- Need a Korean/Japanese-speaking driver: Multilingual Driver Charter
Tell us your travel date, group size and the stops you want, and you'll get a tailored quote.