Golden Waterfall 黃金瀑布

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Another popular sight here is the golden waterfalls, which are colored gold because of the mine and mineral runoff collected as the water moves through old mines. Jinguashi is a small village in Ruifang District in New Taipei, famous for its now defunct mines. Here you can explore the Gold Mine Museum, touch a multi-million dollar gold ingot,  see golden waterfalls, go on some of the best hikes in Taiwan, check out the old mining town, see Japanese era historic sites, and explore abandoned mining sites.

​Historical Background:
In 1890 during the Qing Dynasty, gold was found in the Keelung River during the construction of Taiwan's first railroad, which led to a small gold rush. Gold seams were eventually found in the mountains behind Jiufen around what is today Jinguashi. 
The name Jinguashui (金瓜石 Jīnguāshí), literally meaning "Gold Gourd Stone" comes from the shape of the nearby Keelung Mountain, which resembled a Pumpkin "Nánguā 南瓜" to early settlers, and the fact that early gold miners found lots of little gold seams resembling small gourds. 
After Taiwan was colonized by the Japanese in 1895, the Japanese quickly took control of the mines at Jinguashi, banning locals from owning mining rights. They quickly found many more copper and gold seams, and Jinguashi became the number one gold mine in the Japanese empire. 
During WWI, the mine came upon difficult times, and mining rights were passed to what is now Japan Energy, who built the 13 level complex that sits abandoned today. By 1938 it had become the most profitable gold mine in Asia, and population grew to over 80,000. 
During WWII, the mining operations switched from gold to copper, and the area was used as a POW camp.
After the ROC took Taiwan, the mines were used mainly for copper, as the cost of refining gold was too high. The Chalet built for the crown prince of Japan at Jinguashi was later used by Chiang Kai-shek. After worldwide copper prices collapsed in the 1980s, the mine shut down for good in 1987. After that, people moved out of the town, and Jinguashi has a population of just about 2,000 people. 
Later mining initiatives have been met with strong criticism from environmentalists. 
In 2004, the New Taipei City Gold Mine Museum was completed, using several abandoned mining sites near Jinguashi, making it a popular tourist attraction in the area. 

Gold Mine Museum Hours:
9:30 AM to 5 PM, closed Mondays

Gold Mine Museum Price:
80 NT per person (Free for New Taipei Residents)
You can book discount tickets to the New Taipei Gold Mine Museum on Klook here or KKday here.

Tours:
You can book a tour to Golden Waterfall on TripAdvisor here, Klook here or KKday here. 
​
Hotels near Jinguashi:
We recommend Fullon Hotel which has locations in Tamsui and Fulong near the beach (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, or Hotels.com here). 
We have stayed at and recommend ​Gold Mountain Ranch, which is a horse ranch and glamping destination in Jinshan. ​You can book a night at Gold Mountain Ranch on Klook here.  You can also check out our full blog on the ranch here. 
We have also stayed at and recommend Hai Xia Your Home which is right in front of Fulong Beach (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, or Hotels.com here). 
Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Booking.com here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan.
Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here.
​
How to get There:
By Train: Take TRA to Ruifang Station, then transfer to Keelung Bus which goes directly to Jinguashi every few minutes (about a 15 minute ride from Ruifang). Book tickets via the normal train (TRA)  on Klook here. You can book tickets to the high speed rail (HSR)  on Klook here or KKDay here. 
By Bus: Buses directly to Jinguashi leave from Taipei Main Station, Taipei City Hall, and Songshan Station regularly via Keelung Bus. You can also book a shuttle bus to Jiufen from Taipei on KKDay here. You can also book tickets to travel to Jiufen via inter-city bus on Klook here. 
​By Car/Scooter: Take provincial highway 2 to Ruifang and then travel on highway 102 all the way up to Jiufen, then go over the mountain and keep going down to Jinguashi. Parking is scarce, and if you drive a car you need to park at the bottom of the hill and take the bus up to the gold mine museum. There is free scooter parking at the entrance. 
Looking for scooter rental in New Taipei? Click here or here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. 
If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. 
By Taxi: You can take short rides for about 150 NT, or hire a Taxi for a day for around 150 USD. You can also charter a car for a day to Jinguashi on Klook here. 
By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can use Taiwan's many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a cycling tour on TripAdvisor here. 
For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here. 

Map:
Please see below:

Our Journey:

I have been to the Golden Waterfall many times. It is a must see along the northern coast, and I highly recommend visiting on your next trip to Taipei. 

You can book a tour to Golden Waterfall on TripAdvisor here, Klook here or KKday here. ​

Another popular sight here is the golden waterfalls, which are colored gold because of the mine and mineral runoff collected as the water moves through old mines. There is room to stop and take a photo from the side of the road. 

Another view of the falls.

Jinguashi 金瓜石

Jinguashi is a small village in Ruifang District in New Taipei, famous for its now defunct mines. Here you can explore the Gold Mine Museum, touch a multi-million dollar gold ingot,  see golden waterfalls, go on some of the best hikes in Taiwan, check out the old mining town, see Japanese era historic sites, and explore abandoned mining sites...(read more)
You can book discount tickets to the New Taipei Gold Mine Museum on Klook here or KKday here.
You can book a tour to Jinguashi on TripAdvisor here, Klook here or KKday here. 

You can book a tour to Golden Waterfall on TripAdvisor here, Klook here or KKday here. 

Don't forget that there are many activities available along Taiwan's Northern Coast such as Wakeboarding, Surfing, Speedboat Surfing, SUP / Paddle Boarding, Diving, Snorkeling Kayaking, Canoeing, Water Biking,  River Tracing / Canyoneering, ATVing, Horse Riding, Archery, Tree Climbing, Glamping, Motorcycling, Motorbike Tour, Dragon Boat Racing, Shen'ao Rail Bike, and more on Tripadvisor here, Klook here, or KKday here. 

​Check out our full guide to Jinguashi here. ​

Check out our full guide to Taiwan’s Northern Coast here.

Also be sure to check out our guide to Taipei here. 

You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here. 

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