Jioufen has become a top attraction for Hong Kong travellers in the past decade. The rush started after Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-hsien made the town the location for his film Beiqing Chengshi (City of Sadness), starring Tony Leung Chiu-wai, in 1989.
Jioufen, which is near an abandoned mine, is built on a steep slope overlooking the ocean. One of the few towns in Taiwan to have retained its heritage, Jioufen features many attractive buildings built in the 1930s Taiwanese style. Tourists are also drawn to the town because it offers a different face in each season - flowers in spring, breezes in summer, more flowers in autumn and fog in winter.
Jioufen's landmark, Shuchi Road, with old buildings on both sides, gives an idea of what the narrow and steep roads are like. They are too narrow for two cars to pass and as they are built of stone, can be dangerous to walk or drive on. The town's frequent and dramatic rainfall is potentially dangerous for drivers because of the slippery roads and poor visibility it causes.
To get to Jioufen from Taipei, tourists can take a tour bus or train, which both take about two hours.