Yehliu Geopark: the Queen's Head, the rules and key tips

Yehliu is a 1,700 m cape on the north coast, carved by the sea into about 180 mushroom rocks, plus candle rocks, ginger rocks, potholes and sea caves.1Tourism Administration (opens in a new tab)eng.taiwan.net.twYehliu Geopark (opens in a new tab)ylgeopark.org.tw Give it half a day from Taipei on Kuo-Kuang bus 1815, and walk all three zones.

When are you going?

• Winter: big waves can close most of the park. On 24 January 2023, waves reached the Queen’s Head and only the area by the entrance stayed open.2Taiwan News (opens in a new tab)taiwannews.com.tw Check before you go, and see Heping Island below if it’s shut.
• Early summer, in 2026: the park ran Queen’s Head night tours from 28 June to 12 July, 18:30 to 21:00, capped at 3,000 a night and booked online.3Taipei Times (opens in a new tab)taipeitimes.com

Top things to do

• The Queen’s Head: the park’s best-known mushroom rock, in zone 1.Tip The smaller Cute Princess rock is nearby.4Yehliu Geopark (opens in a new tab)ylgeopark.org.tw
• Zone 2: Bean Curd Rock and Dragon Head Rock.5Tourism Administration (opens in a new tab)eng.taiwan.net.tw
• Zone 3: the far end of the cape, with sea caves and a rock shaped like a seal.6Tourism Administration (opens in a new tab)eng.taiwan.net.tw
• Tickets and hours: NT$120, 08:00 to 17:00, and to 18:00 in summer.Tip No fixed closing day, but the park shuts for typhoons.7Yehliu Geopark (opens in a new tab)ylgeopark.org.tw

Know the rules

• Don’t touch or climb the rocks, and stay behind the red line. Damaging a rock can cost a fine of up to NT$500,000.
• No drones, bikes, scooters, swimming, fishing or smoking, and don’t take stones or shells.8Yehliu Geopark (opens in a new tab)ylgeopark.org.twpark guide (opens in a new tab)ylgeopark.org.tw

Do this instead

• Instead of Yehliu, if you’re staying near Keelung: go to Heping Island Park, bus 101 or 102 from Keelung station. Its rock coast has very similar geology and the same NT$120 ticket, and from November to April it stays open an hour later, until 18:00. It has no Queen’s Head.9Keelung City (opens in a new tab)travel.klcg.gov.twTaipei Times (opens in a new tab)taipeitimes.com

Getting there

• Bus 1815 from Taipei Bus Station stops at Yehliu. Bus 862 links it with Tamsui and Keelung.10Yehliu Geopark (opens in a new tab)ylgeopark.org.tw
• From Tamsui MRT, Tourist Shuttle 716 runs daily from May to October, and only on weekends and holidays from November to April.11Taiwan Tourist Shuttle (opens in a new tab)taiwantrip.com.tw

If it doesn’t go to plan

• Shuttle 716 not running? From November to April it runs only on weekends and holidays. Take bus 862 from Tamsui instead.
• Typhoon coming? The park closes. Go to the National Palace Museum in Taipei instead.