Although a prosperous community in the 60s, the economy of Neiwan suffered greatly with the closure of the local mines and the town languished as an isolated backwater for around thirty years. Then in the early 2000s, the town's preserved historic buildings and traditional culture suddenly began to be in vogue with city dwellers, and this has resulted in the town gaining a certain prominence as a tourist destination in recent years.
The Neiwan Line connects Neiwan with Hsinchu. It is a small and slow train and crowded on holidays. Trains go every ninety minutes.
Neiwan is small enough to cover on foot.
Pick up a traditional hat for a mere 40 NT.