LAUNCH A SKY LANTERN IN THIS OLD RAILROAD TOWN
The Shifen Scenic Area is home to one of New Taipei’s most picturesque mountain towns, the little community of Shifen, and its neighboring cascade, Shifen Waterfall. Famous for its rustic atmosphere—you can imagine this is what the rest of Taiwan felt like 30 years ago—this former coal mining town has now become a hub for city tourists looking to travel back in time. On the weekends, the lanes of Shifen are filled with visitors who have come for the delicious snacks, the relaxed country-vibe, and to launch a sky lantern or two off of the railroad tracks.
Shifen Old Street
Shifen Old Street is bisected by the Pingxi Rail Line and trains regularly pass through the street, perfectly encapsulating the town’s relaxed atmosphere— and offering an excellent photo op! Although small, the town is packed with cafes, restaurants, and souvenir shops. There is no shortage of delicious snacks, but if you’re not sure what to eat, we recommend checking out local stinky tofu (it’s not as famous as Shenkeng Old Street’s stinky tofu, but it’s almost as good), and ice cream burritos.
For a different perspective on the town, head towards Shifen Train Station and hang a left towards the river until you reach the entrance to Jingan Suspension Bridge. While there isn’t much in the way of buildings on the other side of the bridge, it can be a serene and quiet vantage point from which to experience the Keelung River and the mountainous landscape that surrounds Shifen.
The Tradition of Sky Lanterns
The origins of Shifen’s most cherished tradition, the release of sky lanterns, can be traced back to the Qing Dynasty. In those days, Shifen was no stranger to the raids of bandits that would send villagers fleeing to safety in the mountains. Once the bandits left and it was safe to return, the villagers who had remained behind would release sky lanterns soaring into the night sky, signaling to those who had fled that it was now safe to return.
As there are no longer bandits roaming around, the launching of sky lanterns now survives as a romantic tradition. There’s even a special festival, the Pingxi Lantern Festival, held just after Lunar New Year that celebrates this history.
Lanterns are sold on either side of the old street and many tourists choose to symbolically write their wishes down on the sides of the lantern before launching it into the sky. Of course, it’s possible to launch the lantern from the railroad tracks, just be careful of your timing.
If you’d like to launch a sky lantern of your own, we recommend checking out our North Coast, Jiufen and Sky Lantern Experience tour, which also covers the neighboring town of Jiufen and the scenic North Coast in one satisfying day.
The official dates for the 2024 Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival have not yet been announced. However, group launches will most likely be held on February 24, 2024 (2024 Lantern Festival date) and one other day the following weekend. For past festivals, two consecutive weekend dates have been scheduled, with the first date corresponding to the date of the Lantern Festival.
Shifen Waterfall
Shifen Waterfall is the largest waterfall on the Keelung River, and a popular sightseeing destination in the Shifen Scenic Area. Standing at approximately 20 meters (66 feet) tall and stretching across 40 meters (131 feet) in width, the waterfall’s horseshoe shape and impressive year-round flow have earned it the title of the “Little Niagara of Taiwan”.
The waterfall can be accessed via a short walk along the Shifen Falls Walk trail which leads away from the parking lot at Shifen Visitor’s Center. If walking from Shifen Old Street, it should take about 20 minutes in total.
There are viewing platforms on either side of the falls that offer unique views of the cascade. While the platform just above the waterfall offers the best vantage point for observing the emerald-colored water below, the platform opposite the waterfall offers a more panoramic view of the entire drop, and is preferred by most viewers. We recommend planning enough time to visit both. If it’s a sunny day, be sure to keep an eye out for any rainbows that may appear in the mist at the bottom of the falls.
