TW · New Taipei · 25.03°N 121.74°E

shifen

Write wishes on a sky lantern by the train tracks, then hit Shifen Waterfall.

Best time
Any time, but weekdays are quieter. The Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival around Chap Goh Mei is beautiful but packed. Winter is often wet.
How long
Half a day
Getting there
Fly from KL to Taipei (about 5 hours). From Taipei, take a train to Ruifang (about 45 minutes), then change to the Pingxi Line for Shifen (about 30 minutes). Many day tours combine it with Jiufen and Yehliu.
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TW · New Taipeishifen25.03°N 121.74°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Write wishes on a sky lantern by the train tracks, then hit Shifen Waterfall.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingShifenTW, New Taipei
KLshifen
≈ 3,245 km from KL, as the crow flies
​【新北景點】平溪。菁桐。十分一日遊

Photo: fullfen666 · CC BY-SA 2.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

A small old mining village on the Pingxi railway line, in the hills east of Taipei. The train runs right through the old street, where people paint wishes on sky lanterns and let them go between trains. Shifen Waterfall is a short walk away.

Makan

  1. Chicken wing rice rollA deboned chicken wing stuffed with fried rice and grilled, the old street's signature snack.Map ↗
  2. Peanut ice cream rollShaved peanut brittle and ice cream wrapped in a thin crêpe, often with coriander.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Sky lanterns on the old streetPaint your wishes on a lantern and release it from the tracks. Each colour stands for a different wish.Map ↗
  2. Shifen WaterfallA wide curtain of water, sometimes called Taiwan's Niagara, about 20 minutes' walk from the station.Map ↗
  3. The Pingxi LineRide the little branch line on to Pingxi and Jingtong, older and quieter villages.Map ↗
  4. Houtong Cat VillageA former coal town on the same line, now home to lots of friendly cats.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Trains still run through the street. Step off the tracks when the bells ring and staff wave you back.
  • Pingxi Line trains are infrequent, so check the timetable before you go.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.