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Visiting Shifen was the highlight of my trip to Taipei! For years, I’ve been seeing posts of people flying paper lanterns on the old train tracks and it really fascinated me. I was so glad that this charming little village was better than I had hoped! Let’s read this article to know what to expect when you go to Shifen.
Before you do, here’s a video I made of my epic day in Shifen!
1 Shifen Old Street
Shifen Old Street is an iconic little street located in the Pingxi District of New Taipei City. It’s actually a charming narrow street with a historic train track running down its centre. You’ll feel like you’re in a medieval novel with its traditional Taiwanese houses, vibrant lanterns and local snacks.
The best part about this street is its atmosphere. It reminds me of a day at a bazaar or a festival! As you know, Shifen was the number one spot on my bucket list when I was planning my visit to Taiwan. For years, I’ve been seeing photos of the train tracks and the festive atmosphere of people flying lanterns. Well, though it was a little crowded like all tourist spots are, it did not disappoint.
2 How to Get there from Taipei City
There are many ways go get to Shifen but the easiest way if you take public transport would be a train from Songshan Station to Shifen Station! From what I checked, this costs NT$75.00!
Train from Songshan Station to Shifen Station
Taking the train would be an affordable option if you’re traveling solo and keeping an eye on your budget. This mode of transportation takes you around 2.5 hours to reach and you may need to start early in the morning.
Taxi or an Uber from Taipei City to Shifen Old Street
Taking a taxi or Uber is the quickest way to get from the city to Shifen. It only takes about 40 minutes and is the best option if you’re travelling in a group. This is slightly more costly and would be around NT$750-1000. I took an Uber since I was able to split it in my group of 4 people.
3 Traditional Paper Lantern Flying
The tradition of flying paper lanterns in Shifen dates backs to the early 19th century. It’s said to be used for villagers in the early days to communicate in times of danger. The paper lanterns often had messages written on them. Throughout time, it has changed into more of a cultural and religious practice.
These days, paper lantern flying has become a popular tourist attraction attracting tourists from around the world. In fact, you can write your wishes, prayers and hopes for the future onto the lanterns and send it soaring into the sky!
Although paper lantern flying is a nighttime tradition, we went to Shifen in the morning and it was still quite busy. Most of the vendors charge the same price so you can simply choose one along the train tracks!
I also saw some sheltered tent areas where people were writing messages on lanterns. You’ll find them if you continue walking down the train tracks. I wouldn’t recommend it since it’s not in the main area so if you want to take pictures it wouldn’t look as cool. It’s best to find a vendor on the main Shifen train tracks!
4 Shifen Village
Shifen Village is a lot more than just lantern flying. As I walked down the little streets, I felt the chill vibes of the place. It was relaxing despite the crowds in the main lantern-flying area. As you walk around, you’ll find some snack vendors, restaurants and souvenir shops. I found a cute Totoro one! One thing I noticed about Taipei was that it was very had Japanese influences in the best ways possible.
5 Shifen Falls
Shifen falls is a gorgeous waterfall that cascades over a 20-meter-wide rock face and plunges about 20 meters into a pool. It’s been known as the “Little Niagara of Taiwan” is so cute! The waterfall is surrounded by beautiful natural beauty and is about a 10 minute walk away from the Shifen Old street.
6 Shifen Suspension Bridge
The Shifen Suspension Bridge is something you cannot miss when you go on your day trip. It’s a 320-meter-long bridge that’s towering 100 meters above the valley floor. It gives you some stunning views of the little waterfalls, rocks, mountains and the Shifen Gorge! I was able to see some great views of the train passing as I stood in the middle of the bridge.
A funny thing that happened was that a local decided to go in the middle of the bridge and set off some fireworks! I don’t think it was a one-time occurrence because I did hear it a few times while I was in Shifen village. So that’s how I saw daytime fireworks for the first time in my life on a sunny afternoon!
7 Historical Train Tracks
The train tracks in Shifen Village will probably remind you of the famous train tracks in Hanoi, Vietnam. Similar to Hanoi, its closely sandwiched by olden style Taiwanese houses on both sides. And just like Hanoi, people have to quickly scurry off to the side while flying lanterns as the train approaches.
Originally built for transporting coal during the Japanese colonial era, the train has since become an iconic tourist attraction. Perhaps it’s naive of me but I didn’t realize that the tracks were still operational! So when we started flying our lantern, we had to quickly run off to the side as the train approached. It was really cool though as I didn’t get to experience this when I visited Hanoi earlier in the year.
Head to Jiufen After Shifen
After you’re done exploring Shifen, I highly recommend you make your way to Jiufen to explore its iconic streets that make you think you’re in a Ghibli movie! You can either take the bus or a taxi over. It takes about 40 minutes to an hour depending on the transport you take but I think both places can be done in a day!
8 Conclusion
If you’re visiting Taipei, I highly recommend you go to Shifen for a day trip. It is only an hour outside the city yet it’s surrounded by lush nature. It really made me feel like I’ve completed the 4-day trip in an all-rounded way.
Did this article help you? Let me know in the comments below! I’d also love to hear if you have any other travel topics you’d like me to write about 🙂