Shifen Old Street

Shifen Old Street is a charming, historic town located in the Pingxi District of New Taipei City, Taiwan. It is internationally famous for its unique layout and a beautiful cultural tradition. Unique Feature: The town's main attraction is the active, narrow-gauge Pingxi Line railway track that runs directly through the center of the street, bordered by shops and homes. Atmosphere: It's a bustling marketplace where tourists gather on the railway tracks to release sky lanterns when a train is not passing. Nearby Attraction: Shifen is also the gateway to the impressive Shifen Waterfall, often called "Taiwan's Niagara Falls." Coal Mining Past: Shifen was originally a quiet settlement that became a vital coal mining town during the Japanese colonial period (early 20th century). The Pingxi Line railway was built specifically to transport coal out of the surrounding mountains. Origin of the Lanterns: The tradition of releasing sky lanterns (Tiān Dēng or Skylantern) was originally not for tourists, but for security and communication. During bandit raids in the mid-1800s, villagers would hide in the hills. The men who remained to guard the homes would release a lantern into the sky to signal that the town was safe and it was time for the others to return. Modern Tradition: After the coal mines closed, the town transitioned into a popular tourist destination. The tradition was reinterpreted, evolving into a way for people to write wishes, prayers, and blessings onto the lanterns before releasing them into the sky, symbolizing their hopes and dreams ascending to the heavens. Visited this area to light up some sky lanterns and also snack on some of the local restaurants. There is a live rail train that drives right through the town, in addition, there is a coal mining museum and we also took a small coal mining train.

Shifen Old Street is a unique and memorable stop, especially for first-time visitors to Taiwan. We went there via bus #795 from the Maokong Gondola bus station since the train was not operating at the time. The bus ride was quite long, with many stops (around 90 stops in total), so it does require patience. That said, once we arrived, the experience was worth it. Walking along the train tracks and releasing wishing or prayer lanterns was fun and meaningful, and though the atmosphere felt very commercialized as there so many other tourists around, the place was still very charming with the cold season. Despite the long commute, we still enjoyed the overall experience and would recommend it if you’re exploring Taiwan’s classic attractions.

Popular visitor attraction. They have 2 x 1ft lanterns which are lit and fly up into sky. Supposedly echo friendly but litter the river and banks. Usual touristy shops and food outlets. Railway was down due to landslide. The nearby waterfall is pretty. Together - ok outing. Shengkeng village on the bus route was not busy but was more authentic. Stinky tofu a specialty.

What a lovely and lively street lined up with street food and souvenir shops. A narrow railway track runs in the middle. Also it's The place to do the Sky Lantern traditions. I wasn't privileged to be there when the train runs in the middle but the atmosphere in general is really great and I tried on a box of squid fry. I would also recommend this place as one where you can get cheaper Taiwan souvenirs, besides Jiufen.

A nice experience to get the Chinese lanterns and release it to the skies. Place can be quite crowded too. A good place to get local souvenirs such as magnets, keychains and etc at a farelt decent price. Would be nice to have more public washrooms accessible to public though.

A magical and unforgettable experience! Shifen Lantern Old Street is such a beautiful and unique place to visit. The atmosphere is full of charm — from the sound of the train passing through the narrow street to the colorful lanterns lighting up the sky. Writing our wishes on the lantern and watching it float away was such a special and memorable moment. The street food and small shops make the visit even more enjoyable. Definitely a must-visit when you’re in Taiwan! ❤️🎋

Arriving at Shifen Station via the historic Pingxi Line (平溪線) is like stepping directly into a living postcard. The station is the entry point to the famous Old Street, where the train tracks run right through the center of a bustling market. The area immediately surrounding the station is quite flat and easy to navigate. This is where most people gather to release sky lanterns. While it’s a central part of the experience for many, I personally chose not to participate due to environmental concerns. However, the atmosphere remains magical just by watching the lanterns rise above the narrow streets. If you are able to walk a bit further, the trip to Shifen Waterfall is a must. This is a rare case where the journey is truly as rewarding as the destination. You’ll encounter beautiful suspension bridges and several scenic viewpoints along the way that are incredibly photogenic. Pro-Tip for Accessibility: While the Old Street is easy for everyone, the path to the waterfall involves uneven terrain, suspension bridges, and quite a few stairs. I would not recommend the waterfall trek for elderly visitors or those with limited mobility; the station area offers a much more accessible and relaxed experience.

I love how rustic the whole area is. We did the famous sky lantern experience - which had a rich historic meaning of safety. Glad to have booked in advance since the walk-in line was so long and the lantern-making area was limited. The staff was helpful and gave us clear instructions - from setting up/writing on our lanterns to photo op/releasing them to fly. They are v skilled in taking photos and videos, and we didnt feel rushed by them bec everything was seamless - shows how professional and experienced they are. There were many food stalls around offering free taste - from sausage to snacks. We also got the rice-stuffed chicken wings and peanut ice cream which was a native delicacy in Shifen. Wish we stayed a little bit longer in the area since we only had 1 hour to roam around based on our tour's itinerary.

Really fun street where there are lantern shops, souvenirs, and food stands. There is also the iconic train that passes through the middle of the street. When the train is gone you can cross over the tracks and stand on them for photos. When the train is approaching you will know as staff nearby will usher people away from the tracks. You could easily spend an hour here exploring the shops and doing the lantern, but probably not much longer than that. I suggest pairing this with the Shifen Waterfall since it is a few minutes drive away. There are a bunch of shops where you can buy a lantern, write wishes on it, and send them out into the sky. Lanterns were reasonable and cost more with the more colors you want. Each color corresponds to a meaning (such as health, career, love, etc) and you can buy a lantern with a singular color, 4 colors, or 8 colors. The shop I went to had 4-color lanterns for 350 TWD each and only took cash. After purchasing the lantern you write your wishes on them with black ink and a brush. The ink does drip easily so I suggest wearing clothes and shoes that you do not mind getting ink on. After writing your wishes, a staff member will light kerosene-soaked paper inside of it, and will take photos and videos of you launching it into the sky.

Following a early afternoon at Jiufen, our next step was logically Shifen. We arrived via train from the Ruifang train station. I recommend this as a mode of transport since it's very cheap and offers some great views of the surrounding scenery. Part of that scenery includes passing through the actual old street part of Shifen. We arrived in the late afternoon. The crowds had already built up. Aside from food vendors and gift shops, the most notable attraction of this area are the paper lanterns. I'd like to believe that I'm an accountable, environmental citizen of this Earth. However, for the hour or so that we walked through Shifen, I failed. My parents and I contributed to the paper lantern pollution. Part of tourist experience I guess. There are apparently more environmentally friendly options - specifically, a vendor seeling biodegradable paper lanterns. However, we couldn't sell them. Hopefully, the good fortune we wished for in health, love, career, etc will somehow compensate for the paper lantern we got that is now somewhere in the nearby landscape. We didn't get any food here but I hear the thing to get here are the sticky rice stuffed chicken wings. Whenever we passed by them, they definitely looked tempting. Unfortunately, we were full. The stinky tofu here is also particularly pungent. Take that as you will whether they are good or bad. At the end of our day, we took the train back to Riufen for a connecting stop then back to Taipei.

Came here with a tour group from Vietnam. Historical place for lanterns and food stands. We wrote some wishes onto a lantern. They then light it up and let it fly away up the sky. Thoughts and prayers - may our wishes come true!

Shifen Old Street / Pingxi -- Ever since I saw it on some retirement savings commercial several years back, I had been fascinated by the sight of hundreds of glowing paper lanterns floating up to the night sky. That was a major reason I convinced Jamie W to take a private tour of this area northeast of Taipei. As we drove toward Pingxi, we saw the lanterns dot the sky from afar. It was already magical. We stopped at the foot of an old stone footbridge and immediately saw the lantern kits waiting for enthusiastic tourists like me to launch them. For NT$250, Jamie and I were able to paint our own wishful messages on the four different colored panels each representing a category of wishes. It was just before the election so you can well imagine what I wrote. A guy assembled it for us and took us to the railroad track to launch. He lit the flame that carries it upward, and we let it rip. Such a cool sight. A marketplace of food stands and souvenir shops surrounds the tracks which we were free to cross since so many lanterns were launched. Our guide Chiao was generous to buy us a couple of local specialties, peanut butter ice cream wrapped in a handmade crepe and chicken sausage with melted cheese on a stick. Most people take the train from Taipei to get here, but hey, what can I say? I'm a princess. RELATED - Exploring Taiwan? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3YNkL5j

Aside from being a scenic historic district, the appeal of this street is mainly for the floating lanterns that tourists can decorate with their hopes and wishes and set afloat into the sky. Hundreds of people writing and drawing on paper lanterns was the scene I walked into. I'd just made my way from a chartered tour bus over a small highway bridge along with the rest of our tour group attendees, curious to see what awaited us at this last stop of the day. There was certainly a lot of excitement in the air as each group followed their tour guide to pick up their designated lanterns and markers for decorating them. The narrow railroad tracks were quite a sight to behold, lanterns (pretty large, easily 3ft tall) lifted up into the sky until they were out of sight. Magical. Until you really think about the environmental impact hundreds of lanterns being flown by day, thousands by week, tens of thousands by month... by no means am I a staunch environmentalist....i'm still trying to wean myself off Saran Wrap and buying plastic water bottles when I'm traveling. So I asked the question to the tour guide as to what happens to these paper lanterns once they plummet back down to earth. He said the government sends people into the surrounding hills to pick up fallen lanterns. I dunno, I kinda didn't buy this explanation completely. Considering how close we were to the ocean and the varying wind patterns, I have doubts if the majority of these lanterns could be recovered. In a world where we already create so much trash on a daily basis, this act of human whimsy felt extraneous and irresponsible. The surrounding streets support many a local business whether it be the souvenir stalls, snack and food shops or lantern sellers, so I understand this is their livelihood. However I hope in the future there will be eco-friendly ways to celebrate hopes and dreams.

When we were at 十分老街 (Shifen Old Street) this Friday afternoon, I'd say half of the street felt like a ghost town. The sky was gloomy and lots of the shops were closed so it was a bit eerie walking around. We were able to purchase a lantern at one of the shops (吉利天燈), wrote a few wishes/prayers on it (each color represents a different aspect, e.g., blue is for career/promotion) and we took a few pictures and videos before lighting the lantern and setting it afloat. That was definitely a fun and unique experience! Other than that, I got to try fresh milk tea at 鐵道風情咖啡坊 for NT$70. It was my bad for thinking that 0% sugar was acceptable here (thought that the tapioca would be sweetened) but it ended up being pretty bland. The tea flavor wasn't too evident and the tapioca was on the smaller side and way too soft.

The old mining town turned itself into a tourist attraction, but the street with railroad tracks and shops in each side is not particularly interesting to me. One activity that some tourists engage in is to set off paper lanterns powered by fire polluting the air. We would not have stopped here if our driver had not wanted to do it.

Another clean and well designed MRT/subway station! The way Taiwan has setup its infrastructure is quite remarkable! I'm from Silicon Valley, California and we have Uber and Lyft at our fingertips, but the way Taiwan has its bus, shuttles, Trains and the MRT is amazing! The only reason I didn't give them 5 stars, is their restrooms are the European style of a giant squaty-potty. Hee. There are some regular toilets, but they're not as common. I worry about the elderly and people that can't squat down.... I have family members with some assistances needs and they wouldn't be able to use the restroom with ease.

Quaint little town with a decent amount of tourists. Releasing sky lanterns is popular here. You can purchase a lantern from one of the shops, write your good wishes on each side before releasing it. The lantern is lit and when released, it goes up in the air. It will land when it runs out of fuel. Residents nearby who find the remnants will often return it to the shops. This is a nice street to go shopping for souvenirs.

This location is famous solely because it's the only spot in Taiwan you can light these lanterns and release them into the sky. Besides that, there is a vendor that I really loved that made fresh boba milk tea. I also liked the peanut ice cream roll made here at another vendor. It's cool to see the train come through every hour, but not as cool as the Hanoi Train Street in Vietnam.

Old town vibes here. You get off the train and walk through the old street where there are souvenir shops, street food and small restaurants. The train tracks are in the middle and the walkway are on either side of the tracks. Just keep walking the path to get to the Shifen waterfall. A cool area to get away from the city life of Taipei.

We came here to experience a sky lantern. We took an ownrides here and it was very fun. Our driver helped us figure out how to purchase a lantern and took photos of us as we watched our lantern fly into the sky. We also tried some street food, we really enjoyed the boba and fried calamari.

It takes about 2 hrs to get here by train from Taipei. Less than a few dollars. You can also book with a tour group. Uber taxi is not that expensive either and it takes about 45 minutes. As soon as you step off the train there's a public bathroom straight ahead. A few feet away you will pass some street food vendors. The first thing I saw and had to get was the sticky rice stuffed in boneless chicken wing and basted in bbq sauce. I wish had ordered more than 1. It was so tasty. It's really hot so give it some time to cool down. Further along there's street vendors selling fruit shakes, souvenirs and ice cream. Opposite of these vendors is where you can buy a giant lantern and write your wishes on and set it into the sky. We opted out of it. We did see someone's lantern go up and get stuck in the top corner of a building and it caught fire. Please reconsider it if it's something you want to do. We saw other lanterns end up in other parts of the town and in the river.

Quite an experience visiting Shifen and lighting a lantern! Very memorable experience and quite picturesque.

I booked a half day tour via Klook - the group had only six persons and Edison travel picked me up at my my downtown hotel. We arrived at Shifen mid morning on a drizzly morning. The quaint town is an old mining town and the perfect area to draw your wishes and launch your custom sky lantern. The Pingxi line old train operates and splits the main street, the outer sides of the tracks consist of retail shops, food vendors and sky lantern shops. A short drive away is the Shifen waterfalls - you'll need to cross a long wooden pedestrian bridge - but will be rewarded by a large waterfall - it's a very scenic area. Overall, an enjoyable tour and a great way to escape the hustle of the city.

Great old street at night time. This is the place you can experience the sky lantern with personal touch. This is my bucket list for a while. I was pencil in to visit at 15 day after Chinese New Year but my travel plan got changed. Finally I have a another chance to visit again at November. The street may not mean anything. But the this is the place you can release your own sky lantern. To buy the sky lantern, you can find at many store along the old street with train tracks. Each lantern cost minimum 150 NTD with single color. They have 4 colors lantern. Each paper lantern has four side that you can write on. Make a wish. Or your own thoughts. Once you have finished the writing or painting, you can get to center of the railroad tracks. The store keeper will help you light the lantern and hand to you. Before release, they will help you take a few pictures. Then the lantern is released by you to the sky for best wishes. It is awesome to see many sky lantern at the sky. What a scene. Imagine if you come at the 15 day after Chinese New Year, they release 10,000 lantern at the same time. It will be a scene.

I think this "gold rush" themed street with a real train that passes by is good for kids. I found it extremely touristy and filled with vendors selling trinkets! Their main thing is the lanterns (you write your wish on it and they send it up). Average cost is 200 NT may be more if you want a photo/video or multicolor one. I am sure these are pretty environmentally unfriendly but people were still sending them up into the air. Some good points: there is a cool suspension bridge and the waterfall is nearby. I had some good radish cake from an old lady near the elementary school. Otherwise, I would skip unless you are trying to entertain younger children.

Towards the end of our chartered day tour, our guide escorted us to Shifen Old Street (SOS), a historic section in Taiwan that's up in the mountains. The ride up here was curvy and with me sitting in the middle of the van, unfortunately I got carsick. I had to shut my eyes to minimize motion sickness. Today, SOS is known for its historic railway tracks and many tourists flock to this area for sightseeing and shopping. You'll also find people who come here to set off sky-lanterns up in the air. For a nominal fee, you choose your sky-lantern (multi colored ones cost more) and write your wishes on each side. Then they assist you in setting it off up in the air. There is a fairly narrow walkway that has many shops and vendors selling all sorts of souvenirs and snacks. Be aware that you can get the infamous stinky tofu here. The smell will make you wonder what is decomposing! It was a muggy afternoon so I had an almond milk drink and a Taiwanese sausage, that is grilled fresh. It was very tasty and made me crave for another one. According to our guide, Shifen means "10 percent". Of all of the people who work here in Shifen, 10 percent live up here and the other 90 percent commute up to Shifen to work. Although touristy with crowds, I found the journey up to SOS was worthwhile as you could also visit the Shifen Waterfall and Shifen Waterfall Park. Family friendly but not good for people who are claustrophobic. 2019 #30

I booked a trip from Taipei MRT station through Klook. I highly recommend it! Shifen is in the outskirts of the city so transportation is a hassle if you do not have a car. Shifen is an old street with historical railway tracks and a waterfall walking distance away. This was my first time releasing lanterns into the sky and it was beautiful! The entire railway track is lined with back to back lantern companies to allow everyone to be able to release lanterns if you wanted to. You have the option to pick multi colored lanterns or single colored lanterns that cost about 200 NT. Once you pay, you can write your wishes on the lantern and when the railway tracks are clear, an employee will help you light up the lantern and take pictures as you set the lantern free. Watch out for trains though! It is still an active railway track. This was such a memorable experience. If you go on a busy day, you can see a sky full of lanterns released into the sky!! What a sight! I hope all your wishes come true! :)

Totally worth a day trip from Taipei! This is a really cute, lantern-themed neighborhood. The main attraction is releasing a sky lantern with your wishes into the sky from the train tracks. Although I admit, it looks a bit dangerous since I saw a few lanterns caught on fire before it can fly away, lol. I recommend walking around and price compare before you settle on which shop to go with. Little lantern trinkets are inexpensive and cute that made great souvenirs for your family and friends. Other side attractions are the waterfall and the suspending bridge for some pretty photos. Warning: Public toilets are squat toilets but don't let this stop you.

Visited: May 22, 2019 All I have to say was visiting Shifen old street and releasing the lantern was the highlight of my trip to Taipei! It was really a once in a lifetime experience. We wrote our blessings on the paper lantern (NTD 200 for 4 colours) and the shop owner took us out to the rail track for releasing; but not before taking some pictures and a short video for us as a memento. There was a lol moment was when we saw the ripple effect from far down the rail track when someone yelled a warning. There was a lot of confusion (at lease on our end) whether a train was coming or not to run us over. In the end, we decided to not be idiots and stepped away from the track just in case. In retrospect, even before purchasing the lantern, I was thinking this can't be good for the environment. What comes up must come down. The paper on the lantern might be biodegradable but the metal bit where the flame goes is another issue. Crap, should've thought this through first I guess. Aside from the excitement of releasing the lantern, we wandered up and down the street to shop and sample some eats from street vendors. Our tour guide says that there's nothing special about the shops in Shifen (that you can't find at a regular night market) EXCEPT for the shoe vendors. Apparently the shoes are made locally here and it's super cheap. We did wander into a sneaker shop and the prices were attractive. There was also a food vendor that sold taro ice cream with candied peanut shavings wrapped in a crepe. Lots of people were buying it so we tried it ourselves. DELICIOUS. That's all I have to say. A refreshing treat on a hot summer's day.

Shifen Old Street is a Street that has railroad tracks run through it. I'm not talking about some old run down tracks that are out of business or anything, but working tracks that a train goes through every hour. Around all that is a marketplace full of local restaurants and shops. It is a great place to grab snacks and souvenirs. You can also participate in the lantern lightings. You can write wishes on these lanterns and set it to the sky. These lanterns cost around $150+ NT which isn't too bad. After walking past Shifen Old Street, you can visit the Shifen Waterfall. It's not too far a walk but dress for the weather. And pack lots of water. If you visiting Taipei, don't miss out on Shifen Old Street. One of the best tourist places to see.

Creating and lighting a lantern here was SO fun. You do it on the train tracks so occasionally you have to move for a train, but in between there are vendors that give you the lantern and markers where you can write out your wishes, names of people you care about, ir any good intentions you want to send into the sky. This was my first lantern lighting experience and it was really cool and unique. There's a bunch of little shops along the old town street too but keep in mind they're pretty touristy and mostly souvenirs. This is definitely worth a stop, though!

DID YOU KNOW: Setting off sky lanterns is a way Chinese used to pray, and it's now no longer allowed in some countries, like in Malaysia. It's a way to release luck; I'm happy to announce that I had the chance to try this experience in Taiwan! I enjoyed my day trip to Shifen Old Street aka Lantern Village! It was a great first-time experience for me doing the lantern. I went with a couple girlfriends and we made an enjoyable day trip out of it. We took the TRA Train to Ruifang that took about an hour, depending on the train. Then we took the Pingxi line to the Shifen station; luckily the train comes every hour so make sure you time it carefully. This is indeed a great place for tourist as there is so much to do in this area. The main attraction is the Sky Lantern. You can write wishes on these lanterns and set it to the sky. These lanterns cost around $150-400 TWD, which isn't too bad. All of us got a chance to write what we wanted and decorated our lantern. The staff provides colored paint and brushes to decorate how you please. Our photographer was absolutely phenomenal and took VERY good care of us by taking TONS of photos and great videos! I love capturing the great memories! After we took the photos we made a wish and set our lantern free! The staff helps you with lighting it up and sending it off for you. Viola, just like that! This experience is one I will always remember! There are also some food and shopping vendors around the village. Make sure to try some of the street foods as some of them were quite tasty. I appreciated trying the different flavor nougats and wish I would have purchased more; arghh! Definitely do this when you're in the area, you will never regret it! After walking past Shifen Old Street, you can visit the Shifen Waterfall. It's not too far a walk but dress for the weather. And pack lots of water.

We came on a rainy day hoping it wouldn't be too crowded but alas everyone else has the same thing in mind. We skipped the h20 falls and headed straight to the tracks. Both sides of the train tracks were lined w stores selling all imaginable souvenirs and of course the paper lanterns. They come in solid and combo colors w different meanings attached depending on what you are wishing for. Prices were starting at $NTD150 for solids and $NTD200 for combo colors. The price includes the photo op w your ball on along the tracks. Super fun activity to do when in taiwan.

Like all of the other tourists, we went to Shifen to release lanterns. The Old Street is just one narrow street along the railroad tracks. It's a lot of fun but know that is purely a tourist attraction. Shops sell souvenirs (mini lanterns), sky lanterns to light up, and different types of snacks. We're not the creative type and it was hard for us to fill up all four sides of the sky lanterns with designs. Once we were finally done, we went out to the tracks, took lots of photos, and watched the sky lantern carry our message up into the air, along with the hundreds of other lanterns in the air. It was romantic and lovely but at the same time, I felt bad for polluting the environment. What goes up must come down. Looking back, if I could do it over, I would probably not add to the trashed lantern problem in the area.

I'm on a Klook One Day Tour that originates from Taipei MRT Station. The weather is around 19 Celsius but drizzling. Our sixth and final stop is Shifen Old Street for a 1 hour break. Tourist can stop for a snack and shopping. If you want, you can pay 200 NTD to release an inscribed lit Chinese Lantern into the heavens. The vendor will also take with your cellphone a photograph & video of you releasing the lantern.

With all the popular lantern festivals and movies that include lantern lighting, it's no wonder that this tourist attraction is extremely popular. This was definitely one of the highlights of my trip and an activity (and tourist spot) that I recommend people doing at least once! Because the streets are super narrow, most people walk up to where the railroad tracks and lanterns are. Most people come via tour bus or taxi, so expect there to be a fairly large crowd throughout all times of the day. However, with all the different lantern stalls and shops, you're guaranteed to find one quickly and start the lantern "ceremony" without too much of a wait. Lanterns used to be used as a communicating device for the railroad workers, but now people use them to write their wishes and send them into the sky for good luck. The lantern ceremony break-down: -Find a vendor and buy your paper lantern. There are solid colors where each represent something different (i.e. White stood for brightness and joy) for NT$150 and multi-colored lanterns for NT$200. I had in mind lanterns that would fit in my hand, but these are huge! Almost 4 feet tall and you're able to write your wishes on all four sides of the lantern. -The workers clip the lantern to an easel and you use a brush and ink to write whatever you want on the lantern. I saw people drawing pictures, writing bible verses, writing their names, etc. -After all four sides are done (or however you feel like is enough), you tell the worker and they bring it out to the railroad track where somebody will help you with the releasing. -For the release, you need two people to hold onto each side. Since my sister and I both had our own, we just helped each other for our lantern releasing. The worker helping us was incredibly funny and helped make the experience that much more fun. When he realized we spoke primarily English, he hyped up the whole experience, taking pictures of our family and telling us how to pose. -You take pictures with each side of the lantern (if there are things written on every side), then the worker lights it up, you take one final picture (be sure to choose the side you want!) before choosing when to let it go. When he saw we were recording the process and Snapchatting it, he recorded us and even took pictures! tl;dr - Super fun experience - lanterns are going up left and right and you can take pictures on the tracks and even enjoy food from the few vendors up there as well. Every vendor has the same price for their lanterns, but I definitely enjoyed the experience from the worker who helped us. Be sure to jump off the tracks when you hear the train bell! Highly recommend this experience!

The cutest place ever! There was so much to see and so much going on. The minute I stepped off the train I fell in love. This is a total tourist attraction so get ready to push through the streets of Shifen. There are so many lantern shops, so don't feel like you need to stop at the first one you see. Tip: if you walk toward the end of the street, there is less of a crowd. Everyone go into the middle of the train tracks to take their photos, however every hour the train runs though, and they make sure everyone is moved out of the way. At night it's the prettiest, because you see all the lanterns float up in the sky and light up. This is also very close to the Shifen waterfalls, you can walk (a bit of a walk) or take the train one stop. I would recommend, if you're traveling this is a must!!!!

HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! This is something you couldn't find in any place/countries. The experience is totally priceless. Well... actually the sky lantern costs NT$150 (US$3 only!!!). It is such cute idea to write down your wishes on the paper lantern and let it go in the air. I like to come here around 5pm while it is still bright so you could enjoy the city and take pictures/video of your sky lantern release "ceremony". Then couple hours later, you can see the night time view when they release the sky lantern into the sky... so beautiful!! Definitely come during weekdays because way less crowded and the vendor can give you more attention.

An extremely touristy place where every little shop have souvenirs to sell but everyone of them sell lanterns because that is what they are famous for. The one color one was TW$150 and he multi color one was TW$200. There is also a suspension bridge nearby that you can also check out while you're there. I came here twice actually so I made different wishes. The workers are very helpful. After you finish writing your wishes, they will help you take pictures and even film you when you release the lantern. They really take an extra step to make your experience memorable. They will make sure your whole experience is captured. They give you suggested for poses and angles. I was only one person getting the lantern so there was a worker who held my lantern and hid behind it so I can have a nice picture with a blown up lantern not a flat one. However my second time, the guy who helped me was so bad he didn't even capture when I released the balloon and all my pictures came out bad. and he didn't know angles and he was overall terrible at his job but I guess I was greedy enough to make two wishes. That's what I get :(

Highly recommended. It's an out of the way train stop and small town, but it more than makes up for it in quaint charm, ambiance and the lantern lighting. The lantern lighting is affordable and accessible ($150-200 NTD) and is done directly on the train tracks. Great photo opportunity. There is also a bridge nearby that is another nice photo-op toward town. Very glad to have stopped by here.

Honestly, we just came here to light a lantern, so I can't really speak to the food that's here. I just know there are restaurants on the sides. There are also "gas station"-like shops if you want a quick snack and street food type stalls. Anyways, to light a lantern, there are a TON of stalls you can buy from. Pretty much all selling the same thing for about the same price. The store keepers are really helpful at telling you what to do and even taking pictures of you and your lantern. Overall, a really cute and quaint street. An active train runs through the narrow street - it's pretty amusing seeing people and their lanterns running out of the way to let the train pass.

Popularized for the floating lanterns and the trail leading to the Shifen Waterfalls. Flight of the wish lantern costs around NTD100-NTD200. Preserved old street but modern stores and resturants are also built along the rail side. Try the stuffed chicken, authentic dumplings, and street foods. From the city: (4248) Taipei Station to Houting (4744) Houtung to Shihfen

DIRECTIONS: Take the train over from Ruifang station (which is accessible via bus from the Taipei MRT Main Station) - if the weather is on your side, you can even make a pit stop at Houtong or Cat Village since it's on the ride to Shifen Old Street. The street is not as big as Jiufen Old Street, with not nearly as many tourists to finagle around, but make sure to walk on both sides of the train tracks. ACTIVITIES: Hands down the thing to do here is to do the sky lanterns. As befitting our time in Taipei, we decorated our lantern with sketches of cats. The guy assigned to our lantern was super friendly, took multiple pictures from various angles, and even shot a video of us setting off the totally-not-environmentally-sound paper lantern setting sail for the sky. FOOD: Where to begin. Your first stop should be the chicken stuffed with rice. They brush some kind of spicy, salty, sesame-laden crack onto the chicken as it grills. My boyfriend and I bought one to split, realized the treasure in our hands after a few bites, and then promptly got another one while waiting in the rain with soaked sneakers for the train to come. Hands down one of the best things I've eaten on this trip. The little dough fish with chocolate and vanilla custard were also a treat but we should have gotten a third chicken. All in all, I liked how this was a little more laid back and less crowded than Jiufen, but there's not an incredible amount of things to do here, so I would keep an eye on the train schedule.

Pingxi is famous for their lanterns and is about a 1.5 hour train ride from the city. There happens to be a stop right before Pingxi called Shifen which is way more popular and provides all the same touristy benefits: food, music, lanterns. I would recommend stopping at Shifen for a more lively experience + it saves you 1 more stop on the train!!

If you want to get out of Taipei for some authentic Taiwan and hiking, you should take the train to Ruifang, then connect to the Pingxi tourist line. One of the stops is Shifen. Perfect for a 2-3 hour stop. While it isn't the real place for floating lanterns, you can launch a lantern for $150 taiwan dollars. Their street food all along the walk way is a hot overpriced, but full of authentic and new tastes. You can hike to the waterfall - about 25 minutes walk, but I'd recommend you rent a moped for $100 (for one hour) at the end of the walking street. Well worth the quick sprint up to the waterfall and back.

The whole idea of making a wish on a lantern and setting it off to the sky so that your wishes may reach the heavens is really interesting on a first visit, so the second time you visit, I'd say points if interest would be stores you would return to. For me it would be this store on the left side of the track that has mechanical wooden ornaments, the stall really near to it (their wintermelon tea is top-notch), and a few other snack stalls towards the train station side. The waterfall here is a bit bigger than surrounding ones but it just feels too artificial.

A great day trip option, but the highlight is the waterfall! The old street is super touristy, but not bad. You'll find the most popular thing here are the paper lanterns that you can send up (and will eventually burn away). Don't worry about the residual "trash" that ends up remaining, apparently locals and kids often go and retrieve the lantern frames to the shops for a finders fee. One interesting shop that stood out to me here was a small shop on the north side of the tracks that's full of old toys (especially Japanese items). It seems to be owned by a older gentleman who just likes to talk about his collection. He sells beverages and you can pay to take photos in his shop. He seems pretty genuine and if you enjoy a bit of nostalgia, go find him for a bit (you'll need to be able to speak Chinese or Taiwanese though). Overall... if you're headed to the waterfall you have no choice, but it's definitely a fun little walkway with great snacks.

If you are just visiting and don't have work on the weekdays, I would highly recommend to avoid coming on the weekends! The train is already quite crammed to begin with but on weekends it is so packed sometimes it gets difficult to even stand on the train! The street is filled with vendors available for food and drinks but many are here for the sky lanterns. I love the atmosphere here, it really lightens your mood and you can really feel the culture more than the city life. I love the ambience here on evenings. It is a good getaway for a day. Many people release their sky lanterns in the middle of the railway to take pictures but it is actually still an active railway so be careful when the train comes! I think just a few hours will be enough to explore this area, I often do half day here and half day Jiu Feng as our itinerary.

This was kind of a cool place and if you are there, you should see the old street. They have tons of lantern shops there and the price is basically all the same. The vendors has a card where you can pick how many shades of color you want and that will depend on the price. Prices range from $150 TWD to $350 TWD. They also had a ton of souvenirs to buy but I think the visitors center had some cheaper prices. This is definitely a tourist spot and right by the train station. Along this street is also a bunch of food stand type shops, like the night markets, where you can snack and try different things. We had the sweet potatoe balls which were yummy, the takiyoki balls, which was okay, the must try - sausage or chicken on a stick, I liked the chicken; fried octopus balls, and chicken wings stuffed with rice, which was good. We tried a bit of everything different to get a taste of local flavor.