Wondering whether a trip to Taiwan’s Shifen Old Street is worth it? You’ve come to the right place! One of the most popular destinations in the country, Shifen is a historical mining town nestled into the Pingxi Valley.
Once known for its coal mines, the town is now famous for its annual lantern festival! Come and send your very own flying lantern into the sky, and enjoy the Shifen Old Street’s food stalls and cool souvenir stands!
In this article, I have outlined everything you need to know about visiting Shifen Old Street, including a bit of history about it, how to get there, the best time to visit, what to do once there, and much more.
So what are you waiting for? Dive in, and discover everything you need to know about visiting Shifen Old Street in Taiwan!
Contents
Me at the Shifen and Lantern Festival in Taiwan
What is Shifen Old Street?
Shifen Old Street is a little town on the Pingxi Line. The railway was originally built back in 1918 to transport coal from the mines in Pingxi Valley to other cities and towns.
Back then there were just 10 families that lived in Shifen Old Street.
This is why the town was named Shifen, which translates to 10 portions, as that’s the amount of supplies that would get dropped off at the town when the coal was collected!
Sky lanterns flying at night in Shifen during the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival
Decades after the mining industry died out in the early 1970s, the town started to become a popular tourist spot.
But, how did the custom of releasing colorful lanterns from the train tracks start?
Well, back in the mid-1800s the lanterns were released as a way of letting other villagers living up in the surrounding mountains know that there were no bandits and that it was safe to go to the train station to pick up supplies.
Now that bandits are out of the picture, you can attach wishes to them or release them to celebrate a special occasion.
Crowds walking along train tracks at Shifen Old Street Taipei Taiwan with lanterns.
Crowds waiting with umbrellas at Shifen Railway Station Taipei Taiwan on a rainy day.
How To Get To Shifen Old Street
Looking to get to Shifen Old Street on public transport? Your best option is the train from Taipei to Ruifang.
It takes 45 minutes, and from there you’ll have to catch the Pingxi train line to Shifen which takes another half an hour. The perk is that the journey winds through the scenic Pingxi Valley, so you’ll be spoilt for views!
If you feel confident taking on the roads in Taiwan you could rent a car and drive there. From Taipei it takes about an hour to get to Shifen, so it’s not far at all.
Fancy adding some stops along the way? Then take the less direct driving route and stop at other historical mining towns like Shenkeng, Shiding, and Pingxi along the way!
Crowded standing-room train from Taipei to Ruifang Taiwan with passengers holding handrails.
Me taking a selfie on a crowded Taipei to Ruifang Taiwan train.
Shenkeng Old Street is an awesome street worth visiting. It’s informally known as the tofu capital of Taiwan! Stop for a must-try stinky tofu dish at one of the many food stalls and restaurants on the bustling street.
Alternatively, you can book yourself onto a hassle-free tour! That way you can leave the planning to someone else and fully enjoy the experience.
I’d recommend this epic Shifen Old Street Taiwan tour. There are more tours you can check out below!
Click here to book your Shifen Old Street tour in Taiwan!
Sky lanterns flying at night in Shifen during the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival
Best Time To Visit Shifen Old Street
Nowadays you can light a flying lantern in Shifen Old Street any day of the year! This is super cool as it means you can fit it around your Taiwan travel itinerary.
It’s worth bearing in mind that in February the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival takes place.
It’s celebrated on the first full moon of the Chinese Lunar Calendar, so you’ll need to check the exact dates as they’re different each year. It’s a magical event, but it is also the most crowded time of year to come!
In terms of the best time of day, morning always tends to be quieter, but in the evenings when all the lanterns are lit up it becomes even more magical.
Me posing on train tracks at Shifen Old Street Taipei Taiwan with lanterns in the sky.
What Is There To Do At Shifen Old Street
It goes without saying that the main attraction of coming to Shifen Old Street is the flying lanterns.
Traditionally they were used as a way of signalling between the local villagers who would let each other know the coast was clear of bandits and it was safe to pick up supplies from the train station.
But the tradition of flying lanterns is much older than that. Thought to have been invented in the Three Kingdoms period around 220 AD, sending a lantern up into the night sky is an age-old tradition.
Many locals attach wishes to the Gods to their lanterns. It was common for farmers to send them off around the planting season, with messages asking for plentiful harvests!
Aside from that, there are loads of street food stalls and souvenir stands you can check out. Bear in mind that whilst there are no formal Shifen Old Street opening hours, all the shops and food spots close by 7 PM.
Tourists and locals releasing colorful sky lanterns at Shifen Old Street Taipei Taiwan.
Family helping children release a lantern at Shifen Old Street Taipei Taiwan.
After that, the town is pretty dead!
There also isn’t an entrance fee for visiting the town, but you will have to pay for your own flying lantern.
Expect to pay around $6 for a single-colour lantern, $8 for a lantern with four colours on it, and $11 for the most expensive eight-colour lanterns. Usually, people opt for the basic red lanterns.
There are also eco-friendly lanterns made of that tend to be more expensive, but I highly recommend you opt for one of these, so you know that your lantern isn’t causing trouble once it falls back to the ground.
Local souvenir and lantern shop at Shifen Old Street Taipei Taiwan.
About The Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival
Celebrated on the first full moon of the Chinese Lunar Calendar, the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival is one of the most memorable festivals in the world.
Tens of thousands of visitors flock to the little hillside town throughout the festival, and it’s estimated that more than 1,000 lanterns are released in the sky on the Lantern Festival night!
It’s a breathtaking sight you won’t forget! I thought I’d walked into the Rapunzel movie!
Crowds releasing glowing lanterns at night during Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival Taiwan.
Dozens of lanterns lighting up the sky at Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival Taiwan.
It’s important to know that during the festival you can’t drive to Shifen, you can only travel there by public transport.
The only downside is that there are huge crowds this time of year, so it depends on whether you mind it being more busy.
It’s definitely the best time of year to take your Shifen Old Street photos! The lanterns look like twinkling stars slowly disappearing into the dark sky – a magical moment you’ll treasure for years to come!
Me in yellow raincoat watching lanterns rise at Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival Taiwan.
Best Shifen Old Street Tours
Looking for the best Shifen Old Street tours? I’ve got you covered!
The great thing is most tours stop at other popular attractions in the area like the charming town Juifen, so you can tick off more Taiwan highlights from your travel list.
This awesome full-day tour from Taipei takes about 9 hours. You’ll get to send a lantern up into the sky in Shifen and get up close to the immense Shifen Waterfall, as well as strolling through the charming streets of Jiufen.
After visiting these charming towns, the tour goes to Yehliu Geopark which is famous for its alien-like rock formations! For a varied day that packs loads in, this is the tour for you!
Click here to see prices & availability for your Shifen, Jiufen and Yehliu guided tour!
The musical stage performances between lantern launches during the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival in Shifen, Taiwan
If you’re not bothered about going to the Yehliu Geopark, then book this half-day tour.
It takes about 5 hours and includes a visit to Shifen Old Street where you’ll get to send a wish into the cosmos attached to your lantern and hike up the little hill behind the town for panoramic views.
After that, you’ll head to the Golden Waterfall near Jiufen before heading into the little town for street food!
Click here to book your Shifen and Jiufen half day tour!
Me posing on tracks as lanterns float above Shifen Old Street Taipei Taiwan.
Planning on driving to Shifen yourself or you’ve already planned public transport to get there? Then book this sky lantern voucher.
The price includes a sky lantern (which you can share with up to 4 people) from the Happy Lantern Shop.
You’ll get directions to the store with your booking QR code and you can use the voucher anytime within 6 months of booking it.
The shop owners are super friendly and helpful, and they’re always happy to take loads of pictures of you sending your lantern into the air!
It’s a great way to guarantee you have the best Shifen Old Street lantern experience and don’t have to queue for ages.
Click here to book your sky lantern experience in Shifen!
Visitors walking along tracks and prepping lanterns at Shifen Old Street Taipei Taiwan.
Crowds walking and shopping along train tracks at Shifen Old Street Taipei Taiwan.
Where to stay to visit Shifen Old Street
Although there are some accommodation options in Shifen, most people wouldn’t actually recommend staying in Shifen.
I visited on a day trip from Taipei so I can’t comment on what the evening atmosphere is like, but I’ve heard everything tends to shut down pretty early once the day trippers leave.
So it’s better to stay somewhere nice and central in Taipei, so that you can easily travel to Shifen and back.
During our trip we stayed at Grand Hotel Taipei, a beautiful historical hotel with escape tunnels under the hotel, which were built so that foreign dignitaries would have a quick escape route if any attacks happened.
The exterior of Grand Hotel Taipei in Taiwan
Final Thoughts On Shifen Old Street Taiwan
Shifen Old Street is a charming little town that has a heap of local history, mouth-watering food stalls, and super cute souvenir stands.
It’s the coolest place in Taiwan to send off your own flying lantern, with any wishes or messages you want to put out into the universe attached!
There are several ways to get there, but without a doubt, a ride on the iconic Shifen Old Street train is hard to forget.
Don’t fancy the hassle of having to organise your transport there? Then book one of the awesome tours in the itinerary!
Have you been to Shifen before? Are you planning to go? I’d love to hear from you, so let me know in the comment below!
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Photo of a blonde girl in a white coat standing on the train tracks of Shifen Old Street looking up at the flying lanterns