One of the best spots in Taiwan is Shifen located in Pingxi District, Taipei. Surrounded by nature forestry, lake and river this is a must go place when visiting and travelling Taiwan. Enjoy flying a lantern at Shifen Old Street and be amazed with Shifen Scenic Area where you can find the 20 meter high Shifen Waterfalls.
Shifen is a coal mining village during the Japanese era, the train tracks are mainly used to transport the coals. Today, the track transformed for commuter train and is still functioning catering the needs of every passenger going along Pingxi.
Fly a lantern at Shifen Old Street
Pingxi District as a whole is known for its Lantern Festival, where thousands of locals and tourist gather and fly a sky lantern. In the early civilization, a sky lantern is used as for those who are living and working in railroad mining industry.
Shifen Old Street have varieties of foods stalls and souvenir shops. Their popular food in the area is stuffed chicken wings (literally a chicken wing with sticky rice inside) , expect long lines for this food when the train arrives. A good food after a 40 minute train ride.
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| Stuffed chicken wings |
You can paint you wishes on a lantern and fly them. There are many shops offering sky lantern at Shifen Old Street and they have almost identical pricing. A one colored lantern (mostly red) costs NT$150 (Php250), a four colored lantern costs NT$200 (Php340) and a eight colored lantern priced between NT$250-2580 (Php425-480). Every color of a lantern has a meaning, it could be love, hope, peace, strength and other.
Anyone in the store will surely politely assists you to fly the lantern, and don’t you worry about your picture souvenir with the lantern before it flies as they are good photographer and videographer too. Don’t forget to buy you mini lantern keychain souvenir in the shops.
Note:
Always be watchful when you are in the train tracks, the train is passing on those same train tracks although the locals will warn everyone if the train is almost near Shifen Old Street.
Shifen Waterfalls
Shifen waterfalls is the most scenic area in Taiwan, the waterfall is 20 meter high located at Shifen Scenic Area.
It is a 15-20minute walk from Shifen Old Street, you can opt for a taxi but it is only the halfway, you still need to walk. Well, walking is a good exercise plus enjoying the view of nature. Everyone will cross two suspension bridge (you must have your balancing act). At the end of the second bridge is the Shifen waterfall park where food stalls and souvenir shops are located.
There are lots viewing deck to view the shifen waterfall and you will left in awe on how amazing the waterfall is. Although, no one is allowed to have a swim in the falls.
How to get to Shifen?
From Taipei Main Station, ride MRT Blue line (Bannan Line) and get off to Zhongxiao Xinsheng station and use Exit 2. Take a bus (Bus# 1601 and 1602) to Ruifang Train Station, this is around 40minutes bus ride. At Ruifang Train Station, use Platform 3 for the Pingxi Line. Ride the old looking train up to Shifen Station, you will get off at Shifen Old Street. By train, ride a TRA train going to Ruifang Station and transfer to Pingxi Line to Shifen.
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