Shifen Old Street

The place in a few words

About 90 minutes from Taipei, Shifen is a former mining village famous for the sky lanterns released above its railway tracks. Traditionally, each lantern colour represents a different wish, from love and health to prosperity and success. You choose your colours, write your wishes and release the lantern into the sky. Trains still pass right through the main street, and a scenic walk leads to the lush Shifen Waterfall.

What we loved

We especially loved taking our time choosing the lantern colours to match our wishes, then getting creative with writing and drawing on it. It's such a simple activity, but we really got into it! Releasing the lantern, watching it float higher and following it until it disappeared into the distance was a lovely moment. And seeing a train pass just a few metres away, right through the village, added an unexpected twist to the experience.

Our tip

We recommend combining Shifen and Jiufen on a day trip from Taipei, starting with Shifen in the morning. Don't stop at the main street: Shifen Waterfall is about a 20-minute walk away and well worth seeing. Grab a bite or a coffee before heading to Jiufen in the afternoon. We did the whole trip independently by public transport and found it easy to organise, with the freedom to explore at our own pace.