Shifen Old Street (十分老街) is famous for sky lanterns lit on the train tracks that divide the shop-lined street. When a train needs to pass, everyone is ushered off the tracks and the lanterns are left to float away, bearing the wishes of those who lit them.
As lovely as the lanterns are, there’s more to Shifen, from the Jingan Suspension Bridge to the colourful Liao Cheng’an Palace temple (寮成安宮). So let’s get to it!
Shifen Station (十分車站)
Since you’ll almost certainly be arriving in Shifen by train, you’ll see the station anyway, but do take a moment to look back and enjoy the picturesque view of the station surrounded by lush hills. Shifen was a railway town and the tracks originally used to transport coal, so the station is a big part of its history.
Jingan Suspension Bridge (靜安吊橋)
You can’t miss the bridge if you arrive by train, but it’s worth crossing the tracks to get a closer look. The views are beautiful, the bridge itself is pretty and it’s not long, so it’s easy to cross. There’s nothing especially pretty or exciting on the other side – it’s just a residential area – so you can turn back once you’re admired the views.
When I visited, people were letting off fireworks on the bridge, which made for interesting photos.
Light your own sky lantern
Shifen’s sky lanterns used to be lit as railway signals. Now, anyone can light one for 100–150 NTD. There are official staff available to help, so it doesn’t matter if you’re travelling alone. You choose one, hang it on a rail by the tracks to write your wishes on it, the staff will help you light it, and then you can watch it float away.
It’s up to you whether or not you light one, and the trend obviously won’t be stopping any time soon, but I can’t claim I love this planet without noting how bad the lanterns are for the environment. Although they look lovely when lit, they do quickly go out and land rather unceremoniously in the hills and river. You can see one in the river in my photo of the view from the bridge (the red speck on the left). I didn’t light one for these reasons, but again, it’s up to you!
Shop for souvenirs and try street food
All the usual street food is on offer in Shifen – stinky tofu, ice-cream, pineapple cakes, mochi, stuffed chicken wings and more. You can find all your favourite stereotypical souvenirs here, too – you know, fridge magnets, keyrings, postcards and themed plushies – but that’s not all. You’ll also find uniquely Taiwanese souvenirs like mini lanterns and wooden postcards. For me, taking some mini lanterns home was just as good as lighting one!
It’s worth noting that these souvenirs are also available in Jingtong, Pingxi, Jiufen and at some souvenir shops and night markets. I bought my mini lanterns in Pingxi and didn’t notice a massive price difference, even in other cities, but if you do want to shop around, rest assured you can find this stuff elsewhere!
Watch a train passing through
You can’t come to Shifen without seeing everyone rush from the tracks for a train to pass! The tracks are so narrow that it’s fascinating to see the train squeeze through so easily. It’s unlikely you’ll miss this since the trains are hourly.
Liao Cheng’an Palace (寮成安宮)
This temple is dedicated to Mazu, a sea goddess and the most beloved deity in Taiwan. It was by immigrants from Quanzhou when they first came to Taiwan. You may want to skip this if you’re suffering from temple fatigue, but I’ve seen a lot of temples and still really enjoyed this one. There are colourful lanterns outside and the shrine inside is gorgeous.
You can find the temple towards the end of Shifen Old Street, before the FamilyMart. You’ll notice the lanterns leading to it.
Shifen Waterfall (十分瀑布)
Shifen Waterfall is almost as famous as the old street’s sky lanterns. The falls are 40 m wide, making it the widest waterfall in Taiwan. It’s about 1.5 miles/1.8 km from Shifen Station and isn’t a super challenging walk, but you might want to bring umbrellas or raincoats if it’s raining. You can walk along the Old Street on the way.
I didn’t go this far since I’ve seen a lot of nice waterfalls and was still tired from my Four Beasts hike, but it looks lovely on photos! I’ll definitely go and have a look next time.
How to get to Shifen
- By train: Take the Tze-Chiang Limited Express or Fuxing/Shuttle train from Taipei Main Station to Ruifang, then change to another Fuxing/Shuttle to Shifen. Signs and announcements are in Mandarin and English.
- By bus: Take the 795 bus from Muzha Station to Shifenliao. Stop announcements are in Mandarin and English.
- By taxi: A yellow taxi or pre-booked Tripool taxi will cost about 950 – 1300 NTD.
There are also plenty of tours that either focus on Shifen or pass through on the way to Jiufen.
Facilities
You can grab any supplies you need at the FamilyMart, although keep in mind that it’s at the opposite end of the old street to the station.
There are public toilets near the station (signs are clear) and at the Liao Cheng’an Palace temple. These offer both squat and western toilets. There’s also a squat toilet in the FamilyMart but it was filthy when I visited.
For disabled travellers
- Places to rest: There are benches at the station, a few towards the end of the old street, and seating outside the FamilyMart.
- Ease of walking: Shifen is almost entirely flat. The tracks are quite bumpy and require a step up to cross, but it’s a very brief crossing.
- Wheelchairs: Trains and buses are accessible, but I’m not sure if Shifen Station has ramp access. However, if you arrive by bus, you’ll be fine – if people can drive scooters through these streets, you can definitely get a wheelchair in. The tracks would be very difficult to cross in a wheelchair since you need to step up, then up again to get over the rails, but you can cross normally at the end of the old street. The FamilyMart has ramp access.
Shifen is a lovely little railway town and I really enjoyed walking along the old street. I hope you enjoy it too!
Atlas and a Camera 