Experience Pingxi Sky Lantern and Shifen Waterfall from Taipei

Overview

Pingxi is famous for the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival, which draws hundreds of thousands of people every year. On this tour, you'll learn about the history of Pingxi, and have a special opportunity to launch a sky lantern from a railway track.

Highlights

Key Information

Description

Meet your tour guide and driver in the morning, then take a ride to the suburbs and start a nostalgic tour of Taipei. There are three branch railway lines still operating in Taiwan: the Pingxi Line in Taipei, Neiwan Line in Hsinchu, and Jiji Line in Nantou. As time goes by, these three lines have turned into tourist railways. Pingxi is one of Taiwan’s small towns that prospered from the coal mining industry in the 1960s. The last coal mine closed in 1997 though: many residents moved out, and these towns turned silent and desolate. However, even though its golden age may be long gone, Pingxi became well known as the film location of certain movies and TV commercials. The launching of sky lanterns in Taiwan originated in Shifen, Pingxi District, as a means of communication. Nowadays, the lanterns are symbols of peace and good fortune, and the world-renowned Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival is a huge yearly event that draws hundreds of thousands of people every year. Today, you have the chance to experience this on one of Pingxi’s train tracks: write a message, light your lantern, and watch it fly to the sky. There are plenty of shops along the tracks that sell sky lanterns, souvenirs, and traditional snacks; you may enjoy a little shopping before we head for the next stop — Shifen Waterfall. Also known as “Taiwan’s Niagara Falls,” Shifen Waterfall is the largest cascading waterfall in Taiwan. It's a scenic, popular attraction and easily accessed on foot from Shifen Train Station. When the weather is good, the tumbling waters create a beautiful rainbow as they splash into the lake. After visiting Shifen Waterfall, your tour ends with return transport to your Taipei hotel around noon.