Shifen is well known for the Shifen Waterfall (十分大瀑布), a 40 meter tall waterfall that creates a
rainbow as it splashes into the lake, widely regarded as the most scenic in all of Taiwan. The train
station, originally built for transporting coal, was built right alongside the Shifen Old Streets (十分老街)
and today stands as a reminder of Taiwan’s history and culture. With the marketplace surrounding the
train station and the openness in which people can freely cross the tracks running straight through the
centre of town, the marketplace area of Shifen is definitely an interesting place for visitors to check out.
Pingxi is special for its unique architecture and design, as its market area, Pingxi Old Street (平溪老街),
is built into a hill with a train track going overhead right through the middle with shops around selling
local food and gifts. Visitors are able to check out shops built during the 1930s and 1940s, as well as
wooden houses built during the Japanese occupation era.
Both towns are located along the Pingxi Line (平溪線) of the train system (accessible from Ruifang), and
is a great day trip.
A nice route to follow is first disembark at Shifen Station (十分) to visit the old streets town area and
waterfall. Continue on the train towards the terminal station, Jingtong (菁桐), to visit the town and its
historical attractions. Finally, walk back along the tracks to Pingxi (around 20 mins) to enjoy a nice snack
and set a lantern into the sky. Hopefully by then it will be dark enough for you to light your lantern and
watch it fly over the horizon. Don’t forget to stand on the train tracks as you let your lantern go!
In 2020, the Lantern Festival (元宵節, Yuanxiaojie) will be held around 8 February.