Shifen, New Taipei, Taiwan
Since Shifen is just a short train ride from Houtong Cat Village, I headed there next. Shifen is famous for its old street, sky lanterns, and waterfall—my main reasons for visiting.
It was still pouring rain, and navigating the crowded old street with umbrellas everywhere wasn’t easy. In the centre was the train track, people were releasing lanterns with messages of their wishes. I considered doing one, but knowing not all are retrieved, I chose to just watch for environmental reasons. Tourists wrote messages on all sides of their lanterns before lighting and releasing them from the train tracks.
Afterward, I went to see the waterfalls. The area had a mix of small and large falls, with paths that leads to different viewpoints along the way. Right at the beginning were the shops, I spotted a Thai-style temple and grabbed a bite to eat before exploring. The path was mossy and slippery, so I was careful on my footing. The largest waterfall—dubbed “Taiwan’s Niagara Falls”—was beautiful, but the heavy rain made it hard to fully enjoy. By the end, I wasn’t sure if I was soaked from the rain and splashes from the falls or from sweating.
On my way back to Taipei, the trains were delayed due to the rain. It took a lot longer for me to get back into the city.
Route Detail
Distance: 4.29km out & back from Shifen Station
Total elevation gain: 61m
Time: 1h 16m (total time with breaks 1h 53m)
Difficulty: Easy
Transportation & Miscellaneous
Train from Houtong Station to Shifen Station NT$22
Food NT$160
