The highlight of the Sky Lantern Festival was the mass ascension of lanterns at Shifen Square starting at 5:45PM. Within few seconds, the lanterns with different kinds of languages carrying prayers and hopes gradually rose up to the sky. Visitors wrote down their wishes and blessings on four sides of the lanterns that were brought onto the tracks and lit and operated each by the man. The shops selling foods, drinks, souvenirs, and mainly sky lanterns were on both sides of the rail tracks. People jumped off the tracks when a train was approaching and returned to the tracks for continuation of lantern release activity. To me it was really unimaginable seeing a lot of people standing on the railway tracks taking photos and releasing the lanterns. Before my entering to the old street I was told that people “Releasing Lantern activity” on the rail tracks and I did not believe what I heard till I got there. Upon my arrival I got so excited at seeing a few lanterns flying in the sky right at the moment I got off the bus. It will take you directly to the village of Shifen, located in the mountain area of northeastern Taiwan. To get there, the most economic, easiest, and convenient way from Taipei is to take the shuttle bus at MRT Taipei Zoo station, about a 50-minute bus ride. You will be watching mass sky lantern releases ascending the sky. If you happen to be in Taipei Taiwan on the 15th day of Chinese lunar January, try to take a visit to Shifen to experience one of the world famous events–Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival. Hope you have a good time in all future Lantern Festivals in Shifen I noticed that there are very limited seats on Taipei buses. If you opt for standing room (ie stand for the bus ride), the queue is very much shorter and faster. ![]() Going back to Ruifang, as mentioned hike back up to where the bus stop, and cross the road to pick up the bus back to Ruifang. You can also let go of your lanterns around that area. ![]() On the event day, towards the waterfall, it is like a festival with food stores etc. When you get down to Shifen, you will see signage to the train tracks or to the waterfall, the tracks is where everyone (on regular days and on the event day light and let go of their lanterns). The ride to and from Ruifang is about 40 to 50 mins). The main thing I want to add is about transportation from Ruifang station, for this event for NT 30 (you can use the Taipei MRT card to pay too) there are chartered buses that leave Ruifang station (from the square 5 meters from the station entrance) until 7pm to a bridge / highway where we had to walk down to Shifen village about 15 to 20 mins (and of course walk back up to catch the bus back to Ruifang). In fact, even though there were many people as we walked out of the event location, the crowd was quite civil and we were all walking out rather leisurely (not pushing etc.). But it would have been good if I had brought some small tools or a ground sheet, as we sat opposite the event space and had to wait for a bit before the first release. Even though it was crowded, without entering the main area (just standing on the outside space), it did not feel overly squeezed. The Pingxi lantern festival held in Shifen (towards the waterfall), was a very nice experience. It would have been good and helpful if the event coordinators include this information on their website etc. I wanted to add my review, for those planning to go for future events as I was not able to find the information readily available before I arrived. Therefore, it is evident that events filled with happiness and are hoped to be favored by domestic and overseas travelers alike. In 2016, it was selected as one of the best winter trip by National Geographic Travel. ![]() Additionally, it was named by Fodor's Travel – the world's largest publisher of travel guides – as one of the world's 14 festivals a person must attend in their lifetime. The sky lantern releasing event has been held for more than a dozen years in a row, and it was chosen by Discovery Channel as the “second biggest New Year's Eve celebration in the world” in 2008 and “one of the 52 things to do in 2013 by CNN Travel in 2013”. As thousands of sky lanterns ascend into the dark sky, they carry the blessings of people to the heavens while the specks of red light adorn the sky with a mesmerizing, maroon hue. The Sky Lantern Festival in Pingxi has over a century of history, attracting over 100,000 visitors around the time of the Lantern Festival. The Sky Lantern Festival in Pingxi is an annual festivity held in celebration of the Lantern Festival every year, and it is considered as the most prominent event in Taiwan alongside the Fireworks Festival in south Taiwan.
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