Visiting Shifen and releasing a sky lantern was one of the highlights of our day tour. Earlier in the day, we had explored Yehliu Geopark, and after Shifen, we would continue on to Jiufen. Located in New Taipei City, Shifen is roughly a two-hour drive from Yehliu.
This charming town is well known for its nostalgic Old Street, the unique experience of releasing sky lanterns along active railway tracks, and the beautiful Shifen Waterfall. Unfortunately, we only had about 45 minutes here, so everything felt quite rushed.
While we were on the coach, our tour guide had already grouped us into fours to share one lantern. Since the sky lantern activity was included in our package, we could either share with others or purchase our own lantern for a small fee. As I didn’t bring enough cash, we decided to share. It is worth noting that most places in Shifen are cash-only, so it is best to prepare in advance.
Releasing a lantern symbolises hope, dreams, and letting go of worries. According to our guide, you write your wishes on the lantern, and when it is released into the sky, the gods will bless them. She shared that many of her previous clients returned after their wishes came true—only to write new ones! Her advice was to be very specific with your wishes. For example, she mentioned a friend who wished for a rich, handsome, and tall boyfriend. A few months later, she met someone who matched all those qualities… but he was 30 years older than her. So yes—be careful what you wish for!
Each lantern colour carries its own meaning: red represents health and peace, yellow is for wealth and success, dark pink for popularity, blue for career promotion, pink for bliss and joy, orange for love and marriage, green is for success, white for future brightness, and purple for academic success.
Prices vary depending on the type of lantern. A single-colour lantern costs around NT$200, while a four-colour lantern ranges from NT$200–250, and an eight-colour lantern costs about NT$350–400, depending on the shop. There is even a super-sized lantern available for around NT$1000.
We were given a red lantern, which was secured on a metal clothing frame. Each of us wrote our wishes on one side before flipping it over for others to write theirs. Once everyone had finished, the shop assistants helped us carry it to the railway track. We took plenty of photos and videos before releasing it and watching it float gracefully into the sky.
We weren’t lucky enough to see a train pass through while we were there, although I have seen videos of how exciting that can be. After releasing the lantern, we spent some time browsing the shops. Our guide mentioned that souvenirs in Shifen are generally cheaper than in Jiufen—often by NT$10–50 per item—so it is a good place to shop for better deals.
Soon after, we headed back to the coach to continue our journey to Jiufen. Shifen is also famous for its waterfall and suspension bridge, offering scenic views of the surrounding landscape—definitely worth exploring if you have more time.