Pingxi
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The Pingxi District lies east of Taipei City, close to Keelung. The main stops in the Pingxi area of Taiwan are Pingxi, Shifen, and Houtong. Pingxi and Shifen are known for their historic and cultural old street areas, as well as for their natural scenic beauty. Houtong is famous for its Cat Village, which also draws a fair amount of people. Pingxi is an especially popular destination due to its annual Sky Lantern Festival, where people gather to write wishes on traditional Chinese lanterns and set them off into the night.
Places of Interest
Ruifang Old Street: Taiwan’s early development was sourced through coal mining. Ruifang was a major coal mining town and is historically important in Taiwanese coal production. Now, it is a sleepy little village that serves as a transportation hub between Taipei, Keelung, Jiufen, and Pingxi. There are a fair amount of food and shops here, and it’s a nice place to walk around if you have time before your train departs on the Pingxi Train Line.
Shifen Old Street: Around Shifen Station are various alleys and streets that comprise Shifen Old Street. When you alight off the train, must walk across the tracks to exit the platform. The carefree and relaxed feel of Shifen is a nice experience. It’s a different part of Taiwan and definitely has special energy. Many people stop at Shifen to release a lantern into the sky and eat the yummy street food.
Jiufen: Jiufen is known for being Hayao Miyazaki’s inspiration for his captivating animation “Spirited Away.” This mountain town was developed during the Japanese occupation after gold was discovered in Jiufen. There are many teahouses and traditional cafes scattered throughout, and it’s a wonderful place to explore.
Shifen Waterfall: This is the largest waterfall in Taiwan, standing 40 meters tall. When it’s sunny, the waterfall creates a rainbow as it pours into the lake below. On the way to Shifen Waterfall, you’ll cross a couple suspension bridges that overlook beautiful teal rivers with green, lush backdrops. It takes about 30 minutes to walk to Shifen Waterfall from Shifen Old Street, but the natural beauty along the way is well worth it.
Travel tip #1: As of July 2018, lanterns in Pingxi and Shifen cost NT$150 (~$5 USD) for a single-colored lantern and NT$200 (~$6 USD) for a multi-colored one. The colors represent different aspects you would like to wish for in your life.
Food
Bubble tea: Bubble tea is a combination of chewy tapioca pearls and tea. The “bubble” part of the name comes from the tapioca pearls (also called “boba”) that sit on the bottom. A popular bubble tea chain I recommend is 50 Lan. My favorite is their black milk tea (50% sugar, less ice) with mini pearls, but their original “big” boba is equally good.
Taiwanese sausage: Sweet and savory with a snap-able outer casing, Taiwanese sausage is one of my favorite grilled meats. The sausage is a bright red color and is sold at many food stands throughout the city, but the ones at Shifen Old Street are nice to enjoy after walking around. They can be extremely hot off the grill, so be cautious before biting.
Peanut ice cream roll: A crepe lines this roll, which is generously coated in a layer of ground toasted peanuts, a couple scoops of ice cream, and sprinkled with cilantro. Seems like a strange combination, but the flavors compliment each other very well. You can watch the vendors expertly prepare these for you upon request. Even better, they’re inexpensive at only NT$40 a roll.
Thick pork noodle soup: This tasty soup is served piping hot and is filled with chewy rice noodles, tender pork, and yummy veggies. The broth is thick, almost gravy-like in consistency, which adds to the dish’s comfort.
Deep fried soft-shell crab: Deep-fried foods are always delightful, but soft-shell crab is one of my favorites. I love that you can eat the entire crab, but these are nice because they’re small and bite-sized. They’re served throughout Taiwan, but they make for a good snack while wandering around the street areas as they’re served in a cup with a toothpick.
Travel tip #2: The peanut ice cream roll was my favorite snack I tried while in Taiwan. If you have the opportunity, definitely give it a try! It seems strange, but the combination is actually very refreshing.
Transportation & Accommodation
To reach the Pingxi District of Taiwan, you have to travel east out of Taipei for about 30-45 minutes by train or bus to reach Ruifang Station. If you opt for either train or bus, do not take any bound for Keelung because you will not be able to access the Pingxi Train Line from Keelung. The 1062 Bus runs from Taipei Main Station, through Songshan Station, and to Ruifang Station and is a reliable way to get to the area.
Once at Ruifang, you can purchase an all-day pass for the Pingxi Train Line for NT$80. Or, you can pay for individual ride tickets at the station. The Pingxi Train does not run frequently, so you must plan accordingly or you could be waiting for an hour for the next train. The train from Ruifang to Shifen Station takes approximately 30 minutes. If you wish to travel further to Pingxi Station, it will take an additional 15 minutes from Shifen.
If traveling from Shifen Old Street to Jiufen, you will need to return to Ruifang and catch the bus heading to Jiufen from the station area. It should cost about NT$25 for a one-way trip. If you are traveling to Jiufen from Taipei City, you can take the 1062 bus directly to Jiufen. It costs NT$100 for single-way travel between Taipei City to Jiufen, and the bus does not give change.
If your travel time allows, it may be best to stay overnight in Keelung or Jiufen to experience more of the Pingxi District at a leisurely pace. There are several hotels and hostels in Jiufen, and Keelung also has reasonable accommodation. Keelung is also home to a terrific night market. It does get relatively busy in Jiufen, even during the week, so be sure to prepare for crowds.
Travel tip #3: I did not have time to make it all the way to Pingxi, but I recommend spending an entire day in the Pingxi District. It’s an easy day trip from Taipei, yet you must be aware of the train times to ensure you can finish everything on your itinerary in one day.
Climate
The Pingxi District has similar year-round temperatures as to Taipei City. However, there is much more rainfall in this area. Due to its mountainous and diverse terrain, some areas experience more rain than others. Additionally, the weather can fluctuate throughout the towns based on topography.