How To Visit Shifen Waterfall From Taipei & Shifen Old Street (2026)!

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If you’re looking for an easy Taipei day trip, then look no further than Shifen Waterfall.

Often referred to as ‘Taiwan’s Niagara Falls’, this majestic cascade is an enchanting sight to remember.

I visited as part of my adventures on the Pingxi Line and felt like I was walking through scenes plucked from the pages of a fairytale.

Here is how to visit Shifen Waterfall from Taipei and Shifen Old Street in Taiwan.

Shifen Waterfall Taiwan — *Shifen Waterfall*

Why visit Shifen Waterfall?

Shifen Waterfall (十分大瀑布) is the widest cascade in Taiwan, dropping from a height of 20 metres into an emerald lagoon.

It is the country’s most famous waterfall, and the incredible panoramic views leave a lasting impression.

It is often nicknamed Taiwan’s Niagara Falls and is a very easy and popular day trip from Taipei.

You can visit Shifen along with other notable attractions on the Pingxi Line for an unforgettable day out.

How to get to Shifen Waterfall from Taipei

Shifen Waterfall is located in the Pingxi District of New Taipei City on the Keelung River.

It’s easy to visit Shifen by train, and the journey will take just over an hour if you make your connection.

You can take a train from Taipei Main Station to Ruifang Station. Then, take the Pingxi Line to Shifen.

This is what I did, and I found the journey panoramic and relaxing. The trains on the Pingxi Line also have a historic charm with the circular partitions.

But they can also be heaving with people as services are limited. So, keep this in mind!

Alternatively, you can take the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle to Shifen from Taipei Muzha MRT Station to the Shifen visitor centre.

Pingxi Line Train — *Cute carriages on the Pingxi Line*

Pingxi Line Shifen Station Taiwan — *Crowds arriving at Shifen Station*

Pingxi Railway Line Pass

If you’re going to be travelling on the Pingxi Railway Line to visit Shifen, I highly recommend purchasing a Pingxi Line Pass from Ruifang Station.

It’s a full-day ticket that provides unlimited rides on the Pingxi Line that day and can save you time and money. It costs $80 NTD (£1.80 / $2.50).

There are lots of amazing stops on this railway line worth visiting beyond Shifen.

You can stop by Pingxi Old Street, Jingtong or the adorable Houtong Cat Village!

Why not take a guided tour?

If you would rather take the hassle out of planning your travels, why not take a guided tour?

There are plenty of tours from Taipei that visit Shifen Waterfall along with other popular attractions like Jiufen and Yehliu Geopark.

Tours & Tickets

BOOK YOUR ACTIVITIES HERE

Exploring Shifen Old Street

Once you arrive at Shifen Station, you’ll exit right into the thick of Shifen Old Street.

This is a vibrant thoroughfare filled with shops, cafés, restaurants and vendors selling all sorts of things.

If you’re feeling peckish, there are stinky tofu stalls, peanut ice cream vendors, noodles, waffles and bubble tea in abundance.

There are also many gorgeous shops selling Taiwan souvenirs if you’re on the hunt for a postcard or fridge magnet.

A popular thing to do here is light a sky lantern. Many shops offer this service, and you’ll see tourists on the tracks all day making wishes.

How it works is you buy a paper lantern and then write what wishes you’d like for the future. You then light it and release it into the ether!

Also, don’t miss the spectacle of watching the Pingxi Line train making its way through the street.

You’ll see vendors shooing everyone off the tracks when it happens, and it’s great to photograph or video.

How to walk to Shifen Waterfall

The walk to Shifen Waterfall from Shifen Old Street is around 30 minutes or 2 kilometres.

It will take you around 15 minutes (1 kilometre) to reach Shifen Visitor Centre, which marks the start of the waterfall trail.

From there, you’ll need to walk to the waterfall (1 kilometre), which will take another 15-20 minutes or so depending on your speed.

The walk from the Old Street to Shifen Visitor Centre is easy enough to navigate and requires walking alongside a main road.

It’s a very popular route, and many other visitors will be doing the same thing.

The waterfall is also clearly signposted with brown signs, so it will be difficult to lose your way.

Alternatively, you could take the tourist shuttle to the visitor centre from Shifen Station. But note that services only run once per hour.

Arriving at Shifen Visitor Centre

Eventually, you’ll arrive at Shifen Visitor Centre, which is a huge stone building at the start of the waterfall trail.

This has an information desk, free WiFi, some free-to-use public toilets and a café if you were feeling thirsty.

It’s also quite a nice third space to relax as there were some covered benches overlooking the river to admire the views.

The hike to the waterfall from here will take around 15 minutes, and you’ll start the walk behind this building.

Siguangtan & Guanpu Suspension Bridges

The Shifen Waterfall walk starts by crossing Siguangtan Suspension Bridge behind Shifen Visitor Centre.

This is a gorgeous aerial walkway that allows you to cross over the Keelung River.

Siguangtan Suspension Bridge How to visit Shifen Waterfall Taiwan — *Siguangtan Suspension Bridge*

You’ll then follow the trail down several stairs and along the water until you reach the Guanpu Suspension Bridge.

Under the bridge, you’ll catch a glimpse of Yanjingdong Falls. They are quite small cascades but beautiful.

At the end of the bridge, you’ll find the Zhiqiu Green View House, which is a popular restaurant serving lunch.

If you’re not interested, just keep following the trail until you reach Shifen Waterfall Park.

Exploring Shifen Waterfall Park

Before you reach the waterfall, you’ll enter a small park filled with statues, swings and mining carts with coal.

As it had just passed the Lunar New Year, there were all sorts of bronze zodiac statues here with trees adorned with red ribbons.

This is a popular tradition in Taiwan, and it means that many wishes were made for the coming year.

Then, you’ll enter a long tourist street with all sorts of vendors selling snacks, drinks, stinky tofu and souvenirs.

As it was such a hot day, I enjoyed one of their fresh fruit popsicles, which was so tasty and refreshing.

There was even a koi carp pond you could drop pennies into and make a wish.

I have to admit, this part felt very commercialised. But, thankfully, the waterfall is a preserved place of natural beauty.

So, keep walking past the vendors and gift shops until you reach Shifen Waterfall.

Shifen Waterfall Viewpoint

At the end of the tourist market, you’ll find the main Shifen Waterfall viewpoint or Observation Deck 4.

This platform can get incredibly crowded, but it does provide amazing views of the cascades.

You can see the water crashing down into an emerald lagoon below, which is nicknamed the ‘Rainbow Pool’.

This is because when the sun is shining, you can often see a colourful rainbow in the vapour of the water.

I was super happy as I got to see this on my visit! It made the waterfall even more enchanting. Like something from a fairytale.

How tall is Shifen Waterfall?

Shifen Waterfall is 20 metres high (66 feet) and also 40 metres wide (30 feet).

It’s the widest waterfall in Taiwan, and the word ‘Shifen’ translates to “ten parts” in Mandarin, referring to ten original local families of this area.

It does make for an amazing spectacle, especially when the water levels are strong after heavy rain.

Hearing the sounds of the cascade crashing down into the lagoon below is something that leaves a lasting impression.

Shifen Waterfall Observatory Trail

Most tourists leave after seeing the waterfall from the main viewing area.

But I highly recommend taking Shifen Waterfall Observatory Trail if you have the time to spare.

This trail has a handful of observation decks with far better views of the waterfall and fewer crowds than the main viewpoint.

I will warn you, there are a lot of stairs to navigate both up and down, but I thought it was well worth the effort for the panoramic views.

Observation Decks 1, 2 & 3

You’ll first reach Observation Deck 1 on the Observatory Trail, and this is the highest viewpoint of Shifen Waterfall.

This viewpoint is amazing as it provides an incredible aerial perspective of the cascades, but I much preferred Observation Decks 2 & 3.

Observation Deck 2 has a more romantic view in my opinion, and the glass balcony provides a great photo opportunity with you in the photo.

Then, if you head further down, you’ll find the very best views of Shifen Waterfall from Observation Deck 3.

There’s a lot more room to move around at this viewpoint, so you can get some excellent photos of the waterfall without crowds of people.

The only downside of visiting these viewpoints is the long and steep staircase back to the top that will leave you aching and gasping for air!

Shifen Waterfall Observatory TRail — *The many stairs back up*

Is Shifen Waterfall worth visiting?

Yes, I think that Shifen Waterfall is a must-visit if you’re travelling to Taipei.

It’s a stunning cascade that looks like something from the pages of a storybook.

It’s also free to visit and very easy to access along a well-marked trail. I enjoyed every minute.

I also found my time spent in Old Shifen Street charming. I loved watching people light wish lanterns and seeing the train pass through.

Don’t skip this enchanting day trip from Taipei; it’s a panoramic paradise and it’s natural beauty will amaze you.

Opening hours & entry fees

Amazingly, it’s completely free to visit Shifen Waterfall in Taiwan. It used to have an entry fee but no longer does.

The only thing you have to be mindful of is the opening hours. The waterfall is typically open from 9 am to 5 pm daily. Last entry 4.30 pm.

So, don’t leave visiting too late. I would get to the waterfall by at the latest 4 pm, so you have enough time for the Observatory Trail.

Also, visiting anytime before 11 am will mean that you skip the majority of tour groups who overrun this place by midday.

How long do you need to visit Shifen?

I think you’ll need around 1-3 hours to visit Shifen and the waterfall comfortably.

It takes around 30 minutes each way from Shifen Old Street to reach the waterfall park.

Then, I would allow another 20 minutes to complete the Waterfall Observatory Trail.

You’ll also want to leave enough time to explore Shifen Old Street, which is filled with delights.

You can watch the spectacle of the train travelling through the street, buy tasty food, browse for local souvenirs and release a wish lantern!

Can you swim in Shifen Waterfall?

Although it is tempting, you are not allowed to swim at Shifen Waterfall for safety reasons.

There are barriers all over the area stopping you from entering the lagoon and using it as a swimming hole.

It is disappointing as I was roasting on the day I visited, and I was seriously tempted to dive in. But safety first.

Important tips

As the waterfall emits spray, I would make sure to bring a layer to cover up when the cascades are strong.

The spray also causes the viewing decks to get quite slippery, so make sure you’re wearing a pair of sensible walking shoes.

I would bring cash for the food vendors by the waterfall as they don’t always take card payments.

Drone photography is strictly prohibited at Shifen Waterfall.

You’re also not allowed to swim in the waterfalls, fish, smoke, or release lanterns here.

Things to do nearby

After you’ve finished visiting Shifen, there are plenty of things to do in the nearby area.

Yehliu Geopark is one of the most breathtaking attractions in Taiwan, with a wealth of interesting rock formations by the sea shaped by nature over time.

The peninsula covers 1,700 metres beside Datun Mountain, and the most famous feature to see is the Queen’s Head.

I also loved my visit to the far quieter Heping Island Geopark in Keelung nearby.