New Taipei City Travel

As the train enters Yilan Line from Ruifang, we will arrive at Houtong and enter Pingxi Line from Sandiaoling. This railway line stretches amidst the verdant and lush mountainous area of Northern Taiwan, was built due to past prosperous coal mining industry, and is still operating. Besides transporting passengers, this is a popular route for railway trips in which it starts from Houtong. The magnificent achievements of the mining industry can be seen throughout the place in which they brought about railways and the prosperous development of towns along the way. Coming to Shifen, the origin of Sky Lantern and the largest station along the Pingxi Line, this is a major train intersection station. Looking back at the mining history of Pingxi, Shifen is the earliest and largest settlement developed. Its greatest feature is that the old street stands side-to-side with the railway track and presents the unique railway scenery of “the train passes through your front door”. Although the coal mining industry is a thing of the past, countless coal mining relics still remain along the Pingxi Line. It is rich with scenery and culture, in which visitors can seek tranquility at small unmanned stations, or enjoy traditional gourmet foods, visit grocery stores and hardware stores dating back to your grandparents’ days at bustling old streets. You can also get a Happiness Stamp at the station or fly a Sky Lantern written with your wishes for this year. You can enjoy a spectacular day and this is the branch line you cannot dare to miss.

The historical Bitan Suspension Bridge in the “Bitan Scenic Area” links both sides of the Xindian River. On the bridge, the wonderful vista of the entire scenic area is in sight. Below there are rental water bikes for visitors to explore the lake. At the lakeside restaurants, there are installation artworks suitable for taking pictures. Moving on to “Wulai Old Street”, visitors can taste “Taiwan indigenous specialty foods”, such as the charcoal grilled wild boar pork and colorful rice cooked in bamboo tubes, and buy some souvenirs like the millet wine and millet mochi. The “Wulai Atayal Museum” in the old street offers free guided tours for visitors to learn more about the Atayal history, culture, and customs. Visitors can also join the fun Atayal weaving and other DIY activities. After the museum tour, visitors can turn to the “Wulai Waterfall” known as “the waterfall with the largest height difference in Taiwan” to enjoy the glittering afternoon sunshine flickering above the water. Lastly, visitors can return to Wulai Old Street and pick one favorite spa hostel to end up this joyous trip in a tranquil and comfortable spa.