Shifen Scenic Area (Shifen Visitor Center) Introduction
Shifen Scenic Area is located in the Pingxi District of New Taipei City, renowned for its waterfalls, the Pingxi Branch Line railway, and sky lanterns. Its geographical position is along the main stream of the Keelung River, categorized as a waterfall valley type within Taiwan's scenic areas. Due to the erosive effects at its source and the nearby cut landforms, numerous faults and unique rocks have formed, resulting in spectacular waterfalls as the river flows swiftly through these features. Stretching from Hohoton to Sandiaoling and further to Shifenliao and the Pingxi area, it creates a series of cascading waterfalls, with the largest and most famous being Shifen Waterfall, which is 20 meters high and 40 meters wide, making it the widest curtain waterfall in Taiwan, known as the "Niagara of Taiwan." The Pingxi Branch Line is one of the three remaining branch lines in Taiwan. It was built along the winding Keelung River, with a total length of 12.9 kilometers, completed and opened in 1921. Originally constructed for coal transportation, the Pingxi Line is currently one of the most popular railway tourism routes. The annual Pingxi International Sky Lantern Festival attracts thousands of visitors during the Lantern Festival and has been voted by the Discovery Channel as the second largest carnival event in the world.
