Northern Taiwan - Taiwan - page 234

(Shífēn) In little Shifen, the train passes through the village just metres from the two- and
three-storey houses running parallel to the tracks. It's the only place left in Taiwan where
this occurs, and the quaint scene seems to tug at people's nostalgic heart strings no matter
where they come from.
There are plenty of places to eat in the village. Traditional snacks include mìfānshǔ
(sweet potatoes cooked in wheat sugar) and zhēngyùtóu (steamed taro).
If you didn't walk to Shifen from Sandiaoling, go take a look at Shifen Waterfall and
the kettle holes - about a 15-minute walk from the station. Head back along the tracks
(east) towards the visitor centre and follow the signs. At the time of writing a beautiful
Japanese-style wooden teahouse was about to open on the edge of town as you head to-
wards the falls.
Pingxi VILLAGE
(Píngxī) There are two reasons travellers step off the train in Pingxi: to climb the Pingxi
crags and to release sky lanterns during the Lantern Festival. Around Pingxi Station
you'll find the obligatory 'old street' for snacking. You can also walk the remaining dis-
tance (1.8km) to Jingtong on the back streets running beside the rail line.
As for the crags, the highest is only 450m or so, but to reach the top you must
scramble up metal ladders and steps that are carved into the rock face. No technical skill
is required, but it's an adrenalin rush nonetheless.
To reach the trails, walk to the main road from the train station and go right. Just past
the spiffy-looking red-brick school you'll see a set of stairs to the left and an English
mapboard. Head up the stairs, and then after a five-minute walk along the path look for
the sign for Cimu Feng (Címǔfēng).
Now follow the path as it alternates running atop a ridge and hugging a steep grey
limestone cliff. In one to 1½ hours you'll reach a set of cement stairs. You can take these
down to Pingxi (essentially completing a loop) or begin the better loop up to the crags,
which can take another couple of hours to complete depending on your route. There are
signposts everywhere, and while you may get sidetracked, you won't get lost.
Jingtong VILLAGE
(Jīngtóng) The village of Jingtong marks the end of the line, and Jingtong Station
(Jīngtóng zhàn) is one of the best-preserved traditional train stations in Taiwan. With
nearby coal carts, train engines, abandoned buildings strangled by roots, Japanese-era
wooden houses and hiking trails, it's a fun place to explore and take pictures.
There's also some great hiking in the area. One favourite is up to the pyramid-shaped
Shulong Point (Shǔláng Jiān; also Shulangjian Mt Trail; 622m) the highest mountain in