Shifen Waterfall

Shifen Waterfall

Shifen Waterfall is located in Pingxi District, New Taipei City, Taiwan, and is a famous attraction along the Pingxi Branch Line of the Taiwan Railways. It lies within the upper reaches of the Keelung River waterfall cluster. With a drop of about 20 meters and a width of approximately 40 meters, the majestic waterfall and its powerful flow make it the largest curtain-style waterfall in Taiwan.

Shifen Waterfall is located in Nanshan Village, Pingxi District, New Taipei City, between the Dahuay and Shifen stations on the railway branch line, within the Shifen Scenic Area. The Shifen Scenic Area is actually situated on a tributary of the Keelung River and is classified as a waterfall valley-type scenic spot among Taiwan’s tourist attractions. The Keelung River is the largest and longest river in northern Taiwan. Due to erosion at its source and the surrounding dissected terrain, many faults and unusual rock formations have been created. As the river flows past these faults and rocks, its fast current has formed numerous spectacular waterfalls. From Houtong in the north to Sandiaoling, and extending to Shifenliao and Pingxi, a series of cascading waterfalls have formed, with Shifen Waterfall being the most renowned.

The Shifen Waterfall park area includes camping zones, barbecue areas, villa zones, riverside fishing entertainment areas, animal zones, stone forest recreation zones, Dajia Mountain viewing areas, suspension bridges, open-air physical training grounds, children's wading pools, and a forested area with 120 stone-carved Guanyin statues. Since the Shifen Scenic Area is privately operated (the land is managed by Shifen Grand Waterfall Amusement Co., Ltd.), visitors must purchase an entrance ticket to view Shifen Waterfall.

Take the Pingxi Branch Line of the Taiwan Railways Administration. The attraction is located between Dahuay Station and Shifen Station, and you can choose to hike to it from either station.

Although Shifen Waterfall is public property, it can only be accessed by passing through privately owned land. This land has been illegally occupied for years by Shifen Grand Waterfall Amusement Co., Ltd., which built illegal structures without obtaining a tourism and amusement business license, yet continued to charge admission fees. Despite this longstanding issue, no officials have been held accountable. The entrance ticket was originally NT$180. In the future, it was planned to be opened for free, and the scenic area would be reclassified as a county-designated park. However, the county government later decided to legalize the operator's activities, meaning entry would still require a fee, albeit reduced to NT$80 for adults and NT$50 for children, with free entry for seniors over 70, children under 110 cm tall, and residents of Shifenliao. In June 2010, following an urban planning revision, Shifen Waterfall was re-zoned as parkland, a decision approved by the Ministry of the Interior's Urban Development Committee. The New Taipei City Tourism Bureau announced that Shifen Waterfall has been designated as a county park, and the land will be acquired based on the announced land value. The park gate will be demolished, and pedestrian pathways will be constructed to allow the public to view the waterfall for free.

For those taking the Pingxi Branch Line of the Taiwan Railways Administration, the attraction is located between Dahuay Station and Shifen Station, and you can choose to hike to it from either station (but please remain mindful of safety).

During a visit on December 29, 2012, construction work was still ongoing. Visitors should check in advance whether the construction has been completed, otherwise, only limited views of the waterfall may be available.