TrekUnity
When
February
Attendance
hundreds of thousands
Admission
Free
Setting
Outdoor
The Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival is one of the most beautiful sights in Asia — held on the Lantern Festival that closes Lunar New Year, when thousands of people in the mountain town of Pingxi, near Taipei, write wishes on paper "sky lanterns" and release them together to float glowing into the night sky.
Ranked among the world's great festivals, it's a serene, magical spectacle set in a nostalgic old railway town, easy to reach from Taipei.
Want to go? Turn Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival into a trip you plan with your group.
Creates an editable trip seeded with a starter itinerary, hotels & eats.
Event details
Typical dates
The Lantern Festival (15th day of Lunar New Year, usually February)
Admission
Free to attend · mass-release lanterns ticketed/registered
Parking
Take the train — the Pingxi Line railway (from Taipei) is the way in; roads jam badly on the night.
Nearest airport
Taipei Taoyuan (TPE) ~1 hr; Taipei Songshan (TSA) ~40 min
Typical weather
Cool, often damp Taiwanese winter — 50s–60s °F; bring a rain layer for the mountains.
Official website
Location
Pingxi, Taiwan
Where to stay
Taipei hotels
Most visitors base in Taipei and take the train out.
Jiufen guesthouses
Stay in the atmospheric nearby mountain town.
Pingxi homestays
Very limited local stays near the release.
Where to eat & drink
Pingxi old-street snacks
Sausages, taro balls, and railway-town treats.
Taiwanese night-market food
Beef noodle soup, bao, and bubble tea in Taipei.
Jiufen tea houses
Historic tea houses in the nearby hill town.
Nearby attractions
Pingxi Old Street & railway
The nostalgic town where lanterns are released over the tracks.
Shifen Waterfall
A wide waterfall a short ride away.
Jiufen
The lantern-lit mountain village nearby.
A sample itinerary
1Arrive + Taipei
- •Fly into TPE
- •Afternoon: a Taipei night market
- •Evening: rest
2Lantern night
- •Afternoon: train to Pingxi via Shifen Waterfall
- •Evening: release a sky lantern
3Jiufen + depart
- •Morning: Jiufen old town
- •Head to TPE
Make it yours — an editable trip you can share with your group.
Travel tips
- Take the Pingxi Line train — roads are jammed on the night.
- Combine it with Shifen Waterfall and Jiufen.
- Write your wish and release a lantern from Pingxi Old Street.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival?
On the Lantern Festival — the 15th day of Lunar New Year — usually in February, in Pingxi near Taipei.
How do you get there?
Take the train from Taipei to the Pingxi Line; roads gridlock, so rail is essential on the night.
Can you release your own lantern?
Yes — you can release lanterns in Pingxi; the big synchronized mass releases require registration/tickets.
Going with friends?
TrekUnity keeps the whole group on the same page — vote on plans, split costs, and see who's arriving when.
Start planning freeTrekUnity is an independent travel guide and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival or its organizers. Dates, prices, and details are provided for informational purposes and can change — always confirm on the official event website before booking.