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The Pingxi Lantern Festival is expected on Saturday, February 20, 2027, with no release dates published yet. Ten Viator experiences from Taipei remain open on February 19, 20 and 21, priced from €59.89 to €146.14 per adult for two travelers. Five include a lantern. For a first lantern release, choose the private half day to Jiufen and Shifen.
Verified on against the Viator partner API (prices, ratings, availability).
You want to see the Pingxi lanterns in 2027, but you are torn between several options from Taipei, and the exact release date has not been announced yet. This page helps you choose. We selected ten Viator experiences that leave from Taipei and remain open on February 19, 20 and 21, 2027, the three days around the festival as it is expected.
The lantern release is not the only thing that sets these ten experiences apart. There is the duration, from three to nine hours, the group size, from private tour to small group, and the budget, from €59.89 to €146.14 per adult for two travelers. Five of them include a lantern, but not always one lantern per person: the format changes a lot from one listing to the next. The other five are options without a lantern, for a day in the north or in Taipei, a tasting or a cooking class, to schedule before or after the festival. Start with the cooking class if you want a gentle introduction to the city.
Each listing gives you what matters for booking: the price for two adults, the rating and number of reviews, the days still open in the booking window, from November 22, 2026 to January 20, 2027, and the time slots checked on festival days. The figures come from the November 8, 2026 check on Viator’s partner API. They can change, and the comparison table groups them so you can see everything at a glance.
Prices were checked on November 8, 2026, for two adults, and the release dates have not been published yet.
Our starting advice: if the lantern matters to you, start with the six- to eight-hour private formats, which include a release and leave time to visit Jiufen. If budget matters more, the small-group tour is the cheapest option with a lantern. And if you just want to discover Taipei before heading north, the cooking class or the first-day food tour gives you a good base.
Why the Pingxi festival is worth planning ahead
The Pingxi Lantern Festival takes place in Pingxi district, in New Taipei City, on the 15th day of the first lunar month, fourteen days after Lunar New Year (February 6, 2027). Its highlight is the release of sky lanterns: each paper lantern carries a wish, then rises into the night. Releases happen notably at Shifen, where visitors gather. Travel guides stress the wait: tickets are limited and arrival needs to be planned early.
The date. Taipei Tourism, in the FAQ of its official festival page, gives Saturday, February 20, 2027 for the Lantern Festival, which falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month. Pingxi release dates, however, have not been published. For 2026, the Taipei Tourism page lists releases on February 27 and March 3. A travel calendar gives February 17 for 2027, while the lunar calendar and the public holiday calendar keep February 20. We only kept the date backed by an official source, and we present it as expected, not confirmed.
Don’t mix them up. Taiwan’s national Lantern Festival takes place in 2027 in Miaoli County, from February 20 to March 7. It is a separate event from Pingxi. The two overlap in search results, but the releases, tickets and journeys are not the same.
The places that matter. Pingxi is the festival district, with its old street. Shifen, on the Pingxi line, is a station and a release site: Shifen Waterfall is a few minutes’ walk away, and the railway track hosts one of the releases. Jiufen, a village of stepped alleys in Ruifang district near Keelung, is known for its street stalls and tea houses. Yehliu Geopark, on the north coast, shows erosion formations, including the « Queen’s Head ». The Houtong Cat Village can be visited together with Shifen and Jiufen in a single day.
Going without a guide. Travel blogs describe a train journey: take the line toward Ruifang, then the connection to Pingxi, about 39 minutes between the two. A visitor also mentions an official shuttle from Taipei Zoo station, on the brown line. We could not confirm it with the city: check it before you go.
Why a guided tour. An organized tour simplifies the round trip, the connection and the evening return, which remains the weak point of independent travel on festival day. It costs more than a train ticket, but it removes the timetable calculations. However, it does not guarantee the number of lanterns or the exact release time, which depend on the operator.
What changes from one option to another. The listings describe one lantern per car, one lantern for a group of four, one lantern shared between three or four people, or a lantern release with no number specified. Do not count on one lantern per person unless the listing says so.
The 10 experiences compared
The table follows the listings below, in the same order. The price per adult is given for two travelers. The rating and number of reviews show how much trust each listing deserves.
| Experience | Duration | Price per adult (base 2) | Rating (reviews) | Free cancellation | Days available |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Cooking class and Dadaocheng market | 3 h | €82.21 | 4.98 (116) | Yes | 47 of 60 |
| 2. Jiufen, Shifen and Houtong Cat Village | 7 h | €90.43 | 4.95 (105) | Yes | 57 of 60 |
| 3. Northern Taiwan, full day by car | 8 h | €109.61 | 4.94 (914) | Yes | 57 of 60 |
| 4. Jiufen, Yehliu Geopark and Pingxi | 8 h | €109.61 | 4.94 (567) | Yes | 57 of 60 |
| 5. First-day food tour with a local guide | 3 h | €59.89 | 4.93 (224) | Yes | 59 of 60 |
| 6. Private day in Taipei, custom itinerary | 8 h | €109.61 | 4.92 (1,084) | Yes | 57 of 60 |
| 7. Half day to Jiufen, Shifen and a Pingxi lantern | 6 h | €90.43 | 4.92 (465) | Yes | 57 of 60 |
| 8. Jiufen and Pingxi with English-speaking guide | 8 h | €146.14 | 4.92 (124) | Yes | 60 of 60 |
| 9. Ten tastings on a private visit in Taipei | 3 h | €111.68 | 4.84 (767) | Yes | 60 of 60 |
| 10. Small group to Yehliu, Jiufen and Pingxi | 9 h | €77.64 | 4.77 (586) | Yes | 60 of 60 |
Prices and availability checked on Viator’s partner API on November 8, 2026 for the period from November 22, 2026 to January 20, 2027; they may change.
With a lantern included, listings 2, 4, 7, 8 and 10 stand out from the rest. For February 19 to 21, 2027, all ten experiences remain open in the check, with between 1 and 24 time slots per day depending on the listing. The minimum price stays the same on those days for the listings checked: €109.61 for listings 3, 4 and 6, and €77.64 for the small-group tour. Some slots cost more: €118.74 and €123.31 for the two private full-day tours of northern Taiwan and Taipei, and €232.91 for four slots on the small-group tour, on all three days.
The 10 experiences in Taipei for the 2027 Pingxi lanterns
1. Cooking class and Dadaocheng market
If you only have a half day for local cooking before heading north, this is the gentlest format on the list. The class takes place in the historic Dadaocheng district. For three hours you cook several Taiwanese dishes from scratch, then eat the lunch you prepared. What sets it apart: the menu recipe is sent to you electronically, so you can make it again at home. The best time is the morning, before the festival, since the meeting point is set at 9:20 a.m. on Dihua Street, number 356. The catch is the slot: the check shows only one place per festival day, February 19, 20 and 21, so book as soon as bookings open. It is not a lantern experience, and that needs saying clearly: it is a counterweight to the mountain day.
- Lunch included
- Menu recipe in electronic form
- Apron given at the end of the class
2. Jiufen, Shifen and Houtong Cat Village, private visit
This is the only listing on the list that includes the Houtong Cat Village, in addition to Jiufen and Shifen. You have a guide who speaks English and Mandarin, in person, and a private vehicle for the whole trip. You walk the stepped streets of Jiufen, then head to Shifen, where you release a lantern, which is included in the price. The catch is the pace: seven hours with three stops is dense if you want to linger. This format suits a reader who has already seen Jiufen and wants to go off the usual paths. For February 19 to 21, the check shows thirteen slots per day, at the same price. The hotel pickup point is specified by the operator after booking.
- Guide in English and Mandarin, in person
- Lantern release at Shifen station included
- Private transport, parking and tolls included
3. Northern Taiwan in one full day, by private car
This is one of the most reviewed listings for a day in northern Taiwan: 914 travelers rated it 4.94. The itinerary covers the main coastal stops, chosen with your guide: the old street of Jiufen, Yehliu Geopark or Yangmingshan National Park. The car is air-conditioned, passenger insurance is included, and bottled water too. This day includes no lantern, and the listing does not mention one: it works as a complement to a lantern release, not as a lantern experience. The catch falls on festival day. The check shows €109.61 per adult on February 19, 20 and 21, with twenty-one slots per day, from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Some slots cost more: €118.74 (TG6) and €123.31 (TG5). If you want to be free on release day, book this day the day before or the day after.
- Air-conditioned private vehicle
- Passenger insurance and bottled water
- Parking and tolls included
4. Jiufen, Yehliu Geopark and Pingxi with one lantern per car
For a first visit, this is the most complete format on the list: a single day links Yehliu Geopark, old Jiufen and Pingxi, where a lantern is included. The lantern is provided one per car. For two travelers, that means one lantern for the couple, which makes for a real shared moment, as long as you know you will only have one. The vehicle is private and air-conditioned, with parking, tolls and water. The catch is the length: eight hours with two major stops and a stop in Pingxi is a full day, and the order of visits is decided with the guide. The check shows seven slots per day for February 19, 20 and 21, at the window price of €109.61 per adult. The pickup point at your Taipei hotel is specified by the operator after booking.
- One sky lantern per car, included
- Yehliu Geopark and old Jiufen in the same day
- Private vehicle, water and parking included
5. First-day food tour with a local guide and twelve tastings
This is the lowest price on the list, and the best starting point if you arrive in Taipei a few days before the release. For three hours, in a small group, a local English-speaking guide takes you to taste more than twelve of the city’s specialties. The meeting point is exit 3 of Beimen metro station. The catch is the group: this is not a private tour, so the pace is set by the group. The tasting is not suitable for strict gluten-free (coeliac) or halal diets, because of the cross-contamination noted by Viator: do not book if one of these diets is strict. The check shows only two slots per day on festival days for two travelers: book early if you want this date.
- More than twelve tastings in a small group
- English-speaking local guide with a passion for food
- Dadaocheng neighborhood and Dihua Street
6. A private day in Taipei, itinerary built with the guide
This is the most reviewed listing on the list, with more than a thousand reviews and a rating of 4.92. It does not target Pingxi by default: it is a private eight-hour day in and around Taipei, whose program is built with the guide according to what you want to see. You gain flexibility, with an air-conditioned vehicle and passenger insurance. No lantern is included, so this listing is off-theme in the strict sense. It becomes interesting if your main goal is seeing the city and its surroundings, with the lantern as just one stop. If you want Pingxi in the program, tell the guide before booking, because the title does not name any site. The check shows €109.61 per adult on February 19, 20 and 21, with 24 slots per day across three options: €109.61 (TG1), €118.74 (TG5) and €123.31 (TG4). It has the largest number of slots on the list.
- Itinerary built with the guide
- Air-conditioned private vehicle
- Passenger insurance and parking included
7. Half day in Jiufen, Shifen Waterfall and a sky lantern in Pingxi
This is the shortest format with a lantern on the list, and the right choice if you want the release without a full day on the road. Six hours is enough for Jiufen, Shifen Waterfall, the old street of Shifen and a sky lantern released over Pingxi. There is less travel, so more time on site, which matters if you want to enjoy the places without rushing. The lantern is included, one per car: for two travelers, it is shared. This format costs less than the full day, €90.43 per adult against €109.61, and the check shows fifteen slots per day for February 19, 20 and 21, at the same price. The catch is timing: a half day has to be planned down to the minute, so confirm the morning or afternoon slot before you go. The hotel pickup point is specified after booking.
- One sky lantern per car, included
- Shifen Waterfall and the old street of Shifen
- Private vehicle, water and parking included
8. Jiufen and Pingxi with an English-speaking guide and travel insurance
This is the most expensive listing on the list per person: €146.14 for one adult, or €292.28 for two. In return, you get an English-speaking guide in person, travel insurance, and a hotel pickup in Taipei. For a traveler discovering the country, this removes almost all the logistics. The listing indicates one lantern for a group of four: for two travelers, ask the operator how it is assigned before booking. The check shows seven slots per day for February 19, 20 and 21, at the same €146.14 price. The catch is the price: for two people, the comparison with a half day at €90.43 per adult is hard to ignore. This listing holds up if the insurance and the guide matter as much as the lantern.
- English-speaking guide in person
- Travel insurance and hotel pickup
- One lantern for a group of four
9. Ten tastings on a private visit in Taipei
This visit has no lantern, but it answers a different question: what to eat in Taipei before or after the festival? You taste ten dishes and drinks, savory and sweet, over three hours, with a multilingual local food guide, in private: just you and your guide. No group: the pace is yours. The meeting point is exit 5 of Dongmen station, in front of the Giordano store. The catch is mealtime: the visit replaces a dinner, so do not book a tasting right before a planned meal. Vegetarian alternatives are possible on request to the host, to be asked when booking. The check shows seventeen slots per day for February 19, 20 and 21, at the same €111.68 per adult price.
- Ten tastings over three hours
- Private visit, just you and your guide
- Vegetarian alternatives on request
10. Small group to Yehliu, Jiufen and Pingxi with a shared lantern
This is the lowest-priced format with a lantern on the list, and the longest day: nine hours in a small group to see Yehliu Geopark, Jiufen and Pingxi. The Yehliu Geopark entrance ticket is included, which matters if you would otherwise pay for it yourself. The lantern is shared between three or four people, so the moment is less personal than with a private car, but the price is low. The group meeting point is Zhongxiao Xinsheng station, exit 2; hotel pickup is possible as a private option. The catch on festival day: the 8:30 slot stays at €77.64 per adult, but four slots from 8:00 to 9:30 are at €232.91 on February 19, 20 and 21. If the festival falls on the 20th as expected, this format remains the cheapest with a lantern. It suits a budget-minded traveler who accepts a group pace.
- Yehliu Geopark entrance ticket included
- Lantern shared between three or four people
- Licensed professional guide
Preparing your trip
Travel blogs describe the train journey to Ruifang, then the connection to Pingxi, about 39 minutes. A shuttle from Taipei Zoo station is reported by one visitor, with no confirmation from the city. Check the timetables the week you travel.
Taipei Tourism gives Saturday, February 20, 2027 for the festival. Release dates have not been published yet. Keep two days of margin if you want to be able to move a day: this is an editorial choice, not a rule of the festival.
Totals checked over the booking window range from €119.78 for the first-day food tour to €292.28 for the tour with an English-speaking guide. Tips, meals not included in the package and travel to the meeting point are not included in the prices checked: budget for them separately.
Practical tips on the ground
Book early on festival days. The check shows only a few slots for February 19, 20 and 21 on some listings: just one for the cooking class, two for the first-day food tour, five for the small-group tour. The private listings offer more, from seven to twenty-four depending on the format. If the release date is confirmed late, private formats leave more room to move a day.
Choose by profile. A couple who wants the lantern should look at the six- to eight-hour private formats. A first visit to Taipei is best started with the cooking class or the tasting, to get your bearings before heading north. A small budget finds its match in the first-day food tour, at €59.89 per adult, or in the small group with a shared lantern, at €77.64. For reduced mobility, our checks do not detail the accessibility of vehicles and stops: ask the operator before booking. A private car stays simpler than a train trip with a connection.
Calculate the budget in totals. For two adults and over the booking window, a private half day with a lantern costs €180.86, a full private day €219.22, and the tour with an English-speaking guide €292.28. Add tips, meals and transport to the meeting point when it is not at the hotel. The minimum price is the same over the booking window and on festival days, for the listings checked on those days. Some slots cost more on February 19, 20 and 21: €118.74 and €123.31 for the two private full-day tours of northern Taiwan and Taipei, €232.91 for four slots on the small-group tour.
Mistakes to avoid.
- Promising your companions one lantern each: the listings mention lanterns per car, per group, or shared.
- Booking without checking the meeting point, especially for hotel pickups whose address is given after booking.
- Confusing the Pingxi festival with the national Lantern Festival in Miaoli, which lasts longer and takes place elsewhere.
- Neglecting the evening return: it is the weak point of independent travel, so plan a backup (taxi, or the Taipei Zoo shuttle, reported but not confirmed).
Our last tip is to stay flexible. Since release dates are not set, do not book a return flight the day after the festival without a buffer. Check each listing’s cancellation deadline before you pay.
Frequently asked questions
Which of the ten experiences has the highest rating?
The cooking class in Dadaocheng has the highest rating, 4.98 out of 5, but from only 116 reviews. The private day in northern Taiwan has a rating of 4.94 from 914 reviews, a high review volume. For a first contact with Taipei, the class is the safest choice. See the listing.
How much does one experience cost for two adults?
Totals for two adults range from €119.78 for the first-day food tour to €292.28 for the tour with an English-speaking guide, based on the November 8, 2026 check for the booking window. On festival days, one small-group slot rises to €465.82. The price per adult ranges from €59.89 to €146.14. These amounts exclude tips and meals not included. Check the final price on the listing the day you book.
Is a lantern included in every experience?
No. Five of the ten experiences include a lantern: the day in Jiufen and Shifen with a lantern release, the visit to Jiufen, Yehliu and Pingxi, the half day with a lantern, the tour with an English-speaking guide, and the small group with a shared lantern. The other five are options without a lantern, for a day in Taipei, a tasting or a cooking class.
What is the date of the Pingxi lantern festival in 2027?
Taipei Tourism gives Saturday, February 20, 2027 for the Lantern Festival. Pingxi release dates have not yet been published by the New Taipei City government. A travel calendar gives February 17: that date is not based on an official announcement. Watch for the city’s announcement before you fix your trip.
Is there a specific meeting point?
It depends on the listing. The cooking class meets on Dihua Street, number 356, at 9:20 a.m.; the group tasting at Beimen station, exit 3; the private tasting at Dongmen station, exit 5; the small-group tour at Zhongxiao Xinsheng station, exit 2. Six private days start from a Taipei hotel, and the operator confirms the pickup point after booking.
Can I cancel any of these experiences?
The November 8, 2026 check shows free cancellation for all ten experiences. The exact deadline may vary from one listing to another and may change after the check date. Read the cancellation terms on the listing before you pay, and keep your booking confirmation handy on festival day.
Sources
- Taipei Tourism Administration, « Pingxi Lantern Festival » page, consulted November 8, 2026 (2027 date: Saturday, February 20)
- Justaiwantour, Taiwan festivals and events 2027 calendar, consulted November 8, 2026 (divergent date: February 17)
- TVBS, announcement of the 2026 Pingxi Lantern Festival, consulted November 8, 2026
- Calendarific, Taiwan public holidays 2027, consulted November 8, 2026
- Taiwanderers, Taiwan Lantern Festival 2027 in Miaoli, consulted November 8, 2026 (national festival, separate from Pingxi)
- Taiwanderers, Day Trips from Taipei, consulted November 8, 2026 (formats and travel times)
- Foreigners in Taiwan, Pingxi Lantern Festival, consulted November 8, 2026
- Wikipedia, Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival, consulted November 8, 2026 (historical context and places)
- Gourmetflyer, Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival, a comprehensive guide, consulted November 8, 2026 (limited tickets)
- Viator product pages, partner API data: prices, ratings, availability and cancellation terms checked on November 8, 2026 for the window from November 22, 2026 to January 20, 2027, and festival days from February 19 to 21, 2027.
- Wikidata, entries for Taipei, New Taipei City, Taiwan, Pingxi, Jiufen, Shifen and Yehliu Geopark, consulted November 8, 2026.
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