GHOST FESTIVAL AND WATER LANTERN IN KEELUNG

Spend Ghost Month in motion: take the local train from Taipei to Keelung, eat at MiaoKou Night Market, settle in for the parade, then continue to Badouzi Harbor for the water-lantern ceremony by the sea.

This is a community outing for people who want to encounter a living Taiwanese tradition with curiosity and respect—not a horror attraction. Expect a long evening, public-transport queues, night-market energy, and a return to Taipei around midnight to 01:00.

Why the lanterns go to the water

Ghost Month takes place during Taiwan’s seventh lunar month, when observances include offerings and prayers for ancestors and wandering spirits. Water lanterns are part of that ritual context: lanterns bearing family or clan names are floated on the water to guide and honor spirits, including people lost at sea.

We will watch the ceremony at Badouzi Harbor. Please approach it as a religious and community tradition. If this spiritual setting feels uncomfortable for you, this may not be the right outing.

Evening route

Meet at Taipei Main Station, platform 4A/B, numbers 8/9.

Bring what keeps the night easy

• 1 litre of water and a snack

• An EasyCard with at least 200 NTD loaded

• A mat or small chair for watching the parade

Estimated personal costs: 62 NTD for the train to Keelung, 80–100 NTD for the bus back to Taipei, and 100–200 NTD for dinner at the night market.

A respectful group night

Respect personal boundaries and ask for consent—especially with touch and photos. The outing is free to join, but you are responsible for your own belongings, incidents, accidents, and insurance.

Check the host’s Friday announcement before the event for cancellation or postponement updates.