Travel
Korea Shopping Festival Kicks Off with Discounts Up to 90% Off
The 2013 Korea Shopping Festival has begun, running from January 11 to February 28 — a total of 49 days. Over 24,700 businesses in cities such as Seoul, Busan, and Jeju have joined forces to create the largest shopping festival in history, offering foreign tourists discounts ranging from 70% to 10% off, along with a variety of shopping promotions.
Private Dessert Spot in Yunlin: So Much Chocolate, It’s Hard to Choose—Plus Coffee with a Lingering Aftertaste
If you’re looking for a hidden gem in Douliu, Yunlin, to spend a relaxing afternoon with your girlfriends, I’d say CAMACA Chocolatier is the perfect choice—with its beautiful setting, no time limits, no service charge, and a wide selection of healthy desserts. CAMACA uses “healthy sugar” that’s low in calories and doesn’t linger in the body.
Does Jiang Ziya’s fishing trick really work? The Ice Kingdom: Korea’s Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival
Every January, the Hwacheon County in South Korea’s Gangwon Province hosts the “Sancheoneo (mountain trout) Ice Festival,” where visitors can admire the breathtaking snowy landscapes of Hwacheon, savor the aroma of grilled fish over charcoal fires, experience the thrill of ice fishing in minus 15 degrees Celsius, and live out their own real-life version of “Jiang Ziya on the ice.”
Soak in hot springs & admire cherry blossoms – Happy travel package at 1.7-fold discount
With cold fronts coming one after another, the chilly weather has made hot spring bathing the hottest leisure activity. To cater to travelers' winter needs, Dongsen Mountain Villa Resort has launched the “Cherry Blossom Splendor Two-Day Couple Package,” originally valued at nearly NT$30,000, now slashed to just NT$4,980. Within less than a month of going on sale, over 2,000 packages have been sold — some customers even snapped up multiple sets to give to family and friends for a shared winter getaway of hot spring soaking and cherry blossom viewing.
Taiwan’s Most Beautiful Romantic “Running Track”: Five Thousand “Cold-Weather Cherry Blossoms” in Full Bloom at Sun Moon Lake’s Nine Tribes
The 2013 “Sun Moon Lake Cherry Blossom Dance Lakeside Fun Run” is set to grandly commence on February 24th. During the event period, the cherry blossoms around Sun Moon Lake are in full bloom. Combining a fun run with a cherry blossom festival, this offers the most picturesque and romantic running course in Taiwan. Not only can participants enjoy the beautiful spring scenery of Sun Moon Lake, but they can also take a boat ride on the lake to admire the blooming cherry blossoms from a unique perspective.
Is “Daren” Chen Bolin turning flight attendant? Passengers shocked by in-flight announcement: “How is he here?”
“This is Li Daren. The flight from Taiwan Taoyuan Airport to Happiness takes two hours. Please fasten your seatbelts, return your seatbacks to the upright position, and stow your tray tables. We’re about to take off.” A familiar voice came over the China Airlines in-flight announcement. Passengers turned their heads and couldn’t help but exclaim, “Oh my God, how is Li Daren here?”
What a pity！5 restaurants that closed in 2017
The countdown to the end of 2017 has begun！In the past year, many new restaurants opened. 《ETtoday News Cloud》 once compiled a 《2017 Super Lazy Guide to 50 Newly Opened Gourmet Restaurants》, but besides the new openings, there were also quite a few restaurant closures. Some might have been just small street-side eateries, while others were well-established or popular long-standing restaurants. Their closure left many regular customers expressing regret. Here’s a list of several restaurants that closed in 2017.
Lemon preserves born from standing up for justice spread across the streets of Hong Kong
In the beginning, due to lacking a license, he was often arrested. By 1972, he finally obtained a street vendor license and set up shop on Wing Kut Street in Sheung Wan, neighboring the still-unrelocated Luk Yu Teahouse. At that time, many tea house patrons would stop by for a bite after finishing their dim sum, and gradually, the lemon preserves gained a great reputation, even earning him the title of "King." What was once an unnamed street stall became known as "Lemon King."
Travel Weekly / “Fallen Girls” Talk About “The Little Things Beyond the Lens” & Tulip Season Begins
Can’t plan anything for the warming weekend? If you’re thinking of heading outdoors, this week Xingtan Fairy Valley features a rainbow flower field that looks like a colorful palette—perfect for soaking in the romance. The “Fallen Girls” are also holding a photography-themed talk in downtown Taipei, offering a peek into the mysterious world behind the camera. For exhibition-goers, the “Wool Felt Mini Exhibition” and “Envisioning the Netherlands: Future Design” are also taking place this week!
The Flower Sea in Xinpi Township, Pingtung – A Breathtaking Floral Landscape
As the Lunar New Year approaches, how should you plan your holiday getaway during the nine-day break? The small flower sea at the Comprehensive Recreational Park in Xinpi Township, Pingtung County, covers an area of about 1.2 hectares and is currently in full bloom with cosmos, yellow cosmos, and sunflowers. Under the blue sky and white clouds, the swaying blossoms create an incredibly beautiful scene that not only captivates visitors but also inspires them to take countless photos as keepsakes.
Starting January 1, Heping Island Park is Free to the Public — Come Admire the Breathtaking Sea Views
Starting January 1, Heping Island Park is Free to the Public — Come Admire the Breathtaking Sea Views
Taiwan's only POLI theme park is at Yuanshan Little heroes, come and embark on a brave adventure!
The hero of children, "Poli," is here！ Taiwan's only "Poli Happy World 2 - Little Heroes Big Adventure" POLI theme park has made a stylish debut at Yuanshan in Taipei. The event will run from December 22 to March 4, 2018. The super-sized play area lets kids have endless fun. This year’s theme, "Little Heroes Big Adventure," introduces eight new missions, inviting children to join the POLI squad as little heroes, conquer challenges, and go on brave adventures!
Super cheap！Taipei–Melbourne from just NT$6,890 Plan your annual trip now
Haven’t planned your annual trip this year yet? AirAsia is offering end-of-year discounts through 2014. Starting at 0:00 on January 15 and ending at 11:59 p.m. on January 20, 2013, you can book promotional flights with one-way fares from Taipei to Kuala Lumpur starting at just NT$3,290 including tax, and one-way fares from Taipei to Perth and Melbourne starting at only NT$6,890 including tax.
Tokyo hit by record-breaking "first snow" – visibility hindered and flight operations disrupted
The Kanto region has recently been hit by heavy snowfall, and Tokyo has also welcomed this year’s first “first snow,” with the entire city shrouded in a snowy haze. Roads and buildings were covered in thick snow within a short period of time. Many shops have suspended delivery services due to the snowstorm, while flights to and from Tokyo have also been affected by the snow and wind, resulting in delays and runway closures.
Passionate young publicists compete to be travel accommodation industry "superstars" — vote and also stand a chance to win a ten-thousand-TWD accommodation voucher
The "Star Hotels 1+1" travel accommodation superstar selection event organized by the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications has attracted elite contestants from across the nation’s hospitality industry, with over 100 teams participating. On January 14, a sharp and popular online vote was launched, aiming to select 50 accommodation star teams. The public can vote online and have the chance to win grand prizes worth a total of 200,000 TWD, including ten-thousand-TWD accommodation vouchers from star-rated hotels and popular tablets.
Get behind the wheel of a "double B" for just 555 TWD – Taitung launches mountain-and-sea rural cycling tours
As schools across Taiwan begin their winter break and the Lunar New Year holiday approaches in less than a month, Taitung County Government has launched the “Double B Tour,” featuring five bus-and-bike routes that take travelers through the island’s mountain-and-sea rural landscapes — each route costs just 555 TWD per person.
Welcoming the first day of the New Year’s holiday, little flower fairies descend upon the “2017 Taichung International Flower Carpet Festival”
Welcoming the first day of the New Year’s holiday, little flower fairies descend upon the “2017 Taichung International Flower Carpet Festival”
"Plum Blossoms Take Flight!" Wuling Farm’s Flowers Are in Full Bloom – Light Crowds in January, Traffic Controls Start in February
The cherry blossom season peaks in mid-February, drawing crowds every year. For a more relaxed flower-viewing experience, it's recommended to admire the plum blossoms before the end of January. Though not as strikingly vibrant as cherry blossoms, the plum blossoms offer a refreshing charm, with a mix of white and red blooms creating the image of an elegant, enduring beauty. Visitors determined to see the cherry blossoms should note that, apart from overnight guests, all other visitors are required to use public transportation to enter and exit Wuling Farm; otherwise, entry will be denied.
Axi shoots a parody video for the Sky Lantern Festival & publicly dresses up as a pig while proposing: "Marry me already!"
What was your word of the year in 2013? The 2013 Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival in New Taipei City will take place on February 14, February 17, and February 24. Three warm-up events—"Shout Your Love," "Love’s Word of the Year," and "Thousand People Build Dreams"—have kicked off. Internet celebrity Axi has also released a parody version of Shuowen Jiezi (an ancient Chinese dictionary), dressing up as a pig nose and even proposing: "I hope someone will marry me soon."
Visit Hong Kong Ocean Park during Chinese New Year – Flight + Hotel Package for Just NT$7,999 Includes Admission
Have you decided where to go for the Lunar New Year holiday? Hong Kong Ocean Park held a press conference today (the 15th), where CEO Markus Bouquet and Deputy CEO Lee Shing-chung led a team to Taipei to unveil a special offer tailored for Taiwanese travelers: a 3-day, 2-night flight + hotel package plus a daytime admission ticket to Hong Kong Ocean Park, all for just NT$7,999.