Although traditional airlines offer full-service experiences, “budget airlines” have become the favorite of budget-conscious travelers and backpackers in recent years. Milk (nickname), a Taipei-based backpacker, once traveled solo to six different countries using only budget airlines. “For me, budget airlines are just a means of transportation. As long as I can reach my destination safely, I don’t need flight attendants to provide overly attentive service.” And of course, her wallet gets to save more too.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced today (the 2nd) that due to the ongoing drought in 13 atolls in the northern part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the region will continue to be listed under a gray travel alert. The public is advised to avoid non-essential business or tourism travel for the time being. Additionally, parts of India have been listed under an orange travel alert due to the "anti-Maoist movement."
To promote Tainan’s golden trumpet flower season, boost tourism development, and preserve the most beautiful moments of the season, allowing visitors to experience the charm of Tainan’s "back garden," the Tainan City Government Tourism Bureau specially organized the “2013 Tainan Golden Trumpet Flower Season Photography Competition.” Entries were accepted starting June 1, and after three weeks, submissions closed on June 24, with nearly 700 works received in total.
Cao Tianqing, a Taiwanese woman born in the 1990s (Gen Z), founded the Japanese organic skincare brand “IKIIKI BOTANICS” using her product planning experience from working in a cosmetics company and her knowledge of organic culture gained in Germany. Within just three years of launching, the brand outperformed many local competitors and won the Gold Award in the Cleansing Category of the Best Beauty Awards by Japanese beauty expert Yukirin. This has allowed her skincare brand, which stays true to her personal philosophy, to gradually carve out a place in Japan’s highly competitive beauty industry.
Those who have visited eastern Taiwan must have admired the beauty of its mountains and coastline, but even more precious is the “cultural essence” of its indigenous peoples. Every summer vacation not only marks the peak tourist season but also the time when Taitung County’s indigenous tribes hold their Harvest Festivals. This year, there will be a total of 113 events, and the Taitung County Government is extending a warm official invitation to people from all over the country to come and experience them.
Peach Aviation (Peach Aviation) international winter flight tickets will go on sale at 11:00 PM tonight (the 2nd). One-way untaxed flight tickets from Taipei (Taoyuan) to Osaka (Kansai) start as low as NT$2,750. Want to admire the maple leaves and visit historic shrines in Kyoto, or explore Osaka Castle—one of Japan’s three most famous castles in history? Then you’ll need to act fast, because cheap flights won’t wait.
As scorching weather and rising temperatures signal the official arrival of summer, water parks across Taiwan are rolling out summer promotions. For those who love splashing around but want to avoid the sun, Kenting’s indoor Water World water park in southern Taiwan is the perfect choice. Starting today, Water World is launching the “Let’s Check-In Together” campaign, where visitors can enjoy ticket discounts by sharing their Facebook check-ins, with a 40% discount during the summer vacation period.
The Pingtung County Government’s “The Fantastic Journey to Find Richard Parker” event, which invites visitors to find seven tigers across the Hengchun Peninsula, take photos, and upload them for a chance to win big prizes, has been well received by tourists. The Tourism and Communication Bureau had already drawn the first phase’s 50 winners on July 1. Bureau Chief Yin Fenglan noted that the second phase of the event runs until August 30, right in the middle of the summer travel season, and urged travelers visiting Hengchun not to miss out on the fun of tiger hunting.
In recent years, Qishan in Kaohsiung has been committed to community development. To showcase the results of these efforts, the Qishan District Office has carefully planned the “Summer Banana Tour – Hospitable Xizhou” community cultural deep dive tour. The event will be held over two sessions on July 20–21 and August 3–4. Participants can explore the beautiful sights of Qishan for just 400 NTD. Additionally, for convenience, the organizers have arranged shuttle services from the Zuoying High-Speed Rail Station.
Right after Japan’s most popular girl group AKB48’s general election wrapped up, Team A’s Kazumi Kato, Ayaka Kikuchi, and Team K’s Maria Abe quickly flew to Taiwan to film a travel show—it was also their first overseas activity following the 5th general election. The three beauties were invited to Taiwan to film the travel program “AKB48’s Leisurely Taipei Tour,” and having visited Raohe Night Market yesterday, they found it all very fresh. Ayaka Kikuchi was especially intrigued by face threading and even said she’d get her friends to join her next time.
Apart from Cantonese cuisine, what other dishes are worth trying in Hong Kong? Located in Central, "Ivan The Kozak" is the only Eastern European restaurant in Hong Kong. This restaurant not only offers delicious food, but also features a mysterious "ice cellar" glowing with blue light, allowing guests to enjoy Eastern European cuisine while stepping into an ice cellar snow room, donning fur, sipping Ukrainian drinks, and admiring an "Ukraine-inspired" instant snow scene.
To promote green and low-carbon tourism, the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation has Taiwan Tourist Shuttle buses operating across Taiwan to take you to scenic spots for a fun trip. The Changhua County Government has introduced a special discount offer where purchasing a Taiwan Tourist Shuttle “Lukang Line” or “Lukang Dacheng Line” ticket package or one-day ticket voucher allows you to immediately participate in a scratch card lottery with a 100% winning rate. Prizes include an iPad mini, HTC One, iPod shuffle, and more.
“Sin City” describes a place where indulgence in vice and pleasure is rampant. Just as beneath the glorious spectacles of ancient Roman arenas lay the hedonistic debauchery of fighters after their matches, today new sin cities have emerged — playgrounds full of gambling, sex, alcohol, and dazzling nightlife. According to an investigation by Australian news site news.com.au, the No. 1 city on the new global list of top 10 sin cities is Pattaya, Thailand.
Home to a wealth of delicious food and historic landmarks, Tainan has always been a top choice for travelers seeking an in-depth cultural experience. To provide independent travelers with convenient transportation and tourism services, the Tainan City Government has partnered with the Yunlin, Chiayi and Tainan Coast National Scenic Area Administration to integrate three Taiwan Tourist Shuttle routes—the “Salt Country Coastal Line,” “88 Anping Line,” and “99 Taijiang Line.” A special 37% discount is being offered on the 3-day travel pass bundle, allowing visitors to explore all corners of Tainan for just NT$290.
The harbor city transforms into a Christmas wonderland, spanning urban districts, coastal routes, and mountainous areas.
The ancient Silk Road boasts abundant tourism resources, including many world-renowned attractions such as the Mogao Caves, Mingsha Mountain, Crescent Lake, Yardang landforms, and the West Thousand Buddha Caves. However, the Economic Cooperation Bureau of Dunhuang City, Gansu Province, China, recently announced plans to develop a large-scale cultural and entertainment facility themed around the human history of the Silk Road, incorporating Dunhuang culture and the area’s natural environment—dubbed the “Silk Road Theme Park.”
Even after announcing a “divorce,” the wedding still went ahead as planned. A Malaysian low-cost airline recently announced the launch of its new Tokyo Narita–Taipei Taoyuan route and introduced promotional fares that sparked a buying frenzy online. It then announced it would terminate its partnership with a Japanese airline, with the jointly operated route running until the end of October. However, today (3rd), the new route had its inaugural flight as scheduled, serving a limited-edition “Chinese baozi” dish with local Taiwanese flavors as the celebratory meal for the occasion.
Even when it’s cold, ice cream cravings strike. The foodie-favorite “Night Cat Snowflake Ice” has just opened a sister shop called “Flower Pavilion Ice.” Since its grand opening on November 11th, the crowds haven’t died down at all — the chilly weather hasn’t affected business one bit. Both inside and outside the shop are filled with dried flowers. The ice itself is adorned with Totoro and Little Coal sugar cookie decorations that will make any girl’s heart scream with delight. It’s a dreamy ice shop in Kaohsiung that’s recently gone viral.
Independent travel by mainland tourists to Taiwan has expanded from the young backpacker market in its early days to all age groups and various industries, gradually becoming a popular trend. The Beijing Office of the Straits Exchange Foundation & Travel Association of Taiwan, China, held an event titled “Experts Form Groups & Show the Way,” which offered only 12 spots but attracted 1,134 mainland applicants, resulting in a mere 1.06% acceptance rate.
Christmas Light-Up: Tainan’s North Gate Shines Bright at Night