Travel
Starlight Christmas. Welcome the Dawn. Dongsen Marine Hot Spring Hotel Makes Its Grand Debut
To create a festive atmosphere for Christmas and New Year, Dongsen Marine Hot Spring Hotel will launch special Christmas and New Year stay packages on December 24, December 31, and January 1. The highlight is an “All you can eat!” buffet from 3 PM to midnight, where guests can enjoy exquisite seafood and meat dishes at any time. During dinner hours, unlimited beer and red wine are also available. With a warm Christmas ambiance throughout the hotel and an exciting New Year’s Eve countdown on the Northeast Coast, you can relax, eat freely, and fully enjoy the party and shows.
Explore Taichung from All Angles: Cycle Through Xinshe Flower Sea and Ride to Fengyuan
The Xinshe Flower Sea Carpet Festival, which opened on November 7, has attracted an astonishing number of visitors. In contrast, the Houfeng Bicycle Path and Dongfeng Green Corridor—both essential routes to the flower sea—remain relatively quiet. To encourage people to pause and enjoy the scenic beauty along the way before entering the flower sea, the Taichung County Bicycle Association has launched the “Visit Xinshe Flower Sea and Cycle in Fengyuan” event. This initiative offers alternative routes to reach the flower sea and allows participants to appreciate the landscapes of Xinshe and Fengyuan from new perspectives.
Breaking Tradition, Delivering Richer Flavor: Ugly Duckling Coffee Innovates Siphon Brewing
A huge thank you to Mr. Silence Huang, CEO of Ugly Duckling Barista Training Center, for inviting Uncle Coffee to observe their upcoming siphon coffee brewing course. It’s sure to be a fascinating topic widely discussed in the coffee industry and among enthusiasts, following after latte art and authentic pour-over.
Visit Shilin Official Residence to see “plump” large chrysanthemum displays and admire the yellow rubber duck
Taipei’s annual flowerbed extravaganza, the Shilin Official Residence Chrysanthemum Exhibition, kicks off on the 17th. This year, the most eye-catching large chrysanthemum has grown even “plumper,” setting a new record of 1,668 blooms, surpassing last year’s 1,510. Meanwhile, the yellow rubber duck made up of 2,600 bright yellow chrysanthemums also draws many visitors for photos.
Resort Winter Vacation Direct Flights: Get Close to Tropical Rainforests and Phuket’s Ocean Paradise
The arrival of winter means winter vacation is just around the corner. Well-known resorts known for all-inclusive holiday packages are also offering special “direct flight charter” promotions during the winter break and Spring Festival, featuring Malaysia, Thailand, and Japan. Travelers planning to go abroad during the holidays can take this opportunity to start planning early.
Beware of being denied entry: Turkey’s e-visa is only valid for entry at three local airports
Can you be denied entry abroad even with a visa? Since May 2013, Turkey has announced that nationals of the Republic of China can apply for a 30-day e-visa for each tourist visit, which is highly beneficial. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reminds travelers that although the e-visa saves money, it is important to note that the Turkish e-visa is only applicable for entry through three designated airports in the country.
Top-ranked Emirates Airlines set to take off – Flights from Taiwan to Europe start from NT$15,400
Emirates Airlines, frequently ranked as the world’s top airline in international evaluations, will officially launch its Taipei–Dubai route in February 2014. To celebrate the new service, Emirates is offering a variety of flight deals, including trips to Europe from just NT$15,400 (excluding tax). Examples include Taipei–Paris for around NT$31,000 (tax included), Prague (Czech Republic) for approximately NT$28,000 (tax included), and great value flights from Taipei to Manchester (UK) and back from Rome (Italy) for under NT$30,000 (tax included).
The "Safe Palace Museum" project launched: The Palace Museum in Beijing to close on Mondays starting January 1, 2014
The Palace Museum in Beijing receives around 15 million visitors annually, breaking the record of 180,000 visitors in a single day last year. Even an old palace gets tired too. To ensure the smooth implementation of the "Safe Palace Museum" project, which focuses on heritage preservation and improving the visitor experience, the Palace Museum has announced that starting January 1, 2014, it will be closed every Monday. Exceptions will be made for national holidays and during the peak summer vacation period in July and August. On all other Mondays, the Emperor will not be receiving guests.
Handmade canvas bags that only get better with use — 50 years of heritage in Tainan’s synthetic canvas
Located in central Tainan, Synthetic Canvas has been around for over 50 years and is now managed by the third generation. The small shop displays handmade canvas and cloth bags in rustic sliding-door wooden cabinets, while an auntie outside sews each bag stitch by stitch.
100% geographical similarity — Nantou County and Suwa City sign tourism agreement
Another great achievement in Taiwan-Japan tourism exchange: On the 18th, the Nantou County Tourism Industry Alliance Association officially signed a tourism friendship agreement with the Suwa City Tourism Association of Nagano Prefecture, Japan, marking the official launch of tourism exchanges between the two regions. Currently, efforts are underway to promote direct flights between the two areas, expected to be operated by Far Eastern Air Transport, connecting Taichung Chingchuankang Airport and Nagano Prefecture in Japan, aiming to boost tourism for both sides.
Taiwan and Canada Sign New Air Services Agreement, Increasing Flights to 17 Per Week Starting Today
More flight options to Canada ahead! Yesterday (the 18th), the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) and Canada completed revisions to the new air services agreement. Starting today, the number of weekly flights between Taiwan and Canada will increase from the original 13 to 17. There are no restrictions on cargo flight frequency, and passenger flights are expected to expand to 21 per week by November 2015.
Having traveled to every city in Taiwan over the past six years, Gambian student says goodbye is truly heartbreaking
“I feel very sad because I genuinely love Taiwan — there are so many wonderful people here.” Ebrima, a Gambian student who has been in Taiwan for six years, came to Taiwan as an exchange student with funding support from both the Taiwanese and Gambian governments. Upon hearing the news of the official severance of diplomatic ties between Taiwan and The Gambia, Ebrima admitted he was deeply shocked and told reporters, “If possible, I really hope the friendship between the two countries won’t change.”
Yilan’s Mountain Village Monster Theme Park: Monster Burgers & Hungry Stick Submarines Are Super “Eye-Catching”
Why is it called a “Mountain Village”? Haha, because the design concept originates from Nantou’s Monster Village—in Taiwan, this kind of imitation is called “mountain village,” hence the name. But actually, you can’t really tell much from the outside—it’s not like Nantou’s Monster Village, which is an open, large-scale theme park (well... it’s not that big either!). However, the wooden architecture and big red lanterns on the facade do have quite a nice vibe.
“A Garden in the City” – The Hotel Éclat Taipei Opens in Xinyi District
The Hotel Éclat Taipei was unveiled recently and is set to officially open at the end of December. As the first self-owned hotel brand of the Hoshin Group, it takes “A Garden in the City” as its theme concept and enters Xinyi District. It will compete with Grand Hyatt and W Taipei for a share of the high-end market, becoming the only hotel brand in the area with two locations.
35 years of upholding tradition — Jinzhou’s goose meat is glossy and juicy, while sesame oil chicken achieves the “golden ratio”
Stepping out of the Taipei Metro Tian Gong Station and turning into Jinzhou Street leads you to a hub of culinary delights. Among the eateries, “Jinzhou Cuisine” sees a constant stream of patrons even before mealtime. The shop’s sign prominently displays “Sesame Oil Chicken, Goose Meat” — indeed, these are the two most popular signature dishes. Regular customer Mr. Wu said, “I’ve been eating here since I was a kid, and now I bring my own children. What’s rare is that the boss’s goose meat flavor has never changed.”
Hearing the sound of a piano on the beach of Penghu’s Jibei Island—could it actually be coming from beneath your feet?
On Taiwan’s sunlit Golden Coast in Tainan, waves crash against the sandy shore, their splashing sounds mingled with delicate rustling. I thought that was all there was to it. Just like how, before the unification of eastern and western Taiwan, they were considered two separate countries, I naturally interpreted this phenomenon with the simplest of binary thinking.
Even foreigners are obsessed with "Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above"!
The aerial documentary "Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above" has raised environmental awareness in Taiwan, with its total box office revenue exceeding NT$62 million, making it the third highest-grossing domestic film in Taiwan in 2013, only behind "David Loman" and "Zone Pro Site: The Moveable Feast." Even foreigners are going crazy for "Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above." A video studio producer, Jiang Qiyun, specifically took three foreign friends to the cinema to watch the film, discussing it in different languages. The foreigners said outright, "It's completely different from what I imagined."
Help send a letter to Santa Claus – New Taipei City’s Happy Christmas Town Post Office opens on the 22nd
New Taipei City’s Happy Christmas Town will light up and officially open on November 22. The city government has specially invited Banciao Post Office to set up a Christmas cabin, which will provide basic postal services from the opening day until January 5 of next year. Most notably, the post office will help the public send 300 letters to Santa Claus in Santa’s Village in Finland, and on the 23rd, it will also distribute 500 limited-edition free Christmas postcards.
Domestic airline ticket prices set to rise — Civil Aviation Administration introduces off-peak discounts of up to 50%
The Civil Aviation Administration announced at the end of September 2013 that domestic airfares will definitely increase by 10% next year. Airlines complained the hike was too small, while the public lamented another hit to their wallets. Today, Shen Qi, Director of the Civil Aviation Administration under the Ministry of Transportation, stated that airlines will cooperate with the administration to introduce off-peak discounts ranging from 50% to 70%.
New Taipei City Hot Spring Food Festival – Great Deals & Affordable Soaking, Starting at Just NT$50
The “2013 New Taipei City Hot Spring Food Festival” organized by the New Taipei City Government features a first wave of activities that unite 66 businesses to offer bundled discounts on “hot spring soaking + gourmet food”. Additionally, on November 20th, a second round of benefits titled “Warm Moments Limited Day” will be launched in collaboration with 16 businesses. The public can enjoy hot spring stays at up to 50% off, and hot spring entry for as low as NT$50.