Travel
Hidden Gem Alert: White Blossoms Erupt on the Back Hills of Liu’s Plum Garden Like a Snowfall
The best season to admire plum blossoms has arrived. From December to the end of January each year, you can witness the blooming of plum blossoms all over the mountains—whole hillsides appear as if adorned in white snow. Nantou’s Liushan Plum Garden, known as a “hidden gem for plum blossom viewing,” has entered its prime season this week. The green landscape is set off by white plum blossoms gently swaying in the wind, resembling a stroll through a snow tunnel.
Spicy aroma wafts from the crust — crispy, chewy, and crafted with care. Tainan’s “Sauce Sauce Pizza” takes its time to serve up deliciousness.
To be honest, its appearance isn’t particularly striking, and the signboard is fairly generic. It sells pizza and has a somewhat cute, homophonic name — “Sauce Sauce Pizza.” Unlike typical Italian restaurants, in Taiwan, people are drawn to anything exotic. So, as long as the shop name sounds European, romantic, and rolls off the tongue like an opera aria, it usually attracts plenty of visitors right away. Whether it tastes good or not is something you only find out after lining up.
200 "Paper Black Bears" Join the Paper Panda Army – Set to Appear at the Flower Expo Park in March
Endangered species are not limited to pandas globally—Taiwan’s endemic “Formosan black bear” is also facing the threat of extinction. To raise public awareness about the importance of conservation, the Taipei City Government has teamed up with French artist Paulo Grangeon, the designer of the upcoming “Paper Panda Exhibition” set to debut in Taiwan this March. They aim to include 200 “paper black bears” in the exhibition to jointly promote concern for and the protection of endangered animals.
Rock legend Jimi Hendrix’s former home turned into a museum
While walking along Brook Street in Manchester, UK, if you spot a building with a blue circular plaque and the address 23, it’s worth stopping by — this was once the legendary rock icon Jimi Hendrix’s former residence, where many of the electric music king’s classic works were created.
Plum blossoms are in full bloom! Chiayi’s Meishan Park is a snowy wonderland like a fairyland.
The plum blossoms at Meishan Park in Chiayi are bursting into bloom Up！ Covering an area of 6 hectares, the park has seen 50–60% of its plum blossoms open due to the recent cold snap, and it is expected that all the blossoms will be in full bloom within a week. In addition to admiring the plum blossoms, there are nearly 20 well-established plum product shops in the park, allowing visitors to enjoy both the sight of the blossoms and the taste of plum treats.
News Flash / Keelung Duck Vendors Plan to Set Up "Happy Duck" / Hofmann: Terminate the Exhibition
During the first weekend after the "resurrection" of the yellow duck in Keelung, nearly 200,000 visitors were attracted in a single day. However, apart from vendors directly facing the duck, whose businesses were relatively good, the rest had dismal sales. Some private businesses plan to create an 18-meter-tall "Happy Duck" to draw crowds. In response, exhibition organizer Huang Jing-tai stated that after contacting the original creator Hofmann, the latter expressed strong dissatisfaction and said that if the vendors insist on setting up another duck, he would consider withdrawing the exhibition.
Ride the “mini train” for free – A new family-friendly attraction in Pingtung, free until the end of the year
With a history of over 100 years, Pingtung Park has hosted a series of festive activities for Christmas, including light displays, markets, gift exchanges, and picnics. In addition, the Pingtung County Government has gone the extra mile by gifting visitors a “mini train” as a special Christmas present. From now until December 31, the mini train will be free to ride during its trial operation period.
Must-Try Foods: Foodies Don’t Miss Out on This Quick Guide to Fengshan Youth Night Market
Unlike the tourist-packed Liuhe Night Market or the expansive Ruifeng Night Market, Fengshan’s Youth Night Market is nestled alongside Fengshan River and is the largest local night market. Even after relocating, it remains a top choice for many when it comes to an evening dinner. The market boasts plenty of high value-for-money eats—even long queues can’t deter passionate food lovers from waiting patiently.
Busty Flower Fairies Promote Tulip Season in Taichung
Due to the delayed harvest of Dutch bulbs, the tulip season at the Zhongshe Sightseeing Flower Market in Taichung started half a month later and officially opened on the 7th. Slim bikini models dressed as flower fairies joined a bridal procession, delivering tulips into the sea of blooms. Industry insiders advised visitors to consider factors such as transportation, crowd levels, and blooming periods to choose the best time for flower viewing.
A thousand-pound "cream sculpture" debuts — beware of stepping on poop at the Pennsylvania Farm Show
The largest indoor agricultural exhibition in the United States — the "Pennsylvania Farm Show" — kicked off on January 4. It attracts at least 400,000 visitors, 6,000 animals, and 10,000 exhibitors every year. The week-long event features a wide variety of activities, including cattle and pig displays, dessert competitions, food courts, educational programs... and more. Spread across 24 acres, the show is divided into three major areas with plenty to eat and do, making it a perfect family-friendly outing.
Win a Million in Cash in the Philippines – The Countdown Has Begun!
Organized by the Philippine Department of Tourism, the “Gather 6 Travelers to the Philippines & Win a Million in Cash” campaign allows travelers departing for the Philippines between August 28, 2013, and December 31, 2013, to gather six people and register online with their full Chinese and English names, the last five digits of their passport numbers, airline information, and departure date before January 10, 2014, to enter the million-peso travel cash draw. The countdown to the end of the campaign is now on.
1,200 square meters, seating for 750 — Taiwan’s largest buffet restaurant “Pin Hua Yuan” opens in 2014
Yunlang Tourism Group, which already operates three off-premise dining brands — “Yi Pin,” “Pin Zhong Xin,” and “Pin La” — has set its sights on Taiwan’s buffet market this year with a new brand, “Pin Hua Yuan.” General Manager Sheng Zhiren stated today (the 7th) that the off-premise restaurant “Pin Hua Yuan,” scheduled to launch in Xinzhuang, New Taipei City, is expected to become the largest buffet restaurant in Taiwan.
Nurturing a 300-year-old banyan tree and drilling for submarine hot springs — Gao Jianwen: Just try, and you might succeed
Facing the solitary Guishan Island in the vast ocean, this unique landscape is why Mr. Gao Jianwen, founder of Dongsen Marine Hot Spring Hotel (formerly Luyue Marine Hot Spring Hotel), fell in love with Toucheng. Visitors to this place can simply step into the backyard to enjoy the sea breeze and admire the beauty of an active volcanic island.
Welcoming Muslim Tourists: 13 Scenic Areas Across Taiwan Equip Prayer Rooms and Ablution Facilities
Emirates Airlines will launch the Taipei–Dubai route in February. To accommodate Muslim tourists, 13 national scenic management areas across Taiwan, including the North Coast and Guanyinshan National Scenic Area, have recently installed Muslim-friendly prayer facilities such as “prayer rooms” and “ablution devices.”
"Happy Duck" Won't Compromise – Keelung Vendor: It's Original Art
After much effort, the yellow rubber duck has made a comeback and returned to Keelung Marine Plaza, with visitor numbers gradually picking up. However, it has now emerged that a vendor at the Keelung Yellow Duck exhibition area, "Yu Sheng," plans to set up an 18-foot-tall "Happy Duck" to attract more tourists. Upon learning this, Florentijn Hofman stated that "if the Happy Duck appears, he will consider terminating the exhibition early" to protect his rights. But Yu Sheng responded: "The Happy Duck is original art and does not infringe on any rights."
A space filled with warmth and memories — “Fengjia Homestay, Odin,” tucked away in the bustling city
This place, Odin, was actually featured on the show “Travel King” before. Whether it’s been advertised or not, whether you like it or not really depends on your own vibe. After booking the room, the communication and parking arrangements made me feel how genuinely friendly the homestay owners are. A group of guys run the place together, and their enthusiasm is obvious from the way they greet you. That’s when I started looking forward to what this old house would make me feel.
Let’s go camping!
A modern Shangri-La: Wuling Farm
"My American Dream Vacation" Season 3: Upload Spring Photos for a Chance to Win Free Flights
Taiwan has been part of the U.S. Visa Waiver Program for over a year. In the first six months of the program’s implementation, the number of Taiwanese travelers visiting the U.S. increased by 23.8%, clearly indicating a rising interest and demand for travel to the United States. To respond to this growing enthusiasm for U.S. travel, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and the U.S. Travel Promotion Association jointly launched "My American Dream Vacation," inviting the public to submit spring photos from the U.S. for a chance to win free airline tickets.
New Highlight in Kaohsiung: Nighttime Lighting Unveiled for Qishan Bridge and Landform Bridge
In addition to the Tianhou Temple and Qishan Old Street, Qishan in Kaohsiung now has a new tourist attraction to offer. The Landform Bridge and Qishan Bridge have recently had their nighttime lighting systems activated, utilizing LED blue linear lights and floodlights to transform the two bridges into brand-new nighttime landmarks.
Rainbow hues shine together as U-Land Airlines’ new ‘Songshan–Pudong’ route takes off in style
U-Land Airlines launched its new Songshan–Pudong route today (7th), departing at 9:30 AM and arriving in Shanghai Pudong in just two hours. Together with EVA Air flights, there are a total of 29 weekly flights to Shanghai, making it the Taiwanese airline with the most flights to Shanghai.