Travel
How beautiful！2,000 sky lanterns take flight together — “Round Baby” lanterns soar on Lantern Festival
The second major event of the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival in New Taipei City kicked off on the 8th, with organizers releasing a giant 26-foot prayer lantern themed “Love and Peace,” attracting over 100,000 people to the mountain town. Nearly 2,000 lanterns slowly ascended into the sky, creating a spectacular scene. The final round of the festival will be held on February 14th, which is also Valentine’s Day, where visitors can enjoy the sight of giant “Round Baby” and “Heart” lanterns floating across the night sky.
Romantic Snowscapes of Fukui: Skiing and Wave-Watching to Enjoy Nature’s Grandeur
Fukui Prefecture was once ruled by the Sengoku-era warlord Shibata Katsuie in the 16th century. During the 17th to 19th centuries, the Tokugawa family developed this area into a thriving castle town, making it an important trade route in Japan. Today’s Fukui lies to the west of the Sea of Japan and to the east of snow-capped peaks. Without bustling crowds or skyscrapers, the area offers fresh mountain air in the evenings, creating a serene and carefree atmosphere.
Beware of bears on the loose！Taipei spotted with Taichung’s “McDonald’s Bear”
The teddy bear that was originally only on display in Taichung has quietly made its way north to Taipei after the New Year, delighting bear fans！On the afternoon of the 8th, the public spotted an extremely cute “McDonald’s Bear” at the McDonald’s Guandian Branch in Taipei. According to staff, currently only three locations in the Greater Taipei area—the Taipei Guandian Branch, Neihu Jiuzong Branch, and Banqiao Wenhua Branch—have the McDonald’s version of the teddy bear, so bear fans eager for photos should act fast!
Keelung’s Yellow Duck Bids Farewell – Crowds Shout: “Goodbye, Duck!”
Keelung’s Yellow Duck took its final bow this afternoon (the 8th), as the Port Authority and Coast Guard Administration deployed four vessels that sounded their horns and sprayed water in a blessing. As the song “A Thousand Miles Away” played, the Yellow Duck slowly drifted away, marking the end of its journey in Taiwan. Nearby crowds couldn’t help but shout, “Goodbye, duck!”
Lao Wan Hua’s Sweet and Savory Seafood Congee – The Must-Try Super-Value Milkfish Belly
Speaking of the last work break, I met up with a classmate in the afternoon to take a little foodie trip around Wan Hua. To my surprise, even though she’s a native Taipei-er, it was actually the first time she had any real memory of visiting the Huaxi Street area.
Hollywood Bowl Playboy Jazz Festival Kicks Off the Season
The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles opens only during the summer each year. On February 5, this year’s lineup was announced, with the 36th annual “Playboy Jazz Festival” kicking things off. This will be followed by Independence Day fireworks, performances by singer Janelle Monáe, the Nordic band Röyksopp, and more live shows — ensuring music lovers enjoy a nightly feast of entertainment over the 120 days of summer.
Japan’s legendary Ondekoza performance at Yunlin Agri-Expo wows audiences — visitors say it’s worth every penny!
The internationally renowned Japanese Ondekoza has taken up residence at the Yunlin Agricultural Expo venue, performing once daily from 3:00 to 4:00 PM now through February 14th. Visitors who have watched the show are raving, exclaiming: “For just one or two hundred NT dollars, you get to see such an incredible performance — totally worth it!”
Breaking News: Stranded at Narita Airport Due to Heavy Snow — Taiwanese Travelers Create Makeshift Homes with Inflatable Mats
Heavy snowfall in Tokyo led to the closure of Haneda Airport, while Narita Airport was also affected by the snowstorm, causing numerous flight delays and cancellations. Although a large number of passengers were transported out after the snow stopped today (the 10th), some travelers were still unable to go home due to not securing seats on alternate flights. Taiwanese travelers stranded at the airport for over 24 hours set up tents in the terminal, lamenting, “We can’t take showers; we just have to endure. We feel a bit like homeless people.”
200 Cannon Forts Set to Fire on the 13th — Full Guide to Experiencing the “Cannon Barrage” of Yanshui Beehive Rockets
Ready to experience the Yanshui Beehive Rockets? Ranked among the world’s top three folk festivals, the spectacular display of thousands of rockets firing in unison like swarming bees will take place again on the 14th day of the lunar month and during the Lantern Festival. This year, there will be over 200 large and small cannon forts, with the main fort featuring a 48-foot-long, 12-foot-high design of “Guan Yu Riding the Red Hare,” accompanied by dazzling aerial fireworks. Organizers remind visitors to be “fully geared up” to endure the bee-hive rocket baptism.
Follow Me for Cherry Blossom Viewing – Chiayi’s Cherry Blossom Map
Cherry blossoms across Taiwan are in full bloom. In the Chiayi area, the blooming season is slightly later than in the north, but they are now gradually flowering. The county government has created a “Chiayi County Cherry Blossom Map” to help visitors explore the blooms. In addition to the famous cherry blossoms in Alishan, there are also emerging flower-viewing spots such as Fenqihu, Rueili, Xiding, and Yingge Mountain in Zhongpu Township. The county government has planned four cherry blossom routes, so visitors don’t need to worry about not finding cherry blossoms.
Korean Hot Pot at Taoyuan – A Tofu & Seafood Ramen Hot Pot for Just Around 300 NTD!
When I traveled to Korea by myself, I often opted for Korean tofu hot pot if I was dining solo. First, because it’s a hot meal, and second, because tofu hot pot is relatively low in calories and good for you—so I’d often have a whole pot of tofu hot pot as a full meal. At Uncle Ma’s in Zhongli, Taoyuan, they specialize in Korean tofu hot pot but replace the usual side of white rice with ramen, turning it into a hearty and generous Korean tofu & seafood ramen hot pot!
Thrilling！Taitung celebrates Lantern Festival with three days of “Firecracker Bombing of the God of Wealth”
As the Lantern Festival arrives, besides the well-known “Northern Sky Lanterns and Southern Beehive Rockets,” Taitung’s explosive “Bombing of the God of Wealth” has also been listed by the Tourism Bureau as one of the nation’s top ten tourist events. This year’s event kicks off on Lantern Festival and runs for three days with a total of 16 sessions. In addition to the traditional firecracker bombardment, it features a first-ever fusion with hip-hop culture, including rap and street dance performances.
Thank you, Taiwan！ Japan designs an exclusive mascot “Taiwandā” and theme song
Japanese prefectures almost all have their own unique mascots to promote local specialties, but to thank Taiwan for the great care and support provided during the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Japanese nonprofit organization “Taiwan Supporters” specially designed an adorable exclusive mascot for Taiwan—“タイワンダ” (provisional translation: Taiwandā), which will appear at major exhibitions in Japan to promote Taiwanese cuisine, culture, and more, helping to raise Taiwan’s profile！
Taichung’s “COSTCO Bear” Lanterns Light Up Autumn Valley – A Bear-Themed Light Art Gallery
This year, the Lantern Festival coincides with Valentine’s Day, both falling on February 14. To create a romantic and joyful atmosphere for family reunions under the full moon, the Taichung City Government’s Economic Development Bureau has transformed Autumn Valley Park into a romantic bear-themed light art gallery. The adorable teddy “COSTCO Bear” is also here, carrying a lantern to celebrate the Lantern Festival with everyone!
Fall in love with a tranquil, slow-paced vibe！ A hidden café in the mountains open only three days a week
We have a couple of friends who, just like us, love to travel around. Amazingly, they managed to discover this little café nestled in the mountains. This unique café called Jidu Café, located in the woods, is open only three days a week (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday), making it feel like a hidden gem in the mountains. Visiting for the first time really felt like striking gold！
Over 10,000 Taiwanese travelers stranded at Narita Airport; China Airlines and EVA Air dispatch empty planes to bring them home
Heavy snowfall in Tokyo and Chiba on the 8th and 9th caused major disruptions to public transportation and flight schedules, leaving a large number of Taiwanese passengers stranded at Narita International Airport in Chiba Prefecture. On the 10th, China Airlines and EVA Air decided to urgently deploy passenger planes to fly them back to Taiwan.
Black rubbery fish cake stuffed inside a flatbread — a hearty and chewy specialty "Chaopai Flatbread"
Next to the Dongmen (East Gate) of the Old City in Zuoying, there’s a rather unassuming northern-style charcoal-grilled flatbread shop. Renowned food writer Hu Tianlan once introduced the shop’s military dependents’ village flavors in her Business Weekly column, and recently a food TV program featured it, catching our attention. We decided to set aside time to check out this unique Chaopai Flatbread.
228 Holiday Travel: Hong Kong is the Hottest Destination, Japan Prices Dropping
This year’s 228 Memorial Day falls on a Friday, making it the first three-day holiday after the Lunar New Year. By taking an additional 1–2 days off, travelers can plan a 3–5 day trip. As a result, nearby destinations such as Hong Kong, Northeast Asia, and Southeast Asia have become key choices for the 228 holiday. Among these, Hong Kong fits the “short duration, weekend-friendly” nature of the 228 holiday, making it the most eye-catching travel option this year.
Sip coffee on a tatami floor while watching ships depart at Kaohsiung Harbor—where strawberry cloud desserts ignite your girlish heart!
A hidden gem café located at the Takashan Ferry Pier, just opened in October. It’s the only café offering views of the Qijin Ferry Pier and features a tatami space called the “Hidden Café Zone.” Recently, they’ve introduced many new strawberry-themed treats to delight strawberry lovers. As part of a special promotion, show the ETtoday News Cloud app when you purchase the “Strawberry Cloud,” and get 50% off any other item from their “Berry Perfection” series.
No need to fly to Korea for cute photoshoots—check out these 5 “pink vending machine” restaurants across Taiwan!
Ever since a Korean café introduced a pastel-colored vending machine, restaurants and cafés across Taiwan have followed suit, allowing girls who can’t just hop on a plane to still snap those quintessentially Korean-style photos. ETtoday Travel Cloud has rounded up 5 “vending machine” restaurants around Taiwan for all you photo lovers—whether it’s pink, Tiffany blue, or canary yellow, there’s a color palette to match every kind of girly heart!