Travel
The thrill of roaring seconds passing by in a flash!“7 Plane-Watching Spots Across Taiwan” for a Romantic Date
“Boom—” A sound accompanied by visual and auditory impact draws cheers from onlookers. This is the charm of watching planes take off and land up close. Many people travel from afar just to capture these fleeting moments. Watching planes also symbolizes the takeoff of dreams, attracting many couples to make a pilgrimage. ETtoday Travel Cloud has selected 7 plane-watching spots across Taiwan, including locations and cafes around Taipei Songshan Airport, Taoyuan Airport, and Kaohsiung Xiaogang Airport. Those who are passionate about airplanes may want to check them out.
Spring blossoms: Wisteria waterfalls sway in the breeze at Taipei Botanical Garden
With the arrival of spring, a variety of flowers take turns blooming, adding splashes of pink to the city. In addition to the earlier cherry blossom and azalea seasons, March to April marks the wisteria flowering period. Urban dwellers in Taipei who want to admire wisteria don’t need to venture far into the suburbs—just head to Taipei Botanical Garden in the coming days to see clusters of blooming wisteria on the trellises by the Lotus Pond.
A full wedding package for NT$40,000 – Get married on 16 islands in the Bahamas, ultra romantic
The Bahamas archipelago in the Caribbean has launched a wedding submission contest across 16 islands from north to south, inviting 16 couples to hold their weddings on the islands. Couples can choose freely. The event runs from February 14 to June 30, 2014, but is only open to U.S. citizens. But don’t be sad if you’re from Taiwan — just visit Bahamas16 Packaged Wedding Experiences to select an overseas wedding meticulously designed for you in the Bahamas, and you can celebrate the most special day of your life on the Bahamas Islands at an affordable price.
The "Gate Guardians" at Taoyuan Airport are stunningly handsome—travelers exclaim: "I thought they were the pilots!"
Taoyuan Airport is the national gateway and a window for Taiwanese traveling abroad. Yet, as many return home, there’s an unsung group of heroes who never let their guard down, working tirelessly on the front lines of epidemic prevention. These are the quarantine officers from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) under the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
Smokers, take note: Smoking in national scenic areas will incur fines of up to NT$10,000 starting April 1
Smokers need to be especially careful when traveling starting April 1. The Ministry of Health and Welfare has announced that “smoking is prohibited in all national parks, national nature parks, scenic areas, forest recreation areas, and park green spaces except in designated smoking zones; in areas without designated smoking zones, smoking is completely banned,” effective April 1, 2014.
Must-visit spots in autumn 2017！Your ultimate guide to fall foliage across Taiwan is right here
Don’t let autumn pass you by feeling uninspired—slip into your new fall outfit and update your IG with the maple leaves！The best time for leaf-peeping is usually from November to January each year, but with the effects of global warming and fluctuating temperatures, predicting when the leaves will turn red has become tricky. Maple trees around Taiwan also vary in species, each with their own unique characteristics.
Treasures from 30 Years at Beitou Cultural Artifacts Museum – Zheng Chenggong’s Calligraphy Makes Its Debut!
Officially opened to the public as a private museum in 1984, Beitou Cultural Artifacts Museum has been dedicated to preserving and showcasing early Taiwanese folk art and cultural relics for 30 years. From now until August 31, the museum is hosting the “Jiashan Treasures – Beitou Cultural Artifacts Museum 30th Anniversary Collection Exhibition,” featuring over 200 artifacts from Taiwan’s indigenous and Han communities, carefully selected from nearly 5,000 items in its collection.
Travel abroad and save too！ Taiwanese travelers rank second globally for being budget-savvy
Which country’s travelers are the most budget-conscious when traveling abroad? Hotels.com recently released its 2013 Hotel Price Index report, revealing that Taiwanese people are the most frugal, paying an average of only NT$3,878 per night for hotel stays while traveling overseas—ranking as the second most budget-savvy among the 32 countries surveyed.
I want to peel 10 apples at once — the 'Ip Man of apple peeling' goes viral online
"I'm Ip Man from Guangdong Province, and you?" Aside from the well-known Ip Man line, what leaves an even deeper impression is his fearless spirit of taking on ten opponents at once. Recently, a foreign chef named Jasper van Ramshorst posted on Facebook about using an electric screwdriver combined with a peeler to quickly peel apples — even managing to peel five or six apples in just 37 seconds. This bold feat made the video go viral online.
The famous "Crown Prince's Hot Spring" favored by Japanese royalty is right here in Pingtung’s Sichongxi Hot Spring Area
Although it’s March, the weather is still damp and chilly. Let me introduce a great place for a hot spring soak. Last time I visited the Qingquan Japanese-style Hot Spring Inn in Pingtung’s Sichongxi. This place became well-known because Japanese imperial princes once came here for their honeymoon. The Sichongxi Hot Spring area isn’t very large, and this inn is located right on the main road—great accessibility.
United Airlines resumes non-stop Taipei–San Francisco flights on March 31
United Airlines officially launched its non-stop Taipei–San Francisco route on March 31 and held a inaugural flight ceremony at Taoyuan International Airport. The celebration was attended by United Airlines Vice Chairman and Chief Revenue Officer Jim Compton, as well as distinguished guests from the American Institute in Taiwan and the Civil Aeronautics Administration of the Ministry of Transportation.
New Taipei City businesses vie for holiday crowds with up to 52.5% off on stays and hot spring baths
In response to upcoming consecutive holidays such as Qingming Festival, Children’s Day, and Dragon Boat Festival, 91 hotels, homestays, hot spring facilities, and tourist attractions in New Taipei City have launched a total of 189 accommodation discount packages for April to June this year. Among them, hotel stays are discounted as low as 47.5%, and hot spring baths are offered at up to 50% off. The New Taipei City Tourism Bureau has compiled all the promotional offers from these businesses onto the “Accommodation Discounts” platform on the “New Taipei City Tourism Website,” making it convenient for the public to browse and choose before their trips.
Enjoy quality family time with your kids at Silks Club Taroko’s “Little Chefs” Experience Camp
To welcome the upcoming Children’s Day holiday, bring your children to embrace the vibrant spring nature and enjoy a rare, relaxing family bonding experience. From April 1 to April 6, Silks Club Taroko has planned special Kids’ Week activities. Children aged 6 to 12 who stay with an adult can join the “Little Chef’s Kitchen” or “Western Table Manners Workshop” for free. Each class is worth NT$500, allowing kids to learn how to create desserts and develop proper Western dining etiquette while having fun.
The uninhabited islet "Houti Zi Yu" boasts rich bird ecology, making it a favorite subject for photography enthusiasts
The Penghu National Scenic Area Administration under the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications is promoting the natural ecological resources of Wang'an. They specially invited local photography enthusiast—Mr. Chen Hongxian, principal of Wang'an Elementary School—to provide photographic works for display on the second floor of the Green Sea Turtle Conservation and Tourism Center, offering free viewing for visitors.
Joint Venture Between Evergreen and GE to Establish Maintenance Center
GE Aviation, a global leader in aircraft engines, and Evergreen Aerospace have announced a joint venture to establish a new company in Taiwan dedicated to overhauling the GEnx engine — the fastest-selling engine in GE Aviation’s history. The newly formed EVA Aero Engine Maintenance Co., Ltd. will build on the strong partnership between GE Aviation and Evergreen over the past 15 years.
Pet-friendly alert！Dreamy dessert cottage at Kaohsiung’s Qiaotou Sugar Refinery — floral cream pound cake
Jimmy’s Dream Green Café is tucked away in the Qiaotou Sugar Refinery and is accessible by MRT too！This stunningly beautiful dessert cottage can be found by walking along the red-brick low wall and stepping onto the gravel path. It quietly stands in the courtyard, featuring an outdoor white tent that’s perfect for photos. The shop offers a variety of handmade sweets that change daily. If you really love a particular item, try making a reservation in advance — you might just get to enjoy it again. Hu Li ended up buying another one to go (total foodie).
Ultra-cute limited edition！The Regent Taipei welcomes guests with LEGO pandas
From April 1 to April 30, on the B1 floor of The Westin Taipei The Regent, you can see various animal figures made of LEGO blocks lined up at the entrance to greet guests. The dessert area has also launched over ten different types of fun animal-themed desserts, including pandas, lions, and giraffes. During the April 4–6 holiday period and every weekend in April during afternoon tea hours, an additional “Little Dessert Creators” cookie painting DIY activity will be offered, guided by the hotel’s pastry chefs on-site.
Sweet, sour, and salty pork trotters and soup you must never touch the bowl of — Guangzhou chef Chen Guolong showcases creativity
Taipei Far Eastern Shangri-La’s Michelin-recommended Xiang Palace, famed for Cantonese cuisine, invited Chen Guoxiong, Executive Chinese Chef of Guangzhou Shangri-La Hotel, to helm the kitchen from April 2 to April 11. His signature dishes include Baiyun-style Pork Trotters, Soy Sauce Duck Tongue, Abalone, Whelk, and Scallops Stewed with Matsutake, Golden Crab Sauce King Prawns, and Wild Grouper in Hometown Style.
A must-visit in a lifetime: Japan’s classic hotel that stays “true to tradition”
The Fujiya Hotel is an iconic landmark in Hakone and has been loved by tourists since long ago. Many visitors come here to admire its architecture, dine inside, or even decide to stay overnight and enjoy a relaxing time.
Old Penang shophouse turned backpacker inn, decorated with big red lanterns reminiscent of Taiwan
In my travels over the past two years, I’ve mostly stayed in backpacker hostels. Staying in hostels is the best way to have firsthand interactions with locals and meet fellow travelers with similar interests. Each place has its own unique hostel style, so today I want to introduce the one we stayed at in Penang—Red Inn Heritage.