Travel
Religious Festival: Neihu Mazu’s Parade on April 12
The Taipei City Government’s Department of Information and Tourism announced that the Neihu Mazu Arts, Culture, and Fireworks Festival will commence with the “Protecting the Hometown Parish Patrol” at 12:30 on April 12. The event will also feature special guests including Panchiao PuX? (text garbled), Sishilun I-ko Wu?, and the Youth Orchestra.
Singles also have a holiday！ Yunlang’s 4 hotels offer 40% off black-themed meals on April 14
Singles can celebrate Valentine’s Day too！ April 14 in the Gregorian calendar is known as Black Day in South Korea—a holiday for singles—designed to bring happiness to those who didn’t receive any gifts on Western Valentine’s Day or White Day. Yunlang Tourism has united its 4 hotels to embrace the black tide. The Grand Hyatt Taipei launches the “Singletons Aren’t Lonely” package, inviting friends to check in together on that day for nearly 50% off a one-night stay, while the Cloud Lounge Western Restaurant offers exclusive black-themed desserts.
The park has been open for ten days, and the Yilan Green Expo has welcomed over 100,000 visitors!
Ten days after the 2014 Yilan Green Expo opened, cumulative attendance has surpassed 100,000. The 100,000th visitor today was the family of Lee Chun-hsien from Kaohsiung, who received prizes including a complimentary weekday stay in a premium view room at Evergreen Laurel Hotel.
Guam’s Largest Cultural Festival – The Micronesia Islands Fair Kicks Off on the 25th
The 27th annual Guam Micronesia Island Fair, themed “Legends of Micronesia,” will be held from April 25 to 27. The Guam Visitors Bureau stated that it looks forward to the gathering of outstanding artists from the Micronesian islands in the northwest Pacific once again on Guam to participate in the island’s biggest annual cultural celebration.
Singapore’s famous dish “Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice” – the chicken melts in your mouth
Singapore’s cuisine is rich and diverse, making it truly appealing. When I came to Singapore, I was eager to seek out authentic Nanyang flavors. One of the dishes I most wanted to try was Hainanese chicken rice. After searching online, I found that almost everyone recommended Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice at Maxwell Food Centre near Chinatown. So, I decided to give it a try.
The first of its kind in Taiwan!“KOREA PLAZA,” a Korean Experience Center, officially opens
Taiwan’s first-ever Korean cultural experience center, KOREA PLAZA (Korea Tourism & Cultural Experience Center), officially opened today (the 8th) in Taipei City. Earlier, a grand yet warm and lively event was held at the Dunhua South Road Plaza, featuring performances by a Korean performance troupe.
Zhainajiao Tile-Pot Salt Fields – Experience the joy of traditional salt drying, carrying, and harvesting
Zhainajiao, a place that had long fascinated me, but I always passed through in the morning due to my return trip the next day, so I never managed to capture the evening scene. But then I thought, maybe coming here once in the morning isn’t a bad idea either. So this day, our little group arrived in the morning. It’s about a 30-40 minute drive from downtown Tainan, and the scenery along the way gradually reveals just how many hidden faces Tainan has.
Anyone who sees it will be moved by it — the "Cloudscape Wilderness Open-Air Bath" at an altitude of 2,000 meters.
"Takamine Onsen Tomo no Yado" is one of the inns I’ve long admired, drawing on hot springs discovered about a hundred years ago. At such a high elevation, even the revered monk Gyōki would have struggled to reach on foot. It’s said that the hot spring was discovered by local farmers.
Train “squeezes” into narrow alleys: A real sight in Hanoi, Vietnam
The train runs through the city’s extremely narrow alleys, coming within just a few dozen centimeters of shops. These breathtaking photos were taken by Indian photographer Ashit Desai during his trip to Hanoi, Vietnam. In the images, the train not only passes through streets, alleys, and market stalls, but even goes right by the back doors of residential homes. When the train approaches, people roll up their sunshades and fold up their lounge chairs to “make way” for its passage.
A Date with Fireflies！Comprehensive Guide to Mid-Taiwan’s Firefly-Watching Season
In the nights of April and May, fireflies fill the air with their glow. Places such as Aowanda and Dongshi Forest Farm offer glimpses of tiny green lights twinkling in the dark. Recently, Dongshi Forest Farm has entered its peak firefly season. Here’s a roundup of upcoming firefly-watching events in mid-Taiwan. Take this chance to breathe in the forest air alongside these magical insects.
The iconic figure of Obama Town, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan? None other than U.S. President Barack Obama!
When traveling in Japan, you’ll notice that many Japanese cities have a most representative figure. Examples include Sakamoto Ryoma from Kochi, Date Masamune from Sendai, and even Hello Kitty’s Chibi Maruko-chan, a popular icon from Shizuoka. However, a friend of “Nine-Five Nagging Wife” discovered during a trip to Japan that the most popular figure in Obama Town, Nagasaki Prefecture, is actually the current President of the United States—Barack Obama!
The Century-old Linfengying Railway Station Gets a Makeover — A 2,000-Ping Green Plaza and Treehouse Continue Its History
Linfengying in Tainan is famous not only for its milk. For railway enthusiasts, the century-old “Linfengying Railway Station” with its Japanese-style charm is even more captivating. On the 8th, the long-neglected plaza in front of the station was given a fresh new look, with over 2,000 ping of green space bringing a renewed vibe to the old station.
Blossoming Tung Trees and Glowing Fireflies – The Baxianshan Tung-Firefly Season Shines Day and Night
Baxianshan becomes particularly lively every April and May. Within just 200 square meters, about 50 tung oil trees are densely planted. When the tung flowers bloom, a gentle breeze sends petals drifting down, allowing visitors to deeply feel the charm of spring. Meanwhile, fireflies also begin their active mating and breeding season during this time. To celebrate this, the Baxianshan Nature Education Center hosts four sessions of the “Tung-Firefly Season.”
Trains filled with the fragrance of books: Six new “Reading Bars” added at Taichung TRA stations
The Taichung City Government’s Cultural Affairs Bureau has collaborated with the Taiwan Railways Administration under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications to set up a total of six “Reading Bar 读册吧” at Taichung, Fengyuan, Dajia, Shalu, and Qingshui stations, allowing passengers to enjoy a literary atmosphere while traveling by train.
Top 10 Unique Travel Routes Across Taiwan – Discover Taitung’s Joyful Vibes by Bus
The Directorate General of Highways, Ministry of Transportation and Communications, announced that Taitung bus operators have partnered with local industries to launch the “Love Chi-Tai Rice” promotion. Through this cross-industry collaboration, nearly 30 local businesses in downtown Taitung, Longtian, Wuling, Guanshan, and Chishang have joined forces. Travelers can explore Taitung by bus and enjoy discounts on hot springs, cultural activities, shopping, and more by simply showing their bus ticket stubs.
Customized sky lanterns are all the rage – Pingxi’s “Police Sky Lantern Show” adds extra shows starting April 10
The “Pingxi Substation of Ruifang Precinct, New Taipei City Police Department,” whose architecture resembles a giant sky lantern, has become a new local landmark since its opening on White Day this year (2014). The “Police Sky Lantern Show,” which begins at 6 p.m., has been especially popular. To allow more people to experience the charm of customized LED wish sky lanterns, additional shows starting at 4 p.m. will be held from April 10 onward.
Hidden Gem at Kaisyuan Night Market: Fermented Stinky Tofu Soaked in Green Juice
Inside Kaisyuan Night Market, food stalls are so densely packed that they’re almost overwhelming. Among them is a hidden queue-worthy stinky tofu stall that not only stops tourists in their tracks but also draws locals who often come specifically to take some away — all just to savor its uniquely salty, crispy, fragrant, and sweet-aftertaste texture.
The quota for individual mainland Chinese tourists visiting Taiwan will be raised to 4,000 per day starting from the 16th
The National Immigration Agency announced on the 9th that, in response to the large number of mainland Chinese tourists visiting Taiwan during the May Day holiday, the daily quota for individual mainland tourists will be increased from 3,000 to 4,000 starting from the 16th.
The "Tung Blossom Star" Painted Train Sets Off – Admire the "May Snow" Aboard
The 2014 "Tung Blossom Star" painted Taiwan Railways train, launched by the Council of Hakka Affairs and the Taiwan Railways Administration, began operating on the northern and southern main lines on March 31 and will continue until April 29. For detailed departure times and train schedules of the painted train, please check the official website of the "2014 Hakka Tung Blossom Festival" or the Taiwan Railways Administration website.
No chance to greet the dawn at high altitude? China Airlines and Mandarin Airlines cancel their 2018 "Dawn Flight"
As 2017 draws to a close, many people are starting to plan how to welcome 2018. For three consecutive years since 2015, China Airlines and Mandarin Airlines had organized the "Dawn Flight" program, taking passengers to eastern Taiwan to greet the earliest sunrise in the country from an altitude of 35,000 feet. However, as of now, neither airline has announced plans for a 2018 Dawn Flight.