Travel
Summer vacation is here！Starting July 27, 9 extra high-speed rail trips added weekly, plus 10% off early-bird tickets every Saturday peak
With summer vacation approaching, Taiwan High-Speed Rail is gearing up for the peak tourist season by adding 9 extra train services per week from July 27 to August 31. This brings the total number of weekly services to 962. For the first time, early-bird tickets with a 10% discount will be available for 4 trains during the morning peak on Saturdays. The additional services are now open for ticket booking.
Late-night delights！Fish Market Pork Rice in Changhua that sells out within two hours of opening
I remember once chatting with a friend about going out for a late-night snack, and he casually asked me to name ten places. To my surprise, I could easily rattle off more than twenty. It turns out there are plenty of night owls, but even more vendors working through the night. This time, I was in Changhua again, partly just to witness the legendary late-night pork rice. Another spot rumored to have people lining up before it even opens—and selling out within as little as two hours—【Fish Market Pork Rice】.
A must-visit in Rio: Lapa – experience the real Brazilian nightlife!
Lapa is the heart of Rio de Janeiro’s best bars, clubs, nightlife, and music — and, of course, the most unifying and powerful rhythm that defines all Brazilians: samba. If you’re visiting Rio, don’t miss this place to truly experience the Brazilian way of nightlife. Strolling through Lapa, an area filled with 19th-century architecture, you might at any moment be invited to join a party where everyone dances joyfully to the music and samba!
The floating castle "SuperStar Virgo" docks weekly at Kaohsiung Port in June
Star Cruises' largest ship in its Asian fleet, the "SuperStar Virgo," has added a new Kaohsiung route this year with Hong Kong as its home port. It is expected to visit Kaohsiung 28 times this year, and from June to August, the public can admire the magnificent cruise ship every week at the Banana Pier in Kaohsiung Port.
Roam ancient trails and wetlands — Gongliao offers more than just the Ocean Music Festival this summer
The most exciting summer music event in northern Taiwan, the “2014 Gongliao International Ocean Music Festival,” will take place from July 9 to 13 at Fulong Beach. Ahead of the festival, the New Taipei City Tourism Bureau also recommends several nearby distinctive tourist attractions, allowing visitors to rock out all summer while also enjoying an active and relaxing time amid beautiful mountains and waters.
Did the Eiffel Tower become a container for desserts?
Anyone who loves desserts and afternoon tea knows that there are countless dessert and tea shops in the Taichung area. It seems like new ones are opening up every so often. The "De Rêve Boutique Café" (德尔芙精品咖啡de rêve café), which is surprisingly large in scale, was introduced to me by a friend. At the time, it had only been open for a little over three months. I originally thought it would be just another cute little shop (because of the name!).
A specialty Japanese shaved ice shop in Pingtung: New flavors like cheese matcha shaved ice and tamagoyaki
This cozy little Japanese shaved ice shop, Little Secret, has quickly risen to fame in Pingtung over just a few years of operation, offering a uniquely Japanese and literary vibe. Looking back to 2014 when it first opened, the shop had an open layout, but after renovations, it now features a warm, Japanese-inspired interior. Thanks to word-of-mouth recommendations, numerous blog posts, and even appearances on food TV shows, this hidden gem tucked away in an alley has become one of the must-visit eateries in Pingtung.
Don’t miss out on Star Cruises—experience the thrill of racing down a fully transparent waterslide into the sea
Onboard a cruise ship, you can not only explore port cities aboard a “moving luxury castle,” enjoy 24/7 dining without worrying about meals, and travel with no weight restrictions on luggage, but also experience the uniquely thrilling “seaslide” feature. You’ll be suspended in mid-air within a transparent tube, look down to see the vast ocean, and then plunge straight into the water.
Cambodia’s incredible water-based society – floating houseboats, schools, police stations...
When thinking about traveling to Cambodia, one might first think of Angkor Wat, but on the shores of Tonlé Sap Lake near Siem Reap, there exists a unique “water-based society” featuring things like floating houseboats, floating schools, floating sports fields, floating factories, and even a floating police station – almost forming a distinctive world of its own. It’s an absolute must-see when visiting Cambodia!
The "Water Country Garden" at the Water Park opens; free entry on the morning of June 6
The Taipei Water Department announced today (June 6) that the "Water Country Garden" within the Water Park has officially opened to the public, becoming a great spot for people to cool off and play in the water during the hot summer.
All for just 500 yen!* Japan’s “Lunch Passport” lets you enjoy gourmet meals at pocket change prices
If you're traveling in Japan and want to save money while still enjoying delicious food, be sure to pick up a “Lunch Passport” (ランチパスポート). Just show this passport at participating stores listed inside, and meals that usually cost 700 yen or more can all be yours for just 500 yen (about NT$146)—a real treat for your taste buds!
Hungary’s finest wines are in the “Valley of the Beautiful Women” – complete with vampire tales
Located in Szepasszonyvolgy, or as locals call it, the “Valley of the Beautiful Women,” this area boasts nearly 200 wine cellars. Behind the humble cellar doors, often marked with a red door bearing the image of Bacchus, the god of wine, you can usually find some of Hungary’s best wines. This place also has Hungary’s most beautiful vineyards and a unique historical connection to the vampires of medieval legend.
Stay in the resort and enjoy fireflies right in the park – a new eco-friendly accommodation near Sun Moon Lake
Combining ecological tours with the hospitality industry could spark a unique travel experience different from typical resort stays. Located near Sun Moon Lake, a new-style hotel officially launched in 2014 has been reimagined from the former "Bamboo & Stone Garden Eco-Learning Center" in the Sun Moon Lake Scenic Area Management Office. By integrating guided ecological tours with lodging, visitors to Sun Moon Lake can now have the chance to see fireflies directly from within the hotel.
The “One Sight, Double Wonders Art Festival” showcases salt and sand meticulously carved into art at Mashagou.
While northern Taiwan has the “Fulong International Sand Sculpture Art Festival,” southern Taiwan features the “2014 One Sight, Double Wonders Art Festival” that combines both salt and sand sculptures. The event runs from today until August 31 at Qigu Salt Mountain, Mashagou Coastal Recreational Area, and the Taiwan Salt Museum.
Traveling solo requires even more packing skills — here are 13 essentials you shouldn’t leave behind
Traveling alone isn’t as straightforward as going abroad with a group. When it comes to packing, since there’s no one to look out for you, it demands even more skill. Are there any principles you must keep in mind? According to HuffPost, in short, “less is more.” The following 13 items are what the article recommends as must-haves for solo travelers:
A popular roast meat shop with an ordinary appearance — the owner keeps chopping non-stop until the lunch break
If you’re a follower of the Xiaohu Food Dreams Facebook fan page, I’m sure you’ve already eaten at this shop I really didn’t want to write about. The main reason is that business here is already pretty good, and if I keep writing about it, I’ll have a hard time getting a seat myself. That said, it’s now quite common for the “Xiaohu Set Meal” duck leg to be sold out.
Taichung’s 8 Free Sightseeing Bus Routes: Explore Gaomei Wetlands and Qiuhong Valley This Summer
With the peak summer travel season underway, the Taichung Tourism Bureau has launched free “Taichung City Sightseeing Shuttle Buses” starting July 5 to promote local tourism. The eight routes will take visitors to popular attractions such as Gaomei Wetlands, Wuci Fishing Port, and Qiuhong Valley.
After the Yellow Rubber Duck, Hoffman unveils a 10-meter-tall bamboo-woven "Pink Kitten" in Shanghai
Following the global craze over the Yellow Rubber Duck, Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman has brought his latest large-scale artwork — a "Pink Kitten" entirely woven from bamboo. On the 7th, Hofman posted the latest photo of the "Pink Kitten" on his official fan page, inviting visitors to strike a Pink Kitten pose in front of Shanghai Century Park.
Started understanding my mother during the trip—Mom detected I had a cold the moment she answered the phone
My mom can always tell I have a cold from the very first “Hello” when I pick up the phone. To avoid worrying her, I always tell little lies—just like I’ve done for twenty-two years about everything else: the Middle East, South Asia, Africa… several times nearly not making it back to see her, nearly losing my left leg and having to go home in a wheelchair.
Do Japanese train bento boxes come with a heated version? The grilled beef tongue is irresistibly aromatic.
There must be hundreds of varieties of train bento boxes sold on the second floor of Sendai Station. That day, I was in a rush to go see the night maple leaves and didn’t have time for a proper sit-down meal, so I grabbed a bento box from the second floor of Sendai Station but forgot to take a picture of the shop. I remember it was on the left-hand side facing the Shinkansen entrance, and the entire store specialized in beef bento boxes. I picked one at random, and when I got to Matsushima Kaigan Station and took a closer look, it turned out to be a beef tongue bento box released by the famous beef tongue shop 【Zenkirou】. The bottom right corner explains how to heat and use it.