Travel
Bikini Splash Dance Party with Cool Discounts
Although autumn has arrived, the weather remains hot, and people are eager to cool off in the water. Taoyuan Eastar Forest Resort Hotel is hosting a special "Bikini Splash Dance Party" on 9/20, inviting residents of Taoyuan County to join. Guests, children under 120 cm, and women wearing bikinis can enjoy free entry and have fun together.
The Marlin Biennial Butterfly Watching Festival to Kick Off in October – Millions of Purple Crow Butterflies Gracefully Winter Here
The “2014-2015 Marlin Purple Butterfly Valley ~ Biennial Butterfly Watching Series” will grandly commence on October 18. Over the course of more than five months, in addition to butterfly viewing activities, the popular “Dohna Black Rice Festival” remains part of the series, and for the first time, the “Wanshan Warriors Festival” is also included. The organizers have specially launched a “Memorable Travel Diary” submission campaign, with participants having the chance to win a grand prize of NT$20,000.
Globally Voted “Top 25 Museums in Asia” – National Palace Museum Taiwan Ranked 19th
The well-known travel website TripAdvisor holds its annual “Travellers’ Choice” awards. Recently, it released the rankings of the “2014 Best Museums in Asia” as voted by travelers worldwide. The National Palace Museum in Taipei lived up to expectations by making the list at rank 19. Below is a brief introduction from rank 25 down to 1st.
Taiwan is still bathed in red, but Hokkaido’s highest peak, “Mount Asahi,” is already crowned with silver white
While Taiwan is still “roasting sweet potatoes,” the highest peak of Hokkaido, Mount Asahi in the Daisetsuzan range, has already been blanketed in a layer of silvery white. According to a report by the Asahi Shimbun, the local meteorological observatory observed the first snowfall of the year on Mount Asahi on the 16th, three days earlier than last year and about nine days earlier than the average for previous years.
Attention, travelers to Japan！ Taiwanese passport holders visiting Odaiba in Tokyo can exchange for a 1,000-yen shopping voucher
Attention, travelers heading to Japan during the National Day holiday！ To celebrate the October National Day holiday, the Odaiba shopping complex in Tokyo, Japan, will launch the “Tourist Passport Promotion Campaign” from October 1 to October 13. Overseas visitors who present their passport can receive a 1,000-yen shopping gift certificate.
Phoenix Disrupts Plans – New Taipei City Kite Festival Postponed to September 27
The New Taipei City Government announced that due to the approach of Typhoon In-Fa, the originally scheduled New Taipei City North Coast International Kite Festival on September 20 and 21 has been postponed by one week to September 27 and 28.
The Starbucks Wind Lion God Mug in Kinmen is super popular — you might not be able to get one even if you want to.
I’ve never quite understood why Taiwanese people are so crazy about Starbucks over the years, but I can only admire how Uni-President Enterprises has really built up its brand value, keeping the enthusiasm among Taiwanese
News Flash / EVA Air flight attendants’ new uniforms are super masculine; first flights to Bangkok at year’s end
TransAsia Airways’ local low-cost subsidiary, V Air, held a uniform unveiling event this afternoon (September 18), where it also displayed in-flight meals such as fried chicken cutlets and rice balls, along with a variety of V Air bear-branded merchandise. The airline also revealed during the event that its first destination will be Bangkok, Thailand.
News / V Air Announces Year-End Launch with First Flight to Bangkok
V Air, a low-cost airline established as an investment by TransAsia Airways, announced on the 18th that its inaugural route will be to Bangkok, with services expected to begin before the end of this year, and additional routes to Japan and South Korea to be added in the first quarter of next year.
Authentic and hearty Taiwanese street eats in Kaohsiung – A bowl of pig’s blood soup with intestines for just NT$40
That day, in search of the delicious rice noodle soup that fellow foodies had raved about, we headed to Gushan District. Under the scorching sun and following the clues given by others, we still couldn’t find the rice noodle soup. Driving all the way to the Gushan Second Public Market, we spotted a line of people queuing up. Being the observant travelers we are, we decided to stop and check it out.
Three Grand Villas in Atami Transformed into Artistic Heritage Sites – Explore the Century-Old Qiyunge Pavilion
Regarded as one of the “Three Grand Villas of Atami” in Shizuoka, the “Qiyunge Pavilion” was built during Japan’s Taisho and Showa eras, exuding the romantic atmosphere of the time. Originally featuring only traditional Japanese architectural style, it changed ownership and was expanded with a new garden and Western-style decorative architecture, covering an area of 3,000 tsubo. Initially a private residence, it was later converted into a hotel and became the top choice for Japanese literati visiting Atami, and is now designated as a tangible cultural property by the Atami City Office.
Ghosts could pop up beside you at any moment—Four must-visit Halloween spots in Hong Kong
The "Hong Kong Halloween Festival" kicks off on October 1st, featuring four major highlights to experience, including Hong Kong Disneyland, Madame Tussauds Hong Kong, and Ocean Park Hong Kong, all of which have launched spooky Halloween events. This year also marks the first time the terrifying haunted house "FRIGHT DOME: Fear Summit" from Las Vegas, USA, has come to The Peak Galleria, while major malls will be decked out with eerie Halloween decorations.
The city's charm is worth visiting again and again — Xu Weini recommends three sights you can only find in Hong Kong
Just an 80-minute flight from Taiwan, Hong Kong is one of the top choices for many Taiwanese travelers looking for a short break. The reason Hong Kong remains endlessly appealing certainly isn’t just its food — the city’s ever-surprising festivals that constantly create excitement are the real highlight. Xu Weini, Director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s Taiwan Office, says that no matter when you visit Hong Kong, you can always look forward to surprising festivals and discover the rich cultural essence hidden within the city.
Sleep on the road and spend an alternative vacation at this Pingtung homestay
Located near Houpi Lake, Iya not only has a large villa but also several campervans imported from the U.S. This time, to give Mr. Nick a more diverse experience, we chose the campervan. Boge has been camping since childhood with his dad, so camping itself isn’t new to me—but this was my first time in a campervan.
Yilan Bike Festival: PayEasy Launches One-Day Bike Tour for Just NT$799
The annual Yilan Bike Festival is set to kick off on September 27. In collaboration with the Yilan County Leisure Agriculture Development Association, PayEasy is offering an incredible one-day bike tour of Yilan for just NT$799, featuring four cycling routes including Xinqiao Stream, Lanyang River, and Dongshan River. Limited spots available—sign up now!
Romantic fireworks light up the lake surface tonight—the Sun Moon Lake Fireworks Festival kicks off on October 17th!
The “2014 Sun Moon Lake International Fireworks, Music & Cycling Carnival” will be grandly held from October 17 to November 9, featuring six diverse music performances and introducing a “Check-in & Win Prizes” event to attract visitors. In addition, during the carnival period, it is paired with the “2014 Taiwan Cycling Festival – Sun Moon Lake Come Bikeday” classical cycling event, allowing visitors to enjoy cycling through the scenic beauty of Sun Moon Lake during the day.
Following Yoyogi Park, dengue fever infections have also emerged in Ueno Park
The dengue fever outbreak in Tokyo, Japan, continues to escalate. After mosquitoes captured in Yoyogi Park tested positive for the dengue virus, a 20-year-old woman was bitten by a mosquito in Ueno Park and developed symptoms on the 13th. On the 19th, relevant authorities conducted mosquito eradication operations in the park.
This is so cool—would you dare to eat salad with stinky tofu in it?
A while back, I came to Zhongcheng Street to meet a friend and spotted this restaurant that looked fairly new. It had a modern exterior and seemed to have an abundance of books. When I got home and tried looking it up online, I couldn’t find much info, so I was sure it was newly opened. But a lot of recently opened places in Taichung aren’t that great, which made me a bit wary. Still, curiosity got the better of me, and a few days later I arranged to go with some friends. There’s quite a bit of space in front of the store to park scooters, so you won’t have to stress over finding a parking spot.
Vanilla Air on promotion again: Taipei–Tokyo one-way for just NT$888
Wow！ Vanilla Air is making a “big move” with a new promotion！ A one-way flight from Taipei to Tokyo (excluding tax) is only NT$888, nearly half the price of the previous promotion at NT$1610. It starts at 17:00 on September 24, but is limited to 500 seats and will be sold out once capacity is reached.
Leaf-peeping season begins at the end of September – Predicted timings for Korea’s famous maple-viewing mountains released
Korea has entered its maple-leaf season this year. The first signs of red leaves are expected to appear at the end of September on Mount Seoraksan, while central regions and Mount Jirisan are predicted to see them from early to mid-October. Southern areas are expected to reach peak foliage around mid to late October. Travelers interested in enjoying the fall colors in Korea can refer to the predicted timings for its renowned maple-viewing mountains.