Travel
How to eat authentic Vietnamese pho? Broth with sea worms, and use chopsticks dipped in lemon
Pho can be considered Vietnam’s most iconic local dish. Throughout Vietnam, whether in restaurants or street stalls, pho can be seen everywhere. For Vietnamese people, it’s a humble meal that can be enjoyed at any time of day.
Okinawa’s No. 1 Shorei Shokudo – The Shorei Soba Even Hiroshi Abe Loves
People, why go to Okinawa? For the breathtaking ocean views, affordable Muji stores, [tears of joy] soulful shamisen folk music, and... Okinawan noodles too of course. This historic Okinawan noodle spot, “Shorei Shokudo,” established in 1905, was the highlight of our trip.
Don’t speak the local language? 3 foolproof tips to travel smoothly anyway
According to HuffPost, the U.S. Travel Department conducted a survey of 29 million American travelers in 2013, and found that most of their top destinations were not English-speaking countries. In reality, language isn’t necessarily a guarantee of travel quality—follow these tips to explore a new country in your own way.
Welcome to the “Clothes Optional” Inn — Sunscreen Is More Important Than Pants
There are many “clothing-optional resorts” around the world. In these resorts, sunscreen might be more important than pants. HuffPost reported on several such resorts that are truly eye-opening.
More than just lotus and water lilies: “Water caltrop flowers” successfully revived in Zuoying
In addition to enjoying lotus and water lilies at Lotus Pond, visitors can now also admire water caltrop flowers. The Zuoying Lotus Pond Scenic Area has established a water caltrop ecological pond near the Confucius Temple beside the pond. The water caltrops are now growing well, densely covering the pond’s surface, creating a charming contrast with the lotus blooms in the center of the pond and the weeping willows along the shore.
Don’t micromanage LCCs
Tigerair Taiwan is an LCC, and it makes money precisely through its business model of selling cheap tickets while charging extra for additional services. Asking Tigerair Taiwan to remove these pre-selected options is essentially asking it to abandon the LCC model and revert to the traditional airline approach of all-inclusive pricing. Then, can it still be called an LCC? Can it continue to sell cheap tickets? And was there even a need to promote it as “Taiwan’s first LCC”?
Majestic peaks and clusters of bizarre rocks and ancient pines — Huangshan in Anhui is even more spectacular than China’s Five Great Mountains.
Vast and resource-rich China boasts countless scenic wonders, among which the Five Great Mountains have long been regarded as iconic peaks. Mount Tai stands for grandeur, Mount Heng for elegance, Mount Hua for sheer cliffs, Mount Heng (Shanxi) for uniqueness, and Mount Song for profundity — each offering rare and breathtaking views. But beyond these famed mountains, Huangshan, known as “China’s No.1 Fantastic Mountain,” is equally renowned around the world. Since ancient times, poets and scholars have penned numerous odes to Huangshan, and after visiting, Xu Xiake, the famous traveler, praised it with the words: “After seeing the Five Great Mountains, you don’t need to see any others; after seeing Huangshan, you don’t need to see the Five Great Mountains.”
Make friends at sea: Princess Cruises launches free instant messaging app
Princess Cruises has announced the launch of its free Princess@Sea Messenger instant messaging app. Passengers will soon have the opportunity to use this app to communicate in real time with fellow travelers aboard the ship.
Foreign Students’ Favorite Taiwanese Snacks Voted On: Xiao Long Bao and Beef Noodle Soup Take First and Second Place
A vote on foreign students’ favorite Taiwanese snacks saw xiao long bao, beef noodle soup, and scallion pancakes all make the list. The “Studying in Taiwan 2014 – My Choice” questionnaire survey, results of which were announced on October 20, revealed the top three most popular Taiwanese snacks among international students: xiao long bao, beef noodle soup, and scallion pancakes. The top three most beloved tourist areas among foreign students are Sun Moon Lake, Kenting, and Taipei.
Delicious Philly-style steak burger from Philadelphia – the beef is sweet and tender, and the bun is incredibly hearty and chewy
This time, we’re taking you on another food adventure in Taipei to try some tasty eats at “Cheese David” located on Kunming Street in Ximending, Taipei. Situated at the prime corner spot of a triangle-shaped building, the place is easily spotted thanks to its eye-catching blue and pink striped exterior. Cheese David specializes in creative American cuisine, using fresh ingredients delivered daily and preparing dishes to order. The portions are generous and satisfying – must-tries include their signature Cheese Steak Burger, Philly Cheeseburger, Golden American Chicken Strips, and Cheese Fries…
200 teddy bears take over Qiuhong Valley and Cao’wu Boulevard – Teddy Bear Festival comes in November
The “Teddy Bear Taichung Lifestyle Festival,” which sparked a citywide craze for collecting 100 teddy bears last year, is making a grander comeback this year. Unlike the individually designed bears from last year, this time the organizers have arranged 200 bears—comprising 100 differently themed pairs of parent and child bears—in a creative design that will appear on the streets of Taichung starting November 15.
Exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the filming locations of "My Freedom Era" – A nostalgic bubble tea shop in Yilan
For those who grew up in the '50s and '60s (by Taiwanese reckoning), this kind of bubble tea is definitely not unfamiliar. Back then, there were no cafes or brunch spots—this bubble tea shop was a dear companion during our youth. But nowadays, such shops are few and far between. Not long ago, the TV drama "My Freedom Era" even chose this place as one of its filming locations. When I visited again recently, I noticed that many people came just to spot celebrities.
TransAsia Airways offers up to 26% off on three Asian routes & chances to win round-trip Bangkok flights
From now until November 16, TransAsia Airways is launching an online travel fair promotion for three key destinations: Osaka, Bangkok, and Macau. The Taoyuan–Macau route is discounted to 74% of the original price, with round-trip fares starting at NT$5,300; Taichung–Macau at NT$4,100; Taoyuan–Bangkok at NT$7,600; and Taoyuan–Osaka at NT$8,000.
Take a “Houyi Bicycle Mini-Tour” – Ride a bike through the alleys of a century-old sugar town
The Houyi Visitor Center, filled with Japanese-style charm, is the only visitor center in Taiwan that combines sugar railway culture. It is also an important site for preserving local history and cultural heritage. To introduce the unique features and historical culture of Houyi to the public, Yunlin County Government is holding the “One-Day Houyi Walk” bicycle mini-tour from now until December. Each month features a different themed itinerary, using cycling as a way to lead more visitors in gaining a deeper understanding of Houyi.
Autumn has arrived — come to the Luodong Night Market and order a warm bowl of red bean soup with glutinous rice balls, packed with generous toppings!
‘Take it as it comes and go with the flow’ — I don’t think this is a travel style many would enjoy, but often such spontaneity leads to unexpected surprises. Would you call this way of traveling fulfilling? I quite enjoy this impromptu style of trip planning — at least it keeps things relaxed. This short trip to Yilan continued in the same vein, and one day I suddenly decided to visit the Luodong Night Market, a must-go spot every time I’m in Yilan.
Get discounts without visiting the travel fair – Domestic theme parks offer up to 69% off accommodation
To welcome the Taipei International Travel Fair, domestic theme park operators have launched an advance accommodation voucher pre-sale event, with prices starting at around 69% off the regular rate. Consumers can preorder accommodation vouchers in advance without visiting the fair. Interested travelers may want to check it out.
The Magician Who Brought “Eslite” onto a Plane — Chen Rui-Xian: I Am a Space Translator
This year (2014) has been bustling in Taiwan’s aviation industry. In addition to two domestic airlines launching low-cost carriers, EVA Air and China Airlines have also introduced the new B777-300ER aircraft. However, China Airlines played a bold new card by inviting “Chen Rui-Xian,” who once designed Eslite Bookstore and is hailed as one of the five most influential architects in Greater China, to bring the atmosphere of the earth into the sky and create an entirely new kind of flying ambiance.
Ancient city light art showcases diverse styles; Hengchun Folk Song Festival kicks off on the 25th
The 2014 Hengchun Folk Song Festival will open at 7:00 PM on October 25 at Hengchun West Gate Square. This year’s theme, “Folk Vibes 'Folk Rollin’,” features a lineup of performances by local folk groups, Golden Melody Award-winning Taiwanese pop queen Show Lo Ma-ya, musical poet Matthew Lien, and other top-quality folk bands and singers from both home and abroad, alongside the appreciation of ancient city light art.
Travelers Vote on the “Hardest Airport to Sleep In” – Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto International Airport Wins “Double Crown”
The American travel website “Sleeping in Airports Guide” recently released its ranking of the world’s most sleep-friendly airports, along with a list of the world’s “hardest to sleep in” airports. The airport with the worst reputation among global travelers is Pakistan’s Islamabad Benazir Bhutto International Airport (hereinafter referred to as Bhutto International Airport), which also tops the list as the hardest airport to sleep in in Asia.
Preventing Ebola from entering Taiwan: Passengers on flights from Europe and Dubai must now fill out a 'Blue Card' upon entry
As sporadic Ebola cases have been reported in Europe and the United States, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 21st that, in order to reduce the risk of Ebola entering Taiwan, all passengers on flights arriving from Europe and Dubai must fill out an 'Ebola Entry Declaration Card.' Travelers are urged to provide honest information.