Travel
What should you prepare for international travel? Five essential steps from safety to packing have got you covered
Do you often feel overwhelmed before traveling abroad—packing, exchanging currency, buying insurance... not sure where to start? If you're someone who easily gets anxious about this, take a look at this guide from HuffPost to make pre-trip preparation much easier!
Sister-line collaboration: Free train vouchers available in Chichi and Isumi from the 11th
Taiwan Railways’ “Chichi Line” and Japan’s “Isumi Railway Co., Ltd.” have launched a cross-border partnership that combines the unique features of both scenic railways. By exchanging one-day passes for free, the initiative aims to attract more visitors to explore each other’s destinations. The campaign runs from February 11, 2015, to December 31, 2016. Present either an original “Chichi Line One-Day Pass” or an “Isumi Railway One-Day Free Ride Ticket” along with your “passport” to get a same-day ticket for free.
Spring Festival air travel expected to hit record highs; Taoyuan Airport advises arriving 3 hours early
Taoyuan International Airport will operate 1,530 additional flights during the Spring Festival holiday period from February 5 to March 4. Passenger traffic is expected to reach new highs, and the airport authority recommends that travelers during peak hours arrive at the airport three hours early and apply for the automated clearance system in advance to speed up the security process and avoid delays caused by crowds.
Take a leap from the 60-meter jump tower!"Six Must-Sees at the 2015 Sapporo Snow Festival"
The over 60-year-old winter highlight of Hokkaido, the "Sapporo Snow Festival," kicked off on the 5th. Within its short 7-day run, besides hundreds of ice and snow sculptures and ski jumps, there was also the debut of the puppet show *Alice in Snowland*, and the famous mobile game *Candy Crush Soda* was projected onto snow sculptures using 3D mapping technology. Below is a summary of the must-see highlights across this year’s three main exhibition venues!
A totally different hot spring experience from Taiwan’s—nude mixed-gender bathing in Switzerland is super embarrassing!
When traveling in Switzerland, besides indulging in chocolate and cheese fondue, there’s one thing I highly recommend trying: “soaking in hot springs,” especially in the snowy mountains of Vals. It’s truly a rare and precious experience—an incredibly unique hot spring culture compared to Asia!
Auspicious Start to the New Year: Explore Six Attractions on a Light Rail Journey via Tainan’s Green 13 Bus
The Tainan City Bus Green 13 Branch Line passes by attractions such as Xinhua Old Street, Hutoupi Scenic Area, Xinhua National Botanical Garden, Dakeng Farm, Ganglin Church, and the Erliau Sunrise. To kick off the Lunar New Year with good fortune, travelers can hop on the Green 13 to explore along Provincial Highway 168 for a light and easy bus trip, symbolizing “prosperity all the way” in the new year.
Dreamlike Snowscape – The "Phantom Snow Amanohashidate" Appears Less Than Three Times a Year
Snow is rare in Kyoto, Japan, but this year brought several snowfalls, with snow-draped Kinkaku-ji, Ginkaku-ji, and Kiyomizu-dera all taking visitors’ breath away. This cold wave not only brought temperatures below 10°C to Taipei but also blanketed the seldom-snowy Amanohashidate in white. The snow-covered view of Amanohashidate, which appears less than three times a year, is called the "Phantom Snow Amanohashidate."
Limited-edition imported beef sukiyaki – Affordable Japanese cuisine tucked away in Xinyi District alleys
I’ve been frequently traveling to Taipei on assignments lately and have noticed so many new restaurants popping up all over the city—literally like mushrooms after the rain. Each one has its own unique charm, making me eager to explore them whenever I get the chance. Recently, a friend recommended an affordable “authentic Japanese cuisine” spot hidden in the alleys of Taipei, and as a big fan of Japanese food, I immediately gathered some friends for a food adventure.
Free manicures and shoe shining while waiting in line — Mainland China’s hotpot chain Haidilao opens in Taipei
The mainland Chinese hotpot restaurant “Haidilao,” known for its exceptional service, is coming to Taipei. In addition to its affordable prices and delicious broth, Haidilao is especially famous for its wide range of unexpectedly thoughtful services. For example, there are free manicure and shoe shining services at the entrance for customers waiting to be seated. After using the restroom, guests are given warm towels, and there’s even a childcare service available.
Order everything on the menu for under 300 NT dollars — affordable oden without MSG!
Nothing beats a warm bowl of soup in winter. Yilan doesn’t seem to have any dedicated oden shops — they’re usually found as part of Japanese restaurants. The popular Little Kite Ice Cream (fewer people eat ice cream in winter), which we introduced before, has specially developed oden to let residents of rainy winter Yilan enjoy some hot food. Of course, they still serve ice cream too — those unafraid of the cold can still enjoy that!!
The 115-Year-Old Tainan Governor's Residence Reopens with 3D Art in Weimin Street Underpass
The 115-year-old "Tainan Governor's Residence" has been reimagined with a fresh new look developed by Kaoching Development, the same team behind the iconic "Lín Department Store." It reopened on the 8th, and the Weimin Street underpass, which connects to the residence, has also been revamped. The first-floor space features the "1900" café, alongside a cultural and creative goods store, bookstore, and other offerings, providing a unique arts and culture venue.
Taoyuan’s Lalashan Gets First Snowfall of 3 cm, Turning Ancient Tree Forest into a Silver World
It’s snowing in Lalashan！ Due to recent low temperatures and high humidity, Taoyuan’s Lalashan began receiving its first snowfall of the year in the early hours of today (February 9). Although daytime temperatures have slightly warmed, there is still snow accumulation in parts of the ancient tree area, turning Lalashan into a silver-white wonderland.
The price is missing a zero… A 12-day trip to the Netherlands for just 9,900 yuan — the travel agency accepts the loss
A 12-day tour of the Netherlands for just 9,900 yuan?! Taipei-based “ZenYang Travel” had priced a 12-day North Holland tour at 99,000 yuan, but due to a typo online where a zero was left out, it caused netizens to scramble to book, with at least 20 travelers successfully signing up. After discovering the mistake, the travel agency immediately corrected the price and emphasized that those who successfully placed orders would still join the tour for the 9,900 yuan group fee.
Cosmos flowers are in bloom！Meinong’s Painted Earth welcomes visitors with evening light shows to admire the night-time flower sea
The beautiful cosmos flowers in Meinong, Kaohsiung have bloomed！The opening ceremony of the Meinong Painted Earth flower sea was held on the 8th, accompanied by a manned hot air balloon event, kicking off a series of opening activities for the flower sea season. At the flower sea event by Meinong’s Zhongzheng Lake, three large Hakka-style installation artworks and scarecrows are interspersed among the fields of flowers, available for visitors to enjoy around the Spring Festival.
Another Korean BBQ joint has arrived — TIGER BULGOGI sets up shop at ATT 4 FUN
While HONEY PIG was sparking a craze for Korean BBQ, another Korean grill is also gearing up to enter the Xinyi District. At ATT 4 FUN’s sixth floor in Xinyi, there are two partition walls under construction — one side will soon house Hot Pot chain Haidilao from mainland China, while the other announces the upcoming opening of a restaurant called “TIGER BULGOGI.”
Japan’s Super Cute Fox Village: Walk with Wild Foxes in Miyagi
Can you imagine? In Miyagi Prefecture’s Fox Village, for just 200 New Taiwan Dollars, you can stroll and feed six different species of foxes together with them.
3,200 cherry blossoms paint the green hills pink – Taipei’s “Yangmingshan Flower Festival” kicks off
As winter fades into spring, flowers gradually bloom, each showcasing its unique charm. The annual natural spectacle in northern Taiwan, the “Yangmingshan Flower Festival,” debuted on the 7th. With the cherry blossom season upon us, take a trip to Yangmingshan to admire over 3,000 pink cherry blossoms blanketing the hillsides and the breathtaking sight of tens of thousands of camellias in full bloom.
Check in wearing couple outfits on Valentine's Day for just ¥2,314 at a five-star hotel
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and you still haven’t decided where to spend this romantic day? Spending a sweet night at a five-star hotel might be a great choice. The Ambassador Hotel is offering a limited-edition 100-unit Valentine’s package where you and your loved one can live out the movie “Fifty Shades of Grey,” along with a free set of OPI nail polish. Meanwhile, The Hanpintei Xinzhuang is launching the 2015 “Love Forever” romantic Valentine’s stay package.
Designed with curation as the core spatial concept, HowToTrip Grand Formosa Regent Tainan officially opens
The first design-style hotel under the Grand Formosa Regent Hotels & Resorts group, "HowToTrip Grand Formosa Regent Tainan," officially opened today (the 10th), hosting a brand launch event. Designed with curation as the main spatial concept, the hotel preserves a total of 120 ping of exhibition space. Shen Fangzheng, CEO of Grand Formosa Regent Hotels & Resorts Group, stated that the introduction of the Regent brand is aimed at staying at the forefront and integrating the city's imagery to allow travelers to experience the “sweetness” of Tainan.
Spring has come, fortune has arrived, and good luck is here—Taipei Post Office offers handwritten Spring Festival couplets!
Taipei Post Office will host the “Taipei Delivers Warmth, Calligraphy Brings Couplets” event on February 12 and 13 before the Lunar New Year from 14:00 to 16:00 on the first floor lobby of Taipei North Gate Post Office. Several renowned calligraphers will be invited to create creative Spring Festival couplets with auspicious meanings on-site, and the public is welcome to come and collect them.