Travel
Impact of South Korea’s MERS outbreak: EVA Air reports thousands of flight cancellations
Due to the impact of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak in South Korea, Taiwanese airlines have relaxed refund policies for flights to and from South Korea and have made gradual adjustments to their schedules. EVA Air announced that its June flights to South Korea will operate as normal, but starting in July, the frequency of the Kaohsiung–Seoul route will be reduced.
Popular Hokkaido dessert LeTAO opens a branch in Taiwan – Cheesecake flown in fresh
In April, LeTAO, the popular dessert shop from Otaru, Hokkaido, opened its namesake café in Taiwan at Taipei’s Songshan Cultural and Creative Park entrance — marking the brand’s first overseas branch under the same name. Here you can enjoy their signature double-layer cheesecake, which is made in Japan and then flown to Taiwan to preserve its original taste.
Did the Taichung branch opening event require a 26-hour wait? Tim Ho Wan criticized for hunger marketing
Tim Ho Wan’s Taichung branch is set to open at 12:40 PM on June 12, accompanied by an opening event where the first person in line can win NT$8,888 in food vouchers. However, the official announcement stated that queuing would begin at 10:00 AM on the previous day (June 11), and participants could not leave the line—meaning people would have to wait 26 hours for a chance to win, drawing criticism for deliberate hunger marketing tactics. Tim Ho Wan explained that based on past experience and fairness considerations, they allowed pre-opening day queuing. They also stated they will continue to learn and improve on areas that were not handled perfectly this time.
Free entry to Leofoo Village if your name contains any of these characters: “Dragon Boat Festival,” “Qu Yuan,” “zongzi,” or “dragon boat”!
The Dragon Boat Festival holiday is approaching, and Leofoo Village and Leofoo Water Park are offering free admission. Visitors whose names include any of the characters “端 (duān), 午 (wǔ), 屈 (qū), 原 (yuán), 粽 (zòng), 子 (zǐ), 龙 (lóng), 舟 (zhōu)” can enjoy free entry to both parks.
"Dreamy bubbles from the 'Little White Whale' car—fun public art debuts in Taitung City"
If you’ve recently visited Taitung City, you might have spotted a few amusing new "friends." Two public artworks, planned by the Taitung County Government, were unveiled today—the colorful "Tree of Dreams" and the adorable "Bubble White Whale Ice Cream" car. The latter even emits dreamy bubbles, delighting locals with its novelty.
Where to go this summer? Complete guide to accommodation discounts for the "2015 Taiwan Summer Solstice 235"
This year’s Taiwan Summer Solstice 235 series of events features a total of 11 organizations, including the Central Weather Bureau and local governments from Chiayi County, Chiayi City, Kaohsiung City, and Taitung County, as well as six national scenic area administrations—Eastern Coastal, Huatung Valley, Alishan, Siraya, Yunlin-Chiayi-Kaohsiung-Tainan, and Penghu—launching 13 activities and warmly inviting people across the country to join in.
Summer is seafood season — 4 star hotels unveil seasonal seafood to satisfy foodies' cravings
As the hot summer arrives, so does seafood season, especially with the seasonal seafood from Penghu, a favorite among many gourmets. To satisfy these cravings, The Regent Taipei recently launched an afternoon tea featuring unlimited fresh sea urchins and oysters air-flown from Penghu. The Chung Yuan Tower of Shangri-La’s Far Eastern International Hotel in Tainan launched the “Penghu Seafood Season,” while Taipei Far Eastern Café launched the “Seafood YEAH!” event, highlighting ingredients such as king crab legs, swimming crabs, grilled oysters, Icelandic cod, and Norwegian salmon.
30 Years of Heritage in Every Bite: Yilan's Honest Copper Coin Delicacies
This humble yet delicious eatery lives up to its name—truly simple, honest flavors. Though it’s just a small local spot, the dishes are lightly seasoned and incredibly tasty, making us instantly hooked!!! We’ve been coming here for nearly two years and often drop by whenever we can. It’s also a great place for friends or family who are vegetarian.
Top 10 Train Routes in the World: Switzerland’s “Bernina Express” Offers Glacial Views and Fairy-Tale Villages Along the Way
In addition to buses and airplanes, traveling by luxurious and elegant trains has become increasingly popular among travelers in Europe and America in recent years. This travel trend has gradually spread to Taiwan, with more and more travel agencies offering or organizing self-guided or group overseas train tours. Nowadays, a growing number of travelers are embracing this new style of travel.
Traveling to Japan just got easier！Far Eastern Air Transport launches a direct flight from "Taichung to Osaka"
Residents in central Taiwan are in for a treat！Far Eastern Air Transport has announced the launch of a direct flight between Taichung and Osaka from June 18 to August 30. This marks the airline's first-ever route to Japan.
Pumpkin Fun Isn’t Just for Halloween: The Miaoli Zaobridge Pumpkin Festival Kicks Off Happily
Who says pumpkin decorations are only for Halloween? This summer, Miaoli launched the vibrant and glittering "2015 Miaoli Zaobridge Pumpkin Festival" on June 13 and 14, themed “Golden Melon Paradise – Happiness GO!” The event invited couples celebrating their golden wedding anniversaries in the township to dress in white gowns to spread joy, and featured activities such as pumpkin carving and pumpkin painting, allowing visitors to experience the rich pumpkin farming culture of Miaoli Zaobridge.
The Taipei Travel Agents Association re-elected Wu Zhijian, General Manager of "Jingcheng Tianxia," as its chairman.
This year’s election for the Taipei Travel Agents Association was highly competitive. Wu Zhijian’s team, running for the position for the second time, featured a strong lineup of candidates. Prior to the election, the team actively engaged with industry peers, and their campaign platform addressed issues such as airline ticketing and delays in the entry approval process for mainland Chinese tourists, ultimately winning majority support.
A shared childhood memory for people from Anping—purely handmade sweet and savory crispy pies
This time, Xiaosheng wants to introduce a delicious local breakfast spot—Mom Xu’s Breakfast. Although I’ve been eating here since childhood, I never used to come with a camera because I came so often. It wasn’t until I brought out-of-town friends here for breakfast that I took some photos and was finally able to share this local hometown delicacy with everyone.
More Than 200,000 Visitors to Fulong Sand Sculpture Festival – Even “Qu Yuan” Wears Shades for Sunbathing
The Fulong International Sand Sculpture Art Festival, held from May 2 to July 12, has attracted 200,000 visitors since its opening. In addition to the playful “Toy United Nations” theme this year, sand sculpting masters from around the world also competed with “Peace” as the central theme, making this year’s sculptures even more captivating. To coincide with the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival, a sand sculpture artist created a piece themed around Qu Yuan today, and its adorable and lively design has caught the public’s attention.
FRIDAYS' Largest-Ever Menu Upgrade: 40 New Dishes Launched at Once
The Taiwanese American restaurant TGI FRIDAYS has been in Taiwan for 24 years. It was once the leading brand in the food and beverage industry, but in recent years, amid competition from both domestic and international brands—and with little to no changes to its menu in 11 years—TGI FRIDAYS had lost much of its former glory. After the Beixuan Catering Group took over as the Taiwan agent for TGI FRIDAYS, it decided to undertake a major transformation, launching the largest menu overhaul in TGI FRIDAYS Taiwan’s history. In May, over 40 brand-new dishes were introduced. Li Hongzhi, Managing Director of TGIFRIDAYS, hopes that TGI FRIDAYS can once again become a trendsetting brand.
MERS outbreak impact: Mandarin Airlines suspends Taichung–Seoul flights until end of July
In response to the MERS outbreak, Mandarin Airlines announced today (11th) that it will cancel all Taichung–Seoul flights from tomorrow until the end of July. Passengers who have already booked and must travel will be assisted by Mandarin Airlines in transferring to China Airlines’ Taipei Taoyuan–Seoul flights.
What kind of people stay in what kind of hotels? We reveal the most compatible hotel styles for all 12 zodiac signs at once
Whether it's a motel, a five-star hotel, luxury style or a rustic homestay, choose the most suitable hotel for you or your partner—and set off right away
Is eating ramen really a life-threatening experience? Kyoto’s super-popular flaming ramen
But is there really a life-threatening risk in just eating a bowl of ramen? In Kyoto, there’s a ramen shop called “Menbakada Ichidai” where the signature dish is flaming ramen (scallion ramen). Before serving the ramen to customers, the staff pour burning scallion oil into the bowl, and then a fierce flame immediately shoots up from the bowl. Due to the danger involved, it’s mandatory to eat only at the counter, and no photos are allowed, you must not run away, nor touch the ramen bowl.
MERS outbreak continues to spread Travel agencies suspend Korea tour sign-ups and offer full refunds
In response to the evolving MERS situation in South Korea, renowned domestic travel agency “Liangyou Travel” announced on the 11th that it is canceling all group tours to Korea, with full refunds for those who have already signed up. Starting from the 11th, Liangyou has also removed all Korea group tour packages from its offerings and temporarily suspended the acceptance of new sign-ups for Korea tours. For customers who have already registered for Korea group tours, the agency guarantees a full refund without any handling fees. These measures will remain in place until the travel alert is officially lifted.
Vietjet announces 500 additional domestic flights in Vietnam during summer vacation
Vietjet today (11th) announced it will add 500 domestic flights in Vietnam, including routes from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi to major cities such as Haiphong, Da Nang, and Nha Trang, to meet the rising travel demand during the summer vacation.