Travel
Must-eat in Singapore: Mildly peppery & delicious – the famous chain “Bak Kut Teh”
Bak Kut Teh is a must-try Southeast Asian dish when visiting Singapore, and you’ll spot this delicacy on streets and at various hawker centers. Many Singaporeans enjoy it for breakfast, just like how people in Tainan might have pork rice, beef soup, or milkfish soup in the morning – feels so nutritious!
Jingying launches new brand "Jing Quan Feng Lv" to enter the Jiaoxi Hot Spring Resort Area
Jing Ying, under the Crystal Grand Crystal Hotel Group, has introduced a new extension brand—“Jing Quan Feng Lv”—positioned as a boutique hotel to enter the hot spring resort market, with plans to open in early 2016.
Hold an Alishan Forest Railway round-trip ticket & ride Japan’s Oigawa Railway for free
The Alishan Forest Railway and Japan’s Oigawa Railway became sister railways in 2016, marking their 30th anniversary. To show appreciation to travelers, from September 1 until the end of March next year, any traveler from our country who takes the “Chiayi–Fenchihu” section of the Alishan Railway can exchange one round-trip Alishan train ticket for that section for one one-way regular passenger ticket on the “Kanaya–Senou” section of the Oigawa Railway.
The Ghost Lantern Festival of Keelung’s Zhongyuan Festival kicks off with the grand Water Lantern Parade — opening with Shi Gu (Ten Drums) performance and the adorable Mushroom mascot riding a float!
The highlight of the 161-year-old “Keelung Zhongyuan Festival,” the Water Lantern Parade, grandly kicked off on the streets of Keelung on the evening of the 27th. Since the opening of the shrine doors on the first day of the seventh lunar month, a series of ceremonial rituals have been held, culminating tonight in a spectacular climax. Clan associations and local groups spared no effort, deploying all kinds of ceremonial troupes, floats, and performance teams, creating a jubilant atmosphere that lasted into the late night. The event concluded with the release of water lanterns at Wanghai Lane, making it one of Taiwan’s most culturally captivating traditional celebrations.
Anniversary Celebration – ita Pizza Truck Serves Pizzas in Taipei, Taoyuan, and Taichung
ita, known for its innovative fusion of international and Italian cuisines, is celebrating its first anniversary by giving away 750 free 6T pizzas across Taiwan. From August 29 to 30, the ita Chef’s Truck will tour northern and central Taiwan, making stops in Taipei, Taoyuan, and Taichung. Snap a photo with the truck and post it on Facebook for a chance to win a limited-edition, chef-prepared, hand-crafted Italian-style squid pizza.
Sleep for just 600 NT a night at Tainan’s new youth hostel—Nordic country style on Hai’an Road
A new youth hostel has just opened on Tainan’s Hai’an Road. With a spacious lobby space, it retains a “revitalized old building” décor style, featuring Nordic furniture that blends industrial and American country aesthetics. Each bunk bed costs just 600 NT, and even during its trial operation period, occupancy has already reached 70%. Its refreshing style makes it a rare accommodation find in Tainan.
Cheap skate alert: Taiwanese caught stealing at Tokyo Disneyland—17 arrests in 3 years
The civic-mindedness of our citizens seems to need improvement. Tokyo Disneyland is a must-visit destination for Taiwanese travelers in Japan, but according to statistics from the Taiwanese representative office in Japan, from 2013 to June this year, a total of 17 cases of Taiwanese people being caught shoplifting at Disneyland have occurred in just three years. Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs urge the public to show self-respect and not damage Taiwan’s image.
A Famous Korean “Grilled Sausage” Street – Sweet and Spicy Korean Grilled Pork Sausages
After taking a bus down from Mount Bagong, the long traffic jam made the elderly passengers on the bus very curious about my next destination as a foreigner. They were also worried I might get lost and kept asking where I was headed and suggesting where to get off... I finally gave in and told them I was going to eat grilled sausages. Immediately, they urged me to get off at any nearby subway station and transfer to Andirang Station (Paisan?), truly confirming that this is a well-known grilled sausage street.
Taipei's Rilakkuma-themed restaurant to begin trial operations in September; interior décor unveiled early
Fans won’t have to wait any longer—Taipei’s Rilakkuma-themed café, Rilakkuma Café, will start trial operations in September. Moreover, Japan’s official Rilakkuma Facebook page リラックマ Rilakkuma SAN-X has given fans an early look at the interior décor. The photos show the café filled with adorable Rilakkuma characters, and there are even large Rilakkuma plush pillows on the seats.
Buses enter campus campuses now available for free rides on two new city express routes in Kaohsiung for one month in September
The Kaohsiung City Government’s Department of Transportation has launched two new city express bus routes departing from the metro stations of Weiwuying and Caoya, aiming to encourage university and college students to take public transit and reduce casualties resulting from excessive use of private vehicles.
Welcoming the Opening of the Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum: Snow White, Apache, and 50 Lanterns to Light Up in December
To celebrate the trial opening of the Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum at the end of the year and coincide with the arrival of Christmas, Chiayi County Government will set up a themed story lantern area titled “Winter Wonderland – Christmas – Market – Carnival” along both sides of Taizi Boulevard in December. During the summer vacation, the Education Department invited about 70 elementary and junior high school teachers in the fields of arts and humanities to participate in a lantern-making workshop, aiming to produce around 50 creative lantern works.
Seafood Galore: When Squid Meets Snow Ice – Luodong’s Quirky Ice Treats
On a hot summer day, nothing beats ice cream—or in this case, snow ice—right? That’s exactly what I promised my niece after she helped me out, so I let her pick her favorite snow ice shop. Since I often pass by this place and noticed a red banner advertising that popular shows like “Extraordinary 360 Professions” and “Youthful Good Times” had featured it, I figured it must be pretty good. So, here we are.
Starting September 1, EVA Air Business Class passengers can enjoy Chihshang rice
To help promote Taiwan’s premium rice internationally, EVA Air has partnered with Chihshang Township in Taitung County. For a six-month period starting September 1, travelers can savor the renowned Chihshang rice in business class. This time, EVA Air has selected the award-winning “Special Grade Rice” from the first harvest of 2015 in Chihshang, allowing global passengers to experience its unforgettable aroma through EVA Air flights.
Take luxury trains and explore hidden gems—multiple ways to experience a different Spain!
Spain is a fascinating and diverse country with a variety of ways to explore it. In addition to the capital Madrid, the second-largest city Barcelona, the passionate Andalusia in the south and the white villages, as well as the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route, there are also stunning natural landscapes including mountains, seas, national parks, and cultural travel routes that run through central-northern, southern, central, or eastern Spain. There's even an alternative—luxury train journeys.
My dad said, "Don't pay any attention to any sounds I make at night." That very night, I heard crying.
I remember it was at some hotel in Sun Moon Lake. That time, I went out to stay elsewhere with my dad. I’m not sure if it was because my dad was particularly cautious or what, but on the day we checked into the room, everything was normal during our usual washing up, nothing seemed unusual. However, before going to bed, he suddenly asked me to help him move the sofa to block the door, and he also made sure all the windows and doors were locked.
Portugal’s “Flower Festival”! A Sea of Flowers Created by 7,500 Residents by Hand
When visiting southern Europe’s Portugal in summer, don’t miss the Flower’s Festival in Alentejo, located in the central-southern part of the country. You’ll be amazed to learn that the petals for this festival are meticulously crafted by many volunteers.
Furniture left behind by giants? A giant chair eight times the size appears at Qigu Salt Flat
While walking along the road at Qigu Salt Flat in Tainan, one will be surprised to find a large blue chair that is eight times the size of a regular chair, which is quite a novelty. It turns out that this is the "Giant's Blue Chair," created by volunteers from the Taijiang National Park in collaboration with Li Weimu, a woodworking course instructor at Tainan Community College, as part of an initiative by the Taijiang National Park Headquarters to boost tourism and vitality in the surrounding communities. It has also been jokingly referred to as furniture left behind by giants.
Bone broth made from dry-aged beef bones — Ai. Aged 21 Hankyu Store opens August 31
After meat import company “Mei Fu” entered the F&B market and gained recognition by launching Fresh&Aged Steakhouse and Ai. Aged 21 Beef Noodles, Ai. Aged 21 Beef Noodles is now making its first foray into department store food courts. Its first off-site noodle shop will open in the food court on B2 of Taipei’s Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Hankyu. The official opening is on August 31.
Faster Connections via Transit Tunnel: New Underground Link Between Domestic and International Terminals at Haneda
Japan's Asahi Shimbun reported on the 28th that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism announced plans to build an underground tunnel connecting the domestic and international terminals at Haneda Airport, with completion scheduled before 2020. Once the new facility is finished, it is expected to save transfer passengers 20–30 minutes.
Dengue Fever Outbreak in Tainan: Hotels Prepare Mosquito Repellent for Guests
Dengue Fever Outbreak Spreads ! The Tainan City Dengue Fever Epidemic Command Center reported that as of the 27th, there have been a total of 2,574 cases, with 193 new cases added yesterday. In urban Tainan, district offices can be seen spraying disinfectant, while roadways host dengue fever awareness personnel reminding the public to be cautious of mosquito bites. Mosquito repellent has also been placed at multiple tourist spots for visitors’ use.