Travel
Only two in Asia selected! The Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival has been included in "Top 10 Best Winter Travel Destinations Worldwide"
The latest "Top 10 Best Winter Travel Destinations Worldwide" list released by National Geographic has featured New Taipei City’s Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival. It is one of only two events in Asia—apart from those in the United Arab Emirates—to receive this global recognition.
Limited Time Only – The Gaspard and Lisa Themed Café Opens for Just One Month
Love Gaspard and Lisa? Want to have afternoon tea with them? The “Beauty Studio Café x ‘Gaspard et Lisa’ Limited Time Themed Café” made its debut on January 14th. Since it’s only open until February 17th, fans should hurry and visit before it’s gone.
The Czech Republic unveils a massive skywalk — climb to the highest point and slide down
Adventurous travelers might want to check out this irregularly shaped rotating skywalk (Dolní Morava Sky Walk), located at an altitude of 1,125 meters on the Králický Sněžník Mountain in the Czech Republic
Taichung business launches pizza on fire – more thrilling to watch than to eat
Pizza on fire A pizza that looks like the Taipei Dome is served – it’s barely recognizable as pizza. It turns out this is specially made dough that allows it to puff up into a sphere. After being drizzled with orange liqueur and set alight, the entire pizza is engulfed in flames.
Japan’s ultra-popular creamy freshly baked semi-melted cheese tart now available in Taiwan starting January 15
PABLO, Japan’s No.1 freshly baked semi-melted cheese tart, opens its first Taiwan store at HOYII Taipei Main Station on January 15. The flagship store combines a dine-in area (with takeout counter), a takeaway outlet, and a three-in-one “flagship branch.” Dessert offerings include the freshly baked semi-melted cheese tart, the Gold Cheese Tart, as well as cheese puff pastry, sandwich cookies, and two overseas-limited-layered pies.
Make Your Own Udon Noodles: Sanuki Udon School Classes Are Now Open!
Japan’s three most famous types of udon noodles are Sanuki, Mizusawa, and Inaniwa. Among them, “Sanuki” refers to Kagawa Prefecture in Japan’s Shikoku region. At Nakano Udon School, not only can you enjoy silky-smooth noodles, but you can also experience DIY noodle-making in the classroom. To boost everyone's morale, the instructors play music while kneading and stepping on the dough, turning noodle-making into a fun dance — laughter makes you forget all the hard work.
Japan’s cherry blossom forecast released: Tokyo on March 22, Osaka on March 28
Though it’s still winter, the Japan Meteorological Corporation today (14th) has released its latest cherry blossom prediction. The earliest blooms are expected to appear on March 22 in Tokyo, Nagoya, and Kofu. Due to the mild winter, Kyushu and Kagoshima will bloom later than usual.
PK Kumamon the Bear from Kumamoto Prefecture！Kaohsiung Bear Launches "Water La" Sightseeing Dance — Explore Attractions in Just 3.5 Minutes
Kaohsiung Bear’s promotional campaign strikes again！The Kaohsiung City Government Tourism Bureau has launched the Kaohsiung Bear Sightseeing Dance. This morning (the 14th), the tourism ambassador Kaohsiung Bear, wearing a schoolbag and dressed as a student, headed to a school campus in Lingya District to perform the "Kaohsiung, Water La!" sightseeing dance. The first-ever released instructional video features simple body movements centered around Kaohsiung’s scenic spots, running throughout the entire song.
Make bamboo tube rice and grilled Maqiu kebabs in the mountainside forest—head to Hsinchu’s Green Destiny Campsite for a unique green getaway!
Located in Wufeng, Hsinchu, the “Green Destiny Camping Area” is arguably a campsite I highly recommend after trying out fun camping (it was actually recommended earlier in the year by Shanlin Lingwu). Though the site doesn’t offer sweeping scenic views, you can definitely feel the care and dedication that the camp owner couple put into both the space and their guests. Activities run from Saturday afternoon through Saturday evening and continue on Sunday morning (the owners sure stay busy!)
2016 Tainan Flower Festival – A Blossoming Extravaganza Kicks Off on February 4
The Tainan City Government announced that the “2016 Tainan Flower Festival” officially kicks off on February 4. Continuing last year’s concept of flowers blooming all over the city, this year's floral exhibition will be spread across six parks in Tainan. Visitors are welcome to come during the Spring Festival; those taking leisurely strolls can enjoy a great place for flower viewing and relaxation in this springtime bloom, while also helping boost Tainan’s tourism industry. The event is scheduled to conclude on February 25, running for 22 days.
This time it’s for real！The 12-hectare “authentic” Stone Turtle Flower Sea Festival kicks off on the 17th.
Last December, over a dozen photos of the Stone Turtle Flower Sea went viral online, attracting thousands of visitors eager to see the blooms within just a few days. However, upon arrival, they found the fields barren and bare—nothing like the beautiful scenes in the photos—and left disappointed and full of complaints. It was later revealed that those images were actually from mainland Chinese websites. But this time, it’s the real deal！The Doumen Stone Turtle Flower Sea opens on the 17th, with cosmos flowers and others already blooming at 60-70% capacity.
A super-popular Korean restaurant featured in travel guides too—tender, generous portions of grilled Korean beef
Today I’m introducing this already well-known restaurant in Mapo-dong, “Longmenjia,” which has been featured in many travel books. Mapo-dong has a Korean beef market where you can find certified genuine Korean beef. But Korean beef (not regular beef), is also graded. Some restaurants further classify the grades and display different prices accordingly.
The flowers are all in bloom—Hualien’s stunning 4 flower seas have arrived
As winter gradually transitions toward the Lunar New Year, scenes of blooming flowers are quietly unfolding in Hualien. Flower viewing not only soothes the mind and body, but the beauty of the blossoms also warms the heart. ETtoday Eastday Travel Cloud has specially selected 4 breathtaking flower seas in Hualien—step into them and feel your happiness soar to the max.
A Unique Stay in Shanghai – The Artistic Sanctuary of Moon Lake Retreat
Unlike the chain hotels in Shanghai’s bustling urban districts, Moon Lake Retreat is nestled within the tranquil Shanghai Sheshan National Tourism and Holiday Resort, quietly overlooking the lake at the foot of Sheshan Mountain. From your window, you’ll enjoy picturesque lake and mountain views, while towering sculptures stand like guardians encircling the lake, adjacent to the retreat.
Odoriko Onsen Open-Air Bath – A Beauty-Enhancing Hot Spring with Stunning Island Views
The Odoriko Onsen is located on an island within p,b8. The hot spring water is sodium bicarbonate-based, weakly alkaline, clear, odorless, and has a temperature of approximately 28–42.7°C. Rich in natural moisturizing components, it offers beautifying effects for the skin and is famously known as “Beauty Soup.”
Frequent food safety issues prompt tech entrepreneur to open a restaurant for family and staff
In recent years, food safety concerns have been on the rise. While many have become more vigilant about what they eat, one tech industry boss took it a step further by purchasing the restaurant next to his factory. Not only did he hire a chef who previously worked at the casual dining spot "Birdie’s Local," but he also emphasized that over 95% of the ingredients used in the restaurant are self-produced or homemade—even the bread. If something can’t be made in-house, the sourcing must be traceable back to the origin.
The Pompompurin-themed restaurant opens on January 19 / Adorable Mexican rice available
Pompompurin, which won first place in Japan’s 2015 Sanrio Character Ranking, has been extremely popular. The long-awaited Pompompurin-themed café has now confirmed its opening date as January 19. The official Facebook page has also revealed the menu, featuring highly cute recommended dishes such as adorable Mexican rice, Neapolitan tomato spaghetti, unbeatable pancake towers, and creamy bacon and mushroom pasta. Other items on the menu are equally charming.
The earliest in all of Japan！Okinawa’s cherry blossoms have already bloomed & can be viewed until mid-February
While cherry blossom forecasts in mainland Japan have just begun, Okinawa’s cherry blossoms are already in bloom！Every year in late January, the northern part of Okinawa’s main island enters cherry blossom season, making it the earliest blooming cherry blossoms in Japan. Starting with the Motobu Yaedake Cherry Blossom Festival on January 23rd, you can enjoy cherry blossoms until mid-February.
Bring a friend for free when you travel in pairs – Yuan Yung Ocean Park offers a vote-return special on the 16th and 17th!
Following Janfusun Fancyworld’s launch of a “buy one get one free” promotion to accommodate voters returning home, Yuan Yung Ocean Park in Hualien has also introduced a vote-return discount: purchase tickets on the 16th and 17th and enjoy a “two people go, one person free” deal. However, both individuals must be registered residents of Hualien County and must present valid identification at the park entrance to qualify. The discounted price for two people is 590 NT dollars. Visitors who happen to be returning to Hualien to vote can consider adding a trip to Yuan Yung Ocean Park to their itinerary!
Where to find delicious beef soup in Tainan? Here are 63 must-visit spots
Tainan boasts a wide variety of specialty street foods, but “clear-boiled beef soup” stands out as a unique classic dish. The Tainan City Government’s Tourism Bureau recently launched the “Tainan Clear-Boiled Beef Soup Guide” handbook, available for free starting January 16. It includes a beef soup guide map and information on 63 Tainan beef soup shops. This is not only an introductory guide to beef soup but also serves as a practical foodie handbook. Visitors can use it to locate and savor the sweet and savory flavors of local beef soup.