Travel
The Shinkansen bento box is so cute it sells out in half an hour! 13 types of railway bento boxes now available in Taiwan
The 2nd Railway Bento Festival kicked off today at the Taiwan Culinary Exhibition in Hall 1 of Taipei World Trade Center, running for four days from August 5 to 8 to treat food lovers to a feast of flavors. Last year’s hit, the East Japan Railway E7 Shinkansen bento, sold out within 30 minutes again this year, while the self-heating Oden Beef Tongue Bento also became a bestseller, flying off shelves within an hour.
Taiwan's Top 10 Most Beautiful "Infinity Pools" — Blending Seamlessly with Lakes and the Sea
Summer is peak season for water activities, but what many travelers may not know is that Taiwan boasts numerous stunning "infinity pools," most of which are located within hotels. From Taichung, Chiayi, Pingtung, to eastern Taiwan, there are infinity pools of various price ranges and experiences worth trying. 《ETtoday Eastday Travel Cloud》 has compiled a list of Taiwan's "Top 10 Most Beautiful Infinity Pools" for travelers' reference.
Parking spaces in high demand: Chiayi Municipal Museum parking lot to start charging fees from September 1
The parking lot of the Chiayi Municipal Museum has decided to start charging fees. Starting September 1, it will switch from being free to charging NT$20 per hour. This change is mainly due to the large crowds that poured in after the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Mall opened last year, leading to an insufficient supply of parking spaces. From September, the lot will be operated under contract to meet the user-pays principle.
Incorporating Asian Elements: Regent Champions Beef Noodle Shop Launches 6 New Varieties
Regent Champions Beef Noodle (CBN), which opened last November on the 4th floor of Taipei’s Breeze XinYi, has introduced six new noodle dishes featuring pork or seafood options to cater to the diverse clientele of the department store. Dubbed the “Asian Collection,” this new series includes Shanghai Dongpo Pork Noodle, Tokyo Curry Beef Noodle, Singapore Laksa Seafood Noodle, Singapore Laksa Beef Noodle, Chongqing Spicy Beef Noodle, and Seoul Kimchi Beef Noodle.
Don’t miss it for the first time—the 520-second fireworks show at Tamsui Fisherman’s Wharf!
The “Tamsui Fisherman’s Wharf – A Dazzling Qixi Night” riverside fireworks display kicked off with a lively start on the 7th at the Tamsui Fisherman’s Stage. This marks the first-ever fireworks show at Tamsui Fisherman’s Wharf. The event also featured love ballads and related activities, with the highlight being a spectacular 520-second fireworks show, giving couples plenty of time to whisper sweet nothings to each other and enjoy a romantic weekend evening.
Fragrant Chicken City's first day of sales: Limited to 150 chickens, all sold out before opening hours
After a 20-year hiatus, Fragrant Chicken City is finally making a comeback! Trial operations begin on August 6th, and the most nostalgic classic hand-pulled chicken is priced at NT$499, with a special trial price of NT$399. However, although the store was originally scheduled to open at 2:00 PM, many people had already started queuing up by noon. To prevent heatstroke, emergency numbered tickets were issued in advance, and all 150 tickets for the hand-pulled chicken were gone before 1:00 PM.
Super Romantic Couples' Date Spots: 2 Attractions — Yilan’s Eagle Stone Peak & Pingtung’s Couple Trees!
Remember the old Windows desktop wallpaper with a vast grassland? Coming to Menmalo Mountain, you’ll truly find yourself surrounded by an expansive sea of grasslands. To climb up to the Couple Trees, most visitors can’t drive jeeps into the mountain and must rely on their own two feet. It takes about 20 minutes from the entrance, and almost the entire path involves climbing uphill through grassy terrain — so be sure to hold your partner’s hand as you make your way to the top together.
"Fried Rice with True MasterChef Skills from a 40-Year Banquet Chef—Savory, Bold, and Delicious!"
In past interviews with shop owners, I’ve met young or middle-aged entrepreneurs, but rarely encountered stories of older people starting businesses. This small eatery, however, caught my attention. The owner used to be a restaurant chef and had also worked as a banquet caterer in the early days. He spent over forty years in the culinary profession—almost half his life—before leaving his previous job two years ago to start his own business.
Melting hearts guaranteed—no refunds taken! Taiwan’s Taichung hits a new trend spot with this adorable pink ice cream cone swimming pool.
On a hot summer day, an ice cream is sure to cool you down—but imagine being surrounded by a “pile” of cones? That’s pure body-and-soul satisfaction. Taichung’s “I'm Talato 我是塔拉朵” has recently gone viral in the city precisely because it decorates every corner of the shop with ice cream cones. There’s even a cone seesaw and a cone swimming pool—their ultra-cute designs have driven girls wild.
A 3-meter-tall pink slide?! A super fun new café in Taipei
Aurora Café is probably the most surprising café I’ve visited recently—or even so far—in Taipei. This four-story building on Nanyang Tutoring Street is Aurora’s fourth branch in Taipei (the Beizhan branch). Open for just over a month, the Beizhan branch has quickly become a standout among the many cafés in the Beizhan area thanks to its creative, ever-changing spaces and extremely affordable prices.
Taiwan’s popular gradient juice shop from Taoyuan expands to Banqiao — enjoy the refreshing flavors of guava and pitaya
Guava Berry Vibrant Fresh Fruit Drink — this shop is famous for its fresh guava and pitaya gradient combinations. Not only are the juices freshly made, but you can also taste the fruit bits. Ever since it opened in Taoyuan, it’s been causing a huge queueing craze. It’s said that buying a drink means waiting in line for up to two and a half hours — it’s really that popular now that they’re offering franchising, so you can get Up drinks in Taipei too~
The first independent bookstore in Kaohsiung is here – this 50-year-old building also hosts movie screenings
The founders of San Yu were a group of active figures in the cultural and creative industry, including Xiao Zi, Xie Yilin, Zhong Shang’en, Xie Tiandi, and Tong Weichen. Later, Zhong Shang’en’s younger brother Zhong Shanghua and poet Ren Mingxin joined the team, with Zhong Shanghua currently serving as the resident store manager. The birth of San Yu was sparked by a single comment. By 2013, Taiwan was already experiencing a boom in independent bookstores—almost every county and city had one—yet none existed in Kaohsiung.
Swathes of Orange-Red Flowers Dance in Summer Breeze – Glorious ‘Belamcanda chinensis’ Bloom in Alishan
Within the Alishan National Forest Recreation Area managed by the Chiayi Forest District Office under the Forestry Bureau, Belamcanda chinensis is currently in full bloom. Especially on the slopes near Alishan Railway Station, orange-red flower seas sway in the wind. The delicate blooms compete in beauty with the large, globe-shaped hydrangeas, creating an absolutely breathtaking scene. In the midst of scorching summer heat, they offer a refreshing visual feast.
A non-existent train station? Discover a retro-style hot pot spot
Have you ever heard of "Dingnei Station"? This is a special station you won’t find on any railway map — no tickets are sold and no trains pass through. But take a closer look, and you’ll find it’s actually a shabu-shabu (hot pot) restaurant designed with a “train station theme.” Its vintage aesthetic paired with delicious hot pot has left netizens amazed at how unique it is.
Ice Cream Shops in Kaohsiung’s Alleys – Super Cute Bear Paw Sundaes & Aromatic Tea-flavored Ice Cream
While researching, I stumbled upon adorable bear paw ice cream being sold in Kaohsiung. Deciding to check it out during my holiday, I headed over. Tucked away in a quiet alley on Dafeng 2nd Road, J.C.co Italian Handmade Ice Cream offers not only authentic Italian gelato but also super cute bear paw-shaped ice cream treats — each flavor is rich and satisfying.
breaking news: the uozu festival in japan — 7 massive 5-ton “boat-shaped lanterns” spin like golden tops
Japan’s annual Uozu Festival kicked off on August 4th in front of Suwa Shrine in Uozu. The first highlight was the unveiling of seven gigantic boat-shaped lanterns, each standing about 15 meters tall and weighing up to 5 metric tons. Each lantern boat is adorned with around 90 lanterns, carried and maneuvered by dozens of people, who also accelerate its rotation, making it resemble an actual treasure ship.
Giving a 100-carat diamond on Valentine’s Day? See what a chocolate dessert version of it looks like in Taichung
As the annual Qixi Festival, or Chinese Valentine’s Day, approaches, one of the most common dilemmas is figuring out what gift to give—how to make your partner happy and surprised. It’s always a head-scratcher, but if you really can’t think of anything, how about giving a 100-carat diamond?
Fastest in Taiwan！Kaohsiung’s Sightseeing Double-Decker Bus Hits the Road – Enjoy City Views for Just NT$300 per Ride
The highly anticipated "Kaohsiung Sightseeing Double-Decker Bus" officially launched on the 7th for a four-month trial operation. The bus will operate along two routes—north-south and east-west—connecting key attractions and integrating with the MRT Red and Orange Lines as well as the light rail stations. Tourists can take in the beautiful cityscapes of Kaohsiung aboard the open-top double-decker sightseeing bus, with a provisional fare of NT$300 per ride.
The delicious dish Chicken Cutlet Girl has loved for 16 years—turns out the teppanyaki dessert is popcorn!
What kind of teppanyaki has Chicken Cutlet Girl Zheng Jia-chun been enjoying for sixteen years and still keeps coming back to? Previously, Chicken Cutlet Girl live-streamed on Facebook her visit to a teppanyaki restaurant, and to everyone’s surprise, at the end of the meal, the chef started making popcorn on the teppanyaki grill, leaving netizens amazed. Many commented that a teppanyaki place that serves popcorn as dessert is truly unique.
Statistics on causes of national highway traffic accidents released: failure to pay attention to road conditions accounts for 50%
Recently, the National Freeway Bureau released the causes of national highway traffic accidents over the past three years. The proportion of accidents caused by drivers failing to pay attention to road conditions reached as high as 50%. Among these, “improper lane changes” and “failure to pay attention to the road ahead” ranked first and second in the list of accident causes, indicating that driver behavior is the main contributing factor to national highway traffic incidents.