Travel
Eating seafood till you get gout—3 super-sized hot pot spots in Taipei that are all the rage
Taiwanese people are famously obsessed with hot pot, eating it year-round regardless of season—even in short sleeves, they can’t resist it!= Nowadays, besides having an appealing broth and quality meat, to satisfy the cravings of “meat lovers,” hot pot restaurants are pulling out all the stops with gimmicks like “face-sized slices of meat” and “huge platters piled high with meat.” There’s even a monstrous seafood hot pot called the “Sweet Gout Pot” that’s so over-the-top you’ll want to take it all on.
Booking Website’s Dream Celebrity Travel Companion Survey: Taiwanese Flock to Lin Yi-chen and Takeshi Kaneshiro
Today is Valentine’s Day, but whether you have a partner or not, you can still indulge in some romantic daydreaming. The accommodation service website Hotels.com conducted a survey among locals on “which male or female celebrity they would most like to travel with,” and the results crowned Lin Yi-chen and Takeshi Kaneshiro as the top dream travel companions.
Former tour leader on domestic travel: Public mentality is “spending money makes you king, and any issues are your fault”
‘Wanting cheap prices but high quality,’ ‘I’m the boss just because I’m paying,’ and ‘It’s always the service provider’s fault’—this isn’t only seen in the tourism industry, but across all service sectors.
Taichung Pokémon-themed macarons let you "catch 'em all" in one bite
Located near Fengjia Night Market, “Love.x.Peace Café” is famous for its ultra-cute character macarons—featuring all kinds of cartoon figures. Recently, riding on the Pokémon craze, they’ve introduced themed macarons including Pikachu, Squirtle, Charmander, and more.
Not in Taipei Dumpling King’s first Taiwan outlet to open in Kaohsiung in mid-April
The Japanese chain Dumpling King, which announced its entry into the Taiwanese market in 2016, revealed on February 13 that its first Taiwan store will be located on the 4th floor of the Hanshin Dome Shopping Mall in Kaohsiung, featuring 72 seats, with an expected opening in mid-April.
Taichung’s Coolest Hotel Spot – Red Dot Hotel Features 3 Breakfast Options & a 27-Meter Slide to Slide Down Before Exploring
Can you imagine a massive metal slide right in the middle of a hotel lobby, allowing guests to zoom down a 27-meter-long chute during designated times for a thrilling 15-second “high-speed flight” from the second floor to the first? Both kids and adults can enjoy it, blending art with playful fun. That’s exactly what you’ll find at Red Dot Hotel in Taichung, Taiwan.
Outrun Taoyuan Airport Departures！Buy Asia’s Cheapest “Jo Malone” Perfume Here & Save NT$500
The “Jo Malone” in the departure tax-free shop at Taoyuan Airport was originally touted as the cheapest in Asia. However, after a price hike last September and recent discoveries by netizens that the same 100ml perfume bottle is sold for 12,800 Japanese yen on the 9th floor of “Tokyu Plaza Ginza” in Tokyo—equivalent to around NT$3,517 when converted using Bank of Taiwan’s exchange rate of 0.2748 on the 14th—that’s roughly NT$502 cheaper than at Taoyuan Airport. It’s fair to say this might just be the cheapest place to buy Jo Malone in all of Asia.
Built with a 50-million-Taiwan-dollar investment: Beigang Wude Temple’s five-star “Endless Knot Lantern Toilet”
You may have visited a five-star hotel toilet, but have you ever been to a five-star temple toilet? Located in Beigang, Yunlin, the highly popular God of Wealth ancestral temple—Beigang Wude Temple—has specially invested 50 million Taiwan dollars to rebuild its facilities as the original toilets could no longer handle the large number of worshippers. The new restroom features an “Endless Knot” design, and its most distinctive element is the nighttime lighting that transforms the space into a magnificent palace. Netizens have praised it as another beautiful “main lantern” in the Beigang Lantern Area!
The Kikumoto Department Store from the Japanese colonial period — not only great for shopping, but your eyes can also feast on ice cream!
Back in 1934, the magazine "Taiwan Women’s World" captured a glimpse of the “Kikumoto Dining Hall” on the upper floors of the Kikumoto Department Store, and the reporter wrote as follows——
The Airport MRT will open for public "free trial rides" starting tomorrow. Check out these 4 essential tips for securing a ride first!
The Airport MRT began trial operations on February 2, with group trial rides available in the first two weeks. Starting tomorrow (February 16), it will enter the "free trial ride" phase open to all members of the public. Taoyuan Metro has planned that from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, as long as you queue up on-site to draw a trial ride number, the public can freely access all stations for rides, including both express and regular trains. Taoyuan Metro welcomes everyone to come queue for a number and experience the Airport MRT starting tomorrow.
Step into a forest-themed Studio Ghibli animation scene at Tainan’s “Thousand Plots Seed Museum”
Floral-themed decorations are no longer rare, but have you ever seen a museum themed around “seeds”? The “Thousand Plots Seed Museum” is tucked away in the alleys of Tainan’s urban area. Every plant in the park was personally cultivated by the owner couple. Though the space isn’t large, it houses a dazzling array of seeds, giving the feel of stumbling upon the old countryside house hidden in Hayao Miyazaki’s *My Neighbor Totoro*—as if an animated world has come to life.
Have a picnic under the cherry blossoms！Spring sends a pink message — The cherry blossoms are in bloom at Hsinchu Park
Want to enjoy cherry blossoms and have a picnic without going to Japan? Hsinchu Park is a convenient and great spot to do just that！Since February 25, Hsinchu Park has kicked off its annual cherry blossom season, which attracts many visitors every year. The event combines music performances, artist sketching sessions, and scenic area guided tours, bringing everyone together under the blooming cherry blossoms to enjoy the pink message sent by spring.
Ramen Battle: Michelin One-Star vs. Taiwanese Favorite – Which One Will You Choose?
In Taiwan’s food scene, few foreign cuisines are as beloved as Japanese ramen, which has led to the arrival of many Japanese brands. Recently, the biggest buzz among ramen enthusiasts is the confirmation that Japan’s Ichiran Ramen will enter Taiwan, along with the introduction of Tsuta, the first ramen shop to earn a Michelin one-star.
Another high-quality café in Taipei: “Light Gate No. 5,” where you can snap endless photos of cloud-like ceilings
Nowadays, coffee shops and dessert stores in pastel tones are all the rage, winning over the hearts of many social media influencers who flock to Instagram to take photos, sparking a wave of check-in trends. Recently, a new café quietly opened in a lane on Taipei’s Da’an Road. Its biggest highlight is the cotton-made clouds on the ceiling that twinkle under colorful lights, creating an incredibly soothing ambiance.
Japanese travel enthusiasts rejoice: the JPY-to-TWD exchange rate is just a step away from dipping below 0.26
Attention Japanese travel fans: the New Taiwan Dollar has been exceptionally strong recently, and coupled with a weaker Japanese Yen, the JPY exchange rate has been on a continuous decline. On the 15th, the cash exchange rate for JPY to TWD at Taiwan Bank closed at 0.2713, just a step away from breaking into the 0.26 range. Although the bottom is uncertain, the rate has hit a 14-month low. Those planning to travel to Japan soon might want to exchange some money now, using a strategy of buying in installments to average out the cost.
A Must-Visit for Girls: Top 6 Instagrammable "Visitor Centers" Across Taiwan
Visitor centers that serve travelers are actually great photo spots too! ETtoday EBC has specially selected popular visitor centers across Taiwan. Not only are their main buildings stunningly beautiful, but the surroundings also feature many picturesque spots. If you love taking photos and checking in at various attractions, don’t miss these—be sure to check them out and give them a thumbs up！
Gathering all the roses in Taipei! Movie scenes from *52Hz, I Love You* turn the pier into a flower market
Directed by Wei Te-Sheng, the romantic musical *52Hz, I Love You* sparked quite a buzz in Taiwan. The most important flower market scene at the beginning of the film was shot at the Tamsui Customs Wharf, transforming this century-old municipal heritage site into the most romantic Valentine’s Day flower market setting in the director’s vision.
Tienmu’s Popular Home-Style Kitchen Serves 8 Flavors of Super “Pork Ribs”!
Located next to Tienfu Park in Tienmu, Jinbashi is a restaurant that promotes healthy, delicious, low-oil, and low-salt meals, making guests feel like they’re dining at their own home. In addition to its incredibly tasty pork rib rice, it also offers signature dishes such as lion’s head meatballs, pig trotters, and steamed mackerel.
Take your furry friend abroad for a beach stroll – 5 pet-friendly hotels in Phuket, Thailand
Pets have become an indispensable part of the family, and many are willing to spend extra when traveling abroad just to share precious moments with them. Seizing the pet-loving trend, Thai hoteliers have created a range of pet-friendly accommodations. The following 5 pet-welcoming hotels in Phuket are perfect for families to enjoy a happy holiday, letting their pets run freely under the tropical island sun.
North-Taipei to Hualien and Central-Taipei to Hualien routes remain uninterrupted — Uni Air and Mandarin Airlines take over from Feb. 16 with discounted tickets
The Civil Aeronautics Administration announced today that the Taipei–Hualien and Taichung–Hualien routes will be operated by Uni Air and Mandarin Airlines respectively starting Feb. 16. To celebrate the official handover of the two routes, the airlines are offering promotional fares starting at 55% and 50% off, with the lowest ticket price for Taipei–Hualien at NT$818 and Taichung–Hualien at NT$968. The public is encouraged to take advantage of these offers.