Travel
Visa-free entry to Thailand ends in September—group tour prices set to rise amid weaker US dollar savings of up to NT$10,000 for US & Canada trips
As summer vacation approaches, family travel enters its peak season, with domestic and international travel prices seeing slight increases. Due to the surge in group and family travelers, there’s often a shortage of available accommodations. To meet the growing demand for more refined and diverse travel experiences, group flight quotas are expected to remain insufficient. The Travel Quality Assurance Association of the Republic of China today (18th) released its summer travel trends report to help the public understand what summer tour packages include and their reasonable pricing.
Lush Royal Botanic Gardens and the azure waters of St Kilda — Discover Melbourne’s Beauty Through 5 Vibrant Colors
Australia’s warm sunshine and pleasant climate are truly captivating. Strolling through the streets of Melbourne, you can fully embrace a slow-paced lifestyle at your own rhythm. With its fine wines, delicious cuisine, and rich cultural arts, this dazzling and colorful city offers travelers a unique experience. Follow in the footsteps of photographers to uncover the vibrant hues of Melbourne.
Discover the "Pink Palace" and Search for the "Mona Lisa of the East" — The Millennia-Old Beauty of Banteay Srei, Angkor
After exploring the rugged green-tiled walls of the grand Angkor ruins, you’ll arrive at Banteay Srei, hailed as the "Jewel of Khmer Art." Pink-hued bricks come into view, exuding a unique feminine charm. Banteay Srei, located near Phnom Kulen in Cambodia, is about 34 kilometers from downtown Siem Reap and takes roughly an hour to reach by car. Hidden within this temple is the classic mural known as the "Mona Lisa of the East."
Water polo battles and making rice noodles — experience family camping at Taichung’s Sakura & Bird Forest!
In response to the recent boom in camping, a well-known travel operator has launched an “all-inclusive family camping” package that requires no gear at all and includes a variety of parent-child activities. With complete facilities and well-planned itineraries, it’s being called the Club Med of the camping world. There are four popular camping locations to choose from, including Nantou and Taichung. This time, we’re heading to “Taichung Sakura & Bird Forest” to enjoy the fun of wild camping!
Peach Aviation offers flights to Hokkaido before September – Taipei-Sapporo one-way starting from NT$2,380
Following yesterday’s announcement of the new Taipei-Sendai route, Peach Aviation today unveiled three additional new routes with Sapporo (New Chitose) as a hub, launching the Taipei (Taoyuan)-Sapporo (New Chitose), Sapporo (New Chitose)-Sendai, and Sapporo (New Chitose)-Fukuoka routes.
Nantou Senchun Freedom – Camping, Rafting, and Jumping on Natural Water Beds!
The weather is getting hotter, which also means summer vacation is just around the corner Up！ A well-known travel operator, noticing the rising trend of camping and the challenges beginners often face, has specially launched an “All-inclusive Family Camping” package – completely gear-free and featuring a variety of parent-child experience activities. With complete facilities and thoughtfully planned itineraries, it’s being hailed as the Club Med of the camping world！
No gear needed—check into nature with all-inclusive camping!
In recent years, camping has become super popular—not only offering a fresh alternative to traditional accommodation and the fun of setting up camp and cooking outdoors, but also serving as a social activity for friends to gather on weekends. Statistics show that the number of enthusiasts has already reached 2 million.
Insider Series: 20 Must-Try Rice Cakes in Kaohsiung, According to Locals
Lift the wooden lid, and the steam of glutinous rice infused with the woody aroma from the barrel wafts up. Watch as the skillful vendor swiftly scoops the fragrant and chewy rice with a wooden spoon into a bowl, then drizzles it with their signature homemade pork lard, adds the right amount of shredded dried fish, and tops it off with crisp green cucumber slices—doesn’t this taste just like the traditional rice cake flavor that Kaohsiung locals love?
New Dating Spot in Kaohsiung: A Romantic Night Illuminated by Giant Bamboo Weaving Art at the Metropolitan Park
In recent years, the Kaohsiung government has been actively promoting environmental greening by transforming multiple plots of land into metropolitan parks. This not only enhances the cityscape but also provides locals and tourists with many more great places to visit on weekends and holidays. Located in the Fengshan District, the Wujicamp Metropolitan Park was once a solemn military site but has now been converted into a multifunctional urban park themed around humanities, arts, and natural ecology. Stroll through Dream Park and admire outdoor public artworks to experience the artistic vibe of Kaohsiung.
The lost imperial dessert “Purple Jade White Snow Cake”! The little sweet treat beloved by Empress Dowager Cixi
Many have heard of the “Manhan Banquet,” but few know what kind of desserts the imperial nobility enjoyed after meals. Auntie Zhuzhu, who specializes in “imperial desserts,” is a descendant of the royal family (Emperor Taizong of Tang). As a child, she lived in the old courtyard mansion of “Luzhou Licuo,” where she learned to make the “Purple Jade White Snow Cake”—Empress Dowager Cixi’s secret health-preserving dessert—with her grandmother. Later in life, unable to resist her gluttonous daughter’s pleas, she began piecing together her memories and started selling this closely guarded “imperial dessert.”
One drink equals a full meal — Tainan’s ultra-filling bubble tea is loaded with red beans, Job’s tears, and milk
One drink is enough for a meal — the most satisfying beverage in Tainan is here. A single bubble tea is packed with fresh milk, mung beans, tapioca pearls, Job’s tears, and red beans, with toppings taking up six to seven-tenths of the cup. This incredibly generous drink costs just over NT$60, and many nearby students say they rely on it on summer days when they can’t eat a proper meal.
“Yilan Lili Westin Hotel” Begins Soft Opening; Locals Enjoy Buy-One-Get-One-Free Dining
Long-awaited, Yilan’s first international chain hotel brand, “Yilan Lili Westin Resort,” officially begins its soft opening on the 19th. To celebrate, from now until June 30, the hotel is offering a range of room and dining promotions. Residents registered in Yilan City or County can enjoy a buy-one-get-one-free deal when dining at the hotel’s Zhiwei Western Restaurant.
The Laiya Li Restaurant at Liu Fu launches new asparagus dishes – available for a limited time until the end of June
The prime season for white asparagus is almost here again. From May to June 30, The Laiya Li Italian Restaurant at The Westin Taipei Wu Fu Palace is offering a limited-time white asparagus feast. Dishes include Hokkaido scallops with white asparagus for NT$1,180, grilled smoked salmon white asparagus bisque for NT$520, Japanese-style seared tuna with white asparagus served with teriyaki butter sauce for NT$1,380, and wagyu beef with white asparagus and morel mushrooms for NT$2,180.
Scoot’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet expands again; new medium- to long-haul destinations to be added in the second half of the year
Singapore-based low-cost carrier Scoot in Asia-Pacific added a new Dreamliner, the Boeing 787-8 named “Mous-Scoot-Ka” (inspired by the Greek dish Moussaka), to its fleet at Singapore Changi Airport in May. This addition symbolizes that Scoot is well-prepared for the next phase of its fleet expansion. In addition to the Singapore–Athens direct route launched last June, another long-haul destination will be announced in 2017.
Explore Kitchen's Exclusive Birthday Offer: 30% Off for the Whole Table in Birth Month (Valid Until End of August)
The buffet restaurant Explore Kitchen at Les Suites Taipei Chiang Kai-shek also offers a birthday promotion. From now until August 31, 2017, birthday guests (presenting valid ID) can enjoy a 30% discount for their entire table when dining at Explore Kitchen from Monday to Friday (not applicable during breakfast hours). However, the discount is limited to a maximum of 10 guests per table, and does not apply to à la carte orders, beverage service, private rooms, takeout, delivery items, or any other promotions.
Romantic Summer Nights: Witness a Hundred Shooting Stars & the Grand Earth Hotel’s “Stargazing” Stay Package
The Grand Earth Hotel in Beitou is nestled at the foot of Danfeng Mountain, boasting expansive views that allow guests to take in both the starry sky and low-altitude cityscapes—making it an unexpected haven for stargazing. According to forecasts from the Taipei Astronomical Museum, this summer will feature a partial lunar eclipse on the night of August 7 and the Perseid meteor shower on August 12, with over 100 meteors per hour visible at their peak. To celebrate, the hotel has launched a special stay package, inviting guests to enjoy the celestial spectacle.
Get up close to the gradient blue sea！Cycle along Taiwan’s most beautiful coastal road and soak in the wonders of the East Coast
Provincial Highway 11 is a key route connecting Hualien and Taitung. Along its winding path lies an expansive, two-tone sea that shimmers in gradient blues under the sunlight, earning it the reputation as “Taiwan’s most beautiful highway.” If you want to take your time and truly appreciate its beauty, skip the car. Hop on a bike and ride along the Provincial Highway 11 bicycle path—whether you’re heading from Taitung to Hualien or vice versa—set your own pace and savor the splendor of the East Coast.
No more time-slot vouchers starting May 22 — Now serving at Tsukemen Nira Ramen is on a first-come, first-served basis
Starting May 22, Michelin-recommended ramen shop Tsukemen Nira Ramen, which opened at the end of April, will no longer issue time-slot vouchers. Dining will now be entirely based on the order of the queue. The self-service ordering kiosk will also go live on the same day. Whether you want soy sauce or salt flavor, extra noodles, marinated soft-boiled egg, or additional char siu, you can customize your order step-by-step via the kiosk.
The Taoyuan Agricultural Expo closes but stays open to the public next year with 20 more exhibition areas
The “2017 Taoyuan Agricultural Expo” was held next to the Xinyi Weather Station at the Expo Base from April 22 and officially closed on May 14. Though the event lasted less than a month, it attracted a large number of visitors with its rich and lively activities. However, many people still missed the chance to attend. Don’t worry if you didn’t make it—after the expo ended, management was handed over to the Xinyi District Office. In the future, the expo exhibition areas, as well as services such as security, guided tours, cleaning, and traffic control, will be maintained so that the site can continue operating and the public can still visit.
The ultimate guilty late-night combo: pork intestines and oyster vermicelli noodles with fried chicken cutlet from Xinbei!
I saw a photo of chicken cutlet and oyster vermicelli noodles on a friend’s Facebook and immediately craved them. Unable to resist, I dashed straight to a small noodle stall in Zhonghe District, New Taipei City—it was the move of a true impulse-driven foodie. Both are beloved street foods among guys, and eating either alone feels indulgent enough, but pairing them together? That’s the abyss of temptation.