Summer vacation is peak season for family and parent-child trips. With Father’s Day on August 8th just around the corner, if you’re struggling to find the perfect gift for dad, why not plan a family getaway to create wonderful travel memories together? NokScoot Airlines and Princess Cruises are both offering multi-person family travel deals and exclusive benefits for women, providing more options for summer family trips.
Beautiful Taiwan boasts stunning mountain ridges and ever-changing sea of clouds. Daxueshan is home to the world’s largest expanse of alpine primeval forest. Located in the rear section of the main ridge of the Snow Mountain Range, the Daxueshan National Forest Recreation Area features a complete alpine primeval forest landscape, making it a dream destination for hikers and outdoor sports enthusiasts. However, due to continuous heavy rains in June, the Daxueshan Forest Recreation Area was temporarily closed for repairs and is expected to reopen on August 8th.
The seven large characters “Don’t look for me, I just want to be quiet” are printed on the blue wall. Though the sofa area is labeled as a place to “be quiet,” it has become the liveliest corner in the entire café. Located near Songjiang Nanjing Station, “Quietly Good Times” is a hidden coffee and dessert shop tucked away in an alleyway. It opened quietly in April this year and has already become a popular check-in spot for internet-famous ladies. Filled with dried flowers, plus its cozy space design and delicious cakes, it’s also a go-to afternoon tea spot recommended by female celebrities.
China Airlines' second Airbus A350 livery aircraft, the "Formosan Blue Magpie," made its debut and operated the Taipei–Vancouver route on the first day. China Airlines stated that all destinations in North America are now served by either 777 or new A350 aircraft, marking a new milestone in the deployment of next-generation passenger planes.
The most picturesque autumn scenery is none other than the crimson maple landscapes of China’s mountains and waters. Jiuzhaigou in Sichuan, the Five-Flower Mountains of the Northeast, Yuntai Mountain in Henan, the Gudong Waterfall in Guilin, and the Simatai section of the Great Wall in Beijing don summer’s attire for autumn under the call of the season. Meanwhile, the red leaves of Huangshan, Lushan, and Zhangjiajie add even more color to these world-class vistas. China’s grand mountains and vast waters, alive with autumn poetry, are the perfect choice for experiencing the world’s scenic charm.
Traveling isn’t about finding a new world, but seeing the world through new eyes. Imagine the thrill of setting foot in an unfamiliar place — even just thinking about it can get you dancing with excitement before you’ve even left. While travel sounds romantic, putting it into practice requires a lot of practicality. Preparing for an adventure often brings a sense of insecurity, as you worry about not being fully prepared. How to pack varies from person to person and depends on the destination. Deciding what to bring and what not to bring is always a tough call when packing.
With summer in full swing, diving in island nations is a highly popular activity, but some seemingly harmless behaviors can lead to serious trouble. For instance, Thailand places great emphasis on marine ecological preservation. In protected areas such as coral reefs, it’s common for tourists to be tempted to “pick up starfish” for photos or “feed fish” with breadcrumbs while diving—both of which are illegal. Offenders may face fines of up to 100,000 Thai baht or imprisonment for up to one year, so travelers should pay special attention.
To welcome the upcoming Father’s Day, the Weizhi Western Restaurant at The Westin Datong is hosting the “Taste the Thai Goodness” Thai Food Festival from August 4 to 31. For the first time, renowned Thai chef Li Ming, known as “Chef Ah Ming,” will be the guest chef, presenting a series of authentic Thai dishes including Thai lemon fish, the thickest mooncake prawn patties on Earth, spicy and sour shrimp soup, as well as prawn and pomelo salad and mango sticky rice. These dishes will be available for a limited time during dinner each evening, priced at NT$880+10% per person on weekdays and NT$1,080+10% per person on holidays.
On hot summer days when appetites wane, the refreshing crunch of shredded cucumber paired with rich sesame sauce on cold noodles is always appetizing and cooling — a beloved summer dish for many. In Taipei, near the Liuzhangli MRT Station, there's a small cold noodle shop called Xiaohui Cold Noodles that has been around for over 10 years. A small portion costs just NT$30, while an extra-large portion, as big as your face, is only NT$40. Regulars are mostly local residents, often buying four or five portions at a time.
Unlike other ice cream cakes, Yongfu’s version is extremely simple—no whipped cream or sponge cake. Instead, four flavors of ice cream are layered into a mold, frozen solid, and then demolded. Originally, whipped cream was used for decoration, but customers said, “Your ice cream is so delicious, why use whipped cream?” So they replaced the cream with ice cream, but decorating with ice cream is very labor-intensive. “My mom hands just can’t handle piping—it always ends up hurting,” she laughs.
The legendary rock band The Beatles once held an impromptu concert on the rooftop of Apple’s headquarters, and this summer, Aloft Taipei Zhongshan has gathered four bands — Sunset Rollercoaster, 1976, 88balaz and Atom Panda — to host a rooftop concert by the pool on August 12, letting the energy of music ripple across Taipei’s skyline.
As major airlines phase out their 747 fleets, EVA Air, which previously announced it would retire all 747s in August, today (the 4th) posted on its fan page that the final 747 flight will be operated on August 21 on BR892 from Hong Kong to Taipei, marking the end of its 25-year service life. Fans of the “Queen of the Skies” are invited to mark this day and bid farewell to the iconic aircraft.
The mastermind behind the unexpected breakup of vermicelli’s long-standing partnership with intestines and oysters is none other than Snap from “Shengqiao Gua Bao.” He started selling vermicelli next to his gua bao shop in April this year. Snap explained that he named it “Chuanzi Vermicelli” because there’s a Green River nearby, and he hopes for a continuous flow of customers. He also aspires to keep a childlike heart and, like Shengqiao Gua Bao, the shop is a standing eatery.
A major fire broke out at Tokyo’s “Tsukiji Outer Market” on the afternoon of the 3rd, taking eight hours to extinguish. Due to the high density of shops in the area, at least seven well-known stores were burned down, including three popular food spots. ETNEWS Travel Cloud has compiled a list of the three eateries that were destroyed — travelers planning to visit Tsukiji Market in the near future should take note.
In recent years, new steakhouses have been popping up one after another in the Greater Taipei area, including many hotels that have also launched their own steak services. In fact, Taipei used to have numerous Western restaurants and steakhouses. Even as the market continues to evolve, genuinely flavorful and high-quality steaks remain a favorite for many. These establishments continue to offer the services they take the most pride in. One such place is the Governor Western Restaurant, established in 1979 and now with over 40 years of history.
Following the Zhongli branch, HowHow Sushi’s second store in the Greater Taoyuan area, the “Taoyuan Chunri Road Branch,” will open in late August. Although the location is a bit far from Taoyuan Railway Station, sushi lovers in Taoyuan District won’t need to travel all the way to Zhongli or Linkou to enjoy their favorite rolls anymore.
The "Acorn Republic Xinyi Store" located inside Taipei ATT 4 FUN now has a brand-new photo hotspot. In addition to the fluffy Totoro bus, a life-sized "No-Face" character will make an appearance in the store starting from the 5th—you can come take pictures with it.
Typhoon Noru, a strong tropical storm in the western Pacific, continues to move toward Japan. It is expected to gradually approach the Ryukyu Islands over the next two days (August 4 and 5) before turning north. It is forecast to pass near Kyushu and Shikoku in Japan this Sunday to next Monday, affecting local weather conditions. Due to the typhoon, China Airlines has announced flight adjustments for August 5 and 6. Passengers and those picking up travelers are advised to check the latest flight information via the China Airlines corporate website before departure.
The Zhongpu Visitor Center in Chiayi, built with an investment of NT$40 million, has become a new landmark in the city with its fairytale-like, giant dreamy castle, attracting passersby who can’t help but step inside. Recently, the Kunlun-Kunmingli Joint Activity Center in Jianguo District, Tainan, was also officially opened. With its blue-and-white Mediterranean-style architecture, it’s set to become another popular photo spot.
Dubbed Taipei’s largest all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant, Feng FOOD Seafood & Grill Buffet has celebrated its first anniversary. Over the past year, it has welcomed over 400,000 visitors, achieving a turnover of NT$320 million. During this time, guests have consumed a total of 24 tons of beef and 54 tons of seafood. Oysters, which were introduced in May, have seen 60,000 consumed in just two months.