Travel
Adorably heart-melting: Tokyo’s Pompompurin-themed café — can you bear to eat it?
Originally planned autumn foliage outings were all canceled due to rain, leaving my mood pretty gloomy. That’s when something cute and delightful comes in handy to lift the spirits. That day, we scheduled lunch at the Harajuku Pompompurin Café (ポムポムプリンカフェ). The moment we stepped inside, there was so much cuteness everywhere that we couldn’t stop taking pictures. It was super adorable, but I still wanted to go see the autumn leaves.
How to Make the Most of Flight Delays? These 7 Tips Turn Waiting into Enjoyment
Many people opt for flights with more layovers to secure cheaper tickets, but in reality, once at the airport, they often find that waiting around can be quite tedious. After browsing the duty-free shops, there are still several hours left with no idea how to pass the time. HuffPost has compiled 8 ways to turn waiting into an enjoyable experience for travelers to consider:
Uncle Rayfang opens an ice cream shop on Old Street in Ruifang District. He believes that if you don’t know how to do something, you can learn and probably master it.
Lick Lick Ice Cream, operated by Lik Shang Co., is a venture started by four uncles. Their ice cream contains absolutely no chemical additives. The shop owners state that they will never sell anything they wouldn’t eat themselves. These four uncles all had remarkable careers in their respective fields. A few years ago, they got a wild idea and let their imaginations run free, leading to the creation of today’s Lick Lick Ice Cream by Lik Shang Co.
Crossing the ocean to see you!Beyond the Blue Tears—what else is there on Matsu?
The first question most people probably have about Matsu is likely “What’s there on Matsu?” That was also the biggest question mark in my mind before I set foot on the island. And even after visiting twice within a month, it still seems hard to describe the answer in just a few simple words. To be honest, Matsu feels closer to me in the most literal sense of the term “outlying island.” Once you cross the sea and land on this island, those perplexing questions, complex thoughts, and confusions all seem to dissolve into the boundless sea and sky.
Guidebook: A 3-Day, 2-Night Hong Kong Itinerary – A Lazy-Person’s Must-Visit Highlights
These past few days, I’ve been posting random thoughts about Hong Kong on our Facebook fan page~ Finally found some time to organize the itinerary for you all. No long-winded intro—just the itinerary here. Also, there’s a detailed WORD version available for those who want to check it out~
This week only!Romantic lawn lounging with light sculptures — Kaohsiung Weiwuying’s 3D Light Show Limited to 5 Days
Kaohsiung nights will enter a world of fantasy this November, as the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying) launches a series of light sculpture shows starting the 22nd, running for five consecutive days. Combining architecture with light and shadow art, the event features the creative team behind the multimedia musical of the 2010 Shanghai Expo theme show, presenting Asia’s largest 3D light sculpture display on a theater facade — and it’s completely free to attend.
Newly opened affordable Japanese izakaya in Banqiao: fried foods, grilled skewers, and seafood hot pot
If you’re looking to enjoy a drink at an izakaya near Banqiao’s Jiangzicui Station, Pingzi recommends the Japanese-style pub Horai-machi Japanese Casual Dining – Jiangcui Branch. It specializes in yakitori, sashimi dishes, winter hot pots, and other izakaya favorites, all in a nostalgic Japanese atmosphere that feels like you’ve been transported to Japan. The prices are budget-friendly, and they will soon start serving lunch, allowing food lovers and nearby office workers to indulge to their heart’s content.
A Christmas Village in Taoyuan Where It Snows at Christmas Time!A Giant Pink Christmas Tree & Pink Gingerbread Houses That Are Perfect for Photos
Taoyuan’s Most Romantic Christmas Village Has Arrived!The “Taoyuan Gloria Outlets Christmas Village” at GLORIA OUTLETS Hwatai Premium Outlets has drawn crowds every year to soak up the festive atmosphere. This year, Hwatai Premium Outlets has created a massive 15-meter-tall pink Christmas tree and introduced an American-style Christmas market that’s both fun and delicious. In the evenings, romantic snow will fall on the village grounds at scheduled times, immersing visitors in a rich European holiday ambiance!
More than just a passport between countries: 5 big secrets of passports revealed by foreign media
A passport serves as an ID card between countries. To prevent personal information from being stolen, passport designs all meet rigorous security standards—but how much do you really know about this little green booklet? Foreign media outlet Condé Nast Traveler has revealed 5 big secrets about passports. For example, the U.S. passport alone is printed using 60 different materials and incorporates 30 different security features.
Dreamy Pink-Themed Scenic Spot: Yunlin’s 2-Kilometer Poinciana Avenue, Comparable to Romantic Japanese Drama Scenes
The riverside park in Beidou Town, Changhua, is lined with poinciana trees on both banks. Every autumn, pink petals flutter down like snow, creating an incredibly romantic scene that has become a popular photo spot. However, the flower sea has thinned out. Travelers who missed out on this breathtaking view can head to Yunlin’s Huwei District to visit the Poinciana Avenue, where the flowers are currently in full bloom—perfect for a relaxing flower-viewing and photography experience.
Heavy snow and poor visibility cause a Taiwan group's accident in Iceland — latest update from tourism bureau: only 2 with minor abrasions
A Taiwan tour group of 25 people was reportedly involved in a car accident in Iceland on the 22nd, with initial reports suggesting at least five people were injured, one of them seriously. The latest notice from the Tourism Bureau states that the group was on a 12-day Iceland tour organized by Pyramid Travel Agency. It is understood that the accident occurred due to heavy snowfall and poor road visibility, which led to the vehicle scraping another, resulting in two tourists with abrasions. However, after being sent to the hospital for examination, they were found to be unharmed and have since returned to their hotel to rest.
Adorned with 27,000 LED bulbs – The 15-meter Christmas tree at Regent Taipei has been lit up
As the festive season approaches, Regent Taipei has followed its 25-year tradition by setting up the tallest indoor Christmas tree among all five-star hotels in Taiwan in its atrium. The tree-lighting ceremony was attended by Bravo, the official mascot of the Taipei 2017 Universiade, along with Pan Siliang, Chairman of Regent Taipei & Silks Club, and Wu Weizheng, General Manager of Regent Taipei.
Taiwan’s first lakeside outlet mall to break ground next year – a romantic European-style retail destination with a “canal”!
The Lihpao Outlet Mall, which opened at the end of last year, not only features numerous outlet brands but also combines a theme park, hotels, and the newly completed giant Ferris wheel Sky Dream, making it the largest new landmark in central Taiwan and one of the hottest check-in spots last year. Spotting the business opportunity, the Lihpao Group is planning its second phase development, set to introduce a lakeside outlet mall.
Daytime wisteria blooms, nighttime cherry blossom projections – Soak in the romantic hot springs of Sichongxi during the winter hot spring festival
One of the great joys of winter is soaking in hot springs. This year, Pingtung’s Sichongxi Hot Spring Festival will kick off on November 25. In addition to soaking in the famous "beauty hot spring," Pingtung County Government has specially created beautiful light installations near the hot spring park. There will also be romantic wisteria blooms and cherry blossom light projections to enjoy, with the lights officially being turned on in the evening of the 25th.
Dumpling King’s Next Expansion Plan: Taichung and Taipei Not Ruled Out
The Taiwanese No. 2 store of Japan’s Dumpling King officially opened on November 22, but it is still located in Kaohsiung (Hanshin Success Store). When will it expand to other cities and counties? Isao Kisou, head of overseas business at Dumpling King, stated that opening stores in Taipei and Taichung has been under consideration. However, Kisou noted that Dumpling King plans to ensure the quality of its current branches before discussing further expansion.
The Quality Assurance Association announces spring 2018 travel prices: Japan-Korea routes remain stable, New Zealand rises by NT$18,000
As 2017 draws to a close and the upcoming winter vacation peak season from January to March approaches, the Quality Assurance Association today (23rd) released reasonable global travel prices for the next quarter. Among them, the tour prices for the most popular Japan-Korea and Southeast Asia routes remain roughly the same as the previous quarter. Prices for North America and Canada routes have increased by NT$14,000 to NT$18,000 compared to the previous quarter due to the aurora and flower viewing seasons. New Zealand has seen an increase of about NT$18,000 during the winter vacation period, caused by the growing number of flights from the Chinese market leading to a supply shortage of local hotels and tour buses.
Cross-branding afternoon tea remains hot: Grand Hyatt Tea Lounge teams up with MOSCHINO
Cross-branding afternoon tea remains hot. The Tea Lounge at Grand Hyatt Taipei has teamed up with fashion brand MOSCHINO for the first time to launch a cross-branding afternoon tea set. From November 22 to January 2, 2018, the "Fashion Highway" collaborative afternoon tea will be available. Designed by French patissier Benoit Blin, it draws inspiration from the retro American culture aesthetic of MOSCHINO’s 2018 Pre-Spring Resort Collection, incorporating elements such as flaming bikers, vintage neon signs, and miniaturized replicas of MOSCHINO’s iconic teddy bear and logo handbag. The set for two is priced at NT$1,680 + 10%. Early bookings may also receive a complimentary MOSCHINO Pink Fresh fragrance (5ml), while supplies last.
Solve bombs and catch criminals with Conan!Universal Studios Japan launches the largest escape game ever
Universal Studios Japan’s “2018 Cool Japan” series of events kicks off on January 19 next year. This time, Universal Studios Japan will stage the largest-ever escape game, “Detective Conan: THE ESCAPE,” creating an original story that can only be experienced in the park. Combining it with authentic live performances, visitors will solve mysteries alongside Conan and step right into the real world of Detective Conan.
Taichung’s Dreamy New Christmas Attraction: Sweets House Biscuit House & Kitty Coffee Cup Pink Wonderland
The annual romantic and heartwarming Christmas is just around the corner, with major department stores and malls across Taiwan unveiling eye-catching holiday decorations. The star of the season—Christmas trees—are also lighting up one after another. Recently, department store plazas in Taichung have set up a series of super kawaii Christmas decorations, and fans of Sweets House Biscuit (Chibi Maruko-chan) and Hello Kitty can get ready to make a pilgrimage.
Open until the early hours of the morning!Taipei’s hipster café with lemon cheesecake and cold drip coffee
After turning 25, I stopped scheduling anything special for certain days. Dinner after work at “Dah He Jia” in the East District, with four hours left until today ends at midnight. Standing in front of yet another café that’s fully booked, I flip through my list of great late-night coffee spots. Let this day be filled with things I truly love—simple and beautiful things, like ramen, coffee, chubby cats, and you.