Family Trips
Top 5 Popular Family Travel Destinations for Summer Vacation – Japan Takes 3 Spots
Summer vacation is approaching, and many parents are taking advantage of the long break to travel abroad with their children. According to sales data from HowToTrip, the top five family-friendly travel destinations most favored by parents this summer are Tokyo, Seoul, Osaka, Hokkaido, and Singapore/Malaysia. Among these, four are destinations with theme parks, making them popular choices for family trips. Most parents prefer short-haul destinations primarily because they involve shorter flights, no time difference, less fatigue for children, better moods for sightseeing, and more budget-friendly options.
Parent-child travel market: New Taipei recruits little market experts
Running a convenience store as a shopkeeper is so outdated. The New Taipei City Market Administration will host a "Little Market Experts Summer Camp" during the summer break, inviting children to experience activities such as hawking, sorting fruits and vegetables, handling customer checkouts, and more. They can also make Chinese pan-fried buns, create charcoal drawings, serve as market guides, and DIY handmade soap. The camp will be led by parenting chef bloggers “Double Dad,” and it’s completely free. The New Taipei City Government Market Administration stated that the Little Market Experts Summer Camp is scheduled to take place over two sessions on July 6–7 and August 3–4. Each session will select 20 parent-child pairs (one adult + one child), open to children aged 10 to 12 and their parents. Simply write a 50-word reflection on a parent-child trip to the market for a chance to participate for free. Registration deadlines for each session are June 11 and July 17, with selected participants to be announced on June 19
Hop on the time machine and rediscover childhood memories with your family
Tiancheng Hotels Group’s new brand, Tiancheng Cultural Tourism, focuses on highlighting local cultural characteristics and customizing professional hotel experiences. Its two hotels, Hui Ri Zhi Qiu and Hui Xing Lv, jointly launch a family travel package to let guests savor the unique charm of the locale. Located in Chiayi, Hui Ri Zhi Qiu incorporates imagery from Alishan: sunrise, mountain mist, cypress trees... and other natural elements. Through the designer’s creative touch, these elements appear ingeniously in public spaces and guest rooms, engaging travelers with delightful surprises. Targeting the family market, Hui Ri Zhi Qiu has created playful installations that aim to deliver a heartwarming and memorable travel experience. From now until December 29, 2017, Tiancheng Cultural Tourism – Hui Ri Zhi Qiu is offering the “Stroll Through Chiayi, Ride the Wind” accommodation package. Weekday discounted rates are NT$2,199
Conveying "520 I Love You" — A Parent-Child Day Trip Organized by the North Kaohsiung Family Service Center
On the 20th, the North Kaohsiung Family Service Center led 50 families from child protection and high-risk backgrounds on a parent-child day trip to Yunlin’s Janfusun Fancyworld and Lüying Ranch. The event included parent-child group dancing, hugging each other, and a trust-building challenge game, all aimed at bringing parents and children closer. It gave parents who usually struggle to express their feelings a chance to connect with their kids and show care for one another—expressing “I love you” on this special day of 520. This was the first time the Family Service Center incorporated parenting education into a family outing by holding a lecture at Janfusun Fancyworld. They invited psychological counselor Xu Anli to discuss how to interact with teenagers, preschoolers, and hyperactive children at home. Through the session, parents picked up useful tips and had the opportunity to practice them right away while on the trip with their kids. Parent A-Ren shared that his child usually doesn’t talk much at home. Although he understands that this is typical behavior during adolescence and that kids tend to prefer spending time with classmates, playing the “gum sticking together” game today made him feel like he hadn’t been this close to his child in years. He said that scolding or even hitting usually doesn’t help, and that he really needs to spend more quality time with his child to understand what’s going on in his young mind. Elementary school student A-Zhi shyly said that experiencing milking cows, watching the goose race, and feeding the calf at the ranch were all really fun. Dancing with his dad and hugging each other also let him feel the warmth of his father’s rough, large hands. Wei Zongyin, director of the Family Service Center, explained that parents of child protection and high-risk families often face challenges in parenting. Though they are willing to take good care of their children, they lack proper methods and skills. Additionally, many protective service families also deal with multiple pressures such as unstable employment, financial hardship, marital discord, weak support from relatives and friends, and emotional instability. These factors can easily lead to either overly harsh or neglectful parenting. During social work services, staff adopt a strengths-based and resilience-focused approach to help parents learn positive parenting techniques and improve parent-child interactions.
Kaohsiung Travel Fair Offers Ultra-Low Prices to Attract Visitors
The southern Taiwan’s largest travel trade event, the 2017 Kaohsiung Travel Agents Association International Travel Fair, will take place from the 19th to the 22nd of this month at the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center. This year, a total of 358 exhibitors with 800 booths will participate, and businesses are rolling out travel fair-exclusive ultra-low prices to attract customers. To boost sales momentum, the Travel Agents Association has also launched a lucky draw for a luxury RIMOWA suitcase for those who spend over NT$10,000 on-site. To capture the summer travel market, the Guam Visitors Bureau, participating for the first time, will focus on the 6th Guam International Food & Music Festival starting in June. On-site, it will also collaborate with multiple travel agencies including Yongsheng, Liangyou, Jincheng, Southeast, JieLi, and Xihong to jointly promote Guam independent travel packages, along with family-friendly promotions to strongly attract visitors. The Korea Tourism Organization, at the Kaohsiung Travel Fair, will present...
Local Spotlight – Celebrating Mother’s Day at Zhongpu: A Family-Friendly Ranch Getaway
Chiayi County: To celebrate Mother’s Day, the Zhongpu Township Preschool held a “Screams, Laughs, and Happy Experiences – Joyful Ranch Adventure” family carnival event at the Lüying Ranch in Zhongpu Township on the 12th. Over 400 people, including Township Chief Li Bijin, parents, and teachers and students of the preschool, joined the celebration.
Traveling with Mom? Avoid 3 Most Common Sources of Conflict
Warm May is here, and Mother’s Day is just around the corner. Taking Mom out for a trip or a vacation is a great way to thank her for all her hard work over the years and enjoy quality family time. But traveling with Mom? Planning the itinerary, transportation routes, and choosing meals can be quite the challenge. Below, let’s take a look at a survey from a travel website to help everyone prepare mentally before departure, understand the most common friction points that occur during parent-child, filial trips, avoid magnifying disagreements along the way, and ensure a smooth and happy holiday. Giving Mom a filial trip is a wonderful idea—don’t let small things ruin it. According to a survey by the Hong Kong travel website Expedia, 75% of respondents have experience traveling with their moms, but among them, 17% reported having unpleasant arguments with their moms every day, and some even had more than 10 quarrels in a single day. The most common causes of conflict include “Mom being overly anxious and nagging non-stop” (23%), “finding fault with everything” (18%), and “speaking too loudly” (14%).
Guangzhou May Day Travel: Family-Friendly Tours Sell Out Fast
On the first day of China’s May Day holiday, the weather in Guangdong was sunny, and the local travel market was bustling. Among the travelers, families with children made up the majority. According to a report by Golden Sheep Network, visits to travel hubs across Guangzhou revealed numerous instances of parents taking their kids out. Statistics from Guangzhou Travel showed that over 70% of their travelers on the first day of the holiday were families with children. Mr. Su, who joined a group tour, said that since his child’s mid-term exams ended in mid-April, he wanted to reward the child and took the opportunity to travel during the short break. Guangzhou Travel stated that their family-friendly tour packages for this year’s May Day were launched in early April and sold out in less than two weeks.
Parents and children hand in hand: 1,200 parent-child pairs tackle an obstacle course around the lake
With cases of child abuse emerging one after another, the Kaohsiung City Social Affairs Bureau and the North Kaohsiung Family Service Center joined hands on the 23rd to hold the “Big Hands Holding Little Hands — Child Protection Parent-Child Hiking Fun” event at Chengcing Lake Scenic Area. Amid wind and rain, 1,200 parent-child pairs took part in a lakefront obstacle course game to show their support for child protection. The domestic violence experience zone was incredibly realistic, drawing screams from both adults and children, helping families better empathize with the impact of child abuse. Recently, the death of a two-year-old child in Kaohsiung, allegedly due to abuse by the mother, deeply saddened those in the child protection field. Yesterday’s child protection awareness campaign resonated strongly. Chen, a parent with one child, said that although a two-year-old is just beginning to explore the world, they never get the chance to grow up — hearing the news was heartbreaking. Wei Zongyin, director of the Kaohsiung Family Service Center, pointed out that over the past 30 years, they have assisted in 2,586 cases of child abuse.
Local Highlights – A One-Day Trip to the Ceramics Museum for Underprivileged Families in Jinshan and Wanli
New Taipei: On the 22nd, the Jinshan District Office invited underprivileged families with children from Jinshan and Wanli to join a one-day trip to the Yingge Ceramics Museum. In addition to viewing the museum’s precious collections, they also signed up for a pottery DIY activity, guiding parents and children to create a ceramic piece together to promote bonding and emotional connection.
Braving Wind and Rain: North Kaohsiung Family Service Center Hosts Parent-Child Challenge to Protect Children
With child abuse cases emerging one after another, the Kaohsiung City Social Affairs Bureau and the North Kaohsiung Family Service Center joined hands on the 23rd to hold a “Big Hands Holding Small Hands” children’s protection parent-child hiking event at the Chengcing Lake Scenic Area. 1,200 parent-child pairs braved the wind and rain to experience a lakeside challenge game, showing their support for child protection through action. The domestic violence experience zone was almost lifelike, with screams heard from both adults and children, helping families better empathize with the wrongs of child abuse. Recently, a case in Kaohsiung City where a 2-year-old child reportedly died from alleged abuse by their mother deeply saddened the child protection community. Yesterday (the 22nd), the Family Service Center launched a children’s protection awareness campaign that resonated widely. Chen, a parent with one child, said that a 2-year-old is just beginning to explore the world but didn’t get the chance to grow up—hearing the news was heartbreaking. Wei Zongyin, director of the North Kaohsiung Family Service Center, pointed out that over the past 30 years, they have assisted in 2,586 cases of child abuse, finding that most involved parents taking a child’s life through improper discipline, with abusers mainly characterized by emotional instability and lack of parenting knowledge.
Family Walk for Love: Join the Parent-Child Fun Walk Carnival for Kids
Just two days left to go until the 2017 Family Walk for Love Parent-Child Fun Walk Carnival, organized by the Penghu Family Service Center, which will be held from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM on April 22 in front of the Penghu County Government. Everyone is invited to join the walk, sponsor the event, or purchase carnival tickets to support 330 assisted families. ??? This event calls on hundreds of parents and children to take to the streets to speak up for abused children. For just NT$428, you can register a group of three. In addition to experiencing fun child protection-themed challenge stations, participants will also receive a beautifully designed finisher’s gift. After the walk, an exciting and lively carnival awaits—definitely not to be missed. Registration is still open on-site and heating up fast. ??? A total of 72 companies and businesses have generously sponsored booths, offering a variety of options such as game stalls, hot food stands, cold dishes, and dessert booths, adding even more richness to the day’s activities.
The Huisun Wood Culture Festival Kicks Off Today — Perfect for Family Outings
The 2019 Huisun Wood Culture Festival, organized by the Experimental Forest Management Office of National Chung Hsing University, opened on the 21st at Huisun Forest in Ren'ai Township, Nantou County. Now in its 12th year, this year’s festival features a variety of thoughtfully curated activities across multiple venues, including the Log Life Special Exhibition and tree-climbing experiences at the Research & Learning Center, an agricultural products carnival, forest concerts, and challenge games in the grassland area, as well as sandcastle building and children’s playgrounds in the family activity zone—making it an ideal destination for family outings.
Taichung’s Leyue Transforms to Tap into Family Market, Creating Taiwan’s Largest Family Amusement Park
Spotting a surge in occupancy rates of luxury residences near the National Theater, Leyue Life Mall in Taichung’s 7th Redevelopment Zone has been the first to introduce Belle’s Family Fun, the No. 1 family amusement park brand for children aged 0 to 8 in Taiwan. With an investment of NT$50 million, the mall has built a nearly 600-ping (approximately 1,980 square meters) magical world-themed family amusement park, featuring 16 themed zones. The park officially opened today (23rd), and together with “Flypo Gym” and “Flypo Playground,” which had already moved into Leyue earlier, the two major family amusement players are set to cash in on the summer family market.
The Kaohsiung City Police Department independently developed a board game to promote child and youth safety through gameplay.
During the summer vacation, to promote awareness of child and youth safety, the Kaohsiung City Police Department’s Women and Children’s Police Squad, with Officer Yuli from the squad independently developing a board game, and with strong sponsorship from the Kaohsiung Port Rotary Club and the Taipei Tunghua Rotary Club, held a board game competition on the 22nd. The event also offered a top prize of a NT$10,000 gift voucher, attracting many parents and schoolchildren to sign up. Through the competition, the message of child and youth safety was further rooted at the grassroots level. The Kaohsiung City Women and Children’s Police Squad has been promoting awareness of child and youth safety. Following last year’s launch of the “Children’s Safety Guidelines” and “Online Safety Guidelines,” this year they received strong support from rotary clubs. Officer Yuli from the squad conceived and designed the game, transforming relevant safety concepts into illustrated card decks, and developed a board game set called “Child and Youth Safety Memory Master,” which is highly popular among teenagers. The goal is to combine education with entertainment to broaden the impact of the safety campaign. The city police department held its first “Child and Youth Safety Memory Master” parent-child board game
Pingtung Children's Carnival Features First-Ever VR Experience
The two-month summer vacation is the happiest time for kids but the most headache-inducing for parents. To address this, Pingtung County Government has meticulously planned a series of events for the Children's Carnival. Highlights include Taiwan’s first-ever VR experience “Escape Room Adventure,” one of this summer’s most talked-about attractions, along with performances by the If Kids Theater Troupe and YOYO Family sing-and-dance shows, creating heartwarming moments for families to enjoy together. Wu Jinhua, head of the Pingtung County Cultural Affairs Bureau, explained that escape rooms are puzzle-solving challenge games where participants are locked in a room and must find key items and use them correctly to escape. This game encourages teamwork among group members, allowing children to learn cooperation. The event also features specially designed photo walls for families to capture beautiful memories. The Escape Room Adventure is divided into two major themed experiences: “The Fantastic Drift of the Yellow Duckling” and “Hogwarts.”
Seizing the Summer Vacation Family Travel Boom: Juanjuan'an Launches Refined Lunch Sets to Attract Customers
Summer vacation has always been peak season for family travel, and restaurants in Taichung are competing to cash in on the dining boom by rolling out attractive promotions. Among them, Juanjuan'an, located in Taichung’s Caotun Avenue commercial district and renowned for its refined Japanese creative cuisine, is offering an exquisite Japanese-French fusion lunch set from now until the end of August. Originally priced at NT$800, the set is now available for just NT$680. Customers can also add on a salt-grilled live lobster with miso bamboo shoots (originally NT$780) for just NT$299. That’s quite the deal! Although the discounts are generous, Head Chef Chang Yun-hsiang of Juanjuan’an has not compromised one bit on food quality. For example, the Japanese-style fried chicken with balsamic vinegar in the lunch set is marinated overnight in a cold juice blend made from fresh vegetables to infuse the chicken thighs with their natural sweetness and aroma. Only when an order comes in is the chicken lightly coated in flour and deep-fried to golden crispness, then finished with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
"Industry" – Diverse Parental Attitudes Toward Family Travel During Summer Break in Asia
The summer vacation period is the peak time for planning family trips. Expedia released a large-scale survey on parental attitudes toward family travel among children and parents from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea. The results showed that over 90% of teenagers believe family travel helps strengthen emotional bonds, but around 25% of parents in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Japan would prefer not to travel with their children, with nearly 40% of parents in Taiwan and Hong Kong citing concerns about not wanting to affect their children’s academic performance. Expedia conducted a survey among 4,000 teenagers aged 13–17 and parents aged 18 and above from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea. It found that nearly 90% of teenagers said family travel is more important than new toys or games, and over 90% believe it brings family members closer emotionally. The survey showed that over 80% of respondents arrange family travel at least once a year,
Is traveling with kids exhausting? Travel experts share 5 top tips for parents on choosing hotels and flights.
A must-read for family summer trips!According to a recent survey by a travel website, over 40% of parents in Taiwan and Hong Kong feel they can't fully enjoy their vacation when traveling abroad with children. So how can you make your trip smoother? Here are 5 essential family travel tips covering how to choose flights, hotels, attractions, and what to do if your child gets sick—listen to what family travel experts have to say. The online travel booking platform Expedia points out that the top 5 family-friendly travel destinations this summer are Tokyo, Osaka, Okinawa, Seoul, and Hong Kong. Unlike previous early-bird promotions, they’ve partnered with airlines to offer special bundled flight-and-hotel deals at discounted rates, aiming to tap into the summer family travel market. Family travel isn’t just about saving money—there are also smart ways to book tickets and accommodations. Family travel expert Daka says that taking kids abroad isn’t as hard as it seems.
The Taoyuan Summer Family Art Festival kicks off
Entering its 7th year, the Taoyuan Summer Family Art Festival will run from the 15th to the 22nd, featuring five major series of activities—all free of charge. Tonight’s opening will feature JUMP, one of South Korea’s top four performance shows. This year also introduces an interactive art experience zone, including whispering tubes, funhouse mirrors, and kaleidoscopes, aiming to combine education and entertainment. The hope is that children spending their summer vacation in Taoyuan will have plenty of joyful memories. Cultural Affairs Bureau Director Qiu Zhuangxiu-mei said that the Taoyuan Summer Family Art Festival has been held for many years, and its biggest feature is that it never repeats last year’s events. Therefore, organizers rack their brains every year to come up with new tricks and novelties. This year’s theme is “Little Players,” and five major activity series have been launched: Little Players Grand Theater, Little Players Family Theater, Little Players Art Adventure, Little Players’ Adventure Story, and Little Players Story House. Qiu Zhuangxiu-mei said that this year’s highlight is the prestigious South Korean team—