Family Trips
Top 100 Attractions 90 - Puyuma River Rafting: An Exciting Family Adventure
If you find the 4-hour Xiuguluan River rafting too sunny, then consider the post-2010 tourism activity of Taitung’s Puyuma River rafting. Spanning 9 kilometers and taking about 2 hours to complete, it features 22 rapids of varying sizes, 5 scenic gorges and cliffs, multiple boulder zones, and passes through areas such as the Liji Badlands and indigenous rice fields. There’s also an exciting section with a one-story drop in elevation, making it a newly emerging rafting destination in Taiwan. “The water of the Southern River is clear and free from industrial pollution, earning it the reputation as the ‘Hometown of Fish.’ The section from Xihou Lake to Heping is an extremely beginner-friendly route, offering the majestic mountain scenery of Qiaonong River and the winding waterways of Xiuguluan River. And since the whole rafting trip takes just 2 hours, it’s perfect for family outings.”
Blogger Guides: Unique Ways to Enjoy the Flower Expo
Taipei’s Flower Expo has been open for over a month, with visitor numbers exceeding two million. The latest issue of Taipei Panorama has curated a special feature titled “Unique Ways to Enjoy the Flower Expo,” inviting well-known bloggers to share their travel experiences. They also sampled Flower Expo-themed meals such as bento boxes within the park. Additionally, the magazine introduces tourist attractions along the Metro Luzhou Line, suggesting that after visiting the Flower Expo, visitors take a metro journey along the Luzhou Line for a unique experience. The Dream Pavilion and Future Pavilion have become highlights of the Flower Expo, but there’s much more to explore. Therefore, this issue specially invites renowned bloggers from various fields to offer multi-faceted insights and share their experiences. Photography bloggers also recommend the best spots and techniques for capturing great photos, helping readers take stunning shots. Travel bloggers suggest how to plan ahead and create a personalized Flower Expo itinerary. Meanwhile, parenting bloggers recommend the best ways for families to enjoy the expo together. Food bloggers, on the other hand, visited the park to sample Flower Expo bento boxes and other culinary delights. The magazine also delves into the behind-the-scenes stories of the performing arts groups at the Flower Expo.
Travel Taiwan. Touching 100—Shimen Lakeside Cycling Adventure
To allow the public to experience the unique beauty of Taiwan, the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications specially planned the “Travel Taiwan·Touching 100” campaign in conjunction with the centennial celebration of the Republic of China. This initiative brings together ten touching elements to create a collection of 100 top travel routes, inviting you to share these touching stories that belong to all of us. Cycling with the wind, wandering through forests and mountains—this is a globally popular new concept of sporty, leisurely living. Among the Tourism Bureau’s thoughtfully designed “Travel Taiwan·Touching 100” top ten themed tours for the year, cycling has been widely embraced. Among them, the Daxi Sankeng-Shimen Reservoir Lakeside Highway is a popular route suitable for family outings and endurance challenges.
Combining welfare with charity, Cathay Family Day brings families together for fun
It’s that time of year again — the crisp and breezy Cathay Family Day. Despite the damp and chilly weather with occasional light rain, nothing could dampen the enthusiasm of families coming together to have fun. Nearly 10,000 Cathay employees and their family members gathered at Rainbow Riverside Park to play marbles, fish, try bungee jumping, do DIY painting, and take part in lucky draws — they did it all, with laughter echoing everywhere. What’s particularly noteworthy is that this year, Cathay Financial Holdings invited social welfare organizations to join in the family fun, sharing our happiness with these groups. “This makes the Family Day even more meaningful,” laughed one Cathay employee. This Cathay Family Day event allowed normally busy executives and employees to forget about work, put on casual clothes, and spend a joyful weekend with their families. Even Peter Chang, General Manager of Cathay Life Insurance, took the time to bring his grandson along to enjoy some rare quality grandparent-grandchild time.
Family Fun at the Flower Expo: Free Stroller Rentals
In response to the anticipated influx of families during the Taipei International Flora Exposition and to enhance infant care quality in the expo zones, the renowned baby products company Kiga today announced its official partnership as a supporting vendor for the event. With a sponsorship budget of over NT$10 million, Kiga will provide strollers and other baby essentials within the 2010 Taipei Flora Expo grounds, ensuring that all parents and babies can enjoy a fun and relaxing visit. During the expo, the four main expo zones will offer 1,600 infant strollers, 50 children’s high chairs, 9 diaper-changing stations, 10 playpens, and 40 strollers for infants and toddlers with disabilities—available free of charge for parents bringing babies to explore the expo. Ding Xiyong, the overall producer of the Flora Expo, stated that during the test runs, all strollers were available for free rental with ID deposit, and users were required to “borrow and return at the same location.”
Scan the city – Parent-child cruise, double gifts for autumn Hong Kong tours
Kaohsiung City: From October 9 to November 28, Kaohsiung City Ferry Company is offering a “Double Gifts for Autumn Harbor Tours” promotion on weekends, featuring a highly rated parent-child package for two adults and two children with free entry for kids, as well as live band performances on sunset cruises, encouraging parents to bring their children to visit Kaohsiung Harbor.
Fly kites with TTJ for happiness – A family kite-flying event with a thousand participants
The “Take the Bus, Fly with Happiness” Mid-Autumn kite-flying event, organized by the Taichung City Government, kicked off with great fanfare at Wenxin Forest Park, attracting thousands of children and adults. Participants showed their creativity by painting their own kites. With the crisp autumn breeze and fine weather, the kites danced in the sky. Blind students from Huiming School experienced for the first time the magical feeling of kites soaring through the air, exclaiming excitedly, “I feel like I’m flying!” To encourage energy conservation and carbon reduction, and to help people develop the habit of using public transportation, the number of passengers on Taichung’s TTJ metro-style buses has surged since their launch. In the future, these buses will seamlessly connect with the metro system, ushering in the next chapter of happiness for Greater Taichung. The Transportation Bureau also specially organized this family-friendly kite-flying event during the Mid-Autumn Festival. With sunny skies and gentle winds, the kites soared high and far, creating a spectacular scene. On this day when hundreds of kites filled the sky, many families took the bus together to
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Miaoli County held a series of cycling events under the theme of "Building a Sports & Wellness Island." The third event, a coming-of-age cycling activity titled “Ride Together – Big Hands Holding Small Hands to Conquer 100K,” took place at 6:00 AM on the 12th at the County Stadium, with nearly 2,000 cyclists participating. County Magistrate Liu Cheng-hung encouraged everyone to ride for health, ride for joy, engage in sports together, and fully enjoy Miaoli’s fresh air and beautiful scenery. Yesterday’s cycling event was divided into a Wellness Group and a Family Group. The Wellness Group route was longer, spanning approximately 100 kilometers. The cycling route started from the stadium, turned right onto Guojing Road, crossed the Xindong Bridge, followed the mountain road, then proceeded along Provincial Highway 6, Provincial Highway 3, Miaoli County Route 52, and Provincial Highway 13 before turning back at Lantian Elementary School. The Family Group only cycled half the distance, turning back at Nanhu Elementary School. The county government stated that this series of cycling events to build a Sports & Wellness Island will continue with the fourth event, “Exploring the Mountain Town’s Southern Skies at Tian’gou Tribe,” on October 3, and the fifth event, “Dayuling Snow View Recreation Area Activity,” on November 7. Cyclists are welcome to join in and experience the mountain and coastal beauty of Miaoli.
Summer Family Trip – A Leisurely Exploration of Tainan’s New Old Town
Tainan’s Anping Old Street is becoming more and more unique. Since the implementation of the Anping Harbor Historical Scenic Area Plan in 2002, attractions such as the Anping Tree House, Harbor Loop Path, Historic Waterscape Park, Waterfowl Park, and Deji Foreign Firm have been restored one after another. Local treats like Chen Family Oyster Rolls, Zhenghexing Preserved Fruits, and Xijing Village Braised Snacks continue to draw crowds. The newest highlight is the ongoing restoration of traditional residential buildings. ■Revitalizing Old Houses, Creating Anping’s New Look Starting several years ago, as long as residents in the Anping area applied and passed the review, the government would assist in renovating and restoring their homes. This isn’t a single large-scale construction project, but the effect has been surprisingly good. Now, when you walk into the alleys beside Anping Old Street, there are fewer tin roofs, less dilapidation and mess, and instead, rows of old houses have been restored to their former appearance with traditional Minnan bricks and tiles. Du, curator of the Haian Road Art Street
Summer Family Trip – Land, Water & Air Adventures in Luye
Spend your summer vacation in Luye Township, Taitung, where you can try paragliding, rafting, and enjoy stunning scenery for an unforgettable experience. Taitung County’s Luye Township boasts abundant land, water, and air tourism resources. Visitors can enjoy newly developed activities such as Beinan River rafting, explore the classic rural charm of Yong’an Village, take to the skies with high-altitude paragliding, and immerse themselves in a rich tea culture journey. These land, water, and air adventures will thrill travelers to the fullest. Additionally, the rare “village-within-a-village” – the 21 International Resort – adds even more beauty to Yong’an Village in Luye Township. (For more travel reports by Li Anjun, visit http://blog.chinatimes.com/anchun25/)
Summer Family Trip – Splashing Water & Harvesting Veggies: Cooling Fun in Gongguan, Miaoli
In summer, Gongguan Township in Miaoli offers cool irrigation channels, bright red jujubes, and opportunities for water play, fruit picking, and vegetable harvesting—perfect for family outings. Miaoli’s Gongguan Township is known as the “Land of Four Reds,” with mulberries in spring, red jujubes in summer, persimmons in autumn, and strawberries in winter—four vibrant red fruits throughout the year. Beyond the four reds, golden rice, pickled mustard greens, taro, silk, and golden shower trees are also local specialties. When these bloom or are harvested, the whole town glows golden and bountiful, earning it the nickname “Golden Town.” However, neither the Four Reds nor the Golden Town would exist today without the Chuanlong Irrigation Channel. ■ The Chuanlong Irrigation Channel Nurtures Bountiful Produce “Chuanlong” means “crossing the Houlong River.” During the Qing Dynasty, Hakka people settled in Gongguan, Miaoli, busy cultivating rice and reclaiming land while also fighting with indigenous tribes over territory. To make matters worse, after the fights, they had to fetch water manually.
Summer family trip – Ride Universal Studios Japan and get soaked and scream your lungs out
A summer trip to Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, followed by a JR line ride to Kyoto, is sure to satisfy both parents and kids. Osaka’s Universal Studios is the closest movie-themed park to Taiwan. Next year will mark its 10th anniversary, and this year it has specially launched the new “Space Fantasy” ride, bringing huge surprises to visitors. As for “The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man,” it has been voted the world’s most popular attraction, so riding it multiple times never gets old. In addition, after visiting Osaka, you can easily head to Kyoto via the JR line, arriving within an hour. Experience the best of Kansai – with thrills and elegance – and keep both parents and kids happy.
Dad’s Special Deal: Free Ferry Ride
Kaohsiung City Ferry Company is launching a Father’s Day Harbor Cruise promotion from August 6 to 9. When two or more people travel together, one dad rides for free. Passengers on the harbor cruise can also take a free shuttle bus to the Yangming Marine Exploration Museum for an entrance-free visit, plus receive two free bus tickets for Route 35 to explore various attractions and the old street on Qijin Island. During the Ocean Expo & Yacht Show, a free shuttle bus runs every ten minutes at the Red Light Wharf in Qijin Fishing Port. Harbor cruise passengers can take the shuttle to the Yangming Marine Exploration Museum for free entry. Additionally, the summer campaign “Summer Ocean Madness – Golden Double-Month Harbor Cruise Feast” has been launched. The first phase offers harbor cruise routes from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, featuring family trips for two adults and two children with kids riding free. The promotion runs from July 10 to August 29.
Year 99 of the Republic of China – Taiwan Celebrates: Cycling and Slow-Pitch Softball, Embracing a Leisurely Lifestyle
The competitive sports driven by championship mentality are gradually giving way to recreational activities that emphasize a happy life—a significant shift in Taiwan’s sports culture. On holidays, along the Jingmei River, Xindian River, Keelung River, and the Erchong Floodway in the Greater Taipei area, one can see cycling and slow-pitch softball have become the most popular activities, and the same goes for other counties and cities. Coupled with the sweating figures in local gyms, sports have increasingly become a part of everyday life for many.
Summer Family Trip – Giant Waterlilies in Full Bloom, Invite Kids to Sit Aboard!
It’s so hot in summer that people feel sluggish and flowers don’t grow well, leaving everyone feeling lethargic. Yet the giant waterlily thrives in the heat, and this year it’s growing faster and better than ever, with leaves even having the chance to break the 100-kilogram weight-bearing record. In the morning, head to Guanyin Township in Taoyuan to admire the lotuses and take photos sitting on the lily pads – a fun mix of activity and stillness. Then stay at the “Southern Manor” in Zhongli for some water play and a night market stroll, sampling Beijing-style leek pancakes. The next day, visit Jiudou Village in Xinyi for trampoline jumping, water fights, and sand sculpting. This two-day Taoyuan trip offers flowers, sand, water, and food, guaranteed to tire out the little ones, ensuring a good night’s sleep afterward. ■ Hot Weather Boosts Growth, Challenging the 100-Kg Record The closest lotus-viewing area to northern Taiwan is Guanyin Township in Taoyuan, where the giant waterlily steals the spotlight. Originally from the Amazon River basin in Brazil, the giant waterlily is the “strongman” of the lotus world – hence its grand name.
Kenting Caesar pushes special package to pamper dads
How to celebrate Father’s Day this year? Head to Kenting to enjoy a festival filled with the unique warmth and sunshine of the south! How to celebrate Father’s Day this year? Head to Kenting to enjoy a festival filled with the unique warmth and sunshine of the south! Kenting Caesar launches the “FUNSiwankaisa Pamper Dad” special package, with 2-day tours starting from just NT$12,000. From August 1 to 27 during the Gratitude Month, book on Mondays to Thursdays and get a free upgrade to a quadruple room for dad, with kids’ meals, accommodation, and activities all free (maximum 2 kids per room). The 2-day-1-night stay includes one breakfast and one dinner, free access to carnival activities, plus a choice of 2 out of 4 activities. Book a deluxe suite and receive a complimentary bottle of AVEDA Sun Care Dual Use Lotion per room. Party cakes are also available; before July 20, champion-chef cakes are priced uniformly at NT$888 each (excluding strawberry mousse and brownie cakes). If you feel that 2 days just aren’t enough
TRA Cruise Train – Experience Rural Charm
Summer is the perfect time for travel. Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) has partnered with the Siraya National Scenic Area in Tainan to launch a cruise-style train, offering three family-friendly rural experience tour packages. Online ticket reservations open on the 7th. Additionally, a passenger-and-vehicle car has been added, making it easy for cyclists to explore the Siraya region. The Siraya Management Office has collaborated with TRA this year to introduce one-day rural experience tours suitable for families and cyclists. Passengers can board at Pingtung, Fongshan, Kaohsiung, and Xinzuoying. On July 16th, the itinerary includes a visit to Zoumaile Farm and the mango market. On July 31st, travelers can enjoy lotus viewing in Baihe, explore the butterfly ecology and the unique water-fire phenomenon at Guanziling Red Leaf Park. On August 13th, visitors will interact with crickets at the Xinhua National Botanical Garden and pick longans and experience longan drying at the Nanhua Eco-Recreation Area. The experience package is a set fare, with adult tickets ranging from NT$434 to NT$526, and child tickets from NT$268 to NT$414. Cyclists pay an additional NT$128 round-trip fare. The plan includes shuttle buses and onboard volunteer guides. Participants of the July 16th tour will also receive a NT$100 cash voucher.
Food and Family Cards: Hotels Pull Out All the Stops to Attract Tourists
To capitalize on the opening of independent travel for Chinese tourists, Taiwan’s hotel industry is pulling out all the stops to capture this growing market. Leading players in the tourism sector, such as Grand Formosa Regent (Regent Taipei) and The Lalu (Lalu Hotel), have joined forces to promote family-friendly packages, targeting the family travel segment among Chinese visitors. Meanwhile, hotels like Ambassador Hotel (Ambassador Hotel) and The Luxury Collection (The Luxury Collection) are focusing on the culinary experience, aiming to ensure that Chinese tourists enjoy both memorable activities and safe, satisfying meals. In response to concerns over plasticizer contamination, and to ensure food safety for the public, Grand Formosa Regent has taken the lead by launching the “Shennong Project,” offering Chinese tourists access to the freshest organic ingredients. Additionally, Taipei Grand Formosa Regent has introduced the “Zhongshan Renaissance Tour,” collaborating with local businesses in the Zhongshan District to revive the area’s cultural heritage. Grand Formosa Regent Group also announced plans for continued expansion. Confirmed projects include the upcoming Kaohsiung Regent Hotel, expected to be completed in 2014, and the nearby Just Sleep Taipei Main Station, an affordable business hotel slated for completion in 2013. The group revealed that although Chinese tourists currently make up only 3% of their clientele, they anticipate this figure could rise to double digits in the future.
Summer Parent-Child Trip – A Light Travel Experience in Taoyuan as a Farmer
How do you pronounce these two characters: Miao (miǎo) and Yan (yàn)? When kids come to this Miǎo Yàn Farm, big brother Chen Weishen will teach them, and also explain what non-toxic, organic, and G.Y.P. (Good Agricultural Practice) farming means. Chen Weishen is a young farmer who named his farm “Miǎo Yàn Miao.” As it turns out, most people can’t pronounce it—some say “shuǐ huǒ miao” (water-fire seedlings), others say “miāo miāo miao” (meow-meow seedlings), or just read it as ×× miao or ○○ miao. Is it really that hard? Follow me: ˇ ˇ miao. ■ Broad Vision and Passionate Heart Lead to Farming Career Miǎo means vast, and yàn means blazing. I embrace diverse agricultural methods with an open mind, and express my ideals with a passionate heart. Chen Weishen, just in his early 30s, used to work in the semiconductor industry with a good salary, but working 13 hours a day left him feeling he had no future,
Slow Travel in Taipei This Summer: 4 Themed Leisure Activities
The Taipei City Government, themed around “Nature’s Beauty” and “Slow Travel with Loved Ones,” is hosting the 2011 “Summer in Taipei” summer series of events, inviting families to explore together and experience the beauty of Taipei’s ecology, industries, culture, and leisure.