Eyou Network’s 99 Carnival kicks off at 10 AM today and runs until 5 PM on the 12th. During this period, a variety of limited-time domestic and international flight and hotel deals are available, including half-price tickets to Okinawa starting from just 4999 NTD, ski tour discounts of 9900 NTD, Japan’s Appi Highlands skiing trips for just 30000 NTD, and Jiaoxi hotels with hot spring baths at 64% off, with the lowest prices starting from just 2999 NTD.
The Executive Yuan is set to announce the full opening of mountainous areas. Insiders revealed that Premier Su Tseng-chang will hold a press conference on Monday (the 23rd) at Yangmingshan Mountain. Cross-ministerial agencies including the Forestry Bureau, Sports Administration, Tourism Bureau, and Ministry of the Interior will formally unveil the latest policies on mountain access and services. It is understood that the government has often cited poor road conditions as a reason to close mountains, but following Premier Su’s directive, all mountains will be fully opened, benefiting hikers.
Public restrooms are seen as a reflection of a city's culture and quality. The Daken area in Taichung is a popular destination for hiking and outdoor activities, often praised as the "Yangmingshan of Taichung." However, finding a clean and convenient restroom has been a challenge due to the old and unkempt facilities. This year, Taichung’s Tourism and Travel Bureau allocated funds to renovate three public restrooms, creating brand-new walls, updating outdated pipelines and equipment, and crafting a more user-friendly restroom environment. These three restrooms are located near the training field of Daken No. 1 Hiking Trail, next to Minxing Lane near Daken No. 5 Hiking Trail, and alongside the trail near Guoxing Temple at Tiezhen Mountain in Dajia. After the makeover, the restrooms — with their clean, bright environments and refreshed exteriors — no longer deter hikers from using them.
Many people enjoy mountain climbing not only for exercise but also to challenge their limits. Forty-three years ago, a 20-year-old French climber disappeared at an altitude of 4,000 meters while ascending the Alps. His friend was devastated upon hearing the news and, from then on, climbed the mountains every few years searching for his friend. In August this year, he spotted some orange marks in the glacier and suspects they might belong to his long-lost friend.
There are many stories and legends about Qilai Mountain, most of which remain unsolved mysteries. Due to its rugged terrain, complex and ever-changing climate, and unpredictable fog, Qilai Mountain is one of the areas in Taiwan with the highest incidence of mountain accidents. Among them, there is a well-known eerie incident related to a ghostly photo from 1980.
Wow~ Wow wow... Ahhh!! This is how the video begins. The woman, who had been admiring the beautiful scenery, slipped and fell 15 meters down a ravine the next second, and the GoPro on her head captured this terrifying moment. The woman who fell was Heather Friesen, a 26-year-old American beach volleyball player. In 2016, while hiking in the Kaau Crater hiking area in Honolulu, Hawaii, she accidentally slipped and plunged 15 meters down the ravine. Although she suffered severe injuries including 10 broken ribs, she fortunately did not have life-threatening injuries.
Lidingshan, a popular hiking route in Majia Township, Pingtung County, has recently seen sightings of hundred-pace vipers. On the afternoon of the 3rd, an 80-centimeter-long, 8-centimeter-wide large hundred-pace viper was spotted, prompting hikers to immediately call the police, who successfully captured it. Tsai Yao-shun, chief of the Neipu Police Sub-bureau, stated that hundred-pace vipers are not naturally aggressive toward humans, and the public should remain calm and avoid trying to drive them away if they spot one.
Conservation patrol officers from Taroko National Park Administration recently spotted a Taiwan sika deer up close for the first time in a bamboo grove near the ski lodge along Provincial Highway 14A beside Hehuanshan. Deputy Director Zhang Dengwen of the park administration confirmed the sighting and noted that Taiwan sika deer are shy. Hikers may encounter them in the mountains, but are advised to keep their distance to avoid disturbing the animals.
A 65-year-old man surnamed Hsu from Miaoli County was embracing retirement, planning to hike and travel to enjoy Taiwan’s beautiful scenery, but unexpectedly suffered a stroke. Fortunately, after emergency medical treatment and rehabilitation, he returned to normal life.
A man surnamed Tu from Miaoli and a woman surnamed Fan from Hsinchu climbed the Huoyan Mountain range in Yuanli on the morning of the 29th, intending to find the Yuanli Canal Water Conservancy Cultural Heritage Monument. However, unfamiliar with the Huoyan Mountain trails and lost due to their first climb, they became exhausted and stranded in the mountains. Mr. Tu called 110 for help. After about three hours of searching by police, firefighters, and hikers, the two were finally found and safely escorted down the mountain.
In recent years, self-driving tours have become the hottest travel trend among young urban elites on the mainland. Travelers drive themselves, enjoying spontaneous independent journeys, and related books have sold extremely well. Online, a couple from Guizhou shared their crazy journey of crossing 14 countries across Asia and Europe in just two months, eventually arriving in London—dubbed the most impressive road trip ever. 《Guiyang Evening News》 and Xinhua Net reported that on the evening of the 12th, netizen Wu Xiaoliu posted photos and text on Sina Weibo: a silver Citroën sedan with the license plate “Gui APS431” was driving on London’s Tower Bridge. Since the license plate was issued in Guiyang, Guizhou Province, the sight of it in London sparked curiosity among netizens, leading to over 6,000 reposts within a short time. After verification, it turned out that the post was made by a netizen named “Luoboding Zoutianya,” who said:
A working conference on the development of self-drive tourism destinations in Zhongshan and the celebration of China Tourism Day on May 19, held by the Zhongshan Municipal Bureau of Tourism, revealed that the project has commenced construction and will achieve preliminary completion by June this year. The steady increase in vehicle ownership in the Pearl River Delta region, the dense network of expressways, and the personalized needs of local residents are quietly reshaping the direction of the tourism industry in recent years. As the foundation for attracting tourists, scenic spots will take on a new look in the future. The existing five major cluster tourism routes will be reorganized and divided based on dining, accommodation, transportation, sightseeing, entertainment, and shopping, forming a “buffet” from which tourists can freely choose combinations. The focus of the overall tourism destination development will be placed on information support and the construction of supporting hardware facilities. This includes the planned establishment of over 20 five-star standard hotels and collaborations with brand-name auto 4S stores.
Taiwanese Vehicles Getting Licensed in Fujian? The news has been making headlines again across cross-strait media in recent days. In fact, the Fujian authorities first proposed this idea back in 2007, and on the 2nd of this year, the Fujian Transportation Department brought it up again. Whether it will be implemented this year remains to be seen. But the question is, what preparations should those who wish to drive between Taiwan and Fujian by themselves make before that happens?
To celebrate May Day (Labor Day), Yunlin County Government held a family hiking event for laborers in Dapu Community, Gukeng Township, on the 28th, encouraging workers to get outdoors and engage in various sports to take care of their bodies and relieve stress. Over 2,000 unionized workers and their families from Yunlin County participated, celebrating Labor Day in advance.
Feifeng Mountain in Qionglin Township, Hsinchu County, is a popular hiking spot, where incidents of visitors feeling unwell or getting injured are not uncommon. In the past year alone, there have been two fatalities. In response, the Qionglin Fire Brigade has been conducting intensive CPR training sessions on the mountain and has installed 17 location markers to help hikers prepare for emergencies, hoping to prevent such tragedies from happening again.
The scenic and ecologically rich Dakeng No. 10 Trail in Taichung City has a new highlight: a double-deck Acacia tree viewing platform built beside the trail by the Taichung City Scenic Area Administration. Officially opened on the 27th, it offers a 360-degree panoramic view of the city’s mountain and urban landscapes, enhancing the hiking experience on the Dakeng Trails.
The 2019 spring Everest climbing season has begun. To protect Everest’s ecology, mainland China will only allow 144 climbers this spring. The Tibet Mountaineering Association stated that every year, temporary eco-toilets are set up below 7,500 meters in the Everest climbing area to collect climbers’ waste and domestic garbage, which are then transported down the mountain for unified disposal. Additional temporary eco-toilets have also been installed at the North Col camp at 7,028 meters to ensure no litter is left behind. German climbers have given positive feedback, saying, “The Chinese are very reliable business partners.”
A close call with death on the mountain edge: A Spanish couple recently went hiking in the Montseny Massif. Unexpectedly, the weather turned from sunny to overcast during their climb, but they still managed to reach the summit. Just as they were about to take photos at the top, a sudden flash of light sent them flying. Fortunately, both survived unharmed, though they had no idea what had happened until they reviewed the camera footage at home — realizing they had nearly been struck by lightning.
Getting lost or separated is every hiker’s worst nightmare, because who knows how long it’ll take before someone comes to the rescue? And without food or water, the situation can quickly turn dire. Yet these two hikers managed to survive and were rescued — all thanks to just a straw.