Where to go for New Year's Eve? The K National Scenic Area bids farewell to the sunset and welcomes the first light of dawn.

By the MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network Editorial Team

This year’s New Year’s Day features a four-day consecutive holiday, with various regions across Taiwan competing to offer New Year’s Eve and dawn-welcoming events. How to choose the best spot to bid farewell to the last sunset and greet the arrival of the new year? The Tourism Bureau under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications has specially compiled information on events to bid farewell to the sunset, celebrate New Year’s Eve, and welcome the first light of dawn at eight picturesque national scenic areas, and recommended nearby leisure attractions, local delicacies, and souvenir information. It hopes the public will take advantage of the first consecutive holiday of 2015 to plan a trip, bid farewell to the sunset, welcome the dawn, bid adieu to 2014, and make new year’s wishes.

According to data released by the Central Weather Bureau, the first light of dawn on the main island appears at Sanxiantai in Taitung and Longpan Park in Kenting, with sunrise at 6:35 AM. The Eastern Coastal National Scenic Area Administration under the Tourism Bureau has specially arranged a performance by a local music and dance troupe combined with LED light designs at Sanxiantai to kick off the event, along with a mystery interactive activity for visitors. The Kenting National Park Administration also has a series of dawn-welcoming activities at Longpan Park in Kenting, where the Jiutian Folklore Arts Group will lead the public in greeting the first light of dawn.

In addition to welcoming the first light of dawn at Sanxiantai and Kenting, the public can also choose to take the Taiwan Railways’ Lucky Dawn Train to Fulong Beach in the Northeast Coast to attend a dawn concert. During the holiday period, Longdong Four Seasons Bay is offering a 30% discount on hot springs and a 50% discount on accommodations. Alternatively, you can go to Golden Dragon Mountain in Sun Moon Lake to welcome the dawn and attend the inauguration ceremony of the Chiang Kai-shek Guesthouse; visit Alishan to join the “Sunrise Impression Concert” and enjoy the beautiful sight of the sun rising from the sea of clouds to the accompaniment of melodious music; or head to Erliau in Zuenan to wait for Taiwan’s “lowest-altitude” sunrise over the sea of clouds. At the century-old lighthouse in Juguang Township, Matsu, the public can participate in a dawn-welcoming flag-raising fun run.

● Bidding Farewell to the Sunset 4. Limited-edition Christmas Hope Cards available for the public to collect from now until December 31.

● New Year’s Eve 4. Like the dawn and get a gift (limited quantity).