Herding ducks in the countryside, going on a hunting expedition — watch these "A-Duo-Zai" (foreign

By MOOK Travel Life Network, Chen Guanxin, compiled and reported

 

The Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications and TLC Travel & Living Channel have once again collaborated to produce the second season of the travel competition show "Taiwan Bang Bang Tang." Twelve international contestants from seven different countries traveled across the ocean to Taiwan and underwent three months of intensive filming. The exciting challenges included herding ducks in Yilan’s countryside, experiencing traditional outrigger canoes on Orchid Island, going on thrilling whitewater rafting trips in Hualien, and even joining indigenous people on a hunting expedition. Through as many as 51 competitive events, viewers can watch how these 12 foreigners become true-blue Taiwanese.

Tourism Bureau Deputy Secretary-General Tsai Ming-ling stated that the new season of the program delves deeper into exploring Taiwan’s diverse facets and promotes the island’s unique culture on the international stage. Traditional glove puppetry, as well as cultural experiences of Taiwan’s indigenous peoples and Hakka communities, will all be featured in the show. Moreover, domestic cycling tourism, which has been actively promoted in recent years, has seen Taiwan’s bike path network exceed 5,000 kilometers. According to statistics, over 500 visitors from Hong Kong and Macau chose bicycle travel in 2011, so cycling tours have also been incorporated into the program. Contestants will ride bikes along the blue skies and azure seas of the North Coast. In addition, the challenges combine various modes of transportation, such as riding the Kaohsiung MRT and exploring Tainan’s old streets by motorcycle. The program also embraces youth subcultures, integrating cosplay with traditional glove puppetry, fully reflecting the blend of Taiwan’s ancient and modern cultures.

 

Program host Janet also noted that the show ingeniously incorporates the most representative local characteristics of towns and villages across Taiwan into the competition. It begins with an immersive experience in northern Taiwan’s temple worship culture for an auspicious start, then moves to Yilan for rural challenges like herding ducks and building scarecrows. In Miaoli’s Hakka villages, contestants test their musical ears with “A-Mei-Za Ba-Yin” performances and even make Lei Cha (pounded tea) themselves. After an exhilarating rafting trip in Hualien, they join indigenous people on a hunting expedition, then head to Taitung for a romantic hot air balloon ride. In the cultural capital of Tainan, there’s a feast at Taiwan’s largest night market, along with distinctive old streets and classic architecture. Janet also shared amusing anecdotes about living with international contestants: “Some participants, visiting Taiwan for the first time, heard firecrackers and thought it was gunfire — they immediately hit the ground to stay safe!”

The brand-new season, consisting of 13 episodes, will premiere on December 30 and be broadcast in over 20 countries across Southeast Asia including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, as well as New Zealand and Australia, reaching a total of 136 million

 

● Extended reading: The Dashi Dai flagship store recreates a classic Taiwanese street scene and serves Stephen Chow’s “Lost in Time” rice

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