Welcome the First Dawn of the New Year – The East Coast Is the Most Popular

The Tourism Bureau has compiled information on countdown events at various scenic areas across the country, recommending activities in the north, central, south, and east regions. (Provided by the Tourism Bureau)

The Tourism Bureau has gathered information on sunset viewing, New Year’s Eve, and dawn-welcoming events at national scenic areas nationwide. For those wishing to enjoy the last sunset of 2017, they can head to the Tainan Beimen Salt Fields or the Wengweng Islet Lighthouse in Penghu’s Siyu Township. To welcome the first dawn of 2018, they can go to Pingtung’s Longkeng or Taitung’s Sanciatai, where the shoreline of Sanciatai is especially popular for dawn-watching on the east coast.

The Tourism Bureau noted that visitors can admire the last sunset of 2017 amid the large colorful salt landscape at Tainan’s Beimen Salt Fields, or bid farewell to the sunset while enjoying a lawn concert at the Wengweng Islet Lighthouse in Penghu’s Siyu Township. For those looking to join New Year’s Eve celebrations, the northern region offers the Guanyin Mountain Visitor Center in New Taipei, where people can listen to music and watch the Taipei 101 fireworks from afar. In the central region, there's the highest-altitude New Year’s Eve event in Lishan, featuring enthusiastic indigenous dances, with the added option of soaking in hot springs in Guguan. The southern region hosts the Donggang New Year’s Eve Gala in Pingtung, where visitors can enjoy local Donggang cuisine while watching spectacular fireworks.

According to forecasts by the Central Weather Bureau’s Astronomical Observatory, the first dawn of the year on the main island will appear at Pingtung’s Longkeng and Taitung’s Sanciatai. The shoreline of Sanciatai is a popular spot for eastern dawn-watching, where people can greet the first ray of happiness on the main island together during the Dawn Ocean Music Concert. Other dawn concerts include the Northeast Coast’s Fulong Beach Music Concert, Sun Moon Lake’s Golden Dragon Mountain Music Concert, and Alishan’s “Sunrise Impression Music Concert.”

For those who prefer not to travel far, Tainan’s Erliau, the lowest-altitude dawn-watching spot on the main island and closest to the city, is a great choice. From the excellent vantage point of the Sunrise-Watching Platform, visitors can welcome the first dawn of 2018 amidst a poetic and ever-changing sea of clouds.

Travel industry insiders pointed out that the east coast has always been a popular destination for dawn-watching. This year, due to the extended holiday, many people are choosing to stay overnight the day before New Year’s Eve to welcome the new year. Popular New Year’s Eve choices include Qixingtan’s Bolang Boulevard in Hualien, Taitung’s Taimali, and Green Island.