Taiwanese homestays offer warm hospitality, making mainland visitors exclaim, "How can I not think of him?"

▲ Becka Chocolate Manor is like bringing a European countryside to Taiwan. (Photo / Provided by Roulu)

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

The strong sense of warmth and friendliness among Taiwanese people has always been praised by foreign travelers, and with the opening of individual travel for mainland visitors, those from China are gradually experiencing it too. According to a report by China's state media Xinhua News Agency, Chen Hua, a tourist from Fujian, wrote in the guestbook of her homestay after a trip to Qingjing Farm, "How can I not think of him!"

For Chen Hua, what she missed most about her trip to Taiwan wasn’t the scenery, but the homestay experience of living "under the same roof." She said the owners of the homestay drove her up to the mountaintop at dawn, taught her how to identify the Big Dipper and the Cowherd and Weaver Girl stars from her childhood memories, lent her their own clothes to keep warm, and brewed a pot of high-mountain tea grown on their farm.

Additionally, the report noted that Chen Hua is not alone in her experience. Wang Yi from Beijing said that while having dinner at a homestay in Hualien, the owner came over to toast with them. Upon learning they were from Beijing, the owner became especially excited. "His father was a veteran who grew up looking at black-and-white photos of the Great Wall and Beihai Park. Later, everyone drank together and sang many of Teresa Teng’s classic songs."

Though Taiwanese homestays are family-run accommodations, they are not simply an upgraded version of "farm stays." Types include farm stay homestays, seaside homestays, hot spring homestays, art-experience homestays, and retro-style homestays. Good homestay hosts often take on multiple roles such as chef, housekeeper, tour guide, and driver, sharing the local natural and cultural experiences with guests.

Xinhua News Agency believes that Taiwanese homestays differ from the standardized services of hotels, often winning over guests with "slow living," "home-style service," and "fun experiences." Staying "under the same roof" with the hosts is the best way to get close to the daily lives of local Taiwanese, and even chance encounters can turn into lasting friendships.