Uncovering Taipei’s Hidden Gems: Celebrities Guide You Through Alleyway Beauties

Tourism Center / Reported from Taipei

The Taipei City Government’s Department of Information and Tourism announced on the 25th that this year it has collaborated with Changde Cable Television Co., Ltd. to produce the program “Vibrant New Taipei,” uncovering many hidden spots in the city,such as a once-dreaded large drainage ditch in Songshan District that has been transformed into an aquatic ecological pond, and a long-established rice food factory in Datong District that holds an annual Rice Food Culture Festival on the eve of the Dragon Boat Festival. These will all be featured in the show premiering on July 27.

Zhao Xinpeng, Director of the Department of Information and Tourism, said,Taipei has been a city for nearly 130 years,attracting millions of domestic and international tourists every year,yet many hidden spots remain unknown to the public.It is hoped that through the upcoming 12-episode series “Vibrant New Taipei,” visitors will find even more reasons to explore the city. Each episode showcases different aspects, including secret spots, rural fun, Taipei cuisine, nostalgia meets innovation, and eight other themes. The program also invites celebrities such as Sima Zhongyuan, Cai Shiping, and Tan Aizhen to participate in the filming.

%Spinal wine beast? At the “Vibrant New Taipei” launch press conference, Director Zhao Xinpeng (left), Sima Zhongyuan (center), and Tzeng Ning-yi, head of Zhongshun Li (right), painted together.

The content introduces 12 lesser-known community development achievements across Taipei’s 12 administrative districts, accomplished through collaborations between public and private sectors. For example, residents of Fujin Li in Songshan District worked together to transform a once-dreaded large drainage ditch into an aquatic ecological pond; Guoshun Li in Datong District, leveraging a local historic rice food factory, hosts an annual Rice Food Culture Festival on the eve of the Dragon Boat Festival; and Tengyun Li in Wanhua District mobilized enthusiastic elderly volunteers to participate in a senior citizens’ vegetable garden initiative, growing vegetables daily to distribute to disadvantaged residents.

Other themes include: Wenshan District’s “Beyond Imagination Alley,” Zhongshan District’s “Eco-Friendly Green Wall,” Xinyi District’s “Ancient Rice Trading Route,” Neihu District’s “Tribal Woodworking Workshop,” Nangang District’s “Authentic Wenshan Pouchong Tea Hometown,” Da’an District’s “Heritage Walk Culture,” Shilin District’s “Community College Wetland Ecological Garden,” Beitou District’s “Self-Grown Bakery,” Zhongzheng District’s “Nanhang Central Kitchen,” and more.

Zhao Xinpeng noted that every corner of Taipei has its own unique vibe and vitality, and this program offers more people a chance to rediscover the Taipei of today. “Vibrant New Taipei” will air on Dongfeng Satellite TV from July 27 to October 12, every Saturday at 4:30 p.m. To allow more viewers to watch the program, it will also be available on cable TV channels 3 and 4 within the city, as well as on the networks of the CHT Group covering Keelung, Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Tainan, and Kaohsiung.