The tribesman with the smallest eyes in all of Taiwan specially descended from the mountains to offer spring travel deals in Hualien

Reported and photographed by You T-Ru / Taipei




▲ The tribesman with the smallest eyes in all of Taiwan came to Taipei to promote spring tourism.

The Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications and the Hualien County Government, together with Hualien’s tourist hotels and inns, jointly held the “2013 Love You Forever – Spring Tour Hualien” marketing event at 11:00 AM yesterday at the Taipei City Tourism Bureau Travel Service Center. In addition to offering room upgrades and free dinners, Hualien’s tourist hotels are also giving away a grand prize of a car to those who stay in Hualien during January and February 2013 (Year 102 in the Republic of China calendar), allowing visitors to enjoy the early spring scenery.

The Su-Hua Highway will reopen to passenger cars today (28th), and the new Taroko Express trains operated by Taiwan Railways will begin service before the Lunar New Year. The Blue Highway is also actively being promoted. With transportation options gradually improving, traveling to Hualien in spring will become much more convenient.


▲ Members of the Truku tribe performed traditional dances, showcasing their warm hospitality.

The blooming flower fields and hot springs in Hualien are the best choices for early spring travel. Over 80 member accommodations in Hualien have also launched special room booking promotions, while a NT$200 discount coupon for sightseeing buses can be used for half-day or full-day tours. In January, homestays will even offer giveaways such as free stays for every 100 meters traveled. All these perks help save money for travelers, ensuring discounts on accommodation, travel, and transportation.

The joint promotion by tourist hotels mainly includes two major benefits: First, the room booking promotion, where 100 member hotels from various tourist hotels and the Hotel Business Association offer discounted rates. From January 1st to February 28th, in addition to existing room rate discounts, tourists can also enjoy continued stay offers, room upgrades, and complimentary dinners — a heartfelt invitation for everyone to join the spring feast in Hualien.

For those who love waking up to the magnificent view of the Pacific Ocean, the Farglory Hotel is a great choice. To admire the scenic East Rift Valley, the Ideal Resort is ideal. For staying inside a national park and viewing canyon landscapes, the Taroko Park Hotel is the top pick. If you’d rather take it slow in downtown Hualien and soak up the arts and cultural atmosphere, then the Grand Formosa Taroko, Miramar, Horizon Park, and Astoria are all within a 5-minute drive from the Pacific Ocean and city center, allowing you to enjoy mountain, sea, and cultural beauty at any time. These member hotels also offer benefits such as free shuttle services, travel discounts, and complimentary hot spring vouchers, making it easy to explore Hualien thoroughly over a three-day-two-night trip.

The second benefit: During the campaign period, guests who stay at member hotels of the two Hualien associations and accumulate a single-hotel spending of over NT$1,000 can exchange their receipts for one lottery ticket. Accumulate over NT$2,000 to get two tickets, and so on. The grand prize is a domestic-made MARCH car, along with other major prizes including LCD TVs, HTC smartphones, digital cameras, and 100 free stay vouchers.


▲ Traveling to Hualien in spring? The top prize is a car.