The first sunrise of 2018 appears at Erliau in Tainan as locals cheer and dance the shoulder-shaking dance

A large crowd gathered on the mountain to wait for the first sunrise of 2018. (Photo by Wan Yu-chen)

Tainan Acting Mayor Lee Meng-yen also joined the crowd in dancing the shoulder-shaking dance to welcome the sunrise. (Photo by Wan Yu-chen)

Watching the sunrise at Erliau in Tainan offers a stunning view, attracting many visitors to this pilgrimage site. (Photo by Wan Yu-chen)

The final event of Tainan’s three-part New Year celebration — the Erliau Sunrise Watching event — had its 3,000 tickets snapped up instantly upon release, demonstrating immense popularity. As a result, many braved the cold and stayed overnight to make it up the mountain. The Siraya National Scenic Area Administration also invited the Nanxi Band to rock the stage, energizing the atmosphere. Though the 2018 sunrise was briefly obscured by clouds, it finally emerged around 6:54 a.m., delighting the crowd.

The Siraya National Scenic Area Administration noted that since the Erliau Sunrise Viewing Platform was launched on January 1, 2016, its fan base has grown rapidly. Watching the sunrise at Erliau has become a must-do activity for many after ringing in the New Year. This year, a variety of side events were organized, including the exchange of limited-edition prayer bracelets and a hidden gourmet food fair featuring local Zhenan delicacies, warming both hearts and stomachs.

Traffic control for the Erliau Sunrise Watching event was in place from midnight to 10 a.m. on New Year’s Day, covering roads including Route 175, Route 168, and the entirety of Route 162 in Xinhua District, Tainan. Many ticket holders couldn’t wait and headed up the mountain the night before. A total of 3,000 lucky visitors flocked to Erliau in Zhenan.

Among them, a group of more than ten parents brought their children together from various parts of Tainan to Erliau. They even sacrificed their New Year’s Eve celebrations — going to bed at 8 p.m. the night before and heading out at 3 or 4 a.m. from Ganglin Elementary School. After a roughly 20-minute walk up the mountain, they arrived to witness the beautiful sea of clouds and sunrise at Erliau.

Erliau is the lowest-altitude sunrise viewing spot in Taiwan. From the platform with an exceptional vantage point, visitors can enjoy the spectacular scenery of the sea of clouds illuminated by the rising sun. However, on the morning of January 1, thicker cloud cover initially hid the sunrise, leaving some visitors disappointed. Fortunately, at around 6:54 a.m., the sun finally emerged from the clouds, drawing amazed cries of “So beautiful!” and marking the arrival of 2018.

Tainan Acting Mayor Lee Meng-yen participated fully in Tainan’s three-part New Year celebration for the first time and was in high spirits. During the final event — the Erliau Sunrise Watching — he let loose and joined Siraya celebrities Shayun and Dakalang, along with the crowd, in dancing the wildly popular shoulder-shaking dance. The event also featured a high-energy rock performance by the Nanxi Band, sending the atmosphere soaring.