Send off the Sunset and Welcome the Dawn: Experience Nine Must-Visit Scenic Spots in Taiwan

By / MOOK Scenic Spots Home Travel Life Network Editorial Team
 
This New Year’s Day features a three-day long weekend, with various regions across Taiwan hosting countdown and dawn-welcoming events. How do you choose the best spot to bid farewell to the last sunset of the year and welcome the arrival of the new one? The Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications has specially compiled information on sunset send-offs, countdowns, and dawn-welcoming activities at nine scenic national scenic areas, along with recommended nearby side trips. They hope everyone can take advantage of the first long weekend of 2016 to plan a trip, send off the sunset, welcome the dawn, and make new year’s wishes.

The Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications stated that there are activities to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new across Taiwan and its outlying islands. To send off the last sunset of 2015, you can choose to go tothe Beimen Salt Fields in the Yunlin–Chiayi–Tainan Coastal National Scenic Area, listen to a gratitude music performance, and bid farewell to the final rays of the year 2015 with a thankful heart, saying goodbye to the past. Alternatively, you can choose to go up the mountains or out to sea to join countdown events.The highest New Year’s Eve countdown in Taiwan takes place in Lishan, where you can enjoy passionate indigenous dance performances, and also plan a soak in the hot springs of Guguan to wash away the dust of the old year and welcome the new one. You may also choose to attend the Donggang New Year’s Eve party in Pingtung, enjoying Donggang cuisine while watching performances and experiencingthe scenic beauty of Dapeng Bay National Scenic Areao_ lake.

In addition to sunset send-offs and countdowns, there are also dawn-welcoming events held in six national scenic areas. In the east, you canhead to the gravel beach of Sanxiantaibeside the rock dawn stage, where live band performances combine with lighting to create different moods and rhythms, showcasing vibrant energy and welcoming the first ray of happiness and success on the main island. In the north, you can take the TRA Dawn Train toFulong Beach in the Northeast Coast National Scenic Areato attend a dawn concert, then explore nearby attractions including a leisurely bike ride around the Old Caoling Circular Line, a hike along the Sandiao Cape Lighthouse Trail, and a New Year prayer journey at Lingjiou Mountain.

In central Taiwan, you can go toGolden Dragon Mountain in Sun Moon Lake, waiting for the dawn to break between the sea of clouds and mountain ridges to welcome the new year, accompanied by a morning concert and performances of natural sounds. In southern Taiwan, you can take the Taiwan Good To Go bus toAlishanto attend the “Sunrise Impression Concert,” featuring performances using “bamboo instruments” inspired by Alishan, joining together to “welcome the dawn and build dreams.” The main act, the Tsing Hua Philharmonic Orchestra, will then present a high-altitude, high-quality, high-standard “three-high” Sunrise Impression Concert. Alternatively, you can go toErliau in Tainan Cityto witness the lowest-altitude sunrise, standing on the excellent vantage point of the Sunrise Viewing Platform, listening to performances by the Ten Drums Art Percussion Group, and welcoming the first light of dawn amid inspiring and hopeful drumbeats. As for the outlying islands, you can choose to visitthe Dongyin Lighthouse on Matsuto attend a flag-raising ceremony and welcome the new year and watch the sunrise, accompanied by the beauty of this national second-class century-old lighthouse and the Fuzheng Beach.