【Weekend Fun in Taiwan】Golden Rain in Tainan, Sand Sculptures in Fulong, Attractions in Donggang

By MOOK Scenic Spots & Travel Life Network Editorial Team

Where to go this weekend? Visiting an exhibition is also a great option, or sitting in a café chatting with friends and family can be quite relaxing. As early summer arrives, the weather remains unpredictable—bring rain gear when heading out, and drive extra carefully to ensure your trip is safe and enjoyable. Make the most of your holiday by exploring fun activities around Taiwan. Check out great leisure spots and popular weekend event destinations.

2014 Tainan Golden Shower Flower Festival

Every year from late May to early June, Tainan’s golden shower trees burst into beautiful bloom. To share this stunning floral spectacle with more people, the Tourism Bureau has held the Golden Shower Flower Festival at Hutoupi Scenic Area every year since 2008. Last year, they expanded the event to include 10 other flower-viewing spots across the city, attracting numerous visitors to enjoy the golden floral rain and cherish these blissful moments. This shows the growing reputation of Tainan’s Golden Shower Flower Festival. To extend the tourism benefits of the flower season, boost related industries, and promote local economic prosperity, the “2014 Tainan Golden Shower Flower Festival” will be held again this year. With the five petals of the golden shower flower as the concept, the festival integrates five major seasonal elements—leisure, music, literature, art, and photography—to offer visitors a diverse and enriching local experience.

The festival runs from May 17 (Sat) to June 15 (Sun) 2014. The main flower-viewing spots are the following 12 locations: Lotus Pond, Zha’an Cuo, Hutoupi Scenic Area, Far East University of Science and Technology, southern end of Shuguh Boulevard (Southern Route 135), Dongfeng Road Golden Tunnel, Sections 2 and 3 of Linsen Road, the red brick path on the east side of NCKU’s Tzu-Chiang Campus, Buckle Street Memorial Park, next to Zhongyi Elementary School (jㄗ恿止?癌), Tainan University’s Fucheng Campus, and the area near Minsheng Road close to Changrong Road.

2014 Fulong International Sand Sculpture Art Festival

The sand sculpture festival will showcase over 80 sculptures across 71 pieces, divided into three major zones: the Theme Exhibition Area, the International Competition Area, and the Domestic Competition Area. Themes include the “Silk Road,” symbolizing the legendary journey of medieval traveler Marco Polo from Venice to China; adaptations of the French literary classic “Around the World in 80 Days”; pioneers of the Age of Exploration like Zheng He’s voyages to the Western Seas; and the “12 Zodiac Signs” set against the backdrop of the universe.

Most visitors take trains to Fulong Railway Station and walk about 5 minutes to reach the festival site. For those driving, the Northeast Coast National Scenic Area Administration has designated several free parking areas, such as in front of the Fulong Visitor Center and next to Fulong Elementary School, offering thousands of parking spaces. Free shuttle buses are also available, with three current routes: Line 1: Provincial Highway 2B (in front of the Earth God Temple) – Provincial Highway 2B (Tianliaoyang) – Fulong Visitor Center (round-trip); Line 2: Longmen (Sports Park) – Longmen (Zhaohui Temple) – Sand Sculpture Venue (round-trip); Line 3: Yanliao Beach Park – Fulong Visitor Center (round-trip). Shuttle service operates on weekends during the festival period, daily from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with buses running approximately every 20 minutes (actual intervals may vary depending on traffic conditions).

2014 Penghu Fireworks Festival

The main fireworks events take place at the West Ying Rainbow Bridge Seawall in Magong City’s Guanyin Pavilion Park. Shows run from 7:30 PM to 9:20 PM, with fireworks launched between 9:00 PM and 9:20 PM. Both the events and fireworks are subject to weather conditions and may be canceled due to poor weather. Fireworks dates are: May 12 (Mon), May 15 (Thu), May 19 (Mon), May 22 (Thu), May 26 (Mon), May 29 (Thu), June 2 (Mon), June 5 (Thu), June 9 (Mon), June 12 (Thu), June 16 (Mon), June 19 (Thu)—plus special additional shows on May 10 (Sat) and May 24 (Sat), totaling 22 shows. The special shows run from 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM, with fireworks launched from 9:00 PM to 9:15 PM.