New Taipei City Launches 6 Popular Mini-Tour Routes at Taipei International Spring Travel Fair

The sky lantern event in Pingxi has, in recent years, become synonymous with New Taipei City—and even Taiwan—on the international stage, thanks to coverage by international media outlets such as DISCOVERY Channel, CNN, and the world’s largest travel publisher, Fodor’s. As a result, New Taipei City has earned the title of the “City of Sky Lanterns.” However, beyond Pingxi’s sky lanterns, the city offers many other hidden gems that travelers shouldn’t miss. This year, the Tourism and Travel Bureau continues to promote the concept of mini-tours—experiences that can be enjoyed via public transportation and by exploring backstreets and alleys. In collaboration with the Civil Affairs Bureau, Cultural Affairs Bureau, and Council of Indigenous Peoples, it recommends several mini-tour itineraries at the Taipei International Spring Travel Fair.

Among them, the Civil Affairs Bureau has integrated four districts—Pingxi, Sanxia, Tamsui, and Wanli—that won awards in the 2013 “International Awards for Liveable Communities – City-Wide Community Category.” Each district will showcase their unique features: Pingxi District will host DIY sky lantern ornament activities; Wanli District will feature adorable Wanli crab mascots; Sanxia District will present traditional indigo dyeing art; and Tamsui District will promote diverse art and cultural offerings. The Cultural Affairs Bureau is highlighting the artistic mountain town of Ruifang, inviting the Gold Ecological Museum and Shanshui Art Museum to guide visitors through the region’s mining heritage, scenic landscapes, and tranquil atmosphere. In addition to showcasing various cultural and creative goods, the Shanshui Art Museum will offer daily limited-time performances, such as Buddha statue carving, tea ceremonies, and guqin music, offering a taste of Ruifang’s distinctive cultural arts. The Council of Indigenous Peoples, meanwhile, is working with the local Atayal weaving association in Wulai to promote the popular Wulai Indigenous Cultural Tour. The booth will display a variety of cultural and creative products, looms, bows and arrows, and other traditional Atayal hunting or trapping tools, alongside performances of Atayal music and dance, complimentary tastings of aromatic Makau coffee, and DIY craft experiences.

The New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Bureau has also specially curated six reference mini-tour routes: the Shiding/Pingxi Gourmet & Sky Lantern Tour, combining delicious Shiding tofu with dazzling Pingxi sky lanterns; the Tamsui/Bali Cycling Coastal & Inland Adventure, offering a blend of romantic foreign vibes and riverside leisure; the Sanxia/Yingge Nostalgic Retro Tour, featuring the beauty of indigo dyeing and the fun of treasure hunting in Yingge; the Xindian/Wulai Lakes, Mountains & Indigenous Culture Tour, exploring the wisdom and vitality of indigenous peoples in nature; the Ruifang Cultural & Arts Mini-Tour, enjoying the serenity and beauty of the mountain town; and the Wanli/Golden Mountain Hot Springs & Fresh Cuisine Tour, relaxing amid seaside delicacies and soothing hot springs.

In addition, the New Taipei City pavilion will offer a variety of promotions and discounts daily: Pingxi District will provide 30 DIY sky lantern ornament slots per day; Sanxia District will offer 20 indigo-dyed scarves for those who upload photos taken at the booth; Tamsui District will distribute 30 limited-edition videos, paper fans, and stationery sets related to the Tamsui Environmental Art Festival per day; Wanli District will give out 10 hot spring hotel discount vouchers per day to those who take photos at their booth; the Gold Ecological Museum will offer an 20% discount on all on-site cultural and creative merchandise, and a free gift—a “New Taipei City Museums My Schoolbag”—for purchases of publications totaling NT$880 or more. “Dad Zhou Food Co., Ltd.” will offer a special deal of three palm-sized buns for NT$100; “Saint Paris Food Workshop” will have a “spend NT$500, get NT$50 off” promotion; “Fenghua Food Co., Ltd.” will sell two Mr. Bai’s ice creams for NT$100 and three packs of nougat for NT$500, while various vendors will also provide free tasting samples on-site.