Kaohsiung Lantern Festival attracts visitors with gondola rides on Love River – buy four, get one free

By MOOK Travel & Lifestyle Chen Guanxin, compiled and reported

 

Those who want to experience the romantic charm of a Venetian gondola ride don’t need to travel all the way to Italy. Taiwan’s first and only Venetian-style gondola service has officially launched on Kaohsiung’s Love River. Visitors to Kaohsiung will have the opportunity to ride the historic boat, cruise along Love River, enjoy the 2013 Kaohsiung Lantern Festival Arts Show, and listen to the Bunun rowers from Namaxia District singing traditional Aboriginal songs. During the lantern festival period, there is also a special promotion: buy four gondola rides, get one free.

The history of the gondola dates back several centuries. With its black hull adorned with elaborate carvings, it is a primary mode of transport in Venice, Italy, and one of the few historically valuable means of transportation still in use today. The Kaohsiung City Tourism Bureau has specially introduced Taiwan’s first gondola, incorporating local indigenous culture. The boat is rowed by Aboriginal warriors who also sing timeless romantic tribal songs, allowing visitors to enjoy the riverside lights and fireworks from a unique perspective.

The gondola boarding point on Love River is located next to Wufu Bridge and beside the Riverside Green Boulevard. The service runs from now until April 7, with hours from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on weekdays, and from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on weekends and holidays. During the lantern festival period, hours are extended to 1:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on weekdays, and start at 10:00 a.m. on weekends. Ticket prices are NT$250 per person on weekdays, while weekend rides require advance booking at NT$300 per person. The tourism bureau stated that from now until February 24 during the lantern festival period, visitors riding the gondola can enjoy a “buy four, get one free” promotion, as well as private boat charters for NT$1,500 (for six people). For more details, visit: 2013lantern.dchsoft.com.

 

 

● Read more: Kaohsiung Lantern Festival Arts Show – Taiwan’s only harbor-wide fireworks lighting up the night sky

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