Black-faced spoonbills have arrived—The “Salt Country 999” all-inclusive itinerary now includes birdwatching

By Li Xinyi / Compiled & Reported

Every year after the Mid-Autumn Festival, it is the season when migratory birds such as black-faced spoonbills and black-tailed gulls flock to the “Qigu” and “Beimen” areas of Tainan for wintering. The Tainan City Government recently launched the “Roaming Salt Country. Happiness 999” one-day tour. In November, a new birdwatching trip to Qigu to see the black-faced spoonbills has been added. Moreover, if Tainan residents form a group to join this tour, they can enjoy a special deal where one person goes free for every eight participants.

The full itinerary includes City Tour transportation fees, visits to the Nankunshen Daitian Temple’s Grand Kun Garden, the Jingzijiao Tile Kiln Salt Field where you can experience salt drying and take home authentic Taiwanese coarse salt for a spa-like experience, the moving Taiwan Blackfoot Disease Medical Memorial Museum, the Beimen Visitor Center showcasing the world’s fourth-largest sperm whale specimen, the Taiwan Salt Museum that introduces the development of Taiwan’s salt industry, the Qigu Salt Mountain where you can try salt climbing and taste salty popsicles, and the Sicao Mangrove Green Tunnel, often referred to as the “Little Amazon.” The tour also concludes with a complimentary tasting of delicacies at Fumingxi Pastry, a Tainan souvenir shop. The package covers admission tickets, travel insurance, lunch, and guided tour services—for just 999 NTD per person (excluding accommodation; children under 3 pay 200 NTD each, and those aged 3–12 pay 599 NTD each).

Based on current visitor feedback, the highlights of the overall itinerary include the mangrove green tunnel, the Blackfoot Disease Medical Memorial Museum, the Nankunshen Daitian Temple’s Grand Kun Garden, the Beimen Visitor Center, and the Jingzijiao Salt Field. To keep the experience fresh, starting in November and coinciding with the autumn-winter birdwatching season, this tour will also include a visit to the Qigu Black-faced Spoonbill Nature Reserve to admire the majestic international conservation bird—the black-faced spoonbill.