Sold out fast – early morning hot air balloon rides now available

By Li Xinyi, compiled and reported

The first-ever hot air balloon carnival in the Republic of China over the past century is being held in grand style at the Luye Highland Grassland in Taitung County from July 1 to August 31. Among the highlights is the Hot Air Balloon Carnival series event – the tethered hot air balloon experience – and all its pre-booked slots have been fully booked. To allow more people to take part in this event, in addition to the originally scheduled daily sessions from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., an extra session from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. has been added. Members of the public can make reservations or sign up on-site.

Due to regulatory restrictions, it’s not possible to take a free-flying hot air balloon ride in Taiwan. However, the tethered hot air balloon experience still draws large crowds. Each tethered ride costs NT$500 and lasts around 5–7 minutes. Recently, convective rains in the afternoon have frequently prevented balloons from taking off at the Luye Highland area, leaving many disappointed reservation holders and those waiting in line to sign up on the spot. In response, the organizers have decided to add two extra experience sessions in the morning. This ensures that those who made prior reservations can still enjoy their ride, while those who didn’t can also join by registering on-site.

In addition, the Hot Air Balloon Carnival is currently hosting four sessions of the “Taitung Hot Air Balloon Flight Training Summer Camp (3-day camp)” and “Taitung Hot Air Balloon Youth Summer Camp (2-day camp),” open for registration until July 15 at the Luye Highland Grassland. The camps are led by instructors from Quebec, Canada, who bring 35 years of event experience. They will guide participants through the basics of hot air balloon preparation and landing, and those who complete the program will receive a certificate jointly issued by Taitung County Government and signed by the Canadian hot air balloon instructors.