Explore Tainan and Visit the Orchid Exhibition: A Charming Rural Getaway

By MOOK Travel & Lifestyle Network Editorial Team

 
The 2016 Taiwan International Orchid Exhibition was held from March 12 to 21 at the Taiwan Orchid Plantation in a grand celebration. To allow visitors to enjoy a rich array of food, fun, and local cultural experiences, the Tainan City Government’s Tourism Bureau specially collaborated with tourism industry partners to launch exclusive offers for the Orchid Exhibition Month. These include the “High-Speed Rail Package,” “Orchid Exhibition Month Deals,” “Charming Rural Getaway Tours,” and “Package Tours,” among others. Visitors from across the country are welcome to join in the orchid feast.

The 2016 Orchid Exhibition featured a 6,000-ping orchid display area, which included large-scale orchid installations, international orchid competitions, and a special exhibition of the rare monkey-face orchid imported from the deep mountains of Peru in South America. This year also combined orchids with sand sculptures to create the “Seven Happiness Scenic Spots” themed pavilion — a nationally unprecedented creative masterpiece.

To make it easier for visitors from outside the region to attend the exhibition, the Tourism Bureau partnered with the Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation to offer the Orchid Exhibition High-Speed Rail Package. Starting from noon on March 1, the package could be purchased at 7-Eleven i-bon locations nationwide, offering an 80% discount on round-trip standard-class reserved seats, one Orchid Exhibition admission ticket (original price NT$250), and one orchid souvenir gift box (original price NT$400). For example, the Taipei Station to Chiayi Station package is available at just NT$2,170 (original price NT$2,810), helping visitors from other regions save considerably.

In addition, the bureau invited a wide range of businesses including restaurants, accommodations, leisure farms, souvenir shops, and tourist factories to offer exclusive “Orchid Exhibition Month Deals.” From now until March 31, visitors presenting an “Orchid Exhibition ticket stub” or “Orchid Exhibition Easycard” can enjoy discounts at nearly 100 participating businesses. Food-wise, local specialties such as beef soup and danzai noodles are offered at discounts of at least 10%. Accommodation deals include over 15 lodging providers offering stays at discounts of at least 50%. Twenty recreational operators, including Dakeng Leisure Farm, Zouma Lake Farm, and Wild Home Safari Zoo, have joined forces to offer discounted tickets. A variety of souvenir businesses, such as those selling pineapple cakes, puddings, and peanut candies, are offering deals of at least 20% off, along with discounts on tourist factory tickets and DIY experience courses — ensuring visitors to Tainan’s Orchid Exhibition can return home with plenty of treasures.

Beyond experiencing the fascinating Orchid Exhibition, visitors can also explore Tainan’s local culture. The Tourism Bureau has worked with local associations such as the Tugou Rural Culture Promotion Association, the No-Rice-Rice Promotion Association, and the Houpi Development Association to design the “Charming Rural Getaway” tour, inviting visitors to explore the Tugou Rural Art Museum, discover the historical traces of century-old houses in Jingliao Old Street, or choose the newly launched tourist T-BIKE to leisurely cycle through rural fields and fully immerse in the slow life charm of Houpi.