Must-visit for Mid-Autumn Festival ! A guide to popular attractions across Taiwan

By MOOK Travel & Lifestyle’s Chen Guanxin, compiled and reported

 

The highly anticipated Mid-Autumn holiday is just around the corner — have you planned your itinerary yet? This year, in addition to barbecues and karaoke, why not gather your friends and family for an outing to explore some of the hottest attractions in various cities and counties. This week, MOOK Travel & Lifestyle also recommends 8 super-popular destinations across Taiwan for netizens, including the newly opened Eslite Songyan Store, Taichung’s Fourth Credit Cooperative, the popular scenes from the “Master Chef” drama, and several JiMi-themed squares and the Golden Needle Flower Festival in eastern Taiwan — ensuring you have a blast this Mid-Autumn Festival.

Opened last month, the Eslite Songyan Store is divided into four themed floors, housing designer concept stores, artisans’ workshops, Timeless Tea House, specialty theme restaurants, Eslite Bookstore, a vinyl music hall, as well as a performance hall and cinema. The “Eslite Cinema” screens a variety of films including domestic and international art-house films, independent productions, Chinese-language films, documentaries, and animations. The “Eslite Performance Hall” features self-curated programs centered on four themes: indulgence, cross-genre, family, and salon — encompassing classical, jazz, world music, family-friendly performances, and music salons. In the basement level 2, there’s also the first northern branch of world-champion baker Wu Pao-chun’s bakery, along with the classically traditional Chinese restaurant “Gao Ji.” Interested readers, why not set aside a full day to fully immerse yourself at Eslite Songyan?

 

【info】

Eslite Songyan Store

Address: No. 88, Yanchang Rd., Xinyi District, Taipei City

Phone: 02-6636-5888

Website: http://artevent.eslite.com

Following the success of Miyahara Eye Clinic, another renowned pastry business in Taichung, “Sunrise,” launched what they call the “second act” of Miyahara last early month — the “Taichung City Fourth Credit Cooperative.”

 

This dining space was created by renovating a building constructed in 1966. Originally the Taichung City Fourth Credit Cooperative, the name has been retained. The vault at the entrance and the one on the second floor were both originally part of the old Taichung Fourth Credit Cooperative — only their floor locations have been swapped.

 

The Taichung City Fourth Credit Cooperative currently offers products such as ice cream, Fengren ice, shaved ice, braised snacks, and beverages. Fans of Miyahara Eye Clinic, come experience the retro interiors and charming old-style architectural exterior at the Fourth Credit Cooperative.

 

【info】

Taichung City Fourth Credit Cooperative

Address: No. 72, Zhongshan Rd., Central District, Taichung City

Phone: 04-22271966

Hours: 10:00–22:00

Website: www.facebook.com/tc4cbank

After watching the recently super-popular Taiwanese film “Master Chef,” many netizens are likely planning a “Master Chef location tour” in Tainan. Aside from the easily accessible Tainan Railway Station, the “Doctor of Cuisine” Ah Hai, and the Ghost Head Chef’s knife-sharpening spot at the Lutao Yang Jiang Family Ancestral Home, plus the “Ai Feng Snack Shop” next to the Mazu Tower Tianhou Temple on Zhongxiao Street, those wanting to collect all 11 filming spots spread across Tainan’s West Central, East, Houbi, Guantian, Nansi, Liuying, Qigu, and Guiren districts can simply download the movie location guide map from the Tainan City Government Tourism Bureau’s website for a full experience.

 

【info】

Tainan Railway Station

Address: No. 4, Section 2, Beimen Rd., East District, Tainan City

Phone: 06-226-1314

 

The Lutao Yang Jiang Family Ancestral House

Address: No. 86, Youche, Lutian Village, Nansixi District, Tainan City

 

 

The Tainan City Government Tourism Bureau

Website: http://tour.tainan.gov.tw

For residents of the harbor city, the most anticipated event of this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival is the arrival of the Yellow Rubber Duck. After it was confirmed that the duck’s first stop in Taiwan would be at Glory Pier from September 19 to October 20, local department stores, hotels, and amusement park operators expect this 18-meter-tall Yellow Rubber Duck — the largest in Asia and the second largest in the world — to set off a duck-viewing craze in the harbor city. As a result, they have rolled out attractive promotions to attract visitors. Meanwhile, the Hongmao Port Cultural Park has also added a new “Pier-2 – Asia New Bay Area” harbor cruise route, allowing visitors to admire the Yellow Rubber Duck up close from the boat. In addition, Kaohsiung MRT has collaborated with the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Tourism Bureau, and the bus authority to launch the “KMRT Happy Duck Viewing Package,” which includes a one-day MRT pass, a Hongmao Port yacht ticket, a pocket-sized travel guide, and an adorable mini Yellow Rubber Duck. There is also an early bird offer: pre-order from September 7–13 at NT$299 per set, and NT$349 per set after September 14, limited to 1,000 sets.

 

[Info]

Yellow Rubber Duck – Kaohsiung Stop

Dates: September 19 – October 20

Address: Intersection of Haibian Road and Xintian Road, Lingya District, Kaohsiung City (Glory Pier)