Taiwan-exclusive voyage: A budget-luxury cruise experience

Written/Compiled by MOOK Scenic Spots Travel Life Network's Chen Guanxin | Source/MOOK Editorial Department

 

Standing on the deck, the endless sea meets the sky, making you forget where you are—the rhythmic, distinct sound of waves becomes your only guide. Surrounded by gourmet cuisines and fine wines from around the world, the overwhelming choices make it hard to decide where to start; the open-air pool, basketball court, and gym—ordinary places on land—are so novel at sea, making you eager to show off your skills in the middle of the ocean. A cruise journey is just that dreamlike.

 

As Asia becomes a highly competitive destination for cruise companies, you no longer need to spend over a hundred thousand to fly abroad for a cruise trip. This week’s special feature by Scenic Spots will introduce readers to cruise itineraries exclusive to Taiwan. Not only can you embark and disembark at Keelung Port, avoiding the fatigue of long-haul flights, but you can also experience a top-tier cruise voyage for less than NT$50,000.

 

The Voyager of the Seas, which will take visitors to Jeju Island and Fukuoka, was built at a cost of NT$16.8 billion and measures 311 meters in length. The ship features a four-story high entertainment and shopping mall—Royal Promenade, a magnificent three-story main dining room that can accommodate over a thousand people, a 320-meter-high sea climbing wall, three outdoor pools, a basketball court, a real ice-skating rink, and Asia’s only sea chapel, making the Voyager of the Seas feel like a floating castle. With six restaurants and cafes including the main dining room, it offers barbecue, American, and Italian cuisines, ensuring passengers are well-fed.

This volcanic cone located on the eastern coast of Jeju Island clearly shows its crater when viewed from afar. It takes about 50 minutes to hike up and down this small hill along the trail. Once at the top, you’ll find the crater, with endless ocean on one side and views of Jeju City on the other. The mountain scenery attracts countless visitors who drive here, and even the Korean drama “My Girl” was filmed here. Near the base of the mountain by the coast, you can see small caves. These are not natural sea erosion caves but were dug by Japanese forces during WWII, forcing Korean residents to create them to hide ammunition. There are about 700 such caves across South Korea. At the restaurants at the foot of the mountain, you can enjoy fresh seafood while occasionally spotting haenyeo (female divers) in the sea view—a great place for a meal.

 

Located in the suburbs of Fukuoka, Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine is a famous shrine dedicated to learning, enshrining Japan’s “God of Scholarship,” Sugawara no Michizane. As the head shrine of all Tenmangu shrines, it attracts nearly 7 million visitors annually, especially students praying for academic success and success in exams. The main hall is designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan, and the plum trees next to the main hall are said to have flown here from Kyoto, drawn to Michizane, hence earning the name “Flying Plum.” This place is also a famous flower-viewing spot in Kyushu. Every spring, over 6,000 plum trees in the shrine bloom simultaneously, creating a spectacular sea of flowers that draws visitors to admire the blossoms and taste the local specialty, plum mochi. In summer, irises can be seen, and the Kurabe-odori Festival is also a major event.

The Italian Costa Cruises’ Atlantic (Costa Atlantica), once selected by Porthole Magazine as the “Best New Build Cruise in Europe” and by Condé Nast Traveler readers as one of the “Top 10 Cruises,” will launch an “exclusive Taiwan voyage” in June. In addition to taking visitors to places like Kagoshima and Busan, the Atlantic, inspired by Italian cinematic art, names each deck after classic films by Italian film master Federico Fellini. The ship’s Caffè Florian recreates the famed 1720 Venice coffeehouse of the same name, making it the world’s only maritime branch. Moreover, the Atlantic’s four restaurants and 12 bars serve mouthwatering Italian cuisine and a wide array of Asian dishes all day long, making it highly appealing.