Tainan, The Most Popular City For Tourists In Taiwan

The Huge LED at LOTTERIA building in Ho Chi Minh City saw the appearance of unique promotional images advertising Tainan City, Taiwan's old capital with close to 400 years of history. Ranking and overall evaluation based on search volume, SNS tags and actual visitor numbers to Tainan's tourist spots published in Tainan, and with a creativity to evoke long-awaited thoughts of traveling abroad: "Want to Travel to Truly Taiwan, Truly Tainan" as an international city promotion theme, using the high degree of attention on Taiwan and the global craze to make and share travel videos on SNS, 10 Tainan highlights with historical significance: Chikan Tower, Hsu Feng Hao, Chimei Museum, Madou Daitian Temple, Anping Tree House, Beimen Crystal Church, Sicao Green Tunnel, Dingtouer Sandbar, Jing Zhai Jiao Tile Paved Salt Fields, and Ten Drum Culture Village were selected by a professional photography team to be "Tainan's 10 Must-See Attractions" to feature lightbox and video ads; four consecutive weeks of exposure created enthusiasm and sharing in the community to become the most popular tourist city in Taiwan for sightseeing.

Tainan is known for its "Delicious delicacies that heal the soul."

The city has received recognition from the world-famous gourmet travel review magazine the Michelin Green Guide and features in this year's Bib Gourmand list of recommendations as a must-visit city for international visitors to Taiwan. CNN calls Tainan "Taiwan's capital of food." A columnist for the US Wall Street Journal recommended Tainan as a world-class food museum. Visit the city to find out why international foodies say "You haven't tried the authentic Taiwanese taste until you feast in Tainan."

Before you prepare to restart your overseas travel plans, please first visit the www.twtainan.net Travel Tainan website to plan out your itinerary. Along the way taste local snacks, Michelin-selected traditional flavors and state-banquet-level classic Taiwanese cuisine.

Tourists Head To Taiwan As COVID Entry Restrictions Eased

Taiwan lifted all its COVID-19 entry restrictions on Thursday, allowing tourists unfettered access to the self-ruled island after over 2 1/2 years of border controls.

Hong Kong and Taiwan, together with mainland China, required most visitors to complete a mandatory quarantine period throughout the pandemic, even as most countries reopened their borders to tourists.

Visitors are no longer required to quarantine upon entry, or take any PCR tests. Instead, they will need to monitor their health for a week after arriving, and obtain a negative result on a rapid antigen test the day they arrive. If people want to go out during the weeklong monitoring period, they need a negative test from either that day or the day before.

There are also no longer any restrictions on certain nationalities being allowed to enter Taiwan.

Dozens of visitors from Thailand were among the first to arrive under the new rules at Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport, which serves the capital Taipei, on a Tiger Air flight that landed shortly after midnight.

Tourists like 32-year-old Mac Chientachakul and his parents were excited to visit the island.

“Hot pot is my favorite dish in Taiwan,” Chientachakul said. “It’s my first thing to do ... I miss it so much.

Sonia Chang, a travel agent, said the changes are good for both the the tourism industry and Taiwanese residents, who can now travel abroad without having to quarantine when they get home.

Valaisurang Bhaedhayajibh, a 53-year-old business development director of a design firm, called the new rules convenient.

“We don’t have to do the test before coming here, and also after arriving,” he said. “We are still required to do the self-test every two days, and everything has been provided” by Taiwanese authorities, including the rapid testing kits.

At a welcome ceremony in the Taoyuan airport’s arrival hall, the travelers from Thailand were met by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau’s director, Chang Shi-chung, who handed out gifts.

Taiwan’s tourism bureau estimated that a total of 244 tourists from some 20 tour groups will arrive Thursday.

With both Hong Kong and Taiwan getting rid of restrictions and welcoming back tourists, mainland China remains one of the few places in the world adamant in keeping borders closed and sticking to a “zero-COVID” strategy to stamp out the virus. Hong Kong ended its mandatory quarantine policy for inbound travelers late last month, requiring just a three-day self-monitoring period.

By JOHNSON LAI

Stranded Tourists Safe, Repairs Begin After Taiwan Quake

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — About 400 tourists who were stranded on a mountainside when a strong earthquake hit Taiwan have descended safely, as the island on Monday repaired damage caused by the quake.

The 6.8 magnitude quake hit the island on Sunday afternoon, temporarily trapping four people inside a leveled three-story building, knocking a train from its tracks and damaging a bridge. A worker in a cement factory was killed.

The quake was centered in eastern Hualien county, but was felt throughout Taiwan.

Smaller aftershocks continued to hit the island Sunday night into Monday morning, although none was as severe.

The stranded tourists descended from the mountain throughout the night, with the last 90 making it down on Monday, local media reported.

Taiwan’s transportation minister visited a train station in Hualien county and said parts of the tracks that buckled during the quake would take up to a month to repair.

Taiwan, which sits on a seismologically active arc known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, is frequently hit by earthquakes. The self-governing island lies 160 kilometers (100 miles) off the coast of mainland China.

Travelore Breaking News: Second Strong Earthquake Strikes Taiwan Region

A second strong 6.5 earthquake within 24 hours was measured 90 km South East of Su'ao, Taiwan or 67 km SW of Yonakuni, Japan.

No reports of damages or injuries are known.
A tsunami alert was not issued at this time.

The quake hit shortly after midnight UTC time