Tourism Bureau, Republic of China (Taiwan)-Taiwan Tourism Bureau's Taiwan Tourism Information Website

Keelung Mid-Summer Ghost Festival is one of the 12 major festivals designated by the Tourism Bureau. It started in the Qing dynasty when immigrants from Fujian settled Keelung. Because of disagreements over ancestral origins, they clashed over business, land, plowing, customs, and beliefs, leading to armed conflict, heavy casualties, and hostility. In 1853, a great battle was fought at Hangding (present-day Nanrong Cemetary), with over a hundred casualties. On the verge of another conflict, elders and leaders from either side negotiated a truce. Bodies of the dead were referred to as "Lao Da Gong," and they were buried and worshipped. Based on their surname, people took turns negotiating. These were the 11 families of Keelung, which took turns organizing the Ghost Festival. Family relationships replaced ancestral hometowns as the basis for ties, bringing together the two sides which took turns organizing the festival and offering to lonely spirits. Parade competition replaced armed conflict to preserve the peace. The Mid-Summer Ghost Festival begins on the first day of the seventh lunar month, when Lao Da Gong Temple opens Kanmen, and over the next 12 days the lanterns are lit and colored thread released on Zhupu altar. The Ying Dou Deng procession takes place on the 13th day, the water lantern procession by the seashore on the 14th, the Ghost Festival ceremony on the 15th, and finally comes the Jumping Zhong Kui and Opening Kanmen, on the first day of the 8th month. The entire period lasts a month, and is similar to the Western world's Christmas or Japan's Night Parade of a Hundred Demons. Each ceremony has a historical and folk culture significance, and over the last few years culture and art aspects have been integrated with the traditional ceremony. These aspects include art exhibitions and famous groups from Taiwan and abroad. We hope that the Ghost Festival will increase solidarity and mutual blessing among the people of Keelung.

The Maolin National Scenic Area lies in the mountains near the border of Kaohsiung City and Pingtung County. It has long been famous at home and abroad for its "Purple Butterfly Valley." It was also recognized by the Michelin Green Guide as a three-star ecological attraction. The "Biennial Butterfly Beauty Festival" is a magnificent yearly event that goes from November to March of the following year taking place in the Maolin National Scenic Area. During this period millions of migrating Euploea butterflies (purple in color) cross the ocean and arrive here to winter over. The Maolin National Scenic Area is proud of that fact that it is has one of the only two winter migratory butterfly gorges in the world. The purple Euploea is a rare wintering butterfly. Each winter millions of these butterflies gather together for the flight to the Dawushan Foothills to avoid the cold and to winter in the gorges, there presenting a spectacular ecological sight—the "Purple Butterfly Valley." Tourists from every corner of the world travel every year to Maolin to experience firsthand this magnificent, world-class scene of beautiful purple butterflies dancing in the air, and everyone comes away full of praise and admiration. On an early winter morning as the first rays of the sun shine down on Maolin's Purple Butterfly Valley, we come upon the purple Euploea that, awakened from their slumber, begin fervently to chase the sunrays, peeking through the treetops and the forest. From time to time, a butterfly will stop to display his garment of magical color then soar high and low as he shuttles around the valley. Not only does he provide a superb eco-touristic spot for those watching, but he also brings a small bit of warmth to a winter's day. You are invited and welcome to take advantage of this once-a-year, rare opportunity to appreciate these migrating butterflies and come to Maolin to experience the magnificent dance of the purple Euploea. With everyone's care and concern, the future will bring an endless cycle of this extraordinary sight!

The innovative Christmasland in New Taipei City makes sure to keep up with global trends. It invites the world's most outstanding light-sculpting team to present the event, with special activities of international standard held to attract people. Visitors can expect to feel pleasantly surprised all the time. Christmasland in New Taipei City has been much reported by the globe's press. We hope overseas visitors can all enjoy the beautiful light projections and the festival's special atmosphere.

Held for the first time in 1993, Chiayi City International Band Festival has now become an urban fest joined by all. Today, it is not only Chiayi City's most special cultural event but also Taiwan's. The Tourism Bureau, MOTC listed it as an international-level tourist activity, which in fact is hailed by music communities home and abroad. Throughout Taiwan, it is known as the City of Sounds and the Town of Wind Music.

In 2019, CNN named Taipei as one of the "10 great places to spend New Year's Eve." This event has become one of the most famous in Asia, and is a must-do experience for travelers to the Far East. Taipei's New Year's Eve's celebrations have definitely enhanced the city's international profile, and they will certainly continue to attract many visitors from home and abroad. Taipei City Hall Plaza is the event's main venue. Musical performances begin at 7 pm and continue on through the evening until 1:00 am the following morning. Popular performers from home and abroad entertain large crowds, backed by the impressive Taipei 101 Tower. At midnight, the Tower is used as the base for a colorful and dynamic fireworks display.

Each year, Taipei International Book Exhibition leads people to explore the realm of books through a few different themes. One country would serve as the highlight of the year, and many publishers from around the world would take part. This enhances cultural exchange at the exhibition. Starting in 2017, the Ministry of Culture extended the exhibition period and adjusted the exhibition's atmosphere. It highlighted the publishers' expertise, lowered venue rental fees, and fostered interaction between writers and readers. The exhibition is not just a place for buying books, but an ideal space for exchange of knowledge and cultures.

The "Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival" is ranked as the third largest folk celebration in the world and is one of the most representative religious events in all of Taiwan. With hundreds of thousands of firecrackers all going off at the same time, it is a cacophony like hundreds of thousands of bees streaming out of their hives. The event attracts huge numbers of onlookers every year and is paired with the "Pingxi Sky Lanterns" in describing Lantern Festival activities: "Sky lanterns in the north, beehive fireworks in the south." Tradition has it that the "beehive fireworks" originated in July/August, 1885 as a cholera epidemic raged in the streets of Yanshui. Owing to the underdeveloped state of medicine at the time, victims of the disease multiplied daily and the local population lived in fear, praying to Guan Di, the god of war, to bring an end to this calamity and save them. Thus on Lantern Festival evening, Guan Di appointed General Zhou Cang as his guide, with Guan Di's palanquin bringing up the rear. Following the palanquin were multitudes of the faithful setting off firecrackers along the road, winding their way throughout the city until the break of dawn, ridding themselves of this plague in one fell swoop. From that time onward, future generations followed this precedent, asking Guan Di to patrol the streets on the evening of the Lantern Festival. The "Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival" event consists of a circuit around the outskirts of the town by palanquins, each symbolically armed to the teeth, with thousands of local inhabitants and visitors clustered around them as they slowly wind their way through the streets. When the line of palanquins comes up to the residential gate of a business, the lead one sets up a large or small "gun deck" (also called a "gun wall") on the street and then lights the fuse. The "gun deck" consists of thousands of rockets that ignite all at the same time, creating a deafening, bee-like sound that fills the air as sparks fly in all directions. Every year the ear-splitting power of these rockets and the excitement that comes in their wake attract crowds of tourists from both Taiwan and abroad to come "rush the beehive barricades"! People believe the "baptism of fireworks" gets rid of calamity and troubles, sweeps away noxious influences and brings increasing good fortune in the new year.

The Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival in New Taipei City has been held since 1999. With joint public-private efforts, the sky lanterns have attracted positive global recognition for Taiwan. The festival has been highlighted by the international media, such as Fodor's, National Geographic and The Huffington Post. In 2018, it was voted "the most recommended cultural activity for international travelers" by TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel website. It was also recommended by Reader's Digest as "one of the 40 experiences to be completed before the age of 40." The Sky Lantern Festival is increasing the international visibility of the Pingxi area, and bringing Pingxi to the world! The Pingxi Lantern Festival has become an important highlight for Taiwan on the international stage. Local and foreign visitors can experience the unique cultural activity of lantern launching in all seasons. People can write their wishes on the lanterns, and then launch them into the sky. These activities combine a variety of resources and attractions, helping tourists from around the world gain a deeper understanding of Taiwan's beauty and culture. It also provides important support to local economies.

First held in 1986, the Taipei Marathon is usually held on the third Sunday in December. It's an annual highlight of Taipei's sporting season. Supported by the hard work of many people, the level of competition has increased over the years. It's now an international-level event that attracts many professionals. In addition to certification by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AMIS), it's also the first urban marathon in Taipei to receive elite track certification from World Athletics (WA). It's Taiwan's largest and most international marathon, attracting elite runners from home and abroad every year.

Since 2010 the Tourism Bureau has actively conducted a whole series of events related to the Taiwan Cycling Festival, enthusiastically inviting the Taiwan public to lay down their "tire" tracks and turn the results of innovation in transportation construction into a new resource for tourism, aiming to make Taiwan into an international-level paradise for leisure cycling. Taiwan has an excellent highway system plus a superior topography so that when cycling, a rider can also appreciate magnificent scenery along the route—and what you have is a cycling tour around the island that boasts a convenient and enjoyable itinerary! The series of activities of the "Taiwan Cycling Festival" focus on bicycle touring and pulls together the tourist and transportation resources of the various county seats to present the specifics of a diverse and local touring culture. Accompanied by beautiful mountains and water scenery, bicycle enthusiasts from around the world can come on a pilgrimage and are provided a varied and rich recreational cycling experience, making the riding of the "iron horse" no longer a simple exercise but rather the perfect experience in body and soul.