Destinations conducive to social distancing, such as those surrounded by nature or a beach, are surging in popularity.
Travellers are ready to opt for outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, skiing and biking because these activities are also considered to be safe. Taiwan, the Heart of Asia, has proven to be a safe place as it recently hit 200 virus-free days and fits the bill perfectly for nature and outdoor activities. This hidden gem is a heaven of outdoor activities and is starting to attract more adventurous travellers from around the place as people are looking to escape from long hours of working from home and a mundane routine. Domestic travellers have also begun paragliding in places like the east coast, where paragliders can fly up to altitudes of 680 metres and look out over Hualien’s East Rift Valley. Puli, located in mountainous central Taiwan, has also seen an uptick in people looking to paraglide. The number of outdoor activity bookings in Taiwan at the end of June had increased as compared to last year. Water sports, ecological experiences, and hiking are the most popular, while paragliding and light aircraft trips have also seen an increased interest.The water skiing has seen a rise in popularity in recent years in places like Penghu. Another popular activity has been river tracing — also known as canyoning — where people hike, climb, swim, or abseil along canyons or gorges which are located all around the country.
Taiwan is also home to some of the best coastal rock climbing cliffs. Longdong, located in the northeast has attracted climbers from all over the world. For those interested in flying light aircraft, people can visit Pingtung down south or Hualien out east. The experience starts out with 10 or 15 minutes of training on the ground from a professional pilot instructor. Next, the instructor will fly the plane up to an altitude of around 914 metres before letting novices take over the controls for a brief period of time.
In Pingtung, passengers will get to see Foguang Mountain, Shiba Luohan Mountain, Liugui, and Bu Lao Hot Springs from up above, while those flying out in Hualien will get to a bird’s eye view of the East Rift Valley as well as the breath-taking coastline.