The Yilan Lanyang Matsu Festival, for the first time this year, is to allow 800 members of the public to board the flotilla of ships escorting the deity during the cultural event.
The Yilan County Government on Tuesday said that it has reserved 200 spots for Yilan residents, each of whom would pay NT$350 for the trip, and 600 slots for people who do not live in Yilan who would pay NT$888.
The first 150 non-Yilan residents who register would receive free lodging for the entire event to encourage people who do not live in the county to participate, the county government said.
Photo courtesy of the Yilan County Government
Believers would gather at the Nanfangao Fishing Harbor on Sept. 22 and board the ships before sailing north, circling past Turtle Island (Gueishan Island, 龜山島) and docking at Wushi Harbor in in Toucheng Township (頭城) at noon, it said.
Those who register for the event would receive a card on which to collect five stamps along the way. The completed card can be exchanged for a commemorative T-shirt and cap at the Tianzhao Temple in Dongshan Township (冬山).
The county government said it would begin accepting registrations on Tuesday next week.
The event would be divided into three sections over two and half days: one over land, the next by sea and the third in vehicles, it said.
Yilan County Commissioner Lin Zi-miao (林姿妙) said that many people were worried during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was thanks to Matsu’s protection that Yilan County had emerged safe and relatively stable.
Their belief in Matsu had given county residents the solace and fortitude they needed to weather the pandemic, she said.
The event’s primary organizer, Nantian Temple director Lin Chi-shan (林棋山), said the tour would give all participants a great view of land and sea.
He said he hoped the event would go smoothly and bring significant economic prosperity to the county.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
RSS