Orange balls hanging above your head. Meet the Cucurbita, a puff of happiness that grows from a vine. The vegetable that is debated to be a fruit has proven itself, that it has the power to turn a farmland into a tourist attraction and the charm to lure people. Far away from the MRT Tamsui Station, it didn't stop locals from visiting a tunnel full of squash. What's interesting on this place? As the only foreigner who visited the farm, I think it's about time that I give the vegetables here that hype that it deserves.
A prelude to summer. As the temperature in Taipei continues to rise up for the arrival of the hot and humid months of Taiwan, flowers have developed into fruits in hangar-shaped vineyards in Tamsui District of New Taipei City. An empty tube at first but will eventually be filled with different varieties of the squash plant. At their ripening temperature of about 30 degrees Celcius, the vegetables are ready for picking.
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Admission is free and you can even buy some pumpkins and other vegetables. |
Tamsui Pumpkin Tunnel. Everybody is welcome to visit this fertile land. “Can I take pictures?”, I asked the lady selling some of the already picked vegetables. “Yes”, she said. There was no entrance fee and at first glance the place looks empty. Standing from Datun Bridge, one could see five tube-like vineyards. They all look green but looking carefully with your eagle eyes you will see the orange balls that will eventually make your mind crazy.
Watch your head! The height of the tunnels are
not uniform. Tall people will find it difficult to explore some of the vineyards as their openings were not high enough. The two near the Datun Bridge were
tall and wide enough to accommodate a large number of people. As you find the right spot to observe the entire vegetation, bend your knees and look at the squashes from above. Go to the far-end of the tunnel and gaze at the length of the vineyard. The dome has been filled various pumpkins hanging from the ceiling.
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The farmer removes the dried leaves from the vineyard and puts them on his wheelbarrow. |
Variety is king. There are different kinds of squash to see here. There are the gourds which look like ancient water bottles. For the pumpkins, some were colored green, others were dark orange ones. There were also round pumpkins with a lighter shade of orange. There were also pale ones, almost white in color. A cardboard with Chinese text explains to the visitors the different kinds of vegetables to see.
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Size is queen. Of the many types of squashes here, two were striking. They have an unusual size compared to those hanging at the ceiling of the vineyard. The first one is a large, pale and rounded pumpkin. It is too heavy that its stem couldn't support its weight. A net is now being used to help carry its big size. Small orange pumpkins grow near to it making it easy to identify that it is larger than the usual. In one of the wider vineyards, an elongated green squash can be seen at the far-end of the tunnel. It looks like a green variety but gravity pulled the flesh of the fruit that it grew mostly at its end with the stretched part now acting as a false stem to bear all of its weight.
How to get here? From MRT Tamsui Station, board any of the low floor buses with these numbers: 821, 860, 861, 862, 863, 864, 865, 867, 874, 879, 882 and 892. Get off the vehicle at Datun Bridge (大屯橋) stop and walk towards the farm. Admission is free and you have all the freedom to take photos.
Our favorite vegetable during autumn is available to everyone during the month of May. Travel now to the Tamsui Pumpkin Tunnel and grab your imaginary basket once you are there. Enter the vineyard and get excited about the different kinds of squash that you can touch. Harvest the good vibes as you fill the fruits with your undying love for Taiwan. The time now is ripe to pump up the pumpkins.
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Tamsui Pumpkin Tunnel (淡水南瓜隧道)
address: 251, New Taipei City, Tamsui District, 北部濱海公路
How to get here: MRT Tamsui Station -> Bus 821, 860, 861, 862, 863, 864, 865, 867, 874, 879, 882 or 892 -> Datun Bridge (大屯橋) stop -> walk to the farm
Sakura Series - Taiwan
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2025 Forecast
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Taipei 101 first flowers
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Tianyuan Palace backyard
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Taipei Flower Test Center
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Sunshine Sports Park kawazu sakura
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Wuling Farm (武陵農場)
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SYS kawazu sakura
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Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village
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CKS Memorial Hall
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Shibafen Yoshino Sakura
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Hope River
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Dongfang Temple
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Tianyuan Palace
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Neicou Stream Trail
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Orange Garden Cafe
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Yangming Park Visitor Information Center
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Yangming Park Service Center Bus Stop
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Huashan Road
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Qianshan Park
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Zhongshan Hall Entrance
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Tenglong Sakura Farm
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Flower Test Center Shōwa Sakura
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Neihu Creek Trail
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Shulin Land Office
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Xióng Kōng Cherry Blossom Forest
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Lung Yen Sakura Forest
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Yangming Park cherry stream
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Yangming Park fountain
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CKS Memorial Hall Tairyō sakura
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Wugu District Tianyi Road
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CKS Memorial Hall yaesakura
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Loving Farm
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Yong Long Farm
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Zhongbaling Sakura Road
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Sun Link Sea
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Tai'an Police Station
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Cherry Hill Slope
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Hsinchu Park
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Taipei 101
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Kāng Gào Kēng Creek
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New Garden City
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Broadwood Park
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Tianyuan Palace backyard
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Pingjing St. Lane 42
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Alishan Ranger Station
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Alishan House
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Alishan Police Station
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Alishan Forest Railway
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Alishan Station
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Alishan Entrance
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Alishan Gou Hotel
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Alishan Magnolia Garden
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Wulai tour
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Wun Chang Elementary School
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Bishanyan
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Sanzhi Sansheng Trail
Sakura Series - Taiwan
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Nei Cuo Stream
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Orange Garden Cafe
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Sansheng Trail
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Tenglong Sakura Farm
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Yangming Park Cherry Stream
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Yangming Park Fountain
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Flower Test Center
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Broadwood Park
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New Garden City
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Yinghua Park
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Pingjing St. Lane 42
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Yangmingshan Visitor Center
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Taipei 101
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Tianyuan Palace backyard
Sakura Series - Japan
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Kamonyama Park
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Near the Nippon Maru Memorial Park
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Shinko Park
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Minato-mirai 21 area
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Tokyo Tech Suzukakedai Campus
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Onda River
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Tenryuji
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Byodoin
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Kiyomizudera
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Himuro shrine and Yakushi-ji Temple
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Hōryū-ji Temple
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Nara Park attractions
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Tokyo Tech Ookayama Campus
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Sumida River
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Tsuruma Park
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Gion
Maple Series
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Taipei Aowanda
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Shimen Dam
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Alishan
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Aowanda
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Shanlinxi
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Taoyuan Valley Garden
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Fushoushan Farm
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Yehliu to Jiufen? Yehliu to Shifen? Cheaper than yellow taxis |
The "Taipei kong mahal" (My beloved Taipei)
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Always in my heart
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MRT birdman
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Valentine's Day
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Tulips Festival
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2018 Taipei Lantern Festival
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City of Azaleas
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Linji Huguo Temple
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Nanjichang Night Market
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Gudetama Chef restaurant
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Dalongdong Bao'an Temple
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Shilin hollyhocks
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Ningxia Night Market
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Ximending graffiti
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Discovery Center of Taipei
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Chunghwa Postal Museum
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Double-Decker Bus
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Shilin Cold Balls
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Jingimoo
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GomanMango
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mud volcanic ice
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Fire and Ice Dumpling
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Opium Fen-Yuan
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Ichiran Ramen
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Liu Shandong Beef Noodles
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hydrangea flowers
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National Palace Museum
Other attractions in Taipei
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Taipei on a budget
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Japanese buildings
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Dāoxiāomiàn beef noodles
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Presidential Office Building
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Yongkang St. and Elephant Mountain
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CKS and SYS Hall
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City tour
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Beitou ramen
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MRT Monopoly Game
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Winter city tour
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Zhicheng Park
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Shilin Plum Blossom
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Art museums
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Shopping in Taipei
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Summer desserts
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Qingtiangang
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Qixingshan hiking
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2015 Calla lily
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2016 Calla lily
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Beitou tour
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Beitou-Zhuzihu tour
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NTU
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Confucius Temple
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2015 Dadaocheng Festival
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Puppet Museum
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Fantasy Ice World
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2016 Bread Show
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Strawberry picking
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2015 Rose Garden
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Modern Toilet
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Shilin Night Market
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NASA Exhibit
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Raohe Night Market
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Longshan Temple
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2013 Taipei Zoo
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Maokong Gondola
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Lupin flowers
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Taipei 101 day visit
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Taipei 101 night visit
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Tiger Mountain
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Din Tai Fung
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Taipei Story House
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2014 Flower Show
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Chrysanthemum Show
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Miramar Ferris wheel
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Miniatures Museum
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Archery
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1600 Pandas
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Wulaoguo hot pot
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Upside Down House
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2016 101 Fireworks
New Taipei
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Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival
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Elephant Rock SUP/kayaking
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Meteor Garden school
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Tamsui Pumpkin Tunnel
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Shifen Waterfall
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2017 Sand Sculpture
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Dragon Caves
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New Taipei tour
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2016 Kite Festival
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Pingxi Crags
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Bitou Cape
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2016 Sand Sculpture
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2015 Christmasland
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Juming - Jinshan
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Houtong - Pingxi
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Sandiaoling Waterfall
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Jiufen foodtrip
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Guanyinshan hike
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Yehliu Ocean World
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2014 Kite Festival
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Pingxi Rail tour
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Jinguashi tour
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Vigor Kobo Pineapple
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British Consulate
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Yehliu Geopark
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2014 Sand Sculpture
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Paragliding
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2014 Christmasland
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2014 Pingxi Lantern
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firefly watching
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Yingge Ceramics Street
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Jiufen tour
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