Since year 2011, many colourful and vibrant hot air balloons can be seen floating in Taitung City’s stunning blue sky every summer. Those amazing balloons carry passengers slowly in the air, soaring above the mountains, fields and lakes, bringing them closer to the sky for a breathtaking 360 degree view of picturesque beauty.

Travel to Taiwan and you will have a whole summer to ride one of these colourful hot air balloons and have your dreams come true! Taitung Taiwan International Balloon Festival is coming to its 6th year in 2016. It will kick start on 1 July and end on 7 August. In 2014, BBC named it as one of the Top 10 Hot Air Balloon Festivals around the world. One of Taiwan renowned magazine Common Wealth also appraised this as one of the Top 5 festivals in Taiwan.

Although the main event takes place in Luye Gaotai township, a series of other activities such as the fantastic Night Glows concert will take place across different towsnships such as Jhihben hot spring area at Beinan Township and Dapo Pond at Chihshang Township. While at Sansiantai at Chenggong Township and The Aurora Garden at Taimali Township, you can enjoy the Morning Glow. Be it in the daytime or at night, those performances are promised to bring upon great and memorable experiences to the audiences.

Due to the wind direction and safety concerns, hot air balloon rides are only available in the early morning and evening. If you are planning to visit the festival, please make sure you log on to their official website (balloontaiwan.taitung.gov.tw/index.asp) to have its latest updates. Once you come to beautiful Taitung for the hot air balloon festival, remember to pamper yourself by staying for a few more days and embrace this lovely land.

从2011年开始，每年夏天，都可以见到五彩缤纷的热气球翱翔在台东蔚蓝的天空中，以极慢的速度飘浮在空中，让游客可以用360度全视野悠哉地俯视并享受台东独特的山脉溪谷、农田原野及水塘湖泊之美。

这个已经迈入第6个年头的台东国际热气球节，早在2014年就被BBC评选为世界十大热气球节，且被台湾知名的《天下杂志》评选为台湾五大金牌活动之一。今年的台东国际热气球节将从7月1日开始知道8月7日始结束，让这个美丽梦幻延续了整个盛夏。这场国际热气球嘉年华会虽然以鹿野高台为中心，但是延伸活动光雕音乐会却拓展到台东不同乡镇如卑南乡知本温泉区、池上乡大坡池等举行，而在成功镇三仙台和太麻里乡的太麻里曙光园区则会举行日出光雕音乐会，让热气球在白天与黑夜两种不同感觉的大自然布幕中欢歌起舞。

由于风向以及安全因素考虑，热气球只在清晨以及傍晚才可以升空，所以远道而来的游客请务必先到官网(balloontaiwan.taitung.gov.tw/index.asp)查询活动咨询。而当你来到美丽梦幻的台东，除了追逐那与梦幻一起升空的热气球，也请腾出几天假期，让你的身心安顿在这片美丽乐土上，一起感受台东的漫活乐趣。