Taoyuan Lantern Festival: Total People-Jam! 🚗💔 Your Official 'Talk-You-Out-Of-It' Guide.

[Jeremiah Bednar]

Hey friends! I'd like to share my recent experience at the Lantern Festival in Taoyuan, Taiwan, which had its ups and downs (or rather, some minor complaints on my part! )

First, a little context: The Lantern Festival is a major event held annually around the Chinese New Year, featuring spectacular lantern art installations. Taoyuan, located in northern Taiwan, is not far from Taipei.

When I set out thrilled by car, it turned out:

• First, it took forever to find parking! Eventually, I could only take a few photos from within the car, feeling utterly depressed!
• What's more, the public address system even suggested: "If you've finished eating and have nothing to do, you can just come for a stroll and check out the festival..."
• At that moment with people practically spilling over, it felt like they were making fun of me! ‍️
• With the crowds everywhere, and no place to park, the experience really wasn't great.

But moving on! Despite my frustrations, I've summarized some travel tips for you to avoid stepping into my potential “minefields”:

• ️ First: Opt for Public Transportation (Use Public Transport!)

  • Do not drive! I keep saying it in three times to stress the point (do not drive!!)
  • Instead choose to take the MRT (Taiwan’s subway/Subway), or ride a bus (Bus). That way, you can avoid wasting time and energy searching for parking spots, much more relaxed.
  • Why? During the event, there are many people causing difficulty with finding parking which will waste lots of time.

• ️ Second: Visit During Non-Rush Hours (Go During Off-Peak Hours)

  • Either try going earlier in the morning, or later in the evening before closing time.
  • Avoiding peak crowds will greatly improve your visiting experience.
  • Why? There'll be less chance to photograph other people's heads blocking the view.

• ️ Third: Travel Light

  • Bring less things with you, just carry necessary items like a wallet, cell phone, and camera.
  • It makes moving around easier in crowded places and takes nice photos.
  • Why? Having bags full in the crowd can cause discomfort while walking while may accidentally disturb others too.

• ️ Fourth: Research the Map (Plan Your Route)

  • Check out the festival map in advance and select areas that you desire to visit.
  • This prevents aimlessly wandering around, losing valuable time. ️
  • Why? The event venue is typically large, planning beforehand allows more focused visiting.

Overall, the festival itself is highly worth a visit, with stunning lantern displays! But I must say, proper preparation is essential to prevent misgivings as mine.

Let everyone have fun, free of my hitches! ️

[Stacey Kulas]

They do have designated parking lots. The ones near my place are usually only for people who really know the area—locals, basically. But today, the sheer number of people was astounding; I was totally dumbfounded.

[Jo Douglas]

I followed Google Maps but couldn't even get close to the parking lot. I was stuck in traffic for so long I eventually just gave up and went home. I had a strong urge to just park illegally in a no-parking zone—and honestly, many cars today actually did just that.

[Dr. Mandy Walter-Reichert]

While driving, I could even hear public announcements paging people.

[Daisy Hermiston]

I drove there last night and parked at Qing Sheng Temple, then walked over. It was a few blocks away, but at least it was easy to find a spot.

[Cathy Gulgowski]

I took the shuttle bus today, and the ride was smooth all the way. Got off directly at A19 and started exploring; the pedestrian flow was also very well-managed and smooth.

[Katrina Sporer]

The issue is, even if you take the Airport MRT, you'll apparently get stuck inside the station unable to exit. That's why I decided early on to skip the chaos and not even bother going.

[Andrea Hand]

Thanks for sharing! I'll take the shuttle bus next week.

[Orville Conroy]

Haha, way too many people!

[Edith Friesen]

You're hilarious. The place is literally right next to the Airport MRT. They announced well in advance that people should take the shuttle bus or the MRT. But you just wouldn't listen, insisted on driving, and now you're whining about no parking?

[Timothy Denesik]

Hahaha, for real. This is exactly what happens when you don't heed advice... I didn't do my homework... So I rushed to post this as a reminder to everyone: absolutely, positively use public transport!