The 14th annual Taitung International Balloon Festival in Luye began on Saturday, July 6th. The famous summertime event is celebrated as one of the best hot air balloon festivals in the world.
This year, some 40 balloons of all shapes and sizes, including animation series cartoon characters and animal figures, are participating in the event. They are expected to draw around one million domestic and international visitors for breathtaking rides over the Luye Highland and East Rift Valley.
The impressive landscape is characterized by Indigenous villages, tea farms, rice paddies, hot springs resorts and other natural elements. The festival will also feature live music performances, night glow shows, virtual reality experiences, food markets and vendors and other fun activities.
Since its inception in 2011, the Taitung International Balloon Festival has earned numerous accolades, including the prestigious 2022 MUSE Creative Award. The celebration will last six weeks and is scheduled to end on August 19th.