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Part 1: Nothing is better to feel like home in a Leisure Farms or Homestay

jesse — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:14:42 +0000

Taiwan is not just offering the vibrant night markets, eat-all-you-can kind of food that you can almost find anywhere out the street and a picturesque sightseeing. It had much been said and done, in which, I would not want to repeat myself about what others had said or even write about it.

Taiwan has lots more to offer. A very much less explored by most tourists I would bravely say. If you really want to get to know Taiwanese hospitality and culture, visiting Taiwan’s numerous home stays and leisure farms found almost everywhere is what you need to do.

What is a Leisure Farms?
To some of you, Leisure Farms could be a new word to you. Leisure Farms or also known as tourists farms that provide fruits, vegetables, flower-picking activities where it also carries some recreational activities like DIY harvesting in orchards, DIY in making ice-cream, picnicking, hiking, diving and so much more.

Source : Flying Cow Ranch, Miaoli County – http://www.flyingcow.com.tw/

Source : Photograph by Oliver Wu on Nan Yuan Resort Farm, Tainan County – http://www.nanyuanfarm.com.tw

Source : Photograph by TanKM, Shin Kong Chao Feng Ranch & Resort, Hualien County. Also considered one of the largest leisure farms in Taiwan and with a touch of Holland architecture.

Source : Photograph by Michelle Liu, Shei Pa Leisure Farm, Hsinchu County – http://sheipa.hotel.com.tw/

How does this come about?
Aside from Taiwan known as the manufacturing powerhouse country, the government realized the importance of agriculture which it was the backbone of Taiwan’s economy in few decades ago. And to maintain that, about more than 2,000 hectares of land had been officially converted into leisure farms and more than 180 recreational farms have been established too. In addition, it would be a new revenue streams for the participated farmers into this program.

Where can you find the Leisure Farms in Taiwan?
It can be found almost everywhere in Taiwan from Northern, Eastern, Central to Southern. To find out more, there were about 50 selected Leisure Farm stated in this website – http://www.taiwan-farming.org.tw/FarmingDevelopmentwebsite/e_travelguide2.asp

What can you do?
To give you a brief walkthrough of what you can do if you ever choose to be visiting Leisure Farms, believe me you can do so much more than just eating and shopping in the city. Have you ever wonder how is it like to be a farmer, maybe just for a day? Maybe could be one of the activity that you want to do with your love ones too. Something out of the ordinary that could bring closer with each other. Yes, you can do that here in Taiwan.

Become a farmer? Or Fisherman?
Be a farmer also well regarded as “weekend farmer” to pick fresh fruits and vegetables and even to taste the fresh peaches or pears. And surprisingly this concept is well accepted by the local young people here to just gain the experience. Or you can even choose to become a fisherman to catch crabs and shrimps. And don’t worry if you don’t know how. The owner of each Leisure Farms can guide you along the way. How cool is that!

Image : A farming experience in Flying Cow Ranch, Miaoli County.

Image : Milk the cow in Flying Cow Ranch, Miaoli County.

Image : Feed the sheep in Flying Cow Ranch, Miaoli County.

Sightseeing at the Orchards?
Bored of just standing and taking pictures only whenever you go sightseeing in any holiday destination you went? No worries. Here you can do more. Sightseeing while picking fruits and tasting it when you go along the orchards and to name a few, you can pick strawberry in Miaoli, peaches and pears in Taichung, bamboo and teas in Nantou and for bananas in Pingtung. What else you can ask more when you have more?

Source : Photograph by MoorPfeffer, sightseeing at Shangrila Leisure Farm, Yilan County – http://www.shangrilas.com.tw/

Devour the originality of food from each region?
Yes. I really meant yes especially for food lover out there especially. Be sure to watch your weight of not over-eating if you plan to visit region by region to taste the different styles with its own exquisite of ingredients of each region. The best part is everything is fresh from its own farm. Aside from that, you can also Do-It-Yourself too. Training will be provided. You can say NO to processed food since you can DIY.

Image : Food, food, food in Sing Kong Chao Feng Ranch & Resort, Hualien County.

Image : DIY Cake in Flying Cow Ranch, Miaoli County.

Image : Making mochi at Dakeng Leisure Farm, Tainan County – http://www.168big.com.tw/

Activities for more adventure seeker perhaps?
You can choose from mountain climbing, diving and even grass-skiing, in which, most Taiwan country lodging offers such activities as most of them are built at the countryside with all the facilities that you needed.

Source : Photograph by Oliver Wu, Guanwu National Forest Recreation Area, located near Hsinchu and Miaoli – http://www1.forest.gov.tw/RA_En_JP/0200004/RA_EN-01.htm

What? You can do shopping too?
Well, Taiwan has its own local products from different regions. You can bring back home with some local products during your stay.

Image : Flying Cow Ranch Shop.

By : Veron Foo

12Fly Travel Package

jesse — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 10:37:48 +0000