In order to promote agricultural tours in summer time, the Council of Agriculture (COA) held a press conference on July 11, officially announcing the beginning of agricultural tourism called “Follow solar terms to have fun in Hualien/Taitung.” This year, Hualien/Taitung agricultural tours focus on the concept of “solar terms,” offering health agricultural tours limited in certain solar terms based on Chinese medicine’s “five seasons” (spring, summer, long summer, autumn, and winter) theory. The firstly launched solar-term health trips are “summer” and “long summer.” In addition, there are health lectures, treasure hunts and online travel fairs that provide many air tickets, star hotel or bed-and-breakfast accommodation coupons, and agricultural tour gifts.

　The COA said that it will continue to launch more agricultural tours. People are welcome to follow the footsteps of solar terms to visit Hualien/Taitung, where they can enjoy health slow-movement agricultural tours and taste seasonal food ingredients, and experience exceptional friendly environment from local people.

　Limited solar-term agricultural tours are fun and good for health

　The COA also noted that it has become a trend to travel in agricultural villages in Hualien/Taitung for pleasure and health. This year's Hualien/Taitung agricultural tours advance further, based on Chinese medicine’s “five seasons” theory with correspondent food ingredients and trips. Visitors are given with more choice.

　As it is summer now, people can eat more lotus flower, watermelon, red dragon fruit, tomato and roselle that Hualien/Taitung produce abundantly in summer. Then a summer health tour for one or two days can be arranged. People can visit Shoufong and Guangfu townships to explore wetland ecology, appreciate lotus, taste organic lotus tea, and experience lotus cake DIY. Or they can visit organic farms to pick up seasonal fruits and taste special cuisines.

　In August and September, which is the so-called long summer, the weather becomes more humid and hotter. Visitors can go to Daylily Hill in Taitung’s Taimali, Sixty Stone Mountain in Hualien’s Fuli or Chihke Mountain. They can appreciate gorgeous daylily flowers covering all over the valley, tasting daylily meals, millet porridges, mud volcano tofu, or fresh and delicious pumpkin dish. All of these cuisines are good for health.

　Various gifts are awaiting you

　In correspondence with agricultural tours and health-related issues, the COA specially arranges four lectures. The summer lecture invited a famous travel expert and a doctor of Chinese medicine on July 19 afternoon, to share with the public their experience of Hualien/Taitung agricultural tours in summer and solar-term ways to keep in good health. The first 40 participants receive small gifts. Drawing lots for daylily agricultural tour is conducted on the spot.

　Moreover, the COA also arranges a variety of activities, such as article and photo upload of “Meet Hualien/Taitung Agricultural Craftsmen,” treasure hunt of agricultural tour, and online travel exhibition. Whether joining in the upload or treasure hunt activities, people have a chance to win a large number of gifts, including air ticket, star hotel or bed-and-breakfast accommodation coupon, camera, car rental coupon, travel kit, agricultural product souvenir, top food box, and cultural and creative product. Related information, please log on to the official website of Hualien/Taitung Agricultural Tours.