Pacific Delight Debuts 8-day Taiwan Discovery Program w/ Night At Authentic Buddhist Monastery

Feb. 5, 2009 - PRLog -- PACIFIC DELIGHT DEBUTS 8-DAY ‘TAIWAN DISCOVERY’ PROGRAM FEATURING OVERNIGHT AT AUTHENTIC BUDDHIST MONASTERY

Also Offers 4-Day ‘Highlights’ Tour Combining Taipei w/ Cultural Gems Of Countryside

NEW YORK, NY (Feb. 5, 2009) – Culturally isolated from Mainland China for the last 60 years, travelers in search of new exotic explorations are discovering the picturesque East Asian island of Taiwan with Pacific Delight Tours’ (http://www.pacificdelighttours.com/) eight-day Taiwan Discovery program, starting at $1,899 per person, based on double occupancy.  A four-day Taiwan Highlights tour is also available from $1,059 per person, double occupancy.

While participants of both experiences will enjoy fascinating cultural and architectural sights in Taiwan’s capital city Taipei, such as the hourly changing of the guards at the classical Ming Dynasty-style Martyr’s Shrine and the world’s largest collection of preserved Chinese art at the National Palace Museum, these unique programs place emphasis on some of the more exotic and less traveled of Taiwan’s treasures.

Nestled in between the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, Luzon Strait and South China Sea, Taiwan is a veritable paradise with unmatched natural beauty and countless cultural gems waiting for tourists to discover.

One of Asia’s seven wonders renowned for its impressive marble gorge, Taroko Gorge derives its name from the Truku aboriginal word ‘Taroko,’ meaning magnificent – and with attractions labeled Eternal Spring Shrine, Swallow Grotto and Tunnel of Nine Turns, participants of both the four- and eight-day program will agree that magnificent is an understatement.

While Taiwan’s culture is rooted in Chinese history and has remained to some degree under Chinese influence, the island is also home to indigenous aboriginals including the Thao Tribe, found on sacred Lalu Island in the middle of Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan’s largest natural lake in its mountainous central region.

In addition to an authentic encounter with the Thao – a highlight of both programs – travelers opting for the expanded tour will also meet the Rukai Aboriginals in the village of Maolin, where ancient customs and traditions have survived changes of government and several migratory periods.

Also included on the eight-day journey – and a major highlight of the expanded program – travelers will experience the Buddhist way of life and learn about the principles and practices of Buddhism in Fo Guang Shan.  Adding to the authenticity of the encounter, visitors will enjoy an overnight stay in a Fo Guang Shan Monastery.

Heading to Taitung, visitors opting for the expanded tour will marvel at scenic hotspots such as the natural rock formations of Sanhsientai and the geological wonders of Hsiaoyehliu, where wind and erosion have created a natural sculpture gallery out of the region’s vast coral deposits.

Another highlight of the eight-day tour, guests will have the opportunity to soak in the Chihpen Hot Springs, which have been known to induce a meditative state where the bather is one with nature. Locals also believe the springs to be a natural cure for various ailments from arthritis to sciatica.

Further incentive to choose the eight-day package, Taiwan’s old capital Tainan is similarly rich with historical sites and cultural heritage, including Chi-Kan Tower and Fort Anping, remnants of Taiwan’s Dutch colonial past. Also in Tainan, the Koxinga Ancestral Shrine incorporates the features of a traditional courtyard-style home into a shrine through which the family would worship its ancestors.

The expanded program also features additional sightseeing around Sun Moon Lake including the Confucius-dedicated Wen-Wu Temple with its colossal pair of awe-inspiring lion statues, the towering Tse-En Pagoda in the village of Tehua, and the one-of-a-kind Folk Street of Lukang.  A gorgeous enclave of Taiwanese culture, Lukang features historic temples, winding lanes and bountiful tastes of Taiwan’s interesting past, dating back to its days as a 17th century colony under the Dutch Republic.

Returning to Taipei after seven-days of exploration, travelers on the Taiwan Discovery program will have the opportunity to visit the Shilin Night Market prior to their flight back home. One of the most famous night markets in Asia, Shilin businesses first open around 4:00pm and often do not close until well after 2:00am, offering many hours of bargain shopping for exotic goods which visitors can bring home as keepsakes of their uniquely memorable journey through Taiwan.

-----Taiwan Discovery-----

Pacific Delight’s eight-day Taiwan Discovery tour includes all attractions featured in the four-day highlights tour, as well as expanded sightseeing in Sanhsientai, Hsiaoyehliu, Maolin, Sun Moon Lake and Taipei, as well as the Chihpen Hot Springs experience and overnight stay in a Fo Guang Shan Monastery.

Land-only pricing for the eight-day Taiwan Discovery tour begins at $1,899 per person, based on double occupancy, and is available for the following 2009 departure dates:

•   March 22
•   April 19
•   May 9
•   June 7
•   June 27
•   July 19
•   August 15
•   August 26
•   September 23
•   September 27
•   October 11
•   October 25
•   November 15
•   November 25
•   December 2

For more information or to book, consult your local travel agent, contact Pacific Delight Tours at 800-221-7179 or visit www.PacificDelightTours.com.

International air is not included, but can be purchased from Pacific Delight Tours.  Pricing is subject to change at any time.

-----Taiwan Highlights-----

Pacific Delight’s four-day Taiwan Highlights tour features deluxe accommodations in Taipei and Hualien, as well as Sun Moon Lake.

The four-day program is available from $1,059 per person, double, land-only, with daily departures (excluding Wednesdays and Saturdays) covering select highlights of Pacific Delight’s Eight-Day Taiwan Discovery tour.

For more information or to book, consult your local travel agent, contact Pacific Delight Tours at 800-221-7179 or visit www.PacificDelightTours.com.

International air is not included, but can be purchased from Pacific Delight Tours.  Pricing is subject to change at any time.

-----Pacific Delight Tours-----

Pacific Delight Tours is the market leader in escorted and independent tours to China, the Orient and Southeast Asia. Reservations, brochures and information can be obtained from travel agents and Pacific Delight Tours, telephone: (800) 221-7179 or (212) 818-1781; website: www.PacificDelightTours.com.

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Media Contact:
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Pacific Delight Tours is the market leader in escorted and independent tours to China, the Orient and Southeast Asia. Reservations, brochures and information can be obtained from travel agents and Pacific Delight Tours, telephone: (800) 221-7179 or (212) 818-1781; website: www.PacificDelightTours.com.