Taiwanese Customs To Celebrate Moon Festival

Moon Festival which is also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival is a wonderful day of family celebration in Taiwan. This harvest festival is one of the most popular events of the year. As Taiwan is a region steeped in tradition, it should come as no surprise that the Moon Festival has its fair share of customs, both old and new.

Eating mooncakes

Mooncakes are without a doubt the most important aspect of the Mid-Autumn Festival, and each year people will queue for hours to buy their favorites. From the traditional pork flavor to the sweeter ice cream variations of more recent years, mooncakes come with all kinds of delicious goodness inside. The shape is always the same; round to symbolize both the full moon and the gathering of family.

Tell stories about the moon

Barbecue in the moonlight

A fairly recent tradition, this particular custom was in fact started by a local barbecue sauce manufacturer. In a genius move by their marketing department, the company ran a series of ads encouraging people to barbecue during Moon Festival. Of course, all they wanted to do was sell some barbecue sauce, but they inadvertently started a tradition that spread like wildfire throughout the region. Now, for many, the day cannot pass without firing up the barbecue and enjoying the moon which leads nicely to our next tradition.

Admiring the moon

An obvious one but a tradition nonetheless. Once the weather is fine, and the sky is clear, a bit of moon gazing is just the ticket for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Many residents of Taipei will head for their closest (and one of the island’s most beautiful national parks), Yangmingshan to admire the moon. Alongside Elephant Mountain near Taipei 101, Yangmingshan is one of the best places near Taipei to enjoy a view of the night sky that is unpolluted by the city’s lights.

Making pomelo hats

This wonderfully large citrus fruit is not only delicious but wearing its peel as a hat during Moon Festival is said to bring good fortune. The older generation believed that Chang’e, the lady in the moon, would have a better view of children wearing these hats made from her favorite fruit and so answer their prayers. These days it’s just a fun activity for kids and part and parcel of the festival.

Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.