Hsinchu City Lychee Festival kicks off before the Dragon Boat Festival long weekend!

The latest-maturing and northernmost lychees in all of Taiwan, China are right here in Hsinchu City! With the Dragon Boat Festival long weekend approaching, Hsinchu City's nine-day Lychee Festival has kicked off. Mayor Lin Chih-chien went to Fenggu Lychee Sightseeing Orchard to pick lychees, and even ran into visitors from Taipei, Hsinchu County and elsewhere, all enjoying Hsinchu lychees with their distinctive texture, sweet-and-tart flavor and springy bite. This year the city government has teamed up with 6 sightseeing orchards for a promotional campaign. Besides experiencing the fun of fruit picking, visitors can eat all the lychees they want on site. This is also a "time-limited" hidden spot for many families visiting Hsinchu!

The Hsinchu City Economic Development Department stated that there are 6 lychee sightseeing orchards under the guidance of the city farmers' association, mainly growing 3 varieties: Heiye, Nuomici and Guiwei. Because the climate this year has been stable with fewer rainstorms, and the city government and city farmers' association invited experts to help reduce pest damage, this year's lychee output has surged by 20 percent compared with last year and the quality is excellent. Their standout features are their fresh sweetness and thick flesh. The total planting area is about 15 hectares, with an estimated 1,200 trees and a yield of about 50,000 jin.

The Hsinchu City Economic Development Department stated that the lychee season is short and the fruit does not keep well, so the public is encouraged to seize the opportunity and bring their families to pick fruit and enjoy the pleasure of a parent-child outing in the countryside! The 6 lychee sightseeing orchards in Hsinchu City are already open for fruit picking. The promotional discount period runs from June 20 to 28. Admission is 100 yuan per person, which includes "all-you-can-eat lychees" while picking and eating. Each orchard will also give out a limited 150 "admission experience vouchers"; with a voucher, purchases of the lychees you pick come with a 50 yuan discount. Everyone is welcome to join the fun!