TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Kaohsiung City Government has increased the number of hot air balloon rides at the Tianliao Moon World after canceling the remaining rides scheduled for the Love River site in downtown Kaohsiung after Oct. 15, owing to unstable air currents. 

The Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau said in a press release on Tuesday (Oct. 26) that since its first launch on Oct. 8, the tethered hot air balloon riding activity has been very popular among tourists, having already attracted nearly 1,000 people to take the rides. 

According to the bureau, the decision to cancel all remaining rides at the Love River site after Oct. 15 was made after the balloon flight team made a professional assessment and determined that unstable air currents are a safety concern for the site as it is close to an estuary. 

However, the city has increased the number of weekend afternoon and weekday flights at the Tianliao Moon World from Oct. 26 to Nov. 7, when the activity ends. 

Currently, tickets for the tethered balloon flights are still available on the ibon ticketing system, the bureau said. After receiving the tickets, ticketholders should book their flight day and time by sending messages to the editor of the activity’s Facebook page, according to the bureau. 

Ticketholders of canceled flights can go to the ibon machine for refunds, the bureau said, adding that limited tickets are also available on site depending on the weather and the number of remaining tickets that day. 

(Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau image)