One of the clearest indications that spring has arrived in Taiwan is when the cherry blossoms start to bloom throughout the country. Its one of those things that you can’t miss as the trees in cities large and small start to turn pink. It would be an understatement to say that the people of Taiwan have a tremendous amount of respect for the natural environment, but when it comes to cherry blossoms, viewing them is an important part of many, if not most families social calendars.

The blossoms which are also referred to as "sakura" grow in the early months of the year when the Taiwanese winter is coming to an end and the weather starts to get better after a few months of rain. The blooming season also just so happens to take place near the conclusion of the all-important Lunar New Year (農曆新年) celebrations, when many families have a long winter vacation and are able to travel freely.

Taiwan is a fertile land with fruit, flowers and vegetables growing all over the place and when there are flowers to be seen, you can be sure to see crowds of people enjoying the beauty of nature and practicing the age-old tradition known in Japan as "Hanami" (花見) or “flower-viewing”.

Considered to be a cultural remnant from the Japanese Colonial Era, the people of Taiwan take their flowers very seriously and these days wherever you go you’ll be sure to find advertisements the various flower-related festivals held throughout the year.

You might be thinking that these festivals probably only appeal to a bunch of senior citizens with too much time on their hands, but you’d be wrong - Hanami is a serious thing and you’ll see people of all ages travelling to enjoy the natural beauty that this country has to offer. Flower viewing is often a family affair, but it is also a romantic one, so you’ll often see families as well as young couples enjoying the experience.

And there is no better experience than cherry blossom season, so for the few few months of the year when the blossoms are in bloom, the country turns a beautiful shade of pink and in the areas where they grow in abundance, you’ll also find large crowds rushing to see them.