Taitung County will launch its first-ever charter flight services to Malaysia at the end of 2025, marking the third Southeast Asian destination it has connected with this year.

Operated by low-cost carrier Batik Air Malaysia, the flights will be part of five-day tour packages designed to boost tourism exchanges between Taitung and Malaysia. The inaugural service will depart Kuala Lumpur on Dec 30, 2025, carrying about 200 Malaysian tourists to Taitung. On the same day, the return leg will fly Taiwanese travellers to Kuala Lumpur.

A second charter flight will depart Taitung on Jan 3, 2026, bringing the Taiwanese tourists home in the afternoon before returning to Kuala Lumpur later that evening with Malaysian visitors.

Taitung County Magistrate Yao Ching-ling said the initiative followed close cooperation with Malaysian travel agencies to enhance tourism visibility and strengthen bilateral ties.

The plan was further advanced in June when Taitung’s deputy head of the Transportation and Tourism Development Department, Hung Kuo-chin, signed a memorandum of understanding with Malaysian Chinese Tourism Association National President Patrick Law in Kuala Lumpur, establishing a long-term cooperation mechanism.

The county government said the charter services will offer greater convenience, significantly reducing travel time and giving overseas visitors more opportunities to experience Taitung’s scenic landscapes and rich cultural heritage.

The Malaysia charter service follows earlier charter flights between Taitung and Thailand as well as Vietnam, with flights to Ho Chi Minh City set for Aug 30 and to Chiang Mai scheduled for October.