U.S. travelers are being encouraged to stop in Taipei, Taiwan, en route to other destinations in Asia. The "I Land Paradise" promotion applies to any Asia-bound China Airlines or EVA Airways flight departing from a U.S. airport.

The $100 landing fee for a Taipei stopover is being waived during the promotion, now through June 30, and includes a nightly $79 rate for two nights in participating hotels in the Taiwanese capital, including breakfast (plus a 5 percent tax and 10 percent hotel service charge).

There is no direct air service between Taiwan and mainland China (except for charter flights during Lunar New Year season). But you could fly from Taipei to Hong Kong and from there to Beijing or Shanghai if you wanted to experience mainland China as well as Chinese culture and cuisine in Hong Kong and Taiwan in one trip.

Top attractions in Taipei include Taipei 101, pictured above, at 1,667 feet one of the tallest buildings in the world; the Shilin Night Market; the National Palace Museum and Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Park. http://eng.taiwan.net.tw or www.go2taiwan.net.

— Associated Press

INTERNET

TOUR COLLEGE CAMPUSES WITHOUT BUYING A PLANE TICKET

While an in-person visit is definitely best, another approach is to watch a DVD video of someone else's visit.

Collegiate Choice Walking Tours Videos (www.collegiatechoice.com) has videotaped the student-guided campus tours at more than 350 colleges across the U.S. and abroad. These straightforward nonpromotional DVD recordings include everything a family would see and hear had they taken the campus tour that day. The one-hour videos cost $15 and can help families narrow down choices and let a parent who doesn't travel — someone has to stay with younger siblings — contribute with informed observations.

Another company, TheU.com (www.theu.com) uses actors to make 12- to 15-minute videos of 50 universities and charges $3 each, downloaded to your computer. Or you can try CampusTours.com at www.campustours.com, which uses the colleges' own short videos, which you can watch for free.

— Advertiser staff

LOCATION

PANDA TRAVEL'S NEW WEB SITE TARGETS TRAVELERS TO THE ISLANDS

Honolulu-based Panda Travel has launched a new Web site aimed at travelers planning a Hawai'i vacation — www.airtohawaii.com.

"After nearly 30 years of booking Hawai'i vacations, we really do know a lot about the Islands and how to plan a truly spectacular Hawai'i trip ... ," said Michael Person, director of online marketing for Panda Travel.

Tell your 'ohana on the Mainland: If they visit the site, they can register to win a free trip for two to O'ahu. The prize includes two roundtrip tickets from the West Coast, two nights of accommodations and car rental. The drawing will be in November.

— Advertiser staff