• IP addresses are NOT logged in this forum so there's no point asking. Please note that this forum is full of homophobes, racists, lunatics, schizophrenics & absolute nut jobs with a smattering of geniuses, Chinese chauvinists, Moderate Muslims and last but not least a couple of "know-it-alls" constantly sprouting their dubious wisdom. If you believe that content generated by unsavory characters might cause you offense PLEASE LEAVE NOW! Sammyboy Admin and Staff are not responsible for your hurt feelings should you choose to read any of the content here.

    The OTHER forum is HERE so please stop asking.

Taiwan - Treasure Island of the East

Enforcer

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Continued...

Suggested Taiwan 9 Days 8 Nights Itinerary

I'll be going to Taiwan in July again and this is my planned itinerary

Day Two:
Departs Taipei for Chiayi to go to Alishan. Trip takes 1.5 hour by high speed rail.

Very comfortable buses from Chiayi to Alishan leave roughly hourly, take just over two hours and cost NT$221 each way. However, the route isn't quite as scenic, with more tea plantations and small villages than cliffs and mountains. The bus ride can also be quite windy, so be careful if you have motion sickness. Buses stop at Ruili on the way. Note: The last bus to Alishan from Chaiyi is at 2PM. After that the only way to get to Alishan is by taxi which will cost $1600NT.

The last bus back to Chiayi leaves at 17:10. Buses leave from the 7-11 store across from the tourist information center. Tickets are also purchased inside the 7-11.
Note: Most take bus from Chiayi rail station to Alishan. As of Oct 2011, there is a direct bus service from Chiayi HSR station to Alishan. Only two buses a day, between 10 am to 1130am. Go to the visitors information counter at Chiayi HSR station for more info. Cost is less than NT$300 one way, takes about 2.5 hrs. If you get the driver who drives like a Daytona driver (by the name of Mr Luo), get ready the motion sickness pills and the journey is about 2 hrs including the toilet breaks.

Alishan's park is a relatively family-friendly tourist attraction for nature-lovers and tea enthusiasts. The Ali shan area also offers sublime hiking and mountain climbing.

Chase the Sun

2l9788o.jpg

Like most places in Taiwan, Alishan has its primary claim to fame - the sunrise. If you ask any local what the most important thing to do at Alishan is, they will almost all mention heading to one of the high peaks in the scenic area to catch the sun peeking up from underneath the "sea of clouds".

You'll want to take the old Alishan train from Ali-shan station to the top of Jhushan, where you and dozens of others will be crowding around to get a glimpse of the phenomenon. It might be worth it to wander around or hike up a bit, away from the train station, to find some more personal space. If you're willing to get up early enough, you could also make the hike up the Jhushan Sunrise Trail.

Alishan Giant Tree Trail
More hiking in Alishan reveals more natural wonders, and the Giant Tree Trail is no exception. The photogenic giant cypress trees make it totally unnecessary to stop and think about why Japanese colonialists would want to take advantage of Taiwan's timber. Their legacy lives on in the trail; Japanese temples as well as the Tree Spirit Pagoda are remnants of that time, which you can spot if you remember to look down as well as up.

Alishan Tea Tourism
A friend once told me a story about Alishan tea: a Taiwanese man was on a business trip to Russia and brought several containers of the stuff to give as a gift to his Russian acquaintance. The Russian customs agent, recognizing the high-grade drink, corruptly inquired as to what the purpose of bringing so much tea was. "It's for my friend in Russia," the Taiwanese said. The customs officer, eyeing the tea, replied "I'm not your friend?"
Alishan is a name that rings out across the tea-drinking world, and it's your chance to get a couple containers and bring it home. Recently, throughout Taiwan, stuff falsely billing itself as "Alishan tea" has been crowding the shelves, but you can be assured going there yourself is a great way to ensure authenticity.

Traveling Around Alishan / Local Transport

Getting around in Alishan is quite easy, and will involve some combination of trains and walking and hiking. Maps are widely available in English for travelers, and signposts clearly mark every trail and direction. Getting lost will be a challenge. For the Alishan forest railway, be sure to check the train times with your hotel as some may only depart for sunrises and the like, and they are also prone to shutdowns due to the volatile mountain terrain.

Eating in Alishan / Restaurants / Food

Most restaurants in Alishan are more or less on the same level, serving up a mixture of local mountain veggies in Taiwanese style. Strolling around Alishan's main square near the car park will give you a good sampling of what you'll need.
Fenchihu Station Lunch Box - The Fenchihu Train Station car serves things up old-school with a lunch box on the train, much like Japanese foresters might have done decades ago on their way to haul cypress up and down the mountain. Get a taste of some bamboo from Alishan itself.

Choice of accommodation
Alishan Lauya Homestay. What a name! :p But we decided on this as the review was good.

3151kjc.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Raiders

Alfrescian (InfP) + Mod
Generous Asset
Continued...

Suggested Taiwan 9 Days 8 Nights Itinerary

I'll be going to Taiwan in July again and this is my planned itinerary

Day Three:
Departs Alisan for Sun Moon Lake. As of 10 Oct 2011, there is a direct bus service from Alishan to Sun Moon Lake and vice-versa. 2 buses a day, leaves Alishan at around 2pm and 3pm. Cost is less than NT$300 one way. Check with Alishan Visitors Centre for more info. You can also choose to arrange for a cab there. A cab from Alishan to Sun Moon Lake is NT$3000 one way.

312ck5s.jpg


Nestled at 760 meters, this lake is famous for its clear, sparkling blue water set against a picturesque mountain backdrop. This is the largest lake in Taiwan and a traditional spot for newlywed couples to take their honeymoon. It has also been a center of aboriginal life for thousands of years, with aborignal people involved in its tourist industry since the 1930s.

Tourists descend on Sun Moon Lake over the weekends, and hotel room rates zoom up on Friday and Saturday nights. Visit during a weekday if you want to avoid crowds and get the best deals.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, Sun Moon Lake is the site of a massive swim -- more than ten thousand swimmers plunge into the lake to swim 3KM across. Join the fun if you wish.

Remember to visit the Farmosa Aboriginal Theme Park. Take a cable car up the mountains to visit this theme park.

2mmc03s.jpg


20jqm9j.jpg


Formosa Aboriginal Culture Village was established in 1986; total area is 62 hectares. The culture village features aboriginal cultures, combining tourism, culture and educational functions. It is located in Yuchi, Nantou County, near Sun Moon Lake. The culture village has made great efforts in updating the amusement facilities and services and has shown the vigorous spirits of the aboriginal tribes.

Formosa Aboriginal Culture Village has five theme parks: the European Gardens, the Aladdin Plaza, the Aboriginal Villages, Amusement Isle and Ti Ka Er Rainforest. Amusement facilities in these five theme parks include joy ride, cultural square, artistic fountain, museums, 3-D theater, aboriginal dance show, etc. The Culture Village is entertaining and educational, perfect for families on holidays.

Where to stay: Recommended Hotel: Hu Yue Lakeview B&B (Fantastic Lakeview)

2ui9fdd.jpg
 
Last edited:

Raiders

Alfrescian (InfP) + Mod
Generous Asset
Continued...

Suggested Taiwan 9 Days 8 Nights Itinerary

I'll be going to Taiwan in July again and this is my planned itinerary

Day Four & Five:
Departs Sun Moon Lake for Cingjing. From Sun Moon Lake, take a bus to the town of Puli and take the Nantou bus to Cingjing. The whole journey takes less than 2 hours.

Get up close and personal with real sheeps :biggrin:
sol7w1.jpg


2u8ung5.jpg


It will be a two days stay at Cingjing for a much needed break and rest. Passing native forests, through towering gorges, you can immerse yourself in the fresh air and the scenic wild greenery of the Qingjing Veterans Farm.The Qingjing Veterans Farm is situated at the Renai Township of Nantou County,8 km north of Wushe Section, Tai 14A Route of Central Cross-Island Highway in Central Taiwan. It has been opened to public since February 20th, 1961;its altitude is 1,750 meters above the sea. The weather is generally mild all year round. In the months from May to September, the temperatures averages between 15℃ and 23℃. The Farm produces various kinds of fruits including: peaches, pears, plums,and kiwi fruit. (I love to pluck fruits! :biggrin:)

To be continued. More information to come.
 
Last edited:

Muthukali

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
SML is beautiful, can take ferry ride at the pier, but abit overrated. There is a big temple which you can visit when u are there. I prefer CJ, nice weather, think will still be cooling, remember to bring jacket. If you take buses, metro, trains for hopping around your journey, easycard is convenient then. just check with this link.
 
Last edited:

Raiders

Alfrescian (InfP) + Mod
Generous Asset
SML is beautiful, can take ferry ride at the pier, but abit overrated. There is a big temple which you can visit when u are there. I prefer CJ, nice weather, think will still be cooling, remember to bring jacket. If you take buses, metro, trains for hopping around your journey, easycard is convenient then. just check with this link.

I was there before. This time round, I'll be going in a group, therefore had to accommodate their requests. No choice. :biggrin:

There is a very nice home cook zi char style restaurant there. This time round, I'll remember to take photos and their address.
 

Raiders

Alfrescian (InfP) + Mod
Generous Asset
zi char @ Where? SML or CJ? going with group? gangbang tour? Jiufen in your itinerary?

@ SML. It is at a corner of SML. My wife anyhow walk, anyhow go in and the food was nice. They had the veggies in front of the shop and you can choose the veggies and fish. Been to Jiufen, might go there again for day trip. Family tour, hard to bang leh :o
 

Muthukali

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Family tour then no choice but to eat veggie everyday:biggrin: So your trip is TP and Taichung ? I missed the way their meimei speaks:biggrin:
 
Last edited:

Raiders

Alfrescian (InfP) + Mod
Generous Asset
Family tour then no choice but to eat veggie everyday:biggrin: So your trip is TP and Taichung ? I missed the way their meimei speaks:biggrin:

Whole trip: Taipei-Alishan-SML-CingJing-Hualien-Taipei

From CJ to HL, we will be chartering vehicle. On the way, will stop at Hehuanshan and Taroko.

I have never bedded a Taiwan girl before. This time I will find an excuse :wink:

ADDED: Seriously thinking of Silk Road at the end of the year. Have you gone that way before? Xian-Xinjiang-Then those funny funny central Asia towns...
 
Last edited:

Muthukali

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Even their HSR cabin crew also syt. TP many many things to do if you have the time. Silk road never, Tibet under silk road?
 

Raiders

Alfrescian (InfP) + Mod
Generous Asset
Continued.....Day Four & Five: In CingJing

1. Day Trip to Lushan hot spring.

Located at an altitude of 400 kilometres in Nantou County Renai Township, the Lushan Hot Springs can be classified as one of the highest altitude hot springs in Taiwan. The town is perched precariously on the edges of a majestic gorge, which has a river rushing through it. The springs are alkaline, with a pH ranging from eight to ten, and are enveloped in stunning mountainous scenery. The Lushan Hot Springs were also coined Cherry Hot Springs during the Japanese ruling era, as the springs here are surrounded by cherry blossom trees which flourish during winter and spring. During the scorching summer, one can come here to avoid the heat, while in winter, one can soak in the piping hot springs here. One interesting fact about these springs is that noodles and eggs can be cooked in these relatively hot pools in minutes, and once the egg yolks are cooked, you will notice that the egg whites will take on distinctively round shapes!
This place is also known as 廬山溫泉.

4jx3t1.jpg


2wgdpuc.jpg


2. Catch the sunrise at Hehuanshan

Quote From Tripadvisor
Sunrise is really amazing!!! we stayed in Cingjing and was walking along when we noticed a big red bus and a man wearing a cowboy hat. He approached us & we were cautious but he showed us photos of the most amazing sunrise with clouds flowing over the mountain, we were transfixed. He drives a huge red bus and takes groups of people to catch the sunrise, every single day. He picked us up from our homestay at 4.30am, and then we discovered he has not 1 but 2 big red buses full of F&E tourists like us. He first brought us to a plot of land whilst it was still pitch black and pointed out the different stars, drove to Hehuan Mt (40min) in time to catch the sunrise, moved our whole group to a particular spot to get the best view of the sun streaming over the mountains. He did not hurry us back, let us take all the pictures we wanted, stopped at a fruit stall on the way down and we were back in our homestay at 8am. All for NT400 per person. It is a very windy drive, well worth the $. In all he is very jovial and our group was laughing most of the time at his jokes. I have his name card, but there is no website and it just states:

2cih7rc.jpg


2w7ppns.jpg
 
Last edited:

Raiders

Alfrescian (InfP) + Mod
Generous Asset
Continued...

Suggested Taiwan 9 Days 8 Nights Itinerary

I'll be going to Taiwan in July again and this is my planned itinerary

Day Six:
CingJing to Hualien

We will be engaging a driver to drive us from CingJing to Hualien using the mountain route. On the way, we will be passing by Taroko Gorge.

Interesting read from Wikitravel:
Although western tourists are few and far between, this area is still rather a tourist trap. In spite of this, restaurants are in short supply. Leader Village (near Bruwan) has a restaurant with aboriginal food that is fantastic. However, you may need to make reservations beforehand. The large restaurant at the Bruwan service center is horrible and should be avoided. There are smaller shops with better food along the main road. There is the occasional souvenir shop and snack bar along the way, with slightly inflated prices. There are also a couple of options in the Grand Formosa Hotel in Tiansiang. The café there is reasonable for a snack and an air-conditioned break from the heat if you are so inclined, but prices are high. The restaurant proper is quite fancy and expensive. Just across the parking lot from the Hotel are some several reasonably cheap food stalls, and one very small grocery store. A few small restaurants are available here that serve a variety of Chinese dishes. Some of the food is on display so even if you can't speak or read any Chinese, you should be able to fill your tummy with something you can palate.

2zeld82.jpg


2zjbzah.jpg
 

Raiders

Alfrescian (InfP) + Mod
Generous Asset
Continued...

Suggested Taiwan 9 Days 8 Nights Itinerary

I'll be going to Taiwan in July again and this is my planned itinerary

Day Six:
Hualien

This is my favourite city in Taiwan and the one and only reason is, the ChiSingTan beach. This is a pebble beach and faces the Pacific Ocean. Very nice mountain and sunrise view. For this reason, I will not be staying in the city, but rather the beach. Some pictures to share. Tips: Nice for honeymoon couple. You sleep and wake up with the sound of the ocean. :wink:

Nice right? :biggrin: I mean the pebbles and the water lah :o

sxnhbs.jpg


23ts5g6.jpg



Day trips: Whale watching/Hualien Ocean Park(These are at 2 seperate locations)

Whale watching: The Black Current and the coastal rivers meet in the waters off the East Coast of Taiwan, bringing all sorts of migratory fish. In turn, the East Coast is an ideal feeind location for whales and dolphins. Therefore, the East Coast is the best place for whale-watching in Taiwan. Tourists can go whale-watching all year round, but the best time is between June and August when the waves calm down.

In recent years, whale-watching has become the newest trend in East Coast tourism. Whale-watching has brought a measure of prosperity to many coastal towns. But the greatest value is that tourists enjoy gazing upon the majesty of these large, docile creatures. During the spring and summer, sperm whales, killer whales and pilot whales are prevalent in the water. The rare fin whale often visit in the spring as well. With a little luck, a beaked whale may appear from the open sea.

zir3oi.jpg


Farglory Ocean Park:

Hualien Farglory Ocean Park-- No.189, Fude, Yenliao Village, Shoufong Township, Hualien County 974, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
TEL:(03)8123-199
Website http://www.farglory-oceanpark.com.tw

Ticket prices

Full-price:$890
Special:$790〈above 110 cm/under age of 18〉
Senior/handicapped:$690〈above age of 65(including 65)/handicapped〉
Happy Time:$590〈15:00pm-20:00 for both children and adults〉
◎ Free admission: children under 110cm ◎Special-students of all ages (ID required)

Opening hours
Weekday:0930~1700
Saturday and summer vacation(6/24~8/24):0930~2000

hwb95v.jpg
 

Raiders

Alfrescian (InfP) + Mod
Generous Asset
Suggested Taiwan 9 Days 8 Nights Itinerary

I'll be going to Taiwan in July again and this is my planned itinerary

Day Seven/Eight/Nine:
Taipei

1. Day trip to Jiufen Nice little town on a hill. Nice scenary :smile:

By train: From Taipei, take the train north to Ruifang Station. From Ruifang take the Keelung Transit bus from the bus stops in front of the train station to Jiufen. Be sure to line up across the road to go to Jiufen and Jinguashi. The bus trip is roughly 15 minutes. Not all buses are equipped to show the correct driving direction or have bilingual signs.

The bus stop heading to Jiufen and Jinguashi is no longer right across from the Ruifang Train Station. Instead exit the Ruifang Train Station and turn left staying on the busy street right in front of the train station. Staying on the right hand side of the street keep walking straight until you pass a police station. The bus stop heading to Jiufen and Jinguashi will located a little past the police station.

By bus: From Taipei, take the Jiufen bus no. 1062 (bus company is Keelung Bus) from the Adventist Hospital bus stop on Bade Road, east of the intersection with Fuxing Road. Alternatively, take the same bus from Songshan station or Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT station Exit #1. Cost: 102 NT$ (make sure to have the exact change or an easycard.) The journey takes a little more than 1 hour. There are great views of the valleys below on the left hand side of the bus as it ascends to Jiufen.

Directions from Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT (Oct 2012 update): Take MRT exit #1, as you are come out of the station make a U-turn, the SOGO mall (big red letters) will now be on your right hand side and the elevated railway line will be in front of you. Walk a minute and take the first left then after a few meters you will see the 1062 bus stop, it is clearly marked. There may be some touts claiming the bus is not running and to take their taxi, ignore them of course!

5czh47.jpg


asfwx.jpg
 

Raiders

Alfrescian (InfP) + Mod
Generous Asset
Suggested Taiwan 9 Days 8 Nights Itinerary

I'll be going to Taiwan in July again and this is my planned itinerary

Day Seven/Eight/Nine:
Taipei

2. WuFenPu Wholesale Market Personally, I find this place over hyped. If you are only going there to buy 1-2 pieces of clothes from various shops or simply just window shop, this place is not for you. People often come to this place with huge luggage, buy to resell at other parts of Taiwan or in their home countries.

2ltpjt0.jpg


Location: Next to Songshan Railway Station
Open Time About 11:00 - 22:00
Transportation: MRT Station:MRT Houshanpi Station - On foot 10 min.
OTHERS: The best way to get there is by MRT. Take the Bannan (Banqiao-Nangang) Line to the Houshanpi Station and walk a few minutes.
 
Last edited:

Raiders

Alfrescian (InfP) + Mod
Generous Asset
That pretty sums up the whole trip. Other activities that can be covered includes a visit to YangMingShan. You will pass by Beitou and can have good soak in the hot springs there. There are plenty of hourly rated motels that comes with the hot springs :biggrin: (Refer to earlier post on hot springs in YangMingShan/Beitou)

I will be working on another travel plan for southern Taiwan + Island hopping. Stay tuned guys :wink:
 
Top