Tips for preparation of the trip

Today I shall list down my tips for the trip:



Guide book for preparation: The rough guide to Taiwan, bought @ Borders (A very good guide. It shows quite detailed way of getting to a place and entrance fee etc, a must-buy book if you are planning free & easy trip).



Websites for info:

http://crazy_azn1.tripod.com/taiwan/index.html (i relied alot of info on this web. There's even planned trip for free & easy tours depending on how many days you want to go. So for those, who wanted to go free & easy but yet is lazy to plan, you can just pluck out the itinernary from there).

http://www.virtualtourist.com/ (this is a good travel forum, if you visit the taiwan / taipei side, there's a guy call Nuttyen who is always very helpful to answer queries. He should be the one that started the website mentioned earlier).

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Asia/Taiwan/Taipei_Shih/Taipei-1074413/TravelGuide-Taipei.html (same as above. But this link provides general info).

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g293910-i9303-Taiwan.html (see itineraries of others)

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g293910-i9303-k587086-Itinerary_thread-Taiwan.html (this thread gives very detailed itinery - take a look, fr same website as above)

http://www.cksairport.gov.tw/chinese/transportation/taipei.htm (to find out transport from airport to the hotel or place you want to go, To alight at Main station, just take GuoKuang（國光）cost NT125).

http://www.thsrc.com.tw/tw/index.htm (taiwan high speed rail aka bullet train website)

http://www.railway.gov.tw/en/ticket/ticket-1.aspx (website of train ticket)

http://www.thsrc.com.tw/tw/ticketing/timetable.asp (timetable of the High speed rail. You can also get a copy of the timetable from the counter @ the sales of the bullet train ticket).



Hotel in Taipei: (good location, opposite Taipei Main Station, next to Xin Guang San Yue 星光三越shopping mall).

Hostelling International Taipei ( HI-Taipei ), Taiwan

13F - 38 No. 50 Sec 1,

Zhangxiao W Rd, Taiwan 100, ROC

Taipei

Phone: 886 2 2388 0885

Fax: 886 2 6632 9288

E-mail: yhtaipei@hotmail.com

Website for booking: http://www.hihostels.com/



Hotel in Taichung:(boutique hotel, 10mins walk to Fengjia Night market, voted as one of the best hotel in Taichung)

The Galerie Hotel

No. 242-33, Sec 2, Cing Hai Rd,

Si Tun District,

Taichung City

拓程商旅　　

407台中市西屯區青海路2段242之33號

t: 886-4-2708-9000　

Website for booking:http://www.thegaleriehotel.com/



Cabby driver: 陳獻周

Tel: +886 25952144 / 2595 1335 / 2551963

HP: +886 910140026

Email: w24286950@yahoo.com.tw

Trip from hotel to airport cost NT800. From Airport to hotel will cost another NT100 more for waiting time and parking. This driver is very friendly and good. Doubt he speaks English. But one thing good is you can book him via email. Tour Keelung, taipei, jiufen, yehliu, jinguashi would cost around NT3200 for whole day. He will also purposely go by longer route for you to see the scenery)

陳義河 (For Wulai. He was the one who brought us to the hotspring).

Tel: +886 930 199 585

Maps: Don't need to buy any maps. You can easily get alot from the visitor information counter @ the airport as well as the train station. In fact, @ alot of the MRT stations, there's also visitor information counter. If not, there'll also be brochures which we can take)

Shop for facial masks: COSMED (康是美） www.cosmed.com.tw,

　Recommended brand: 我的美麗日記

Watson

Taiwan's popular bookstore: Eslite (誠品）www.eslitebooks.com

(there are branches in alot of place, just like our popular bookstore)

Taiwan--Day 07

Today is our final day in Taiwan...abit sad...I really love the place and the people...most of them very friendly...I guess Singapore still has a long way to be a gracious society. In Taiwan, people automatically stand on the left side of the escalator, they don't anyhow throw rubbish ( i even saw one lady, very beautifully dressed, picking up a scrap of paper from the MRT seat and put it in her paper bag waiting to be throw away), they even give up seats for the old.
Anyway, today being our last day, I had to grab books...so off we went to 書街 which is just 2 streets away from our building. Chinese books are considered cheap and of better quality than China (but of cos' books from China are even cheaper, but very poor paper quality).
I also bought alot of facial masks which is very cheap. One box cost NT160. I'll put all that up in my next post with the links all shown.
We spent our final cents in the airport, buying lots of taiwanese titbits like 太陽餅, 黄梨塔.....
And its home sweet home!!!!

Taiwan--Day 06

Today is free & easy day...we woke up late, did abit of packing and off we head to Wufenpu(五分埔）for shopping... One thing about shopping there is most of the shops do not allow you to try on since its a distributor area where pple buy in bulks for sale in night markets or internet. But i had a lucky grab for jean skirt which i had already wanted to buy in Singapore, but didn't manage to spot any suitable for me as its all very short. But there, i went to a shop that sells only jeans material....

Wufenpu is huge and you can take entire day to shop there. We almost lost our way as well...But as a warning note, most of the clothes are free sized and since most of the ladies I saw on the street are slim or thin, it would be difficult to get clothings if you are buying L size in Sin.



Next we went to the high-end district where the 101 building is located. Actually we wanted to celebrate X'mas eve as well, but to our disappointment, they don't celebrate X'mas eve...so the mood is just not there. They don't even have holidays on X'mas day. Anyway, we spot a shop, NETS which is their own local brand. I guess its like our Bossini or Giodarno. In there, there are different types of clothings and some can be very cheap. They have different sizes and of cos' you can try on. If i'm visiting Taiwan again, i'll sure visit NETS agan.

Today I also tried something new, I had my hair permed..haha....thought it would be at least cheaper, but it had cost me NT3600 which is almost $200 SIN. But it was quite fast, had it done within 2 hrs. Hair

Taiwan--Day 05

Today was again another day to be rushed...need to go to Yeliu, Jinguashi, Jiufen. Original plan was to catch a bus to Yehliu from the bus station. However, a cabby offered to bring us there for NT600. It was again another good offer to us since bus fare would have cost close to that per pax and we dunno how long we have to wait.
Yeliu Geopark is indeed a place worth visiting. Again we have got cheaper rate with the youth pass, NT40 i think...Normal rate should be NT60.

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Also a scenic place since you can see beautiful views. Unfortunately for us, it was raining heavily, so everywhere was mist. The highlight is the Benshan Fifth Tunnel, which we have to pay another NT50 to go in and experience the "inside" of mines...its a bit errie though...haha....luckily we have to go in groups.

Another highlight is viewing of the Japanese Crown Prince chalet. Apparently Jiufen and Jinguashi was occupy by the Jap @ that time and chinese men were make to work in the mines. They did earn high salary but had to endure hardship since they were also tortured.
Over there, there's also a small trail where sakura trees are planted. Always see the beauty of it in TV, but today I finally had a chance to see them bloosom,....

Taiwan--Day 04

Today we travelled back to Taipei via High Speed rail. By the time we reached and settle down, it was already 1pm. There was some event going on @ our building downstairs...It was some sort of album promotion by a group "快樂幫"... Didn't stay for the concert as we had to go to the National Palace Museum (故宮).
Entrance fee to 故宮 is NT160，but with youth pass, its only NT80. Again we took MRT to Jiantan and transfer a bus to the Museum. No camera is allowed inside, but outside is free for shooting:

Taiwan--Day 03

Today is hectic since we need to packed our luggage and leave it @ the train station and rush down to Taichung. There are a few types of locker compartment. The one we used to put our big luggage is located at the left end of the ticket counter for Highspeed rail. It cost NT100 per day if i'm not wrong. Anyway, this locker calculate by per day whereas some locker is by per hour which will be very expensive (those lockers calculated by per hr are usually the smaller type). Remember to keep more shillings for such use.
For the high speed train, we bought the standing ticket which is much cheaper (NT555) to Taichung. Standing ticket doesn't mean that you have to stand. It just simply means that there is no fixed seat. So if the compartment is full and no more seats available, then you have to stand.
From Taichung station, we took a bus (NT160) to Sun Moon Lake (SML or 日月潭). Better go to the loo first before boarding the bus cos' the journey is long and there's no stopping for toilet in between. The bus will pass by Puli etc, so it also goes to Formosa Aboriginal Cultural village.
Bus will stop near to SML visitor centre. At SML, there's a vegetarian shop right beside the visitor centre. (see the yellow sigboard with red wordings that says "Vegetarian")

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SML visitor centre

The service attendant is quite friendly and advise us of 3 ways to tour the place.
1. By cab
2. By electric motor
3. By ferry.
By Cab - we took this way since the guy @ the visitor centre told us this is the best way to view. can see all the visitor attraction in SML. It cost us around NT1200 for around 3-4hrs. The cab was recommended by the visitor centre as well. They didn't go strictly by hours, but they will bring you to all the tourist places there.
By Electric motor - though you don't need a license to ride, it would be preferred if you know how to ride a motor bike, so that its easier for you to manoveure. However, battery doesn't last long enough to tour the entire lake...need to call up the shop when the battery runs flat..so not a really good choice.
By Ferry - Tour around the lake, so there's only chance to see 2 tourist spot...n u stay in the lake all the time...but i guess it would be different to see the entire scenery from the water.,...Ticket cost NT300.
We went to Wenwu temple, which is one fo the most popular tourist attraction in SML.


Itashao Village - over here, i bought honey which cost NT350 for 2 bottles. The honey is one of the best thing i bought from Taiwan. It has a nice flower fragrance. The lady told me they had their own bee farm nearby and was very ready to invite me to their bee farm..i rejected of cos'!!! Over there, its not that crowded...and people readily let you try samples even though you may not want to buy. I also bought ginger cubes, seaweed cubes (to boil with water for health).

Other than the above places, the rest were just temples and a small peacock farm

This is one of the most satisfying pix i took in a buddhist temple there...the temple is very serene and quiet...a good place for cultivation.
By the time we head back to Taichung, it was already late. We settled down in the Galleria hotel and headed to Fengjia night market which is just a 10mins walk.

In this market, there are 3 vegetarian stalls and food definitely taste better than Taipei.

Fengjia night market is a big night market and sell lots of cheap stuff. You really have to explore the shops cos' some shops when seen from outside looks small, but actually had a big underground space. Shoes cost as low as NT190. In Taipei night market, cheapest shoes cost NT10 more. There's also a lot fo stuffs to buy. I bought shoes, watches, skirts from here. They even have hair accessories from NT10. Can shop the entire night here.

Taiwan--Day 02

After all those late nights, waking up early in the morning is indeed a struggle...but good thing is first thing we are going for the HOTSPRING!!!! Following, all the instructions, we alight at Xindian (新店）MRT…A cabby called us on...One good thing abt this trip is there are 4 of us, just nice to fit into a cab n share the costs...cab cost ard NT300 to reach there. Cabby recommended us to this hotspring (情人溫泉）which is popular among the locals. Cost NT300 for a room, shared max by 2 pax.

One big mistake i made, thinking that Taiwan is "small", i cramp a few places together. Anyway, after hotspring, it was already 1pm by the time we reached Taipei main station. Lunch time.... we eat at Huaining St (懷寧街）

Along this street, which is one street next to Xin Guang San Yue (星光三越）, there are @ least 3 veggie stalls. Food cost about the same as Singapore, but i realise that the portion is slightly smaller....

Next we head to Yangmingshan. By the time we reached there, it was already more than 3pm. We took a long walk to the visitor centre (didn't know that it was that far since we only follow the signboard, think we walked more than 2km).





See pix of the visitor centre











































Btw, we reached here, it was already 4.30pm. The service attendant @ the visitor centre said it was too late to go up the hill, so i only manage to take pix of the magnificient hill. I vowed to explore the hill the next time i come.



Next we headed to Danshui...by the time we reached, it was again too late to catch ferry to Fisherman Wharf...Wat luck!!! We can only explore the market and walk around Danshui old street and Gongming street.

Taiwan--Day 01

We took Jetstar. Flight cost $561 inclusive tax. Not exactly cheap, since we are travelling during the peak season...
Anyway, by the time, we reached the airport, its already dark....of cos' we headed as per instruction to get our youth pass, who knows how much we can save using it...
By the time , we reached Taipei Main station, it was more than 7pm...we had to fumble around since the hostel that we are staying is not obvious at the direction we alight..Anyway, its located at a building where the 1st floor is selling IT stuff...i was just wondering why they did not indicate the name of the building 元氣館 in the address...
This is a pix of the train station which was taken from the building where our hostel is. So the main station is directly opposite which explains why the location is good.

After settling down, we head to Shilin via MRT to Jiantan MRT station. Of cos' we have to remember to buy the easycard. See pix of Jiantan MRT
We headed to the stop where we need to wait for the free bus to Miramar Complex. Over here, you have to ask someone where the exact stop is cos' there are many bus stops (In taiwan, they have a lot of busstop for different buses, but its all at the same area). However, it should probably be the one with long queue..at least that's what it is on that day. See pix of Miramar Complex. We took the ferris wheel which cost NT150. It can be cheaper using the youth pass, but i did not realise it yet. So folks, remember to bring your youth pass everywhere u go cos' u never know when you can use it.

Next we headed to Shilin night market for dinner. There's a veggie stall there n you have to walk straight in until the end..you should be able to see arrow guiding u to where the vegetarian stall is.
This market is where all the food are...for shopping , you have to cross the road...its easy to be spotted since many pple will be walking towards that direction.

End of Day 1.

Taiwan Trip--preparation

Very happily preparing my Taipei...Wow...its my first proper own planned trip afterall... Heard from friends that vegetarian food is not easy to find there, i make sure i took my printed list of the vegetarian stalls in whole of Taiwan.. Exaggeration!! But that's how nervous I am..afterall, i'm considered the only one in the gang doing homework for this trip! Also, not forgetting another important thing I have to bring...my CONVERSE shoes...this shoes has been to a few places with me, including Great Wall of China...so I shld bring her for this trip.




BTW, see my itnerary...probably u can use the same when you are going there for the first time.

Itinerary
Day 01 Apply youth pass (from immigration, turn right and walk all the way to the end @ Tourist Service Counter). Take bus (arrival passenger receiption area (southwest), Kuokuang line / Taiwan Bus Corp to Taipei main station (台北車站)
Hostel address: Hostelling Interational Taipei (Hi-Taipei), 13F-38, No. 50, Sec 1, Zhongxiao W. Rd, Taiwan Tel: +886 2 2388 0885 (Remarks: This hostel is very well-situated being located opposite Taipei main Station. Price is cheap. Located next to Xin Guang San Yue (星光三越Shopping mall). Buy Easycard for Mrt and Bus (NT500, deposit refundable NT100) at MRT. Take MRT to Jiantan (exit at righthand) to take free Miramar shuttle bus to Miramar Complex(美麗華百樂園) for ferris wheel (NT150, cheaper with youth pass) . Take same bus back to station and head towards Shilin Night Market (士林夜市）for shopping and dinner.

Day 02 Visit Museum of world religions (世界宗教博物館) (10-5, NT150) take MRT to Dingxi station (項溪站)　exit no. 2 and take bus #706, 297, 51 or 243. After that go back to Dingxi Station and take MRT to Xindian MRT station (新店) and take right hand exit to the bus stop outside. Take bus to Wulai (乌来) (40mins, NT40) for hotspring. Stop in front of Wulai hot Spring village. Cross the bridge over the Tonghou river to go to shops, snack stalls and gift sotres. At end of main street, will come to a second bridge over the wider Nanshih River where hot-springs are.
Wulai Spring Resort(乌來名湯溫泉會館) (36 Laka Rd,, NT500 (7am-11pm). 15 mins walk from bus-station. – turn left after the first bridge into Wulai.
Shanggu Qingliu（溫泉會館）(101 Wenquan Street, NT350) just off the road to Wulai falls.
Spring Park Urai Spa & Resort (春秋乌來) (3, Yanti village, NT850 or NT1200/hr for private pool). Bus pass the hotel just before Wulai village about 500m further up the valley. From Nanshih bridge, walk to Wulai falls in 20mins or take miniature railway (NT50-one way). Go back same way. Go National Palace Museum (國立故官博物院) (9-5pm, NT160). Take MRT to Shilin station and look for Zhongzheng Road exit. Take Bus # 304, #255, Red#30 (NT$15), minibus 18 & 19. (optional, can do on Monday morning)
Yangmingshan (楊明山）(Take MRT to Jiantan and catch Red #5, #260 bus, NT15) on Wenlin Road outside the station. Terminate at park Bus station (just beyond 7-11 n starbucks. Take park shuttle bus (NT60 for unlimited ride) 　1) go visitor center to take info.(either walk for exercise or take bus). 2)Yangmingshuwu (2^nd bus stop) See Chiang Kai-Shek home (NT50,9-5)-optional. Twenty minutes walk downhill from Yangmingshuwu to Yangming Park (follow signs to “Flower clock”). Walk back to bus-stop. 3) Jhuzihhhu (bus stop 3) See dried up lake with vegetable and flower farms, best visit in Dec to see calla lilies bloom 4) Siaoyoukeng Recreation Area (5^th bus stop) – for photograph of sulphuric steam vent. 5) Jyuansih waterfall – bus stop and go back to bus station. 6) go hot spring – either International hotel (NT$80, locker $10 or private rom NT990 for 3hrd) (close to bus station) or Yangmingshan Hostel (NT250 or pvt bath NT120 per hr per pax) (10mins walk from bus station).
Take MRT to Danshui (淡水), walk around there. Can go Gongming street for snacks. Take ferry (short walk from MRT station) to Fisherman ｗharf (漁人碼頭) (NT40). Walk around there. Take ferry back to Danshui

Day 03 Take bullet train to Taichung, 7.30am, arriving 8.27am, go to tourist information　counter. Ask about bus to farms. One of the farm is 大菩提生態教育花卉休閒農場　（台中縣新社鄉永源村中和街一段山腳巷55號. Ask from there can go SML(日月潭) directly. Alternatively, take direct bus via Taichung (NT198, 2hr), or to Puli(埔里) (1hr 20min, NT135) and get regular bus to the lake (NT51), Or take train to shueili (水里站) and take direct bus (NT42). Alternatively, go to SML first from Taipei (Green transit; 3hr 30mins, NT300). Then after SML, go farm visiting. Hotel: The Galerie Hotel, No. 242-33. Sec. 2, Cing Hai Rd, Si Tun District, Taichung City.(拓程商旅，407台中市西屯區青海路2段242

Day 04 Take bullet train back to Taipei, departing 7.22, arriving 08.12. From Taipei, take train to Hualien (花蓮). Hire cab to view around. Taroko Gorge (太魯閣峡谷), Cisingtan Beach (七星潭) Cingshuei Cliffs(清水斷崖). If not, join local tour. If got time, can enjoy around the beach before making way back to Taipei. Take train back to Taipei

Shop around depending on time.

Day 05 Take Kuo Kuang (國光客運) bus from main train station (NT92) to Yeliou (野柳). Buses stop on the main highway just outside the village – walk along the road to the right of the harbour, past the seafood restaurants till reach the Geopark (野柳地質公園) (NT50，nt25 with youth pass) a few minutes on the left. Take bus to KEELUNG (基隆). Bus to Keelung is in front of the Convenience store across from where you get off at Yeliou (ard 45mins). In Keelung you have to cross the bridge to the other side to
board bus to Jinguashi (金瓜石)(nt20) . Alot of walking is needed especially if you hit the trails. Lovely scenes and very rustic, Entry NTD100/- to Gold Ecological Park (9-30-6) Forumers tip on getting off at 7/11 and walking down the steps is great too in Jioufen (九份) Buy Tai yang bing, muah chee, tie dan (metal eggs) here.However, do this last before your return trip otherwise, once down, following the road out is residential area and leads to a large temple. There is a bus stop outside for buses that heads to Rueifang ,Keelung or Taipei.Good to eat here first in Jioufen then walk it off before heading to Keelung
Miaokow where you will also find lots of lovely local food as well. In Keelung,getting to Miaokow: Getting off the bus, walk back passed the Sea (Keelung River??)all the way to the otherside to the Macdonalds. Passing the shops in that street,Miaokow is onyour left at the First Junction. Not difficult to find. From Keelung Station you just cross the Street and walk along the Sea

Day 06 If no time to go 故官 on Day 02. Today can go and its shopping on own free time. Can go 101, Ximending etc. Can ask for advise where to shop for cheap stuf