Day 5 Chin Jing Farm

Initial plan is to take public bus from Sun Moon Lake to ChinJing Farm, but at the end we ask the taxi driver to drive us to Ching Jing as he charged us only NT1,500 (per car) and we consider it is ok as we not need to waste time and wait for the public transportation.

We start to tour CJ with Green Green Glass land but did not manage to visit Small Swiss Garden, only pass by this garden as it is located some where down the hill side. In brief, CJ has sheep area, cow area, fruit area & flower area to visit. Also, there are 6 trails inside CJ and require a lot of walking. We are going during winter month and able to see snow in some of the area/trail.

Then, before we depart back to Taipei, I wanted to drop by at this starbucks because it was once the highest starbucks in the world at high of 1500m above sea level. While, nothing special about the coffee as it was almost similar like in Malaysia.

We shall depart from CJ to TaiZhong HSR by private van (NT300 per person) and arrived around 620pm. Alternatively, cheaper way is take bus to Taizhong (reached around 640pm) and then take big bus to Taipei cost only NT180 but 2 hours travel and last bus is 12.30pm. Take train from Taichung HSR Station to THSR Taipei Main Station (about 1 hour).

Day 4 Sun Moon Lake

Day 4 - Sun Moon Lake

After check-out from Allishan, we engaged our van driver to drove us to Sun Moon Lake with NT1,000 (plus) unlimited boat ride (whole day) around the lake area. We reached SML around 12.00pm and reach our hotel across the harbor around 12.30pm. Put our beg in the room and start touring the area. It is more to free and easy. SML has WenWu Temple 文武廟, peacock garden 孔雀園, Lalu island in SML 拉魯島, Songbolun trail, etc.

Then, all of us feel lazy to walk and bus or public transportation is quite low here, thus, we ask a taxi driver to drive us around the tourist places. Actually most taxi driver here does offer such tour package, example NT1,500 per trip around 5-6 hours. We finish our day at Chi En Pagoda with the view of the sunset.

It is quite funny because we have enjoyed the sunrise and sunset of the same sun on the same day but in different location.

Day 3 Tour Around Allishan

Day 3 - Tour At Allishan

Upon arrive at Allishan, we can take forest train from Allisan sation to SheMu station Alishan Forest Recreation Area & Scenic Area. Attraction including Recreation area many famous attractions such as the Sisters Lake, Ciyunsi, pagoda tree, alpine botanical gardens, Tashan cliffs, boulder, three generations of wood, by the town house, three brothers, wooden trunk, the Alishan railway extension and etc. The whole journey takes around 2.5- 3.0 hours with entrance fee (weekends NT200 or weekdays NT150).

We can have some time to clean up & relax. And go for dinner at Allisan’s store street, just go down from our hotel (7-11, store, restaurant etc). For dinner, we can try Allisan local foods like young-bamboo chicken soup, bamboo rice, ming ren leave chicken soup, BBQ, pumpkin rice etc. Native here have this Teto So Mimo drink, just 1 glass and you can drunk for few days. Advise to sleep early because we need to wake up earlier in the next morning around 430am for the sunrise trip. We can choose either Jhuzhan 祝山 or YuZhan 玉山 to view our sunrise. We need to ask the hotel whether they have any sunrise package.

Trip to Jhuzhan – we can take the forest train (450am) up to top from SheMu station to Jhuzhan and we need to walk down after sunrise. If so, we need to buy our ticket when counter open from 2pm to 5pm and cost NT100. Trip to Yuzhan (no train) – we can visit Husband Wife tree, Deer god tree (2800 years old), monkeys etc, usually there will be some sort of package cost NT300 – 3 hours also.

Back to hotel to have breakfast and to check out (advise to pack all things at night so that no need to rush).

Taiwan - Day 3 - 23/01/2011 - Road to Allishan

Leave Taipei (THSR Taipei Main Station – No 3 BeiPing W Rd Taipei City)

Board a HSR train from Taipei HSR Station (Taipei Main Station) to Chiayi 嘉义HSR Station. Travel Time: About 1.5hours and cost NT970.

Reach THSR Chiayi Station and take the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) bus to TRA Chiayi Station (in downtown Chiayi). From Chiayi HSR Station > Chiayi TRA Station (In Downtown Chiayi) - Shuttle buses link Chiayi HSR Station (In Taibao City太保 市 ) to Chiayi TRA Station in downtown Chiayi. Fare: NT45: Travel Time: 30mins.

Note

The Chiayi Bus Station is located right next to the Chiayi Railway Station. A taxi ride from Chiayi Railway Station to Alishan Recreation Park Area costs about TWD1800-2000.

Reach Chiayi TRA Station (bus station is next to it!)

Uphill By Bus: Buses depart Chiayi Bus Station (Right side of Chiayi Railway Station) at 0610, 0810, 1210 & 1410hrs for Alishan. Fare: NT214. Travel Time: about 2.5hrs. There is an extra bus at 1010hrs on Sat, Sun & Public Holidays and makes a stop at Fenchihu 奋起湖 before proceeding to Alishan. But we cant make it to Fenchihu this time because the van will only go to this place when return from Allishan to Chiayi.

Along the way, we still able to see that the government still recover the road to Allishan.

When we almost reach the mountain top level, we manage to watch sakura flowers welcoming us to Allishan.

Taiwan - Taipei Day 2 - 22/01/2011 (YehLiu)

(Copy from the internet) Yeliu is a cape of about 1,700 meters long formed by Datun Mountain reaching into the sea. When overlooked from above, the place is like a giant turtle submerging into the sea. Thus, it is also called "Yeliu Turtle". Because the rock layer of seashore contains sandstone of limestone texture and it is subject to sea erosion, weathering and earth movements, there is particular scenery consisting of sea trenches/holes, candle shaped rocks, and pot shaped rocks.

The place is divided into three sections. The first section has rocks like Queen's Head, Fairy's Shoe and Candle. The second section has rocks like Bean Curd, Dragon Head. The third section has sea-eroded caves, seal shaped rock, etc. The place is suitable for geological study and field research. In addition, there is a statue of Lin Tien Jane in commemoration of the person's bravery of scarifying own live for saving others. The monument describes in details the touching story. There is a marine world in Yeliu. The marine world is the first marine center in the country for exhibition of ocean evolution. It has the best sightseeing tunnel under sea, showing about 200 rare fish species and marine lives.

The area of marine live specimen demonstrates many specimens of precious marine mammals and fish. It is very educational. There are excellent shows of whales, dolphins and seals, such as diving, ballet on water and other talent shows. There is a stadium with 3,500 seats. On holidays, the place attracts many visitors for the show. When you visit Yeliu, don't forget to visit sea world and feel the marine wanders.

Taiwan - Taipei Day 2 - 22/01/2011 (Xi Men Din)

The must try foods in Xi Men Di is Ah Zhong Mee Suan;-

It is he best mee suan even though the ingredient is simple but the process of making it is difficult and they use japanese fish flakes in making it.

Definitely will try it many more if have the chance to be there again.

Also, I have tried all the taiwanese sausage for all seven days here and this is the best one i even have... its located in small alley of Xi Men Ding, original wild pork sausage....

The duck shop, try the duck mat and mee.

Another temple near by Xi Mending (i think so la). This temple Tian Hou Gong has history back dated 350 years ago during the reign of Ching Long Emperor of Ching Dynasty.

Taiwan - Taipei Day 2 - 22/01/2011

Our plan for today should be as following location;-

Taipei– Yehliu – Keelung – Chiufen – Nanya (finish by 600pm)

We have agreed to use van service to fetch us for the whole day. It was much easier way to travel between each places. From Taipei to Yehliu, takes around 1 hours drive and from Yehliu to Chiufen also takes around 1 hours.

So, we depart from our hotel around 830am, after breakfast at soya place (nearby our hotel also).

The photo for Yehliu will be posted on next blog.

we took quite a long time to tor Yehliu from 1000am till noon 1pm, plus tour the rocky stone, shop local product like tea, sea products like seaweed, squid octopus etc.

Then, we reached Chiufen around 230pm and walk along the old street until 330pm. We have to leave the place on 330pm in order to reach Taipei before 400pm. (main reason because our driver "8-hours drive" will be end on 4pm and each extra hour will be charged NT400 or RM45 hourly).

Chiufen is famous with its yam ball sweet deserts, example;-

One more food that i sure miss is poppiah roll with ice-cream and peanut;-

The, we go back to hotel and have a quick refresh and head to XiMenDing

To reach here, take MRT to Ximen Station西门捷运站 > Exit 3 Ximenting whic will be Close around 1100pm. Few local or street foods not to be miss is;-

-Yang’s corn ice NT45

-Ah Zhong mee suan

- Braised pork NT10 onward

- ZhenDu star fruit ice NT40

- Hong Sao Beef Noodle (Taoyuan Jieh Niu Ro Mian)红烧牛肉面

Other recommended places are follows, but we are unable to locate the place. So, whoever managed to find this then good la...

- Modern Toilet便所餐厅(Close @ 2200hrs) Ximen Station西门捷运站 > Exit 6 -> There is a lane with lots of Tattoo shops near the Neoprint building (3 storeys with colorful Neon lights in the heart of XMD)> Walk through the lane > Cross the road at the end to a 7-11 store opposite a multi-storey car park > The restaurant is just in front of the two

- Jacky Wu's Desert Shop (The Sweet Dynasty)吴宗宪的店(糖潮) Zhongxiao Dunhua Station中孝敦化捷运站 > Exit 4 OR Zhongxiao Fuxing Station忠孝复兴捷运站 > Exit 5

StayReal旗舰店 Mayday – Ashin 阿信的店Zhongxiao Dunhua Station中孝敦化捷运站 > Exit 2 > 1st street turn left- Food St美食街or Zhongxiao Dunhua Station中孝敦化捷运站 > Exit 2 > Walk To 2nd Traffic Light > Cross The Road >Turn Left On Yanji St延吉街