Taiwan Trip (8days 7nights)

My friend impulsively booked us a round trip ticket to Taipei having no cheap flight for Japan or Australia. With only a month to prepare for the itinerary, I was literally overwhelmed with things to include and what not.

Here are the things you need to prepare before arriving in Taiwan.

1. Register at https://etravel.gov.ph 3 days before your travel.

2. Register at lucky land  https://5000.taiwan.net.tw/index_en.html

Taiwan Tourism Bureau launched a subsidy scheme titled "Taiwan the Lucky Land," in which NT$5,000 will be provided to 500,000 foreign tourists who win a lucky draw over the course of three years from May 1, 2023 up to  June 30, 2025

Step 1. Register at least 1 day and within 7 days before arrival

Step 2. Try your luck and draw at the arrivals hall of airports in Taiwan

Step 3. Receive your prize on the spot and enjoy your trip to Taiwan

Prizes: Ipass ,Easy Card, iCash and Accomodation Vouchers

My friend won the draw (Easycard) while I was not. I guess I ran out of luck this time. 

Things to consider in making out your itinerary :

1. What do you want to see/experience

2. Where will you stay

3. DIY or join tours

After long deliberate research, I was able to complete our itinerary. Having 2 bases - Taichung and Ximending. Initially, I wanted to go to Alishan but decided to scrap it as it will consume a lot of travel hours not to mention multiple check-ins. I'll probably include this on my next visit with the itinerary that will better suit it.

1st Day  -  Taiwan Arrival, travel to Taichung

2nd Day - Qingjing and Gaomei Wetlands

3rd Day - Nantou- Sun Moon Lake

4th Day - Taichung Half Day Tour/ Check-in Ximending

5th day - Beitou Thermal Valley (DIY) / Shopping

6th day- Northcoast Tour ( Jiufen, Shifen ) Booked tour

7th Day - Taipei 101/ Tamsui 

8th Day - Flight Back home

I did not include the 8th day in the count for day in Taiwan as it just literally flight back home.

Taiwan 1st Day : Taichung

 We bought tickets from Klook for our HSR trip from Taoyuan to Taichung. The trip was more or less 40mins. We decided to spend our 1st days in Taichung so we won't be having issues flight back home. 

From HSR Taichung, we took a TRA to Taichung and just walked to Chance Hotel for roughly 3mins. Yes,  we chose this hotel as it is near everything we need - 7/11, restos bus stations and train station. It's just a walk across the Taichung TRA station.

We arrived in Taichung at 1:45 PM, check in is at 3pm but we were already allowed to check in early as the room is already available.

this is the building you see when you go out of the Taichung train station

MIYAHARA 
No. 20號, Zhongshan Rd, Central District, Taichung City, Taiwan 400
Hours: 10AM to 9pm Everyday

This used to be an Opthalmology clinic but was turned into a dessert/restaurant with Harry potter Vibes.
Interior is great. Though we were not able to try the ice cream since the queue is long.

2nd floor is the resto but it was closed so we cannot go upstairs.. Pardon my smile..hahaha

Plan was to take uber to Chun Sui Tang but my friend said it's ok to walk since it's not that hot. Here's some shots from our walking.

This is giving me Cheonggyecheon Stream vibes in Korea

Chun Sui Tang Original Store
No. 30號, Siwei St, West District, Taichung City, Taiwan 403
Hours: 8AM to 10PM everyday

Never been a fan of Milk tea but I wanted to try the original one. So we dropped by the birthplace of Boba Milk tea. I liked the milk tea it was more of tea flavor than sugar. LOL. My friend who drinks milk tea in the Philippines doesn't like it though. It's not sweet to her taste. We ordered Shrimp Xiao Long Bao here as well and it was so good.

get your queue number here, you will be given the board menu, just check the circle and wait to be called and pay at the cashier then you will be seated.

we ordered the best seller which is the original one.

Taichung Literature Museum
No. 38號, Lequn St, West District, Taichung City, Taiwan 403
Hours: 10AM to 5pm Everyday except Monday as it is closed.

This is a few walks away from Chun Sui Tang, we dropped by as well as we like to Japanese Architecture. Entrance is free, there are cafes and some resto I guess at the back where the big tree is.

the one at the right side of the tree is the cafe/resto area

Liuchuan (Willow River) Canal 

probably best during sunset or early evening

Painted Animation Lane

Lane 100, Linsen Rd, West District, Taichung City, Taiwan 403

Open 24 hours

Do not go here just to see this place to avoid disappointments. We are already in the area, we decided to check it as well. We only liked the Totoro Bus stop, others are just some graffiti splashed on the walls of this small lane.

Head back to Chance Hotel by Uber  and rested for a bit. I met a College Buddy at 6:30 PM Taichung station for a quick catchup. Took some snaps while waiting.

Taichung Old train station

Taichung Old Station this is just at the side of the new station

the back of this giant is the new Taichung train station

it lights in the late afternoon and night

with my friend Marichelle

End of 1st day.

Taiwan 2nd Day : Qingjing and Gaomei Wetlands

 I researched and researched for the 2nd day activity to have this done DIY but it was just too hard in this area. Bus are not frequent and what if it rains? Decided best to get KLOOK tour instead with Qingjing and Gaomei Wetlands together.

You may get it here:
https://www.klook.com/en-PH/activity/90491-qingjing-farm-gaomei-wetland-day-tour/

Took our breakfast at MWD near our hotel. It was cheap and delicious. I am not a fan of sausage but for some reason I really liked the sausages in Taiwan. The bread is so good as well. This is like 115 NTD.

We were the 1st to be picked up at our hotel at 8am and got the others along the way to our 1st stop -Qingjing Farm. 

An hour and a half later, we had our bladder break at the gas station and saw these flowering trees across the street. Not sure if these were Cherry Blossoms though. 

Qingjing Farm

It was already at 10:30 AM when we are inside the Qingjing Farm. Not expecting anything except for the sheep of course but we were greeted with a line of Cherry Blossoms. 

Finally caught Shaun's family. They were muddy though given the rain

amazing view of the mountains from here

We just went down the trail till we saw this sign. At the left side is the Equestrian show, we were not really interested and left during the show and just caught some acts before it ended.

selfie with the Sakura

then it rained a little

We exited the farm and walked across the street to start the Skywalk. Timecheck :11:40 AM
At the entrance, we turn right to reach the Carton King at the end, this is where we will meet our tour driver so he can take us to our lunch.

the end of our Skywalk 

Tour Driver took us to our lunch which is kind of expensive. It was 2480 NTD for the five of us. The other 3 in the group is family so they were seated in a different table. Meal was decent, I liked the Pork liver steak so much I had like 3 or 4 slices but just when we were so full the main dish was served.  I cannot  for the love of God imagined chicken be served with its head and feet.hahahha.

found this Sakura tree just outside the resto

 It was foggy then when we went back to Qingjing to watch the Sheep Show.

then came to the part where it rained and could no longer see what's being done, so we head out to the meeting place ahead of the other people watching the show.

Tour driver informed us we are heading down to Gaomei. It was like a 2hr drive. There was no sunset at that time but the mood is giving. 

Left Gaomei at 6:30 PM and arrived in Taichung at 7:30 PM. Initially , we planned to drop by at the night market. Due to exhaustion and also need to wake up early for the Sun Moon lake tour, we opted to be dropped at our hotel instead.

Taiwan 3rd Day : Sun Moon Lake

 

Sun Moon Lake in Yuchi, Nantou is the largest body of water in Taiwan. Back in the 1930s when Taiwan was a colony of Japan, the Japanese erected a dam on one of the lakes to generate hydroelectric power. The operation, over time, raised the water level to create Sun Moon Lake in its current form: round like the sun at its eastern end and curved like the crescent moon at its western end.

I tried to look for this shape at the top of the Ropeway or at Xuanzhang but was not able to visualize it.

We did not take a packaged tour this time, and decided to take a DIY itinerary. From our hotel in Taichung, we walked to Gancheng station which is like 5mins away. We were there too early and the staff informed us we will be assisted at 7:05 AM. So we checked for a nearby coffee shop and saw Starbucks but it won't open until 11AM. At 7:05 AM, SML bus is already at the front. Bus departed at 7:20 AM in Gancheng Station. We had our reservations as it's a holiday week and worried on not being able to get on the schedule we wanted. Surprisingly, there was not much of passengers at that time.

We just paid via Easy card and Tpass. 

We arrived at Shuishe at 9:05 AM, and because we were so eager to find a restroom we missed the Shuishe Visitor's Center beside 711. We were supposed to buy 1 way boat ticket there. Cost is about 150 NTD and roundtrip is 300 NTD. We don't have plans of coming via boat again so we only took the one way ticket. We were already at the boat and was suprised to have been asked for a ticket, we were given tickets though after paying. Good thing they have available tickets at the boat.

Lalu Island from the boat

Ita Thao from the boat

Ita Thao

Left Shuishe at 9:30 AM and arrived at Ita Thao Pier by 10AM.

passenger boat from Shuishe.
Wish Boracay had this floating platform like this so pulling your luggage won't be an issue.

We just walked from the Ita Thao Pier to the Sun Moon lake Ropeway. It was just pretty easy as there was a boardwalk that you can take. It took us 30mins , with the walking, stopping and picture taking to the Ropeway Station.

Sun Moon Lake Ropeway

The whole ropeway experience took about an hour as well. PLease note that you cannot literally sit and do a roundtrip. After going up, you need to alight the cable car and line up again to the queue going down. We  purchased our tickets via Klook.

Sun Moon Lake Ropeway, see the boardwalk along the shore.
The Pier can be seen from the picture as well.

view after the ascent

Back at the market, at 11:30 AM
strolled here for lunch and souvenirs

We finished at 1:10 PM but the next bust for Xuanzhang is at 1:45PM. We took an uber instead as not to waste time waiting. Plan your itinerary well so you can get to the bus timely. The Yidashao bus stop is just after the Wyndham Hotel. You just go straight up in the picture above, opposite the direction of the lake.

Xuanzhang Temple

Arrived at the temple at 1:30 PM. It was peaceful here, and there's a great view that awaits you.

view from the temple
There are tables here with roof, you can do a mini picnic here, no alcoholic beverage though as this is a temple.

Cien Pagoda

By 2pm, we then walked to the Cien Pagoda by the road.We were supposed to go up the Cien Pagoda , but due to emergency we head down to Wenwu Temple. Here are some shots taken along the way.

from here is 700m up to the Pagoda

Pagoda from afar

No bus stop at the Cien Pagoda, you have to go down to the highway, if you need to take the bus. Again, we took Uber here going to the next stop. 

Wenwu Temple

We arrived at Wenwu at 3:20 PM. This is the prettiest of the temple we've been in SunMoon Lake. 

prenup shoot

some flowers at the top of the temple

stairs leading down to the bikelane

bikelane along the lake

Took us 40mins to completely explore the area (finished 4pm), then again we missed checking the Bus schedule to Shuishe Pier. Next Bus is scheduled at 4:54 PM and our schedule for Taichung is at 4:40 PM.  We waited 20mins for our Uber ride only be cancelled. So we waited for another ride. We missed the bus by 1min. Lined up to the queue for the 5:10 PM schedule instead. Here's the thing, this schedule takes longer as it passes and stops inside Puli. Our trip took longer, arrived in Taichung after 2 hours.