How It All Got Started
WELCOME TO TAIWAN! Taiwan has been successful in positioning itself as the heart of Asia, with posters of their food and landscapes in our MRTs and I really had anticipated for this trip for the longest time! So, one day in April, Caroline suddenly said there was this Jet Star 1-for-1 offer. She asked whether i wanted to go Thailand or Taiwan. I jumped straight at Taiwan. Initial plan was for Lin to follow us as well. However, due to some complications, she eventually stayed in Thailand with no holidays, walloping in self pity as she looked enviously at us having hell of a fun in Taiwan.
So, after Car ended her exams one week 5 days before the trip, we worked really hard at piecing together our personal itinerary. And just one day before our flight, I went to collect our free gifts from Taiwan Tourism Association. So nice of them!
Changi Airport >>>Taipei Taoyuan Airport
So, 18th Sept, which happens to be my sis's birthday, my mum and auntie accompanied me to the airport, and off we flew to the heart of Asia. The flight reached Taiwan earlier than expected, but just 10 minutes earlier. It wasn't a blessing, as so we thought. We were there at 5.50am. The Youth Association corner opened only at 7am and more importantly, the Telco corner opened only at 8am! And they weren't on time! The Youth Card doesn't offer too much of a benefit and we understand that it was difficult to get registered on a mobile number outside of the airport. So we waited for 2 hours... And I was so sian.
So it costs around NT$600 for a phone number with data plan for 7 days. If you wish to go without a data plan, it is half the cost. One is able to make 47 mins of phone calls if you are calling to Singapore. I think it should be unanimous among the other telcos. The one Car and I took up is Far East (遠東) Communications.
So we promptly made our way to the bus interchange which can be accessed via the travelator. Once down, you will see a convenience store on your left, and what a great variety they have! But don't buy the tea eggs, it's not soaked in the tea leaves long enough. Sushi is fine and I really love Taiwan's instant noodles!
Taipei Taoyuan Airport >>> Taoyuan High Speed Rail (HSR)
After we have eaten our fill, we went to buy the bus tickets to Taoyuan HSR. We took the Kuo Kuang ( 國光) Bus which costs NT $130 per person. I thought that the bus was better than that of Singapore in many ways. There were seat belts and most importantly, they had this LED message which informs everyone which bus stop the bus will bring them to next.
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| Waiting at Terminal 12 for our bus |
The HSR to Taichung costs NT$520 per person! We decided to opt for the non-reserved seats (自由座) since it was around 930 in the morning and we thought there should not be too much of a crowd. Pricing is only slightly different from the reserved seats which cost NT$20 more.
I'm not sure if we heard wrongly or whether the staff have given us the wrong directions; we ended up at the wrong platform waiting for the wrong train. So, we wasted some time going to Taipei HSR, before the kind cleaners on duty directed us to the right train.
I like how there is so much leg space! Better than my Jet Star Experience! Oh and you get to buy bento sets and souvenirs on board. Their hot meals cost around SIN $ 6 to $8. Heard that they are tasty :)
Finally... Taichung HSR!Taichung HSR >>> Sun Moon Lake (日月潭)
Once we exited from the station, we walked all the way down to a counter which sells the bus tickets. We paid NT$ 190 per person. They only allowed a certain number of passengers on board the bus, and those with no seats will have to wait for the next train. We researched online beforehand and thought that the frequency of the bus was rather low. However, the staff there said that next bus would be there in 10 minutes time. I'm not sure if they are able to add on buses depending on demand. Although it was the non peak travel season, it seems that there were many tourists. Bus journey takes around 1 hour plus and there were many scenic landscapes along the way. Sun Moon Lake is the final destination. The bus also stopped by a university along the way. I wanted to look at the scenery along the way. But as we took a midnight flight, I can't help but fell into a deep sleep as Car snapped away.
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| Interior of the bus |
Sun Moon Lake's Shuishe Visitor Centre (水社碼頭)
This is what you will see once you alight from the bus.
To the left <<
To the right >>
Our hotel or B&B, Tan Hsiang Yu, is at the Ita Thao Pier at the other end of the lake. As we have planned to go to the amusement park that very day, we needed to be fast. The staff there recommended us this package. It consists of transport via bus, boat and cable car. For unlimited rides on the ferry which is valid for one day, it costs NT$390, NT$60 more. As we were racing against time that day, we decided to make use of the ferry tickets.
For people who are interested in their other packages.
What is good about hopping on to a ferry is that there is a tour guide on board to explain to you the various places of interest around the lake. We took to and fro for many times and I can tell you they repeated every joke! Even the tour guides could recognize us. One of them even asked if I was from Taiwan haha.
There are many ferries parked at different docks. For our ferry, it's at the end of Dock No 2 if I don't remember wrongly.
This is the Lalu Island - where the ancestors of the aboriginals are buried.
Oh and I really love the weather at Sun Moon Lake! It's like air-conditioned all around.
Itar Thao Pier (伊達邵)
We went to explore after we have left our luggage at Tan Hsiang Yu B&B. The owners were really nice! The lady boss gave us an idea of what we can do on the island. She fed us with too much suggestions and I let Car to listen and decide hehe. She even offered us bananas which she has grown in her backyard. Very nice of her!
Xuanguang Temple (玄光寺)
So we hopped on to the ferry again to Xuanguang Temple (玄光寺).
We didn't climb up all the way to the monastery as Car didn't want to. So we just tried the famous Grandma's
Mushroom Tea Leaf Eggs! It is said that even CNN and other major news corporations have come to interview
this famous ah ma.
Those are really nice! Since it was braised in mushrooms and tea leaf for 8 hours, the egg was really flavoursome! It costs NT $10 per egg :) Not too ex, that's the reason why large hoards of people come to buy every day. Imagine the amount of profits!
Sadly, i had 2 eggs earlier from the convenience store and hence bought only one famous egg here :(
Oh ya the lady boss at our B&B suggested that we visit the amusement park the next day, so with around 2 hours on hand, we next decided to tour around the whole lake on bike. She introduced us to her friend's shop and we each borrowed an electric bike for NT $150.
There are many trails around Sun Moon Lake. The boss of the bike shop recommended us this particular one which is just next to the lake and through a piece of greenery, alongside the road. It is very safe and you get to see many bikers along the way.
Car's camera is awesome hehe.
At around 4.45pm, Car said we should head back as the last ferry is at 5pm.
So we went back to Ita Thao, and bought food from the street stalls to share, and also the yummy taiwanese instant noodles.
This is the famous Small Sausage in Big Sausage (大腸包小腸). We had the duck flavour one. Nice!
I don't know how to read the middle word of the second line. Haha. The black pigs. Is it direct translation? Mountain pig buns. I don't really like this. Car helped to settle most of the meat.
Our damn nice instant noodles.
Our room. I thought its a B&B so asked Car to bring our own amenities. Ended up they do provide for us. Overall, we think the lodging is not bad. Very cosy. Basic utensils such as TV, water heater, hair dryer etc are more present.
We retired to bed very early that night. But were woken up by the rooster at 5am -.-. Okay, more in the next post :)
Credits to Caroline's camera and my iPhone.
Signing off,
Sarah
For people who are interested in their other packages.
There are many ferries parked at different docks. For our ferry, it's at the end of Dock No 2 if I don't remember wrongly.
This is the Lalu Island - where the ancestors of the aboriginals are buried.
Oh and I really love the weather at Sun Moon Lake! It's like air-conditioned all around.Itar Thao Pier (伊達邵)
We went to explore after we have left our luggage at Tan Hsiang Yu B&B. The owners were really nice! The lady boss gave us an idea of what we can do on the island. She fed us with too much suggestions and I let Car to listen and decide hehe. She even offered us bananas which she has grown in her backyard. Very nice of her!
Xuanguang Temple (玄光寺)
So we hopped on to the ferry again to Xuanguang Temple (玄光寺).
We didn't climb up all the way to the monastery as Car didn't want to. So we just tried the famous Grandma's
Mushroom Tea Leaf Eggs! It is said that even CNN and other major news corporations have come to interview
this famous ah ma.
Those are really nice! Since it was braised in mushrooms and tea leaf for 8 hours, the egg was really flavoursome! It costs NT $10 per egg :) Not too ex, that's the reason why large hoards of people come to buy every day. Imagine the amount of profits!
Sadly, i had 2 eggs earlier from the convenience store and hence bought only one famous egg here :(Oh ya the lady boss at our B&B suggested that we visit the amusement park the next day, so with around 2 hours on hand, we next decided to tour around the whole lake on bike. She introduced us to her friend's shop and we each borrowed an electric bike for NT $150.
At around 4.45pm, Car said we should head back as the last ferry is at 5pm.
So we went back to Ita Thao, and bought food from the street stalls to share, and also the yummy taiwanese instant noodles.
This is the famous Small Sausage in Big Sausage (大腸包小腸). We had the duck flavour one. Nice!
I don't know how to read the middle word of the second line. Haha. The black pigs. Is it direct translation? Mountain pig buns. I don't really like this. Car helped to settle most of the meat.
We retired to bed very early that night. But were woken up by the rooster at 5am -.-. Okay, more in the next post :)
Credits to Caroline's camera and my iPhone.
Signing off,
Sarah
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