Taiwan Trip 9D8N - Taoyuan --> Kaohsiung --> Hualien --> Taipei

Taiwan Trip 9D8N - Taoyuan --> Kaohsiung --> Hualien --> Taipei

Hello everyone, my name is Jocelyn Lim. This is the first time that I am posting a travel blog.

Let me do a quick introduction of myself. I'm a 省省省达人 aka budget queen. Hence I will try my best to get the most out of my limited budget.

Day 1 Taoyuan Airport to Zouying Kaohsiung 

Travelling on Scoot, total damage for 2 pax were SGD683.38 all in. Our flight departed Singapore, Changi Airport at 00:45 and reached Taiwan Taoyuan Airport at 05:30.

Upon arrival, the first thing we did is to get their local SIM card with unlimited data plan at Chunghwa Telecom. However, the Telecom stores only open at 7am at Terminal 2 and 8am at Terminal 1, so we went  7-11 for breakfast. I bought the 10days unlimited data plan with NT100 calling value SIM card at NT500. (*Tips: Buy 1 SIM card will do as we can use hotspot to share data plan.)

Now, we are all ready to head to Taoyuan HSR station from Taoyuan Airport. Follow the sign as per below picture. Bus tickets to Taoyuan HSR station will cost you NT30 per ticket.

Once you reached Taoyuan HSR station, remember to pick up your HSR ticket either from the counter or through the ticketing machine and proceed to the platform for your HSR ride. (*Tips: Do buy your tickets online as they do have early bird discount price.) I bought mine at a 20% disc.

HSR high speed rail Link: http://www5.thsrc.com.tw/en/index.asp

The seats are spacious and clean. They have FnB vendor walking pass your seats selling food and bottle drinks at a very reasonable price. If your mobile phone or camera is battery is low, don't worry they have charging power point too.

I am staying at Royal Group Hotel Chun Shan Branch, Kaohsiung for the 2 nights.Total damaged for the 2 night stay is S$155.87 including Breakfast and Free Wifi  . The room is decent and comfortable. The hotel location is excellent as it is less than 5 mins walk from Sanduo Shopping District station. Beside the good location, the hotel also provide 24hr snacks and beverages at the cafeteria free of charge, washing machine and dryer service are also provided FREE!

 

View from our room's window.

After few hours of unpacking and resting, we decided to head to a Sex Theme Restaurant that is located near our hotel. 

Funny Sex 18禁不禁情趣主題餐廳

地址：高雄市中山二路446號2F

服務專線： (07)333-6598

 Kimchi Seafood Hotpot Set (drinks included) - NT308

Pork cutlet rice Set (drinks included) - NT210

The pork cutlet is thick and tasty. The side salad will change according to seasonal. 

 

Complimentary dessert on the house. Strawberry Ice Cream Tiramisu.(left pic)Brown sugar pudding on shaved ice dessert - NT110 (right Pic)

Our total damaged at this funny and humorous restaurant is NT628

Night falls and we cannot miss their Night markets. We discovered 2 new night markets in Kaohsiung. Jin-Zuan Night Market and Kai-Xuan Night Market which sit next to each other. We took the red line and get off at Kai-Xuan station, then go out from Exit 2. There is a free shuttle bus between these two night markets and the Kaohsiung train station area which runs every five minutes from the KMRT station to the night market.



The toilets in Jin-Zuan night market are designed in the style of a bus.

Day 2 Kaohsiung

We woke up late on Day 2. After our breakfast we headed back to our room to rest again. By the time we left the hotel was around noon time. We went to pray at a temple just across the road opposite our hotel. After that we proceed to their tourist attractions, Lotus pond/Dragon Tiger Tower/Spring and Autumn Pagodas. Travelled to Zouying MRT station and took Bus R51 or R301 and get off at the Lotus Pond stop.

After a tiring hot and humid afternoon sight seeing, we headed back to Zuoying MRT station and shopped around the shopping centre there.



Around 6:30pm, we left the place and proceeded to Rueifong Night Market. Took the red line to Kaohsiung Arena station and proceed to Exit 1. Walked straight for abt 5 mins.

We spent the whole night there. It was fun, we played at the games stalls and had our dinner there as well. Highly recommended place!

This is our last night in Kaohsiung, and we do not want to miss another famous night market, we left Rueifong at around 10:30pm and proceeded to Liouhe Tourist Night Market. We took the MRT red line from Kaohsiung Arena station and alighted at Formosa Boulevard Station. Exited the station by Exit 11.

To our disappointment, the night market is small and only a few games stalls are available. Most of the stalls are food stalls. Food price is definitely the highest compared to others 3 night market I went. Highly NOT recommended!!! Should have headed straight to our hotel after Rueifong Night Market.

Day 3 Kaohsiung to Hualien

After the hotel checked out, we took MRT from Sanduo shopping district Station to Kaohsiung Station. After alighting from the station, we kept a look out for the TRA direction. Once we reached the TRA station, we headed straight to the counter to retrieve our train tickets that we booked online.

 *Tips: Get a 5% discount when you purchase ticket online.
Link: http://www.railway.gov.tw/en/index.aspx

Bought a railway bento set for lunch. Very delicious. Must Try!!!

Reached our destination Hualien!!! We had chosen to stay in Minsu for 2 nights. The Minsu owner, Andy, picked us up from the TRA station. Damaged for the 3D2N stay was NT3600, $152.20 sgd. More info and pictures for the minsu, please refer to the Link: http://hualienbay.hlbnb.com.tw/

After settling down, we borrowed bicycles from the Minsu owner and start cycling around nearby. After cycling for less than 5 mins, we came across Hualien Amei Cultural Village. We purchased the entry tickets for NT200 each. We only found out the next day that actually Andy is also selling the ticket at only NT150 each. :(

 *Note: The things that sell in the village is cheaper compare to the rest of the place.

After the show, we cycled back to Minsu and Andy is waiting for us to give us a free ride to the night market. We are very lucky that we came to Hualien at the right time. They were having a series of concert for free. We were able to see susperstars like Ding Dang, Yan Jue, Amei, Lara, etc...

Having so much fun here. Good games, great food, great concert. Ended the day with fireworks. 

Day 4 Hualien

Woke up at 7:30am, went for a beautiful morning cycling trip. Once again we borrowed Andy's bike.

 

By 9am we are back to the Minsu  for Taroko national park + Qingshui Cliff 1 day tour. We booked a taxi for NT2000 per day.

 Simple breakfast prepared by the Minsu owner

Our taxi driver cum tour guide dress in blue on the left hand side of the above picture, treated us their popular and famous lemon juice drinks.

 Here we are at The Cingshui Cliffs. Great weather with lots of great and magnificent views. 

 



 Starting of our 50mins trekking. So so so tired.





More walking after lunch. We are enjoying.



 Birdnest Cave. Those holes as shown in the pics are birdnest cave. 

 Does the rock looks like a frog?

Sun set and here ends our sight seeing and trekking 1 day tour. Our driver Mr Liu drove us to eat their famous 炸蛋葱油饼 (bomb egg spring onion pancake) hahahaha. I direct translate. Look at the queue, I heard someone ordered but its sold out . Luckily, our driver had made an advance reservation.

 

He drove us to one of the night market for dinner. Sorry I forgot the name of the night market. After dinner, he drove us back to the summer festival venue and we are on our own again.

Finally, the long awaited Amei is here. Fans went crazy and we went crazy too.

Ended another night with more than 5 mins of fireworks.

Day 5 Hualien to Taipei

Too tired to wake up at 5am to watch sunrise from our room. If you are staying at Andy's place and is a sunrise lover, you will definitely loves the room we stayed.



Andy's has a big garden as well. You definitely can find farm animals such as goose, goats, chicken in his garden. He grows lots of spices as well. At night you may catch a glimpse of fireflies in his backyard too.

Goodbye Hualien! Time for our ride to Taipei. Once again, railway bento set is a MUST.

On arrival, Li Qing and Zhu Ping, our Taiwanese friends came to fetch us from the station. And off we go to Daxi. On the way, we dropped by this beancurd stall. Its very tasty indeed.

Here we are at Daxi old street. Not much people. As this place is not accessible for tourist. If not for our friends that drove us here, we wouldn't had knew about this place.

Another old street our friend brought us to.

Day 6 Taipei

Let me give you an introduction to 汽车旅馆 motel. Spent 2 nights at this motel. Damaged for the 3D2N stay are NT3960, $167.45 sgd. The most expensive stay for this trip. But its super worth it.

 

 

The pantry corner. All food and beverages are provided free of charge.

Entering the big and super spacious bathroom.

 The shower area (left hand pic) includes a steaming facilities as well.

Look how big the Jacuzzi bath tub. A remote by the side which controls the TV and musics channels.

 The pleasure chair which came with a remote controller to controls the movements of the chair.

The breakfast buffet provided has limited choices. Rather go down and buy breakfast from 7-11. Time to go out and explore more of Taipei. Thanks to my friend again for fetching us from our motel.

 Here we are at Yeliu.

After visited some scenic places, we proceed to Jin Shan old street and had our lunch there. 

 Lunch which cost NT780. IceCream for Dessert after lunch.

 On the way to Yang Ming Shan.

 

Sky is turning dark and its time for dinner!!

 After our steamboat dinner, we headed to Nan Ya night market. Mainly clothing and food stalls.

Day 7 Taipei

 After we checked out from the motel, we took a cab to Banqiao MRT station. We stored our luggage in the lockers and continued our shopping at the malls in Banqiao. The shopping mall is so big and is also connected to another megamall. 

After few hours of shopping, we proceeded to the hotel which we would be staying for the last 2 nights in Taipei. We took MRT from Banqiao station (Blue Line) to Songjiang Nanjing station(Orange Line). The hotel is less than 3 mins walk from the Songjiang Nanjing MRT station. Room is nice, clean and comfortable. Breakfast not included. Free Wifi. 

Free An Hotel

 5F., No.95-1,Songjiang Rd.,Zhongshan Dist, Zhongshan District, 104 Taipei

3D2N cost NT3240, $137 sgd

We walked around our hotel premises and discovered this Miniatures Museum of Taiwan. It cost us NT180 per ticket.Link: http://www.mmot.com.tw/index.html

Visited Raohe St Night Market to sum up Day 7.

Day 8 Taipei - Jiu Fen - Shi Fen

To Jiu Fen;

From Taipei Main Station, transfer TRA to Ruifang station. After alighting at Ruifang station, walked across the road to catch a shuttle bus to Jiu Fen.

 To Shi Fen; Simply took a bus back to Ruifang TRA station and transfer to Shi Fen TRA station.

 

 

Back to Taipei Main Station, we transfer to MRT and alighted at Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall Station.  Below are our favourite Braised meat rice shop. Highly recommended!!! Must order their Ginseng Chicken Soup!

 金峰鲁肉饭（Jin Feng lu rou fan)

(Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall Station Exit 2, walk straight for 2 mins)

 

After dinner, we headed back to our hotel to pack our stuff for our next day flight back to Singapore.

Day 9 Taipei to Singapore

After checking out from the hotel, we took MRT to Taipei Main Station. Same thing as we did previously, we left our luggage and stuffs in the lockers and we are hands free to move around again. Since our flight was at 3pm, we decided to go to Ximending for our lunch and do some last minute shopping. After everything was done we travelled back to Taipei Main Station again.

*Tips:

1) Make sure you bargain for NT1000 and below for your cab/taxi ride to Taoyuan Airport. Do not go for meter reading. You will ended up paying more. (Unless you are really near the airport.)

2) You can share cab/taxi with other people to Taoyuan Airport for just NT500 for 2 person. The driver will look around for travellers in pairs. Hence when they approach you, worry not and be happy.

For the 2 times we are in Taiwan, we managed or happened to just pay NT500 for 2 person ride to Taoyuan Airport. Goodbye Taiwan, Hope to visit you again soon.

Air tickets for 2 person: $683.38 sgd

Total 8 nights hotel room spent for 2 person: $612.52 sgd 

HSR and TRA tickets: $202.44 sgd

(excluding MRT and other transportation cost)

Total cost as per above : $1501.34 sgd

Average cost per person: $750.67 sgd

(*Note: Does not include shopping, food and any others expenses.)