This post is way overdue - I was in Taiwan a couple of months back and now I -finally- get some time off to sit down and write about the trip we did.
We were a group of 10 - My wife's extended family and me. We went on a private group tour around Taiwan. I've to give thanks to our
tour guide for bringing us around. They're definitely not the cheapest in the market, but they're definitely worth the money for the entertainment and care given throughout the trip.
Like what I always do, let pictures do the talking~
Day 1: Landing at Taoyuan International Airport
We went to an amusement park where Running Man was during one of the episodes! Unfortunately the roller coaster was undergoing maintenance. So we did other rides instead. Photos!
Animals greeting us at the entrance of the amusement park~
The amusement park is known as 六福村, loosely translated as Leo Foo Village. It's been around for a couple of decades.
This is the most challenging roller coaster after the forked coaster which was under maintenance.
Following the amusement park we went to the wetlands （高美湿地） to see sunset!
This place was (probably) made famous by a Taiwanese singer (萧敬腾) who made a music video by burning a piano in the wetlands. You can't find the remains of the piano but you'll get nice sunset and a few wind turbines.. Go Green!
For the first day we ended up with the second largest night market in Taiwan - Feng Jia night market (逢甲夜市).
It was crowded - the weekend night market filled with people buzzing on the streets. Food food and more food - and shopping.
Day 2: Started out journey into the mountains...
We passed by a crazy monk temple (济公庙) and spent some time drinking sugar cane juice and climbing up the everlasting bridges (天长地久桥).
Iguana selling juice:)...
From the Emperor's (天长) bridge area looking down to the Queen's (地久) bridge.
Then we started ascending into the mountains, going to an old street (奋起湖街) where the trains used to go.
Some shopping and had bento lunch (see below) there. The old street is famous for this bento lunch and its variety of goods.
And moving deeper into the mountains into Alishan (阿里山)!
We were there late and rested for the night before catching the first train the third day morning (imagine waking up 3am for the train tickets!) to watch sunrise from the mountains~
Crowded first train! People waiting to board~
On the sun rise viewing platform, we saw the first light of the morning!
And this is how it looked when the sun has risen!
Trip back down the slope to our hotel~
And we realised how nice the mountains were! (Ok, for people from Singapore where all is concrete, this is nice ya?)
So from Alishan we headed towards the Sun Moon Lake (日月潭).
Saw some trees, really old trees! The one below is 3 thousand years ago.
And there are monkeys... don't feed them,
And fog descending from the highlands.
When we reach the lake, there were couples taking bridal photos.
And what's more important than food! Lunch at this restaurant was really good:)
And we spent the night at a themed hotel, loosely translated as Frog Castle (蛙堡) hotel.
Nice decoration and there were also sounds of frogs croaking (just sounds).
The next day we went deep into the highlands, visiting the skies, a sheep farm and a flower garden.
And we went to hot spring in the mountains~ and camped in the hotel for the night.
Crossing the river to the hotel with hot spring.
Before making our descend to the east coast of Taiwan on the 4th day morning.
The descend was nice, passing through swallow caves (which unfortunately has no more swallows), and a frog's rock (below).
At the end of the descend, we checked into a hotel near a shingle beach.
So the fifth day we started making our way back to Taipei, driving along the coast.
Roads on the cliff overlooking Pacific Ocean!
And we went to fly sky lanterns (十分)!
And visited a town sited on a mountain area (九份), which concluded our trip before our last destination - Taipei City.
We stayed in Taipei City for two nights - visited a few places of interest and did some shopping! More maps and photos~
Superb dumpling! Must try!
Natural sand structures made by wind eroding sandstone..
And took cable car!
Until the next time! See you again, Taiwan!
