I will be moving to Hsinchu in about a month to work at a company in the Science Park. Can anyone recommend a neighborhood? I’m looking for something clean and quiet, conveniently located (shops/food/bus stops/HSR?), and preferably nice and modern. It’s just me so all I’ll need is a one bedroom or a studio…what can I get for 10,000NT? I spent last summer at ChiaoTung University, but usually left town when I had spare time. I remember Zhubei being pretty nice? Is it far from the Science Park.
Any info would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance!
If not, you may want to consider trying to find a room closer to Science park. Jin Shan Jie is an area with a lot of Science Park workers with no cars. Plenty of restaurants and shops, but sort of far from Downtown Hsinchu.
If you have a car, Jhubei would be nice. Tons of new high-rise apartments. I looked there a couple months ago, but did not have a car at the time, and was in a hurry to find a place. I hear traffic from Jhubei to Hsinchu is tough during commute times; 30 minutes to Science Park. Plenty of restaurants and much “newer/cleaner/wider” streets than Hsinchu. Also closer to HSR.
Another area popular with foreigners is Holland Village. Address is 新竹市北區武陵路175巷. There is a large supermarket, food court, and taxi stand within walking distance. Plenty of noodle places nearby, also. Complex has underground parking, a swimming pool, and a FamilyMart. Taxi ride into Science Park is about NT$250 each way.
NT$10,000 for 1 bedroom or studio should be no problem at all. If you know any local native speakers, invite them to help you look at places. They will help cut the bulls**t that you might otherwise experience with a rental agent.
Thank you very much for all the useful info. I won’t have a car, so Holland Village does sound a lot better. I have a bike here in the states that I am thinking about having shipped over…will I be within bike riding distance to the science park from the area you were talking about?
I might be in denial that I will be working in a place called the “Science Park” but…how is the area in terms of fun? any cool bars?
[quote=“mikshoton”]…will I be within bike riding distance to the science park from the area you were talking about?
I might be in denial that I will be working in a place called the “Science Park” but…how is the area in terms of fun? any cool bars?[/quote]
Hsinchu is small so everything is within bike riding distance. Holland Village to Science Park is about 7km. That said, you should where full body armor on the bike, because the scooterists and taxi drivers will show you no mercy on the road. They will only think two things:
1. Your bike is smaller than their vehicle.
2. You are in their way.
The downtown area, near Dongmen Street, or the “East Gate” has some bars popular with expats. Wenhua Street is where the bars are. 25 minute walk from Holland Village.
Science Park is not the most fun place on Earth, as 99% of the employees work 12+hrs per day and are not entertained by pubs. A new bar just opened near Science Park next to Hotel Royal Hsinchu. I think the owner is an Irishman. Have not been yet.
If your primary transport is bike, and you like the occasional drink, you should consider renting a room downtown. Many restaurants and shops along with a few bars all within a few minutes walk. My first month in Holland Village without a car was a bit painful, but I did lose a few pounds from all the walking.
When my company moved me here, they assigned a relocation agent to help me find a place. I gave him my spec: # of bed/bath, proximity to downtown and my office, and budget. If you do the same, you will find a good place for you.
Commute! Hsinchu is a boring shithole. The sidewalks role up at 10 pm except for the gutter down on Pub row. There, they don’t roll up but what else can you do but drink. There is little entertainment and the shopping is overpriced SOGO and RT Mart.
Resteraunts are far and few in between. Want to go out with your spouse, Fridays is about the only decent option And I say “decent” in the kindest way. Live more toward Taipei. Like halfway. At least you have some options. Hsinchu sucks and has for years. JMPOV
There are some good restaurants- European, Chinese and Japanese in XinChu. The air quality is much better than Taipei. If you want more choice to take the train or drive to Taipei/Taichung.
It’s not that bad as some people make out, ZhuBei is a nice development just north of town, it has the high speed train and you can be in the centre of Taipei in 35 mins for 10 USD.
Nightlife in XinChu is not great though…that’s true although there are some pubs which is more than can be said of some other cities in Taiwan. If you want to have the ‘most’ fun as a newcomer to Taiwan you might be better off in Taipei, if you are settled a bit then XinChu is pretty good considering you won’t have to commute every weekday.
[quote=“kaiwen338”]
Science Park is not the most fun place on Earth, as 99% of the employees work 12+hrs per day and are not entertained by pubs.[/quote]
There’s a typo…I think you meant to say 8-9 hrs…I’m hoping…
[quote=“mikshoton”][quote=“kaiwen338”]
Science Park is not the most fun place on Earth, as 99% of the employees work 12+hrs per day and are not entertained by pubs.[/quote]
There’s a typo…I think you meant to say 8-9 hrs…I’m hoping…[/quote]
[quote=“Anubis”][quote=“mikshoton”][quote=“kaiwen338”]
Science Park is not the most fun place on Earth, as 99% of the employees work 12+hrs per day and are not entertained by pubs.[/quote]
There’s a typo…I think you meant to say 8-9 hrs…I’m hoping…[/quote]
No typo. I work in the Science Park.[/quote]
It’s true… most people who work in the Science Park just… well…work in the Science Park. All the time. (With occasional trips home to change clothes, shower and take naps) Lately, a lot of them are doing it for reduced wages as well. Nice, if not overly exciting, group, overall.
[quote=“mikshoton”][quote=“kaiwen338”]
Science Park is not the most fun place on Earth, as 99% of the employees work 12+hrs per day and are not entertained by pubs.[/quote]
There’s a typo…I think you meant to say 8-9 hrs…I’m hoping…[/quote]
Science park companies tend to have environments such that the workers are either techno-freaks that really enjoy working their projects all the time, or are power/money-hungry and enjoy competiting against each other (i.e. show your boss how hard-working you are by mere virture of being there longer every day than your co-workers). Either way, that leads to people being at work for long hours.
[quote=“kaiwen338”]…you should where full body armor on the bike, because the scooterists and taxi drivers will show you no mercy on the road. They will only think two things:
1. Your bike is smaller than their vehicle.
2. You are in their way.
[/quote]
Absolutely true.
This is what I would do were I employed in NewZoo. As it it, I teach there for a week every year. A week on campus I can take, and the commute from NCTU to HSP is quick and easy on a bicycle (other than dealing with the on-ramp and off-ramp for Highway 1).
Even though local rail will “soon” connect NewZoo HSR with NewZoo TRA, it won’t do anything for the Science Park. Getting to and from the Science Park from NewZoo TRA is worse than from NewZoo HSR.
how is the commute between the park and HSR during rush hour? sounds like it gets a little crazy![/quote]
THAT is the understatement of they year. It’s like when they decided to build HSP, they thought, "Oh, these itty bitty roads will be fine.
To add insult to injury, EVERYONE in the Science Park appears to begin and finish work at exactly the same time. It’s CRAZY!!!
Now they’ve built a Costco on the other side of Guangfu, so it’s even worse, because for whatever reason, working in the Science Park seems to inspire people to go to Costco right after work. Pure hell. Can’t imagine why anyone would want to live near there; it’s inconvenient AND noisy. Makes Taipei look like paradise.
