Im planning a circle-around-Taiwan trip in October and have some questions
Im planning to start my trip at Taipei, then stop at Hualien for a couple of nights, stop at Nantou country, then Pingtung country, Penghu island and finally arrive back at Taipei
However, I have some questions
Ive been hearing that you can’t take a train from Hualien to Nantou country. What would be a better way to cover Nantou country in my circle-around-Taiwan trip ?
Does the ferry to Penghu island stop operating at certain times of the year ? Is late October to mid November one of those periods ?
If you travel by train, there is no way to get from Hualien to Nantou directly (across the mountains). You have either to go back to Taipei and then down the western coast to Central Taiwan or you can continue your trip from Hualien further south along the east coast to Taitung, from there to Kaohsiung and up the western coast to Nantou, which is the more attractive route, because eastern Taiwan is much more pleasant and you say you want to go to Pingtung anyway. So I would recommend the usual round the island trip with the usual inland trips to Nantou (Sun Moon Lake) and maybe Alishan, time permitting. Also, check out Tainan and Kaohsiung, two cities you’ll pass anyway.
Penghu’s ferries go all year, except for typhoon weather.
There is one bus a day from Hualien up to Lishan, which connects to another bus to Puli and Taichung. This is an outrageously scenic ride on a clear day.
However, as the other poster suggested, since you want to go to Pingdong, take the train from Hualien to Taitung and across to Fangliao on the west. Then take the train up Taichung or wherever and a bus into Nantou.
It would help if you told us exactly where in Pingtung and Nantou you are planning to go.
How about you go and buy a guidebook, such as Lonely Planet Taiwan, first? There, you’ll find plenty of information about traveling in Taiwan. If you plan to stay here for three weeks, it might be a good idea to come prepared. I think, the other poster might agree.
