whats the general impression of Yilan in people’s minds?
is it completely dead relative to most other places?
My impression: Yilan is beautiful! (My impression as a middle-aged guy who favors scenic beauty over clubbing/night life)
Yilan rains a lot but i agree with the above poster. I lived in the area for a year almost ten years ago and there were things happening most of the time. it’s pretty easy to go on a scenic trip for an entire day on a scooter or bicycle.
Dead as in no nightlife? Dead as in no culture? Could you be a bit more specific?
I like to visit Yilan from time to time. Much better air than in the Taipei area. But I don’t think I want to live there. I would probably choose Hualien instead.
I’d be very interested to hear somebody’s account of living in Yilan, from a nightlife perspective.
When did the bars near and in the Loudong sports park disappear?
dead meaning there is nothing to do, nowhere to go, nothing to see.
all there seems to be are many excellent bike trails and small restaurants
its a very cool place with tons of cool people (especially luodong), the problem just seems to be the logistics of it, theres nowhere for people to meet up
ppl are friendly though (if you are)… and were there’s collective will…
I lived there for two years. If you like becoming an alcoholic recluse for the rainy season, and a surfer/hiker during the other 50 days of the year, move to Yilan. Otherwise, there is a small group of bars in Yilan City, ShaSha being the most expensive and busiest, a small group of foreigners with the highest concentration in Shinshey who are ridiculous amounts of fun, and a small night market, which sells delicious scallion eggcakes. When it is not raining, the beach is closer than you think, but having a scooter to get there is the best option. Wai’ao is my favorite, particularly the place on the north side of the ragged rocks where you can rent a surfboard for cheap and lifeguards don’t bother you. Between watching landslides take out the road you were just driving on to stumbling upon a hot spring, Driving in the mountains in Yilan provided some gorgeous, dangerous and amazing experiences. The people in Yilan are incredible. I’ve met some friends for life there, although some of them are rigidly traditional in terms of family servitude and beliefs. The boy motorcycle gangs are really nice too. You can adopt a dog by walking outside and looking down. You can eat a lot of random food.
As for me, I moved to Taipei. Two years was enough.
dead meaning there is nothing to do, nowhere to go, nothing to see.
all there seems to be are many excellent bike trails and small restaurants
its a very cool place with tons of cool people (especially luodong), the problem just seems to be the logistics of it, theres nowhere for people to meet up[/quote]
Well, that is not true. There are tons of places to go and things to do. And as I wrote in the other thread, Taipei is just an hour away. The bike trails and restaurants are great for sure. But also lots of museums and “DIY” places. And don’t forget all the scenic places. And you have the hot springs in Jiaosi for the winter.
There are also many cozy cafes if that’s the kind of place where you like to meet up. There’s a mall and a department store if that’s your thing.
Any recommended Spots? I’m looking to visit YILAN/Jiaoxi at the end of the month for a day trip
Depends what you’re looking for. Best outdoor locations might be the Taoyuan Valley trail, the Wufengqi and Yuemeikeng waterfalls (the second one is way more beautiful but difficult to find, I can pm you a GPX file if you want), Wushigang port beach, the parascending launch platform just above that same beach and the Tongpu trail from Yilan to Wulai.
Depends what you’re looking for. Best outdoor locations might be the Taoyuan Valley trail, the Wufengqi and Yuemeikeng waterfalls (the second one is way more beautiful but difficult to find, I can pm you a GPX file if you want), Wushigang port beach, the parascending launch platform just above that same beach and the Tongpu trail from Yilan to Wulai.[/quote]
Its going to be a ONE day trip with My gf, and her parents 
So I need a mixture of good activities, sights & restaurants. I’ve visited JiaoXi only once before. I know the public Hotspring & a Sou Ba Ji (Hand-Pulled Chicken) Place which is awesome. Some recommended Hot-springs? I will be taking the car out so please PM me the GPX file 
Thank you so much
Depends what you’re looking for. Best outdoor locations might be the Taoyuan Valley trail, the Wufengqi and Yuemeikeng waterfalls (the second one is way more beautiful but difficult to find, I can pm you a GPX file if you want), Wushigang port beach, the parascending launch platform just above that same beach and the Tongpu trail from Yilan to Wulai.[/quote]
Its going to be a ONE day trip with My gf, and her parents
So I need a mixture of good activities, sights & restaurants. I’ve visited JiaoXi only once before. I know the public Hotspring & a Sou Ba Ji (Hand-Pulled Chicken) Place which is awesome. Some recommended Hot-springs? I will be taking the car out so please PM me the GPX file Thank you so much[/quote]
I sent you the gpx, but you won’t be able to reach the waterfall by car: it’s a short hike with some wading. You can go see the Wufengqi waterfall though. The stairs up to its base start just after the parking lot.