My vacation in Taiwan

Hello everybody!

Before I’ll go back to the Netherlands in August i want to have a little vacantion in Taiwan… I’ll show you the schedule I arranged. I’m planning to travel with the two of us. Both speak no Chinese or Taiwanese.

The plan:

Thursday 15 july: arrival in Taipei, late afternoon. We’ll stay there till Monday 19 July

Monday 19 July; We’ll take the train to Tai’tung in the early morning. In Tai’tung the boat to Green Island. We stay at Green Island till Thursdat 22th.

Thursday 22 July; We’ll take the train to Kenting. Stay there till Monday 26th.

After 26th we’ll go to Puli, everything is arranged there already.

What do you think about this schedule? Good idea’s or suggestions?
Must see’s or must do’s?

Tell me!

There’s no train to Kenting.

Good god - I can only guess that your tickets were really cheap as no one in their right mind would wish to travel in the Republic of China when Hong Kong and the Mainland are so close.

True, strictly speaking. But the South Link railway from Taitung to Fangliao In Pingtung County is wonderful. Fangliao to Kenting is just a short bus ride.

True, strictly speaking. But the South Link railway from Taidong to Fangliao In Pingtung (Pingdong) County is wonderful. Fangliao to Kenting (Kending) is just a short bus ride.[/quote]

How long IS the bus ride from Fangliao to Kenting? 30 minutes? Less?

True, strictly speaking. But the South Link railway from Taidong to Fangliao In Pingtung (Pingdong) (Pingdong) County is wonderful. Fangliao to Kenting (Kending) (Kending) is just a short bus ride.[/quote]

How long IS the bus ride from Fangliao to Kenting (Kending)? 30 minutes? Less?[/quote]
I honestly can’t remember for sure, but it can’t be much more than 30 mins. When I reach Fangliao in the car I feel I’m almost in Kenting.
Koukung bus co. is the one to take. There’s one to Kending every 40 minutes.

So the busride is no problem!

the only thing I’m a little bit afraid of is staying in kenting in the weekend & summerholiday. Is it a crime to go there that period or isn’t it that bad?

Of course I’ll make the reservations early, probably tomorrow.

Oh, I’m staying here for 5 months total. My girl from holland is going to visit me when I’m ready working here. And no, the ticket isn’t very cheap!

:astonished:

[quote]the only thing I’m a little bit afraid of is staying in Kenting (Kending) in the weekend & summerholiday. Is it a crime to go there that period or isn’t it that bad?
[/quote]
Personally I hate Kending. Its a grotty, overpriced, crowded little shithole, IMO. However, there are some very nice beaches in the surrounding area if you know where to look and you have some transport. Which is not an option for you, I know.

Renting a motorbike is an option right?

And do you have any suggestions for better beach resorts than?

Sandman is talking about the town of Kenting not the entire recreation area which covers most of the southern tip of Taiwan. Kenting is like any other town in Taiwan: non-descript. That said, there are some good restaurants there and I like the crowds at night. It’s very lively and festive. And there are other areas further down the road (going north or south) to stay it, that are quieter and less developed.

As for finding the beaches and other good things, it’s not even remotely difficult. There are only a few roads in the area and the maps and brochures you can pick up at the park headquarters show everything. Kenting has a great website. Check it out. www.ktnp.gov.tw

The coastline around Kenting is gorgeous. Baisha is a nice, quiet beach. Kenting Beach, the main beach in town is private but you can pay to use it. Because of this it’s not crowded.

Going south toward Olanbi is Shala beach. You can’t use it as it is a protected area (it’s one of the finest shell beaches in the world) but it’s nice to see. There are a few other protected areas to visit. Worth the extra effort.

Kenting forest park is interesting to visit if it’s not too crowded. Lots of caves and other interestign natural formations. In nearby Sheding Forest park you might be able to see the glow-in-the-dark mushrooms this time of year. At chuhou there is the natural gas fires which are pretty cool to see at night. as from far underground seeps to the surface and ignites naturally forming continuous flames. The 7 layer Chikung waterfall makes for a good few hour hike (and you can swim in some of the pools).

On the way up from Kenting check out Dapeng Bay, a giant lagoon just south of Pingdong. This is the newest ocean playground in Taiwan and just opened last month. Great spot for windsurfing and canoing. Little Liu Chiu Island is also worth visiting mid-week. It’s a really pretty coral island with small, but very beautiful beaches, and a number of cool elaborate caves to explore. It makes for a perfect day trip. Also, this time of year you can sample the expensive Blue-Fin tuna (known as the Rolls-Royce of fish meat) in nearby Donggang. Also the temple in Donggang is very famous and worth stopping at.

Good one Mucha Man. However, seeing as how the link you posted is for a national park, there were one or two things that caught my eye in the Marine section, such as [quote]The structural complexity of coral reefs attracts a broad spectrum of brightly colored fish and other creatures, among which the most numerous species are those of the families Chaetodontidae, Pomacanthidae, Pomacentridae, Labridae, and Acanthuridae, whose fancy patterns and extraordinary appearances make them ideal ornamental fish.[/quote], which seems to be suggesting that perhaps you could take a few home with you,

[quote]the rare hawksbill sea turtles … are slightly poisonous, but their glamorous shells can be used to create all sorts of precious ornaments[/quote] so bring your speargun – you might get lucky, and

[quote]Cormor sea snake (Laticauda semifasciata): Commonly found in coral reef caves near the shore and even in tidal pools … These animals are edible.[/quote] What are you waiting for? Fire up that barbie!

:laughing:

Sandman,
You forgot the dolphins.

:laughing:

When you’re in Taipei, head to Jinshan, Baishawan or Longmen beaches. You can stay in cabins at Jinshan and Longmen. From Longmen you can do the Caoling Historic trail which gives fantastic views of the coast and also grassy highlands. Or bike though the very scenic Taoyuan Valley and see terraced rice fields and water buffalo. You might even think about taking a boat to volcanic Turtle Island or just a cruise along the coast.

Take a train to Ruili and then catch the Pingxi line to Shifen to view the Shifen Waterfall. Then head back to Ruili and take a taxi to Juifen and Jingguashi for quaint hillside teahouses and a look at an old gold mining town.

Keelung had a number of interesting old forts and a cool cave, and the trip to Keelung island is worth taking. There’s also the famous night market if you want to sample local snack foods. Nearby Yehliu is fun for the bizarre rock formations.

Do you want to go to a teahouse in the mountains? I know a couple excellent ones in the southern part of Taipei.

Try to catch a show of Taipei Eye, revue theatre for traditional performing arts.
taipeieye.com/eng/

Of course don’t miss the National Palace Museum. I think there is an Egyptian exhibit at the History Museum now. There is also that body worlds show where real corpses are displayed.

Take your girlriend to the shop in Shimending (a neighborhood in taipei) where they still make traditional chinese slippers by hand. She’ll love them. Also in the same area is the old Red Theatre where they have traditional performaces every day.

For temples go to Longmen and Baoan.

Climb Kuanyinshan across the river from Danshui to see a perfect sunset from the platform atop the volcanoe. Also the boardwalk at Bali (the town across from Danshui, under Guanyinshan) is very romantic at night, especially heading north. You can stand on a pier jetting out into the mouth of the river as it empties into the strait of Taiwan. Guanyinshan is right behind you and across the wide river the mountainous landscape of Yamingshan.

There is also a fun waterworld right there and an interesting aboriginal museum.

What kind of stuff do you want to see? Museum? Nature?

Wow mucha man!
Are you a travveling agent or just living in Taiwan for a long time already? :notworthy:
You are a great help, i’ll print this topic before we leave…

The stuff we want to see is more the nature and some animals. that’s the reason I want to visit Green Island. Kenting is more for laying on the beach, relaxing and maybe some jet-skiing!

In Taipei the plan is to relax a little and maybe we’ll go to the Minestry of sound or a Roxy on saturdaynight. I’ve heard MoS is a really good place.
Danshui is also a good suggestion, I’ve been there one time, but in daytime.

What about Tai’tung? Is it worth to book a overnight there?

Taidong is one of the few places I have not been to yet.

[quote]The stuff we want to see is more the nature and some animals. that’s the reason I want to visit Green Island. Kenting (Kending) is more for laying on the beach, relaxing and maybe some jet-skiing!
[/quote]
While in Kenting, you might want to head up the coast a bit to the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium at Hengchun. It is quite spectacular and well worth a visit.

For Taitung, you can hire a scooter and drive north up the coast for about 15 minutes till you come to Zorba Garden, which is right on the beach at Shanyuan beach. The beach has a nice campsite.

[quote]Wow Mucha (Muzha) man!
Are you a travveling agent or just living in Taiwan for a long time already?
You are a great help[/quote]

To answer for Mucha Man, No, he is not a travel agent. Yes, he has been here a long time. The main reason he knows the island so well is that he runs a mobile school called the “Rainbow Bus”. He drives out to remote rural communities which don’t have schools/foreign English teachers, and he holds classes in the bus (the back has a whiteboard and has been fitted out with desks).

What animals are you hoping to see?

My girlfriend is a big fan of nature and animals. (Luckely she has other interests too!)

I guess she wants too see all kinds of special animals. I heard there live wild monkey’s in Taiwan. And I hope we’ll see some dolphins or whale’s on the boat tour to Green Island. If we don’t see them we’ll consider going to Hualien or Ilan for a boat trip.

Oh, my boss arranged a visit to a research center in Nantou. His brother is one of the big bosses there so with a bit of luck we’ll get a special tour :smiley:

Yeah the Aquatic Museum is excellent. I remember watching a dolphin show there. First I watch it from below, from water level, and then from up top in the stands. The dolphins never knew.

John, how could you reveal the Rainbow Bus? I was planning to turn it into a lucrative ESL spinoff textbook series with a little help from Alien. Now everyone will be out there competing with inferior products. :fume: