Taichung - Tell me more!

Dunno…I’ve always had a thing for Taichung. It’s more relaxed. Everything’s got a little more space. Lot’s of cheap, good food. There is always some new trend going on. You can triple park with impunity. Drive a scooter anywhere with impunity. Great tea houses in the mountains. in 45min you can get to some great beaches - and no one is there.

Go pick Lychee in Taiping…mmmmm

When I was there, there was a great selection of bars. They’re gone? Must be because the high speed rail is finished.

[quote=“Elegua”]When I was there, there was a great selection of bars. They’re gone? Must be because the high speed rail is finished.[/quote]There still are some nice bars. And some reasonable foreign restaurants too.

Re: Nightlife.

Perhaps my view is tinted by time, or perhaps it’s that for most of my first year here I was pumped full of too much alcohol and miscellaneous drugs to really evaluate it, but it seemed like things were really good at the time – from the old Londoner, to the great band (and strippers) at A La, to the late-night druggie places (E-Power, and that one by the train station, The Rock maybe?), to the ridiculous meat-market that was the Pig Pen (and, later, Sound Garden). 89K was always packed, as was the teppenyaki down the road on the corner of GongYi. Oldies was usually busy and had a piano/guitar/drums setup you could go in and just jam on, and people did. The Dive was great when it opened, closing either not at all or when Sean decided to move the party to someone else’s pub (?!). I woke up there a few times. There were a bunch of groups organising parties and other events regularly – TaichungHits, Revevolution, Dragonfly Jamboree, those guys who worked out of Liquid Lounge whose name I’ve forgotten.

Now? Well. The Londoner is gone, at least as a meeting place and pool-sharking venue. The band from A La left and went to this other place called The House where prices are high, service is terrible and foreigners are not really welcome (Strippers are still there, but … older). The druggie clubs have moved and become more druggie and less funny. The Pig Pen is quiet and depressing, Sound Garden closed down and later turned into an attempt at a trendy lounge that I’m not much impressed by. 89K is quieter, the teppenyaki closes at 12, Oldies has no jam setup (and smells kinda funny), the Dive tends to close early and it’s always the same people there.

So what does that leave? Freedom is great for hard nights out once in a while. The Grooveyard has great music but I find the crowd there so irritating I can never stay long. Another place called 99 Music House has great bands sometimes and awful bands other times, with no apparent pattern. There are plenty of little local pubs to sit around in with friends, but that’s true anywhere.

For reasons no longer clear to me we actually went to Xaga tonight, and had a really good time. Security was heavy but professional and friendly, prices were reasonable (for a big club), the music was good (unilke the first time I went – new DJ?), and it was packed full of people having fun.

So, there are still places … but somehow the magic, the sense of community, and the excitement are gone.

Maybe I should do more coke?

Hi, instead of starting a new thread I thought to revive this one… Anyone in Taichung who lived in Taipei (or vise versa) ? How is your life different? What would be the pros and cons of each and which do you prefer? I am leaning towards Taichung but I am worried it lacks cultural events and film festivals etc… Thanks so much.

Consider living close to the edge of the MRT system (basically New Taipei City) like xingjhuan, xichi, or places like that. Rent and food is cheaper but you’re close enough to Taipei that you can still take advantage of the nightlife.

Taipei is no comparison to LA or New York. LA is pretty much an automobile only city, there are ZERO public transportation. New York subway is so crime ridden and disgusting I’m not sure you want to be on it. Not to mention New York is so full of crime. Even places like Wanhua District which is supposed to be the most crime ridden part of Taiwan is a safe haven compared to even a mid sized American city.

Taichung weather is way better than Taipei, less rain & more sun. Perhaps slightly less hot in the summer and certainly less cold/damp in the winter, at least it was like that in the past.

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What kind of expat community life (for young free and single types) is there?

It’s good, really good.

Hi im considering a position at public school in Taichung.

Just wondering how things are these days, is new mrt useful/ comparable to Taipei?

Is it just as possible to get by with out a scooter or car like in Taipei?

How is the level of English speaking compared to Taipei? Less English speakers or roughly the same? I didn’t explore much outside of Taipei when I was there last time.

Are there good Chinese language programs? If possible I’d like to take an intensive course

Anyone here know about short-term rental housing in Taichung?
I’m looking for a place for 6 - ideally a serviced apartment - from mid November until end of June 2022. Any suggestions of places or agents welcome

I’d say your best bet is to look up small family-run boutique hotel type places, usually listed on AirBNB. Call to see if they are willing to be flexible and offer you a long-term stay rate. I was able to do this in Kaohsiung at the beginning of the pandemic when their business was starting to go down.

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I have a bunch of in-laws in Taipei, but I’ve never lived there so I can’t say much about it.

Lived in Taichung for four years but it was a while ago, from 1999 to 2004. That city’s changed a lot since then. I’ve been back a few times over the years, it seems pretty much the same, but maybe I’m missing something.

I go to Kaohsiung a lot. I have two daughters in school up there, and I live across the border in Pingtung.

If you’re contemplating a move you might spend a couple weeks looking at air quality. Go to the EPA site and check the air quality every day for around two weeks. The air quality will vary depending on the weather, wind direction, and what part of either city you’re looking at.

In terms of nightlife I think Taichung still beats Kaohsiung (the Brickyard again, anyone?), but in terms of general recreation it’s more even. Kaohsiung offers easier access to the sea, and even though the coastline around there isn’t pretty sometimes you just want to know the ocean is there. When I lived in Taichung it seemed like it took eons to get to the water. In Kaohsiung Cijin is fairly convenient. In terms of bookstores, department stores, public transportation the two cities are similar. I think Taichung has, on average, better restaurants.

“Getting away” in Taichung usually means going to Miaoli or Nantou. Most people don’t visit Lugang or Bagua Mountain in Changhua more than once. Nantou is beautiful, but traffic jams on that one road leading up to Sun Moon Lake are a common occurrence. I thought most of Miaoli was just OK. The area round Dahu, near Shuiba National Park is nice, but not easy to get to.

Kaohsiung? I think the area east of the #3 Freeway is underrated. Qishan, Meinong, Maolin are all worth visiting. It’s kinda run down but that’s part of its charm. Most people in Kaohsiung head down to Kenting when they want the beach (it takes about an hour), and even though Kenting is the most touristy part of Taiwan it still has a few less-visited corners that are worth checking out.

Anyway, that’s my mini-essay for the day. Thanks for giving me something to do before my first class!

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if one is based on this video I think taichung or at least that part is perhaps the most modern in all of taiwan