Hi folks,
I hope all is well.
By the way,
I was hoping for any tips or how to travel to Hualien Ocean Park by train from Songshan station perhaps?
Then from Hualien, what to take going to Ocean Park? taxi, bus?
any inputs are greatly appreciated.
many thanks in advance
BR & God bless
I’d be tempted to go to Taipei Main Station and get an express train from there rather than take a slower train from Songshan.
There are free buses from the Hualian train station to the Farglory Ocean Park through January 24, 2011.
The same Web page says that a taxi from the train station would cost about NT$400 and take 25 minutes.
[quote=“cranky laowai”]I’d be tempted to go to Taipei Main Station and get an express train from there rather than take a slower train from Songshan.
There are free buses from the Hualian train station to the Farglory Ocean Park through January 24, 2011.
The same Web page says that a taxi from the train station would cost about NT$400 and take 25 minutes.[/quote]
AFAIK, all the east coast express trains stop at Songshan as well.
That’s good to know. Thanks!
Hi cranky laowai & Big John,
thank you so very much for your advises.
I would be taking the express train from Songshan station then. And bus from Hualien station.
Thanks again.
BR & God bless
Wow, they really need to translate their page into English themselves… the Google Chrome Translate auto-translation is hysterically AWFUL. http://www.farglory-oceanpark.com.tw/index.php?site=1&page_id=2 Notice that female visitors need not attend, apparently. To wit (emphasis mine):
[quote]Hualien, Taiwan, called the mountain, but it is a world-class landscape with magnificent treasures. In order to make the world more people can enjoy this beautiful waters, uphold the Far Glory Group companies operating public utilities like the strict spirit of service to the ocean as a central theme, leisure, entertainment, health, education, environment, culture intellectual and emotional features in one, to create the top level of the international resort of Ocean Park in Hualien Far Glory Hotel Panda and the Far Glory. Expectations as a starting point in Hualien, the series is far from the island over the male corporate groups across the island chain, recreation, leisure and enhance Taiwan’s overall quality, promote modern health care a reality, and the ocean for Taiwan in this whirling beautiful island, leave a breath of exports, an endless and sustainable evolution of the best footnote.
Blue sky, white clouds, forests, oceans, are you a male into the Hualien Ocean Park and Far Far Glory Hotel Panda can feel the natural scenery.The far infrared light can promote the metabolism of the body of harmful substances; back against the coastal range, filled with abundant forest resources, plant specific phytoncid; boundless list of the vast Pacific Ocean, with a large number of negative ions in the sea breeze gently blowing, the ease of the Doushishenghuo pressure and busy. Wander far in the Hualien Ocean Park and the Far Glory male Panda Hotel, and nature to the elegant waltz section, to search for the soul in the respiratory deposition, in joy, to show the most brilliant smile, and the natural balance of body and mind, access to Best of open re-start.
We give ourselves a sacred mission - to spread the dream of happiness factor. We hope to come away each male marine park visitor, regardless of nationality, regardless of age, regardless of color, regardless of language, both smiling and leaving with fond memories, this is what we want to present to each guest The. Expectations as a starting point in Hualien, the series is far from the island over the male corporate groups across the island chain, recreation, leisure and enhance Taiwan’s overall quality, promote modern health care a reality, and the ocean for Taiwan in this whirling beautiful island, leave a breath of exports, an endless and sustainable evolution of the best footnote.
We do not just service tourists, we have with this unit enthusiasm, hope you are also infected to our happiness, with a smile and a lifetime of memories to go home!
Unlike most amusement parks focus on the mechanical, artificial recreational facilities, Hualien Ocean Park Farglory presented to visitors is a combination of amusement and educational leisure park. There are eight themes, the four thematic performance, combined with the dolphin spirit scold Hui, funny sea lion show, mermaids, manatees ecological explanation, recreational facilities, crystal castle aerial stunt show, Broadway-style song and dance, parade and other mascots welcome, and a number of interactive experience can touch, feed marine animals. In addition Taiwan’s unique “ocean all night” camp, is to recognize the depth of the dolphins and the marine ecology tours of two-day night, night, together with marine animals can sleep with Oh! Let the size of friends over in joy, to further learn how to cherish and care for marine animals Haiyangziyuan.[/quote]
I was just here a couple weeks ago (though not by train) and want to plug this place for forum members with kids here. My wife got a buy-one-get-one-free deal at the hotel next door (plus upgrade!) for my birthday, and I was very skeptical. Ritzy hotels I’ve stayed at in Taiwan in the past have been cheesy, and I imagined the Ocean Park would suck.
That said, we had a fantastic time. I’m not sure how much I’d have liked it as a single dude, but with my two-year-old, it was awesome. The aquarium by itself is practically worth the price of admission - we visit the famous Scripps Aquarium in San Diego almost every year (at US $17, a ticket costs just over half the admission price of Far Glory!) and Far Glory’s blew it away. On top of that, they’ve got a gorgeous manatee, a really impressive dolphin show and a killer cable car at no extra cost (we rode that baby about ten times… at Sea World in San Diego, you have to buy a separate ticket!). Even the “carnival parade” or whatever they call it that happens twice a day was impressive if you’ve got kids. My daughter’s eyes just about popped out of her head when she saw their gorgeous costumes and floats, and SOOOO many bubbles! Funny thing is I heard Taiwanese people complaining the place is expensive, but clearly they have no idea what the overhead on a place like that must be, or what it costs to go to a comparable place elsewhere in the world.
It certainly looks from the outside like it would be typical Taiwan-cheese, with its cable car and faux chateau. And I’ve never set foot in the doors in my 7 years here in town. There’s also the ‘cetaceans-in-captivity’ argument against going.
That said, my wife went with my daughter a couple of years back along with her whole kindergarten class, and they had a great time. They stayed overnight, and sleeping pads were laid down for them in the dolphin under-water viewing room, which must be a pretty cool place to sleep for a 4/5 year old. Kid had a great time, and still sighs when we pass the Ocean Park adverts on our way to wander for free along a pebble-strewn beach: “Daddy, I wish one day we could go back and sleep with the dolphins again”.
What price an entanked mammal versus a little girl’s dreams?
[quote=“Nuit”]It certainly looks from the outside like it would be typical Taiwan-cheese, with its cable car and faux chateau. And I’ve never set foot in the doors in my 7 years here in town. There’s also the ‘cetaceans-in-captivity’ argument against going.
That said, my wife went with my daughter a couple of years back along with her whole kindergarten class, and they had a great time. They stayed overnight, and sleeping pads were laid down for them in the dolphin under-water viewing room, which must be a pretty cool place to sleep for a 4/5 year old. Kid had a great time, and still sighs when we pass the Ocean Park adverts on our way to wander for free along a pebble-strewn beach: “Daddy, I wish one day we could go back and sleep with the dolphins again”.
What price an entanked mammal versus a little girl’s dreams?[/quote]
Yes I recognize there are ethical issues. On the question of orcas, I’m totally opposed. But let’s face it: there’s always going to be some compromise. And I’m not sure it really serves the cause of ocean preservation better to not let kids come face to face with these animals.
As for the kitsch, I used to condescend to such things, but now I just take them with humor as part of the Taiwan experience.
have fun!!!