Taking a quick break for a day or two

Gotta get away!

I’d like to get a break from Taipei for the weekend. I’m on my own so I’d like to just head somewhere on the train or bus, not to do much of anything, would just like to be in a new town where I can stroll around and chill out in a hotel. In fact, I’ve never been to Keelung. Since it’s close I was thinking I could go there for a day or two, or would I be better off going somewhere else? I haven’t been further south than Taichung / Sun Moon Lake, but I don’t know if I want to venture too far on my own, as I don’t speak Chinese and I’m generally a bit of an idiot.

Any ideas appreciated.

Take the HSR and go to Kaohsiung. MOre fun. Keelung?? Keelung is only worth an afternoon.

Or take the tilting train (Taroko) down to Hualian and take in the Gorge. Or any other train actually.

Spend a nite in that area.

No chinese? Idiot? NO Problem :slight_smile:

Or HSR to Kaohsiung and then minubus to Kenting. Great place.

Take the train down to Hualian and stay at amigos. There is always people around, so you won’t be bored if you on your own. Owner speaks good English and is really friendly and can help sorting out activities.

amigoshostel.blogspot.com/2007/0 … alien.html

If being an idiot had stopped me from going places, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

I’m with most of the others; head east.

If you must go to a town, go to Hualien. Formosa Backpackers Hostel is an easy place to stay, meet people, and find fun stuff to do.

Hualian is only 2 hours or so by train from Taipei

Personally I would much prefer a couple of days chilling out in Taroko Gorge at the Catholic Hostel in Tianxiang. Walk down to the Cimu Bridge and go swimming etc. Sanzhan nearby is also pretty cool but you would probably need more Chinese to manage it.

Another good destination close to Taipei and easily reached by train is Yilan or the neighboring city of Toucheng on Taiwan’s east coast. These places are good if you want to relax a little on the beach (though to be honest, I’m not sure how crowded it will be in August) and stroll around, swim, surf, etc, because other than that there’s probably not too much else to do (apart from hot springs in the colder season). It will just take a little over an hour by train from Taipei to get there. There are many nice hotels and hostels right at the beach. We stayed at a nice one last September. I think the price was around 4K per night including a wonderful breakfast. But if you’re travelling alone and prefer to spend less per night, I’m sure you can find something cheaper with equally good view and close to the beach.

If I was going to go to Keelung (as I might leave the other, sunnier, more crowded places til after August) I can just get a bus from Taipei Main Station right? Can anyone tell me how long it takes to get there, and if there’s anything I should be aware of.

If you’re really set on going to Jilong, which certainly wouldn’t be my first choice (Taroko, Hualian, Pingxi, Jiufen, Jinguashi, etc.), then take a train. There are at least two to Jilong every hour from Taipei Main Station. Travel time: about 40 minutes.

The night market is perhaps the main attraction.

Gilung is a very small town. There are plenty of buses that run there from TAipei . LIke every five mins. There are also minibuses that are better. And also plenty of trains . Usually the “electric commuter”

Its safe and i guess if you want to spend one nite and 2 days there, its pretty cool. There is a park that you can walk up to that has a good view of the city/harbour. There is the big keelung nite market that is very interesting.

So long as its not raining (which is rare for gilung) then its not too bad.

get yourself a nice hotel , say maybe the EVA airways’ Evergreen hotel. And its worth 2 days and one nite.

like i said, it better not be raining or else, Gilung gets old fast.

If you must do Gilung may I suggest this easy itin:

  1. take train from taipei main station to Gilung (electric commuter, its bout a 45 mins ride) and then stay at Evergreen hotel. Get there midday ish, check in. And go and explore the little city. At nite be sure to take in the nite market. Daytime get up to that park. its an easy walk from the nite market. Nice view up there.

There are little cafes and stuff around too and even some are local hangouts for local foreign engrish teachers and you can make friends with them. The local girls are pretty friendly too.

Next day, right in front of Gilung bus station are buses for Ginshan. LIke every 20 mins. Take the 40 mins ride to Yehliu (get off there) and check out the nice and fun park. Then jump back on the bus for another 15 mins ride or so and get to Ginshan. From there , you can take another bus that continues around the coast to Tamshui. Which is a fun little place and from there its an easy MRT ride into Taipei.

You can do it and you wont get far lost or get into trouble.

YOu might even get “lucky” :slight_smile: (and i dont mean paying for this “luck” )

Keelung and Chungli are in competition for the two worst holes in northern Taiwan. Keelung may have an edge because it rains more. It’s a grubby, hardscrabble port city in decline with lots of character and little to do.

If you don’t want to go far grab a tent and go and stay in the campsite near Fulong. Just a 10 minute walk from the train station or go and stay in Yilan or Luodong. Both of which are infinitely preferable to Keelung. You didn’t say that money was an issue so why not catch a plane or ferry to Matsu? Get a copy of the Lonely Planet and have a look.

this guy has a nice thread on a trip to taroko gorge. tells you all bout it. nice and inexpensive hotel, tour , etc

have a read:

shawnandmel.blogspot.com/2009/12/hualien.html
shawnandmel.blogspot.com/2009/12 … geous.html

And this couple has a coupla nice vids on a few visits around town. Yehliu (as i told you bout) and other places not far from taipei:

  1. intro
    youtube.com/watch?v=Ldzjco-i1qs

  2. day 1
    youtube.com/watch?v=t6mtoV-U … re=related

  3. day 2
    youtube.com/watch?v=D-vTOxBM … re=related

  4. day 3
    youtube.com/watch?v=MNQL2H6i … re=related

  5. day 4
    youtube.com/watch?v=UVg8UPpx … re=channel

6 finale
youtube.com/watch?v=cn2wWJl5brM

  1. bloopers

youtube.com/watch?v=XKnY8GqaOvQ

Gilung is a very small town. There are plenty of buses that run there from TAipei . LIke every five mins. There are also minibuses that are better. And also plenty of trains . Usually the “electric commuter”

Its safe and i guess if you want to spend one night and 2 days there, its pretty cool. There is a park that you can walk up to that has a good view of the city/harbour. There is the big Keelung (Jilong) night market that is very interesting.

So long as its not raining (which is rare for gilung) then its not too bad.

get yourself a nice hotel , say maybe the EVA airways’ Evergreen hotel. And its worth 2 days and one nite.

like i said, it better not be raining or else, Gilung gets old fast.

If you must do Gilung may I suggest this easy itin:

  1. take train from taipei main station to Gilung (electric commuter, its bout a 45 mins ride) and then stay at Evergreen hotel. Get there midday ish, check in. And go and explore the little city. At night be sure to take in the night market. Daytime get up to that park. its an easy walk from the night market. Nice view up there.

There are little cafes and stuff around too and even some are local hangouts for local foreign engrish teachers and you can make friends with them. The local girls are pretty friendly too.

Next day, right in front of Gilung bus station are buses for Ginshan. LIke every 20 mins. Take the 40 mins ride to Yeliu (get off there) and check out the nice and fun park. Then jump back on the bus for another 15 mins ride or so and get to Ginshan. From there , you can take another bus that continues around the coast to Tamshui. Which is a fun little place and from there its an easy MRT ride into Taipei.

You can do it and you wont get far lost or get into trouble.

YOu might even get “lucky” :slight_smile: (and I don’t mean paying for this “luck” )[/quote]

But the first thing you must do is replace every G with an J in tommy’s post. :laughing:

:slight_smile: yeah just leave it as KEELUNG , the way its been for upteen years.

We shouldnt change recognized place names.

Here’s a nice article on traveling the east coast that takes in Danshui, Jilong, Hualian and Taidong

thewildeast.net/news/?p=1285