Never heard that. That anecdotal evidence of backed by sciency people?
“Do not soak for longer than 15 minutes and do not let the height of the water exceed your heart” is generally part of the standard posted guidelines for Taiwan’s hot springs. I know because as I’m sitting in the spring there’s naught else to do but stare outside or at my feet or read the signage repeatedly.
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Some Latin friends swear by some bungalows you can rent by the beach in Penghu.
Heard Matsu offers nice deals.
Nantou away from Sun Moon Lake crowds is awesome. Needs a car for exploring.
Tainan/Chiayi bike trails. Like the ones between the wind turbines and the train.
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frick thats expensive
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how about hotel royal chihpen? Still good in taitung area? I loved it there when i went that one time back when they just opened was like 5000nt i think a night
https://www.hotelroyal.com.tw/chihpen/EN/ 7000nt/night early bird now
Cruise ships…
You are looking at one of the most expensive hotels in Taiwan there. Hotels aren’t always overpriced…But fanous hot spring hotels are often ridiculously expensive . OK general prices can be expensive in Summer and holiday weekends too.
I have had some great trips around Taiwan, my favourite have been driving the spine of Taiwan, trips into the deep mountains of Chiayi…Hsinchu…Nantou , also down around Kending, and Xiaoliuqiu swimming with turtles. Penghu is nice , I used to visit it a lot when living in Taichung but a little hot in summer. Going with a big family group is very Taiwanese holiday.
I’m going to book a few days in early June prior to summer break, summer hols here are going to be crazy.
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The question is whether the lack of tourists is going to balance out the number of Taiwanese who are unable to take a vacation abroad. The hotels don’t appear to be cutting their prices, so I assume they have figured out that the domestic market is enough. Or, they may be relying on tax-payer bailouts. Either way, there don’t appear to be any bargains to be had. At least there won’t be any Chinese tour groups.
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All families are stuck here, in a given year there are more tourists going out of Taiwan than coming in (especially since the Chinese stopped coming anyway ). Massive numbers of Taiwanese have been going to Japan regularly for family holidays…They are all stuck here. So we see the roads are busier on weekends going to tourist spots.
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I agree with @hanna on Hotel Royal Chiaohsi. Took FIL and MIL two years ago, and it was a hit. Very comfortable rooms, big choice of well-maintained outside hot spring pools and downstairs game room for kids and adults. Very good meals in high-ceiling dining rooms. Good walking trail a two-minute drive up the hill from the hotel that lead to a large waterfall (make sure FIL and MIL have good walking shoes). This place is very popular with Japanese tourists, and less so with Westerners.
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I’ve stayed in that hotel and it’s indeed a classy place. I wouldn’t pay that much money though, it was a company weiya thing. Are you going to pay for three rooms yourself. I don’t know where you guys get the money, I make pretty good dosh on a global scale here…and…somehow I cant afford these places.
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Is Green Island fun? I’ll be headed there at the end of June. No international travel planned for us either this year.
We spent two days there this April. Was nice without the tourist crowds, which will sure be there by now. I like the rugged coast and the diving is said to be fantastic. But then again, I wouldn’t like the idea to go there during peak summer season.
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It’s a different place at different times of year, end of June it’s sure to be busy. That doesn’t mean it’s all bad either though, at least most of the shops and restaurants will be open. Out of peak season it is very quiet.
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I wonder if things might be better since the kids won’t be out of school yet. But on the other hand, it WILL be over the long four-day, Dragon Boat weekend. If we like it, we’ll go again. My son has already decided that he’ll like it!
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…all bets are off.
Went there with the kids a few months ago. Was extremely quiet, the village is also very run down and poor looking (even compared to xiao liu qiu). The islands still suffer from very poor management, same as the first time I visited 20 years ago (basically HORDES of scooters being rented off the harbour, and way too many people buzzing around on them). But personally I prefer xiao liu qiu, which is more tropical and has the turtles off the beach and a little bit more variety in the town and things to do.
On the plus side for green island, yes it’s famous for diving and there are some good views and walks in the center as well. It rained us out when we were there so…
Penghu are the best islands to visit overall IMHO.
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I agree with all the negatives listed above by BrianJones.
But: Green Island’s memorial sites (they are many and varied) related to Taiwan’s White Terror period should not be missed. Everyone in Taiwan should see them.
Peace to all,
Guy
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Just got back from Xiao Liuqiu and highly recommend it. You can go snorkeling and see sea turtles. Rent a scooter and roam around the island. Drink some Captain Beer (only sold on the island). The place has a Southeast Asian feel to it.
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Me and the entire Gaelic team crashed that hotel after an upriver expedition. We missed the last bus so we thought we’d see if they’d call us taxis. God love ‘em they welcomed us into the cocktail bar as dirty as we were and we had a few rounds of maitais and then they drove us to the station in their own bus free of charge. Taiwan…no place like it.
Oh and they have a feckin’ human claw machine in the lobby. As in you get in the claw yourself and get lowered into the fluffy toy pit. Mental.
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You spelled my name wrong. No like for you.