Taiwan Travels
Hey friend. Let’s go find a tea shop to get a tea to take on the train. I think we’ll want to sip while we watch the countryside flash by outside the HSR. ^^
In some aspects, traveling in Taiwan is quite easy. With the High Speed Rail connecting Taipei to Kaohsiung, nearly half the island is just a train ride away. Smaller cities and towns are more difficult to get to, yet even they are connected by public transport. In other aspects, travel can be quite difficult (or frustrating). Signage, although for the most part abundant and clear, can peter out when one needs it the most or be unintentionally vague. Speaking the language comes in handy at these times, as does having past experience with the area.
When traveling in Taiwan, there are some essentials to bring with you. Although most public restrooms have tissue and soap, many do not. Or, they will have it outside the door of the restroom so that one must take the tissue before entering the restroom proper. A way to deal with this is to bring a pocket packet of tissues. You will always have emergency tissues and it won’t matter if you forget to grab tissue before you entered the bathroom. Another travel must have is paper soap. Paper soap is a travel container filled with thin slivers of soap (it looks like the breath strips that are popular in America). I got mine in Japan. 😛 If you can’t find paper soap, then hand sanitizer is a definite must. Something that is more of a luxury that you might desire is a small hand towel. In larger businesses in Taiwan (department stores, primarily), it is common to have hand driers and/or paper towels. However, most places in Taiwan do not have either one of these. As someone who doesn’t like letting my hands air dry, I carry around a small hand towel.
Taipei is the biggest city in Taiwan. It is well populated and as such almost never sleeps. Depending on the area one visits, it can be quiet by 9pm or crowded until 3am. Taipei has some nice museums and monuments to check out. Notable places are Taipei 101, the Chiang Kai Shek monument, and the History Museum. One also can’t forget the nightmarket scene!
View from a hotel in Taipei.
Taipei night view.
I think this was the history museum. ^^;;
Carvings on the roof of the history museum.
Night market takoyaki. Definitely not as good as the real deal in Osaka, Japan.
An hour north of Taipei by MRT is Danshui. This is a coastal city that is also a popular tourist area. The whole area is fun to walk around and explore as it has a slight feel of a nightmarket in a much bigger area. There are food vendors, street vendors, and interesting small shops lined up along street after street. One can walk along the ocean, see where the mountain, river, and ocean meet up, or sip a tea at Starbucks and people watch. I highly recommend going in the off-season (winter months) as there are less people. A one-way trip to Danshui costs about NT$50 or US$1.50.
Ocean view from the Danshui MRT station.
Street view of Danshui, a bit further away from the main tourist area.
Taichung is a 45-60 minute HSR ride from Taipei depending on how many stops the train makes. A one-way trip from Taipei to Taichung is about NT$765 or US$24. When booking a ticket, one may choose a “reserved seat” or a “non-reserved seat”. A reserved seat ensures that one has a seat to sit in for the duration of the journey. A non-reserved seat is a gamble. If the non-reserved car is full, one might find themselves standing with their luggage in the aisle for the entire trip. A ride in the HSR feels like one in an airplane, albeit smoother and less noisy. People often bring food and drinks with them onto the train. Just like on an airplane, a lady will come around selling snacks and beverages. A little while later, another lady will come through with a trash bag. The HSR is a definite ‘must-do’ if you visit Taiwan. Although it is a bit more pricey than taking the UBUS, the speed, convenience, and atmosphere are worth it. Also, it is an experience to remember.
The entrance to the teahouse where I do my Sunday Bible study.
Cat cafes are alive and well in Taichung. This one is called Robot Station.
A tranquil water garden made from tea paraphernalia in the middle of a busy Taichung street.
Kaohsiung is the second largest city in Taiwan. It is an hour HSR ride from Taichung (about an hour and 45 minutes from Taipei). A one-way trip from Taipei is about NT$1,300 or US$51. Don’t worry if you go to buy your ticket and you don’t see a Kaohsiung station. The Kaohsiung station is called, “Zuoying” or “Xinzuoying”. =)
Night view of the Love River. One can take boat rides with their loved one here.
Kending is a small town on the south-western coast of Taiwan. The HSR does not travel to Kending, so one must take the bus (which takes about 2.5 hours) or a car service (which takes about 2 hours). The bus is about NT$300 (US$ 10) per person while the car service is about NT$400 (US$12) per person. After the bus arrives in Kending, it acts like a city bus and people will get off at several stops while other passengers come aboard. This is what equates for the difference in times between taking the bus and taking the car service. While in Kending, one can rent electric scooters (NT$1000 or about US$30 per day), walk around the National Park, walk along the ocean, go fishing, try out the local restaurants, or meander through the impromptu open street nightmarket that pops up at night on the main street. I highly recommend renting scooters! It was freeing and fun and one of the highlights of my visit to this tourist town. =)
Beaches in Kending.
Beaches in Kending.
Southern most tip of Taiwan.
View from the highway.
Feels like Florida!
Taitung is a smaller city on the east coast of Taiwan. The HSR does not travel to Taitung, so one must take the “slow” train. The HSR and the TRA (slow train) share a station in Kaohsiung. Therefore, it is easy to make a connection at the Zuoying station. On average, the train takes 3 hours (some less, some more; depends on the number of stops). The fare is NT$381 or about US$12. This train ride is relaxing and beautiful. As one looks outside the windows, they see beautiful countryside filled with plants, rice fields, and palm forests. One can also get a glimpse into rural Taiwan life.
View from the slow train.
Scenery from the slow train.
Scenery from the slow train.
Taitung!
Penghu is a small island off the west coast, nestled between Taiwan and mainland China. One must take a ferry or an airplane to reach this small, Florida-like island. Ferries run from Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Chiayi. The trip takes around 4-5 hours with prices ranging between NT$800-1300. The prices depend upon the type of seat one chooses. A one-way flight costs about NT$1700 or US$53 and takes about 30-50 minutes. Penghu is a beautiful destination for beach relaxation. Once on the island, one can rent a scooter or a bicycle to get around.
Beaches in Penghu.
Apparently I relaxed so much in Penghu, that I only took one picture. I feel ashamed of myself.
There are many more places that I have not visited yet! Here’s to future travels and exploring the world that God has created!!
May the Lord bless you and keep you,
Tr. Ruth
