Food in Taiwan

Oyster omelet  (蚵仔煎)

  

Stinky tofu (臭豆腐; chòu dòufu)

 

This is typical Taiwan night market "snack". I have also tried.. Well, it is not that bad.. Some people love it, but I think it's just so so..:) 

 

Mango ice (芒果冰; mángguǒbīng)

 Delicacy in hot weather. Try!! 

Pearl Milk Tea (珍珠奶茶; zhēnzhū nǎichá) 

This drink, also called Bubble Tea, a classic drink invented by a tea vendor in Taichung, Taiwan. Milk Tea has many variants, e.g. bubble black tea (泡沫紅茶) or bubble green tea (泡沫綠茶) and Pearl Milk Tea is just oone of its variants. If you stay in Taiwan for longer time, you can manage to try all variants of Milk Tea. Otherwise I can recommend you my favourite one from ComeBuy shop: "Passion fruit".


"Seafood dishes"
I love seafood whether it is on night market or in good restaurant. during my stay in Tainan I came across one fine restaurant in Anping area called "The Chen Family’s Fried Oyster Rolls" http://en062229661.tranews.com/ located on intersection of GuBao and AnPing street. It has nice environment and variety of food made of oysters.

Taroko Gorge 太魯閣國家公園

It's beautiful and magnificent with a lot of marble gorges, caves, trails and cliffs. For me one of the most beautiful places in Taiwan, it's worth to visit. From Taipei main station, you can take a train to Hualien, there you can rent a motorbike and drive by yourself to visit Taroko park.

Accommodation in Hualien:  Nearest accommodation is in Hualien.

 

Ivy International Youth Hostel 

No.30, Ln. 427, Sec. 3, Zhongyang Rd., Hualien City, Hualien County, http://www.ivystay.com.tw 

Very cute houses. Special rate of NT$700 per person with Youth Travel Card.

Getting to the Park

Taipei – Hualien (there are frequent trains from Taipei, 2hr5mins, NT$365 = cheaper train juguang)

Hualien bus company: Bus to Taroko National park

Buses leaves from Hualien train station and head to Taroko National Park Headquarters and Tianxiang. (about 1 hr(26 km) to Park Headquarters; 1.5 hrs(46km) to Tianxiang).

There is also free stuttle bus from Hualien train station to Taroko NP which leaves every hour. Bus schedule is available on http://www.taroko.gov.tw/English/?mm=5&sm=3&page=4#up.

Transportation through the Park -> You can take bus of Hualien bus company.

Bus Route – Hualien Bus company (Hualien -> Taroko NP and around the Taroko NP):

Hualien Train Station---28.3 km---Eternal Spring Shrine (take off the bus),after visiting the place take the bus to – Buluowan (lunch) —Swallow Grotto (1372m, 50 min)-  Tunnel of Nine Turns (The best Gorge Trail in Taroko National Park, 2km/40mins on foot, about 14km away from Park headquarters) (again take off the bus)  ---2.2km --- Cimu Bridge(Motherly Devotion Bridge)--- 300 m—Lushui ---2 km--Tianxiang(19km west of the park headquarters/30 minutes by bus.)

Eternal Spring Shrine

Eternal Spring Shrine: At the back of the Eternal Spring Shine there are stairs leading to Guanyin Cave, Taroko Tower, Bell Tower (the highest point), and across a suspension bridge to Changuang Temple (Zen monastery). The river valley next to the Changuang Temple has a bottle gourd shape, and it is named thereafter as Bottle Gourd Valley (Hu-lu Gu). The trail is a 1.3km/085mile leisurely walk will take 50 minutes to an hour for the entire loop.Start it from the Chanhuang Temple will be less strenuous. 

Tunnel of Nine Turns Trail

Tunnel of Nine Turns Trail (1.9km/1.2mile) (Jiuqudong)

The trail starts from either one of the east or west entrances to the Tunnel, at the Central Cross-Island Highway about 14km away from the east entrance .It takes about 40 minutes to walk one way. Along the trail one can enjoy the marble gorges, the rivers, the cliffs, tunnels, and the ecosystem of the vegetation growing amidst the rocky terrain. This is one of the best trails in Tartoko NP.

Swallow Grotto (Yanzihkou)

Along the Yanzikou (Swallow Grotto) trail which runs about a half kilometer starting from the entrance to Swallow Grotto to the Jinheng Bridge, you can enjoy the sights of the Liwu River from nearly straight above the water, the potholes on the cliff faces, the springs sprinkled along the lower parts of the walls, as well as the famous rock formation "Chieftain's profile rock". On the trail, you will notice caves and small waterfalls.

Chongde Shingle Beach -> take a rest!!

Follow the Chongde Trail, and go down to the steps, and walk for about 10 minutes and you will reach Chongde Shingle beach, which is covered with colorful shingle. Down to the shingle beach, you can view the lovely coastal scenery, with the azure blue sea and touch the soft beach. Looking to the north, you can see the Qingshui Cliff which is one of the "Eight Wonders" in Taiwan. You can admire the majestic appearance coastal cliffs.

The Baiyang Waterfall Trail

The Baiyang Waterfall Trail is characterized by the number of tunnels. Beginning with the entrance tunnel of 380 meters (by the Central Cross-Island Highway 900 meters west of Tianxiang) to the last tunnel before Water Curtain, you will pass through seven tunnels along the 2 kilometer trail ( the 4 km round trip will take about one hour and a half).

Buses from Tianxiang to Hualien Train Station

Last bus to Hualien train station leaves at 18:30.

Dinner in Hualien

Mai Ken Hsiang Northern Chinese Cuisine

Address: No.39, Zhongmei 10th St., Hualien City; 03-822-6802

10% discount on orders of traditional noodles, menu dishes and set meals with YTC card.

Kang- Ting Healthy Food House

Address: No.50, Fuji Rd., Hualien City; 03-857-5383

10% discount with YTC on dining bill; 20% discount on food product purchases.

OTHER ALTERNATIVES IN TAROKO GORGE

You may use discounted (YTC) Tour bus:  

• Taroko Gorge Half-day Tour (Depart from Hualien), 03-8355447
• Taroko Gorge Day Tour (Depart from Hualien): 03-8355447

Meeting point → Taroko National Park Admin. Visitor Center → Buluowan Plateau → Pass by Jinheng Park, Cihmu Bridge → Tiansiang Grand Formosa lunch  → Walk Tunnel of Nine Turns Trail → Changchun Shrine → Cising Beach → Return

• Taroko Gorge Day Tour 2 (Depart from Hualien): 03-8355447Meeting point → Taroko National Park Admin. Visitor Center → Buluowan Plateau → Pass by Jinheng Park, Cihmu Bridge → Tiansiang Grand Formosa lunch
  → Walk Tunnel of Nine Turns Trail → Changchun Shrine → Cising Beach → Return
• Hualien Taroko Gorge One Day Tour (Foreign languages tour guides available): 02-25713001, 02-25363782

Taipei → Hualien Airport (By plane) → Taroko Gorge → ( Eternal-Spring Shrine / Swallow Grotto/ Tunnel of Nine Turns / Marble bridge / Tiansiang) → Marble factory → Chi Hsing Beach → Stone sculpture Park → Return (By train)

External Links:

Official website

http://www.taiwan-travel-experience.com/taroko-gorge.html

http://iguide.travel/Taroko_Gorge

Yangmingshan National Park 陽明山國家公園

 The world-famous Yangmingshan National Park covers the volcanic mountain range behind Shilin and Beitou. There are hiking trails, hot springs and numerous areas to relax and fill your lungs with fresh air. Within the mountain range, there is also a cultivated area famous for its flowers, which are especially stunning in the spring. From Beitou, bus 230 plies the route every thirty minutes. It is a short walk from the bus terminal station to the cultivated area of the park. Hikers will enjoy the walk up to the peak of Qixing-shan (Seven-star Mountain).   

Admission to the park: free.

Getting around the park

The mountains are covered in a network of roads, and there are several mini-buses that leave from Zhongzheng Road (directly in front of exit 1 at Shilin MRT Station) that traverse the mountains.

For just NT$60, you can take the 108 bus around the park an unlimited amount of times during its operating hours (0700 - 1730). There are plenty of stops at various locations around the park, but you may have to wait 15 or 20 minutes between buses, so plan accordingly.

Getting back to Taipei:

Bus 260: Every 10 minutes, from Zhongzheng Road in Shilin, traveling along Zhongshan North Road, stop directly behind Taipei Main Station.

Bus Red 5 leaves from the park every 15 minutes, takes 40 minutes to Jiantan MRT Station, Taipei and costs NT$30.

Admission: Free

What to do in the Park?

 

Hiking

The mountain peaks are accessible by a network of well maintained hiking trails.

Tianmu Trail (天母古道), a pathway up the side of Yangmingshan from Tianmu (天母), the end of the Zhongshan North Road Sec. 7. The entrance is marked with a large signboard and map (in English). Up the trail about 1000 step stairway, you can see a historic water pipe line along the trail, built in 1940s. End of the steps, the trail becomes flat and comfortable, walk along in the forest and enjoy the clear air. Great! This trail is today one of Taipei's most popular day hiking destinations. You can take the MRT (Danshui line) to Zhishan Station and take the 220 bus from the intersection of Zhongshan North Rd and Zhongcheng Rd to the terminal station, then walk north up Zhongshan North Road past the circle about to the end of the road (about 5 minutes), and you can see the entrance with a large signboard.

 

Places to bathe in the Park

Lengshuikeng Public Baths - Open until 21:00. Free. Nude, men and women in separate buildings. Make sure to bring your own soap and wash cloth. The rules insist that you much pre-wash before entering the smallish 40 degree Celsius tub, and the attendees will insist too. Not many foreigners find this place, so if one, be ready to intimately meet the locals. The hike from the bus terminal takes about an hour and a half, and if planing to huff it back after dark, bring a flashlight. 

External links:

Official website

http://wikitravel.org/en/Yangmingshan_National_Park

http://iguide.travel/Yangmingshan_National_Park

Yangmingshan National Park Taiwan

Beitou Hot Springs Park 北投溫泉親水公園

Geothermal Valley

Beitou Hot Springs Park (Qinshui Park) , is a long, narrow park located directly across the road from Xin Beitou MRT Station. Within the park are fountains, the Beitou library, the Beitou Hot Springs Museum and an outdoor hot spring. Due to its central location, the park is a useful landmark for locating Beitou's other attractions. The park is also featured in the Hong Kong movie Turn Left, Turn Right, starring with Takeshi Kaneshiro and Gigi Leung.

                  

In Beitou:

Geothermal Valley (地熱谷), also called Hell Valley, it is located at a valley near the end of Zhongshan Road on the left-hand side next to Qinshui Park. This is one of the most famous spots in Beitou, a natural sulfur hot spring where water temperatures can reach 100°C (212°F).

Millennium Hot Spring is an outdoor public hot spring. At NT$40 (plus an additional NT$20 if you store your stuff in a locker), it's a great choice for the budget minded. After exiting the Xin Beitou MRT station, you'll see a park across the street. Walk up Zhongshan Road, along the left side of the park. On the way you'll pass the Hot Spring Museum. After the Museum, you'll come to a fork in the road. The entrance to the hot spring is on the right. As with most outdoor hot springs in Taiwan swimwear is required. Do bring your own swimwear, purchase it on-the-spot is available however limited choices and it can be quite expensive. They have a number of rules, available on English signs; it would behoove you to follow them lest the guy in the red shirt blow his whistle at you.