I prefer free and easy, so am planning to get air tickets only. The last time i went Matta Fair, outside like got the air asia counter selling tickets. Are those really cheap?
I waiting la for air asia promo or MAS promo..still waiting....n wating

i don think this moment will have promo for airasia as they previously ald had the promo..... if u r travelling this year then u should start go matta fair and ask the fare ticket ald...

i am travelling to taiwan this dec , any advice on the currency exchange??

that, u need to wait till few days b4 u go to see the difference...

Can anyone suggest me the itinerary for 3D2N for below places to visit in Taiwan? Other time i have the plan ready for Taipei

Route A (Taipei>>Sun Moon Lake>>Cinjing>>Taroko>>Taipei)
1) Sun Moon Lake Day1-overnight
2) CingJing Farm (清境农场) Day2-overnight
3) Taroko Gorge National Park(太鲁阁国家公园) Day 3- morning and back to Taipei

Question1
From Taipei to Sun Moon Lake transport?
High Speed Rail or bus? How long is the journey?

Question 2
What is the best transportation from Sun Moon Lake to Cingjing?
By bus or car? How long is the journey?

Question 3
Any transport from Cinjing to Taroko?
Definetely i will not miss Qingshui Cliff as stimix highly recommended from here..
But most of the info i search from the web is suggesting the route from Hualien instead..


Route B (Taipei>>Taroko>>Cinjing>>Sun Moon Lake>>Taipei)
1) Taroko and late evening reach Cinjing- overnight Cinjing
2) Cinjing and depart to Sun Moon Lake after noon -overnight Sun Moon Lake
3) Sun Moon Lake back to Taipei evening

Question 1
For Taipei to Hualien by High Speed Rail?
What is the transportation from Hualien to Taroko? I will assume only taxi right? And how long is the journey?

Question 2
Taroko to Cinjing by Taxi as well?

Question 3
Cinjing to Sun Moon Lake any bus?

I personally feel Route A is a better choice. Can expert over here give me good suggestion? Then i can complete the itinerary and do the booking for the hotel or BB as well

And any recommendation on BB stay in Sun Moon Lake? I still searching..and for Cinjing, i feel 清境农场 should be very good...anybody able to share the experience?

Thanks in advance for the recoomendation

This post has been edited by myuptownboy: Aug 14 2011, 07:11 PM

I'm currently planning my Taiwan itinerary as well so I can answer some of the questions. I am using Route A for my trip.

From Taipei To Sun Moon Lake, you can take HSR to Taichung station. From Taichung, you can board a bus. Perhaps you can get more info about the buses here: http://www.ntbus.com.tw/033.htm or http://www.rybus.com.tw/travel_lines_135.html. From Taichung HSR -> SML, it might take 1.5 - 2 hours to get there via bus.

From SML->Cingjing, if i remember correctly, you'll need to take a bus from SML to Puli. From there you transfer to another bus from Puli->Cingjing. Should take atleast 1.5 hours depending on how long you need to wait for the bus transfer at Puli.

For my case, I'm making a day trip to Sun Moon Lake and then head to Cingjing. I've booked a driver for this.

For the route from Cingjing to Tarako, I think the best way is to book a driver. I've booked a driver, Mr Li 0937980512 (teming_li@yahoo.com.tw) from Cingjing to Taroko.

I was also deciding if i wanted to go from Taroko to Cingjing. But i decided not to since it'd take about 2.5 hours to get to Hualien from Taipei via train , about 5 hours around Taroko and then perhaps 4 hours drive to Cingjing. Our driver mentioned the route between Taroko and Cingjing is quite dangerous especially so when it gets darker.

For Cingjing, I am staying 2 nights. First night at Starry Minsu (http://starry.nantou.com.tw/l) and second night at Shangrila Hanging Garden Resort (http://shangrila-resort.hotel.com.tw/eng/). Starry Minsu for the top down view of Cingjing town and being closer to the stars (tho i heard people complain about the dangerous & narrow road to get there). Shangrila Hanging Garden Resort because its inside the town and for a different environment.

This post has been edited by GKilla: Aug 14 2011, 09:58 PM

I'll answer what I know from my research for my coming trip. Most people take Route A.
Depends on your budget and number of people, private guided tour is recommended for Cinjing and Taroko. The public transport will consume a lot of your time.
You can take the train from Hualien station to Taipei (2h plus), there's no HSR.

What's your budget for accommodation?
Do you read Chinese? It's easier for you to research.

Air Asia Whale Of A Sale!

Booking Period : 15 August 2011 - 19 August 2011

Travel Period : 17 April 2012 - 10 September 2012

Taipei RM249 one way

Just found air ticket (AA) to taiwan, RM174 one-way (ticket only), same price coming back.

good price?

This post has been edited by SnoopyDevil: Aug 15 2011, 01:40 PM

taipei in May.. hows the season normally? Have anyone traveled during this period?

I know i can check out temp chart, but i needed some first hand travel experience during this month? I'm still abit skeptical

Exactly the very good price.. but u hv to check the month of traveling.. June to July is summer and very hot and may have typhoon..


I went on last June.. it's hot.. and i think May maybe a bit better

Frankly, don't bother about typhoon. I went in early July this year - fantastic had little rain daily, make the weather cool during the summer. We even managed to visit their annual beach concert in Fulong. It was great

thanks for the response GKilla
I'll be going Taiwan in Sep this yr..
Look like the route for us is quite similar..only different is you will be staying 2 night in Cingjing whereas i split the 2 night (1N at SML and 1N at Cinjing)

I do saw some blog intro for staying in 觀星園 Starry House..if i'm correct, Room price $1750 per night includes free transportation around Cingjing area, breakfast and dinner from the homestay.
But for my trip to Cingjing with only 清境农场 for visit..I think i'll prefer there..or can you share me more info on the interest of Cinjing?

for Cinjing to Tarako, how much the driver charge u? For my case, only 2 of us will be travelling. He will send u back to Taipei after Tarako?
Do u cover Qingshui Cliff as well?

Sorry for asking so much question..so eager for my trip in Sep

---

Added on August 15, 2011, 7:06 pmhi Aquariel, Thanks for your wonderful response.
2 of us will be travelling to Taiwan for 7D6N.. Accommodation in Taipei we plan for cheaper one, since most of the time we will be going outside..
Not sure any good recommendation on B&B in Sun Moon Lake? Honestly i still searching..any different on the sea view in Sun Moon Lake compare what we have here in Malaysia?

I can read and write Chinese..but just very inconvenient to type in Chinese..any good site for recommendation?


This post has been edited by myuptownboy: Aug 15 2011, 07:08 PM

Hi there... Anyone went to Taipei before during 1st week of August?

Hows the weather there like??

Early Sep is still summer holiday. I'm travelling early October.

For the first night, you could stay at

(a) SML - peaceful and quiet, not much to do in the night. Lake view wise, depends on personal preference. I don't think you can see anything in the night. You could always walk to the pier. Stay at 水社 if you want to take the bus next morning.

(b) Puli - if you are just planning to SML only and not SML + Cultural Village, then you should have enough time for SML (assuming you are taking HSR from Taipei to Taichung early in the morning). Then, you could head to Puli in the evening.

Still, you need to consider whether it's weekend or not as Nantou Bus have different schedule for Sat/Sun and Mon - Fri.

PS. There's a popular Chinese forum in M'sia. They have a lot of threads on Taiwan and some Taiwan drivers do post there, you could ask about the price.

I'll be going mid of Sep..Look like you are you travel Taiwan quite frequence huh.. Know so well about every places..
Reasonh i pick SML for a night stay is fancy on the cable car..Do u know 貓空纜車? Is the cable car tram got stop over there?

Do u have a driver to recommend from Cinjing to Tarako?
I think i will not include Cultural Village in my itinerary.. Not so fancy about it..
If just drop by SML, when the time i reach Cinjing will be very late.. nothing much i can spend on the night right?

Question over here again
Puli any interesting places to recommend? Heard about the Puli Brewery (埔里酒廠) ..not sure worth or not..

Btw, do u have any plan to stay over-night in Jiufen? Any good B&B for recommendation?

Is it Chinese Cari for the famous Chinese forum?

Heheh, this is my first time going.
I spent a lot of time reading forum and blogs. Google helps a lot too.
This route is popular among Malaysians, so there's quite a lot of info on it.

貓空纜車 is at Taipei.
Or do you mean 日月潭缆车？日月潭缆车has two stops, SML stop and cultural village stop.
If you are skipping the Cultural Village then you need to take the cable car from SML. (Hours: 10.30-16.00)
The official site has a lot of useful information: 日月潭国家风景区
台湾好行 for SML shuttle packages.

I'm not fancy about the brewery, there's not much to see. (Personal opinion only.)
http://www.puli.gov.tw/index.htm

Jiufen - I'm planning for a day trip only. So can't help you there, sorry.

PS. Check your pm. Even though I research about SML, in the end, I decided to skip this due to time constraint.

im went down to taipei last week...it was raining a little ....not too worry ...typhoon only passby taiwan so its nothing more then rains ...

I did not manage to get the promotion tickets for Apr and May

Guess have to wait next promotion if any. I planning to go in Apr

i'm going end sept. gonna stay a nite in Jiufen. here are 3 homestays i found quite recommended. i've booked Sunny Room. Windsor also not bad but abit pricey.

Windsor B&B http://windsor.idv.tw/WindsorD.asp
Sunny Room http://www.sunnyroom.tw/room.php
Aegean Sea http://www.aegeansea-i.com/