Will going Taiwan in coming March of 2010.

Inquiries:

Anyone know whether if Air Asia Arrival at Terminal 1 or 2?
台灣桃園國際機場第一航廈?
台灣桃園國際機場第二航廈?

Anyone know whether if Singapore Airline at Terminal 1 or 2?
台灣桃園國際機場第一航廈?
台灣桃園國際機場第二航廈?

Thanks aeiou228 for fast response.

We are going there to collect the Digital Tour Buddy. (Bao Bei Ji)

More information at http://tour.youthtravel.tw/travel2009/1210...7ba5645b8a84d98

This post has been edited by transit: Mar 8 2010, 11:52 AM

Sure: Our trip to Taiwan is next week, therefore will share more with all in here. Hope it is a safe one becos recently we hear of many EQ (EarthQuake) around in various places of Taiwan Island.

Digital Tour Buddy Application has been accepted and ready to be collected during our arrival in Terminal 2.

This post has been edited by transit: Mar 10 2010, 07:24 AM

All: Reporting from me directly from Taipei

3/15 (MON): Arrived at Tune Hotel nearby LCCT, preparing to transit to TAIPEI via D7 2672 flight on 3/16 TUESDAY.
Hotel Comment: Powerful shower and Good Bed but the room size is relatively SMALL. Bus Shuttle is RM1.00 charge/trip/way.

3/16 (TUE): Flight to Taipei by D7 2672. (Air Asia X). AA X is using Airbus A330-300 Series and this plane is bigger a bit compare to the flight from PEN to LCCT using A320. 4 hours trip safely arrived Tao Yuan International Airport. Today rate is USD1$ to NTD$31.46 at airport at most of the money changer. So I take advice to exchange from RM to USD$ (in PEN) and the rate is much better compare to exchange from RM to USD$ in LCCT money exchange. (I did compare rate daily even after exchange in PEN, just wanted to share experience here) 3.395 in PEN, and in LCCT the best rate is 3.46 which is same day. 3/15 (MONDAY). If you use RM to exchange NTD$, then is RM8.xx to NTD$10 only.

The Immigration process is a smooth one. Just show them your valid passport, immigration arrival card (Will give by AA X air crew in plane) and returned flight e-ticket print out copy. The officier even share with me in TAIWAN they got 3, 5, 10 years passport validation period with same price. He is asking why I got 2 years valid date in my passport and I told him this is new policy recently MALAYSIA government accepted 2 years for RM100.00 and 5 years for RM300.00. It was a surprise to me when the officer will chit chat with me so friendly manner. I have visited to USA, Philipinnes, China, Singapore, Thailand and nor seen so friendly prior to.

We sign up a ground package in MALAYSIA (PEN) and the local tour guide is really informative and friendly too. It is 60+ uncle. He is patience to wait for us to get the Digital Tour Buddy at the arrival hall at Terminal 2. It is very easy to get the Digital Tour Buddy if you make booking online earlier. Just pass them your Malaysia IC and they will give the one nice bag consists of ONE phone, SIM Card, charger and etcs. You don't need to buy any prepaid SIM card in Taiwan if short period of Travel here. Just a reload in 7-11. In Ximending area alone, I tell you may find 7-11 easily (at least more than 5 outlets all nearby)

The journey from Taoyuan Airport to 臺北 city is about 50 minutes (without traffic jams). No traffic jams as we arrived Hotel in about 5pm.

Temperature arrival is at 16'C (cooler than what I expected earlier, expected at 20'C) Got to wear few layers as I didn't bring thick jacket here. Anyway the windy weather is really nice to walk around in Ximending.

There are many many street foods available here and many of ppls are very friendly. Perhaps we are speak in same language (Mandarin and Hokkien). By comparing, I strongly believed they are friendly than SINGAPOREAN/MALAYSIAN (Hope not to offense MALAYSIAN/SINGAPOREAN here) but I am telling the truth. The food is delicious...yummy...yummy..:-)

Many shops are still opened at 9.30PM prior to we walk back from Ximending to Hotel. The 7-11 shop selling many stuffs inside, facial masks are cheaper in Cosmed, Taiwan.

We are staying in 豪景大飯店, 臺北 and it's nicer compare to LCCT's Tune Hotel (RM137 room rate in 3/15). Going to share more tomorrow if got any Internet facilities in Hotel of Hualian. Today 豪景大飯店, 臺北 the internet charge NTD$100 for 2 hours; NTD$300 for 24 hours. I took 2 hours package only.

Tomorrow will be 41 ppls in a tour so see you later. Bye.

All: Reporting from me directly from Taipei

3/17 (WED): No stop at 五分埔 yet. Anyone know where is this place? Perhaps we will go in last few days next week.

Bought Pineapple Tarts, Each box NTD$325.00; accordingly to the shop non preservation inside and therefore only can last for 14 days. They will send to our hotel we stay on last night. The shop name is Vigor Kogo - 榮獲台北市鳳梨酥評比人氣金賞獎第一名. (Check here at http://www.taiwan-vigor.com.tw/front/bin/home.phtml) Just need to write down your name, hotel name and keep well the receipt with you & make payment.

Morning time passed by 圓山大飯店, Visited to 忠烈祠, 野柳地質公園, 女王頭 龍頭石 臺灣石 仙女鞋 地球石 菠蘿麵包石 拱狀石(金剛石)等特殊景觀

Noon time visited to: 九份, a place was featured in the movie 悲情城市, Starring Tony Leung (梁朝偉). It is accessible only by Bus from the train station at 瑞芳. Many foods (小吃) and souvenir is available there. Famous Mua Chi is there called "阿信的店".

蘇花公路縱貫, Taiwan is having the Asia's longest tunnel (Road), and it's 12.9KM long according to our Tour Guide, Mr. Lin. We are in the bus for many hours getting from 九份 to Hualien. Going through 宜蘭縣; 三面環山，一面朝海. 花生捲加冰淇淋 is one of the 小吃 seens in 蘇澳鎮, 瀕臨太平洋. Got one famous temple called "Nan Tian Gong" here.

Evening time arrived at Lige Hotel Hualien at Hualien, a 4 stars hotel rating and the room & bath setting is better than last night. FREE complimentary access until now.

Tomorrow(THU) and (FRI) will going 太魯閣 and stay at Master Bear Resort and may be no time to online any more due to night time got event & Friday will be Kaohsiung. Good bye for now.

P/S: Sharing Queen's head here taken today.

Just mananged to get online in Taipei today evening after going to Tai Dong, Kaohsiung.

The temperature here is 24'C, No cold for me and my wife. Only the 1st day (arrival in March 16, 2010) is 16'C (coolest in last 5 days). From the past 5 days average temperature, the time we have traveled from North to East, to South and then back to North today, the weather is good with 22 to 29'C. No need to bring thick jacket during this period, just normal jacket will do. Will share more tomorrow as we will be here until March 24, 2010. Tomorrow we will go around Taipei.

Yes the Yeh Liu's Queen head is getting thinner therefore no advise to touch it.

March 20 (Sat): Morning time we are traveling 5 hours in Freeway from Kaohsiung to Taipei. From observations, their highway service center is a good one. Got many shops and information center inside and it is built by open tenders by local county's authority, not like Malaysia. Very clean & convenience. Noon time, we are having the best steam dumpling (mini size) in Taipei. After lunch we are moving to 101 Tower. At Palace Muzium, so crowd and the muzium is not allow to snap photo inside. The muzium is great if you like the Chinese Culture. They use lots of Ni-MH AA Sizes Rechangeable Batteries in the ear set. [in Palace Muzium]

March 19 (Fri): Morning left Master Bear Resort to Kaohsiung. Kaohsiung is the 2nd largest CITY in Taiwan; however according to tour guide the economic there now is WORST there. it has the highest unemployment rate among in Taiwan. We went to Temple(s), Love River, Dream Mall.

March 18 (Thu): The only country side resort we stay during this few days in Taiwan. It is called Master Bear Resort; it is a bear themes. You may found many bears in rooms, in their dinning halls, customer service counter and etcs. Watcing A-Mei Culture show in evening.

Some observations in these few days: The 7-11 outlets is found in many town, places. No plastic bag is given when you buy less items. Many foods are available here. The steak is GREAT !!! The living cost for sure is higher than KL/Penang. Batteries (non rechargeable or Rechargeables) are much cheaper in Taiwan. (as usual I went to check the Eneloop price here and the fact is their retailed price is lower than our cost price; bo pian) Many of their toilet, the water basin are always located in the Middle of MALE and FEMALE washroom. Taiwanese are positive thinking. [majority from the way they converse with us]. Food are oily (but is delicious). BEERS are cheaper here!!!



This post has been edited by transit: Mar 20 2010, 11:35 PM


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Finally just back home (Malaysia) today evening from Taiwan and Singapore.

The last few days got no internet access and therefore unable to reply.

Round Island Tour booking from Hwa Jing (Malaysia) and it's RM799/pax plus Service Charge of RM346/2 persons.
www.hwajing.com.my

6 days 5 nights stay at different 3 stars hotel. The 3 stars hotel is ok for us. Those tour include one Health food and one Pi Qi shop. The rest all go to the attraction but very rushing as we only have 4 days to round the entire Taiwan Island from North to East then to South and then back to Taipei at North.

The tour guide (local in Taiwan) is SUPERB, he is 71 years old but still very energetic to bring and share many stories to us in the bus.

The tour food is so so niah..You better eat at Taipei for the road side or the night market is better.

The last 3 days we go Jalan Jalan ourselves around Taipei and Taoyuan; 1 day in Xiao Ren Guo (Doraemon) and 1 day in Taipei ZOO. (miss the Muzha Cable Car due to currently they are giving 10000 tickets per day for re-open back the cable car service).

I would Highly Recommended TAIPEI ZOO, you must not miss it. The reason is world class ZOO, bigger than Singapore ZOO and more live animals in Taipei ZOO. Furthermore the entrance fee is cheaper. NT$60/pax only. Singapore Zoo is much expensive & smaller.

If you go to travel within Taipei city, pls buy the EASYCARD (from any 7-11 also got). It can use in major MRT train or BUS..The initial value is NT$500 or you may buy 1 day or 3 days PASS too. The EASYCARD is valid for 2 years from the last reload date.

BTW, the weather is unstable. I remembering I say not cold there & then we facing the "Sand Storm" in Sunday (March 22). The temperature dropped fast and then 3/24 (WED) then weather back to good stage. So u just need to read/listen from their local TV channel news. Taiwan got more than 100 channels in their TV, very scary.

Will share some photos later as now is very tired and got to sleep liao..Tata & good night.

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Added on March 27, 2010, 11:56 pmNot from our flight on last March 16 (TUESDAY).

This post has been edited by transit: Mar 27 2010, 11:56 PM

b00n: Thanks for the correction on the EASYCARD portion. That is right! "Need NT500, but actual value is only NT400. NT100 is deposit which is refundable if you used more than 5 times."

epalbee3: not sure if meet you in Taiwan or not as we are there from March 16 to 24 (WED). I also take AA X from KUL to TPE.

To share the experience: We take risk as the bag pack is heavy to carry Laptop and our Laptop is safe.
The hotel we stay is Lilai Hotel nearby Ximending. I am not sure other Hotel ya.

You may pick up many road maps in Airport (FREE)...I have tons of them in my bag right now. Haha

Lester1987: For your requirement: You go easy back pack is more recommended. If you know Mandarin, then is more convenience too

Wonderful! Your Mandarin can help you to ask around in Taiwan when you need help there. :-)
S$ is very POWERFUL ler...the exchange rate is higher than RM to NT$ lo..I think should be enough for you to stay 4D/3N if you saja eat eat, jalan jalan. (except buying additional stuff/souvenir/gifts)

RM depreciated a lot in Taiwan. Advised you to exchange in Malaysia rather than exchange in Taiwan due to the rate here (Malaysia) is much better.

101 Tower is good too but I personally recommended ZOO TAIPEI..Cheap and many animals inside. The ZOO is about 165 acres very BIG ya. We miss the cable car (Maokong Gondola) there, hope you can get the cable car there. It will be reopened in end of March 2010. Now is soft opening only giving 10,000 tickets per day from March 22/23 onwards.

This post has been edited by transit: Mar 28 2010, 02:59 PM

These are the night markets we went: 士林， 饶河，西门丁, 台南.
西门丁 is more organized. (西门丁is own classified by us as night market :-)

Before I forget all information, just to share some local contact (Taiwan) in case anyone need them in future.

1. Taxi Service: Miss 彭燕勤0921-984-658 or Miss Li (her husband) 0921-984-678 --> This is a taxi service is from 景安捷運站 to Xiao Ren Guo or LeoFoo Village Theme Park. The Public Bus from景安捷運站 to Xiao Ren Guo or LeoFoo Village Theme Park need to wait too long and wasting time. NT$150/pax. If you take Bus is NT$120/pax but losing on the time spent/waiting.

2. Taxi Service: Mr. 赖锦宏 0915-262-622  This is a taxi service from Ximending/Taipei City Hotel to Tao Yuan CKS International Airport. NT$1000/taxi. Due to the heavy luggage, my original plan to get the Public Bus from Taipei Bus Station has been changed to Taxi. If you take Public Bus, it will be NT$125/pax. (Single Trip).

3. Money Exchange Service: In Ximending area: Miss 莊素贞 at shop name GLPBE JEWELRY Co. Basically her shop is selling JEWELRY but got the Money Exchange Service provided too. You just need to bring your USD$ or RM plus PASSPORT. They need to register your name prior to exchange NT$ note to you. Not like in Singapore, exchange money is fast. The exchange rate in HOTEL is no good. So my advise is to consider this in Ximending area (when you running out of Vitamin M/NT$) or exchange in Malaysia.

Dear Taiwan Travelers:

Any one like to buy my Taiwan Mobile SIM card? I bought from someone here and now still got balance and I would like to sell here at RM9.50; the balance inside should have more than this value as I terlupa to check prior to flight back last WED (3/24/2010). The expiry date is sometime in May/June 2010.

Do let me know in PM as soon as possible so that I can ship out by POS Express. (RM3.00).

I also got EASYCARD but this 2 EASYCARD got to reserve to my brother as he and his wife are going to TAIWAN at the end of the year 2010.

The weather in Taiwan can change much within 1 day even you got the weather forecast ahead.

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Added on April 2, 2010, 12:56 amtry search in www.agoda.com under Taiwan / Taipei City & Kaohsiung

This post has been edited by transit: Apr 2 2010, 12:56 AM

Yes, they are very friendly. Enjoy your trip there. My friend came back today mentioned it's COLD there few day...at night down to 5'C so you all take care ya.

Good Sharing!! A good one

Yes, WuFenPu got many clothes there...