To go through all the places as well as the food that I had, it would take a long, long time since I spent 10 days in Taiwan. While some places as well as food deserves a post on its own, I would like to compile at least the most worthwhile places to visit when you are in Taiwan rather than spending your precious time at some places which may not seem to worth your time.
So, here are the top 10 MUST-VISIT places which you can include it into your itinerary for your next visit to Taiwan:
1. Jiji station, Taichung
You might be wondering why on earth do one wants to go to a train station. There are 2 stops that claim Jiji station - the first stop is merely for people to take a ride and another stop is merely for phototaking session, I assume? When you are at the first stop, I recommend you to buy the banana roll - the roll is crispy yet thick in smell and taste. The second stop is worth to go where one can inhale the fresh air while feasting the eyes with a greenery landscape. You can also take some random, creative image shots to bring back home.
2. Formosa Aboriginal Culture Village
Compared between Formosa Aboriginal Culture Village and Sun Moon Lake, I strongly reckon the earlier one. I did visit Sun Moon Lake but that did not impress me at all. Aside from hopping from one island to another, I had a bite on the famously known "Ah Po Char Ye Dan" which I personally did not fancy it. I would rather spend my time in the cultural village and watch some of the classic yet contemporary performance. By then when we stepped into this village, it was already afternoon and we only managed to catch one performance. Other than that, we were mainly touring around, getting to know the lifestyle of each and every tribe in Taiwan such as Tsao, Paiwan, Bunun, Naruwan and etc.
Established in 1986, Formosa Aboriginal Culture Village has five theme parks; the European Gardens, the Aladdin Plaza, the Aboriginal Villages, Amusement Isle and Ti Ka Er Rainforest. What you just need to do is to stroll till the end in order to be greeted with amusement park as well as the European Gardens. We were quite lucky as we managed to witness one of the marriage traditions of one tribe before headed back home. No regret visiting this place though the admission fee is quite pricey.
3. Little Swiss Garden, CingJing Farm
The Small/Little Swiss Garden has been named as "Taiwan's Little Switzerland" and "Paradise in the Mist" due to the view which is rather similar to Northern Europe. I, myself have never been to Europe so I can't do any comparison for now. Yet again, if you want to have a little space for your body,mind and soul to relax, you can go to this place.
Little Swiss Garden is not big however, it could refresh one's mind due to a myriad of plants and flowers there. Try walking up the steep and you will be welcomed by a few benches, overseeing the overall landscape of Little Swiss Garden. It's simple serene, peaceful and breathtaking - just let the wind to accompany you while your ears entertain the birds chirping.
4. Taroko National Park
Founded in 1986, Taroko National Park is one of the trails that brings one to the past, reminiscing the moment on how people used to travel from one area to another. Though you might be immersed with sweat, you will also be blown with fresh air while putting your bravery, determination and perseverance into test.
Riding on this opportunity, do allow me to enlighten you with some of the national parks in Taiwan. There are indeed 8 national parks namely: Kenting National Park, Yushan National Park, Yanmingshan National Park, Taroko National Park, Shei-Pa National Park, Kinmen National Park, Dongsha Atoll Marine National Park and Taijiang National Park - start planning to visit these national parks if you are an adventurous person.
5. JiuFen, Taipei
Yes, this is a must-go place - not because of pure recommendation but a shopping haven for tourists especially.
Founded during the Qing Dynasty, this small town was an isolated village until the discovery of gold during the Japanese occupation. Up to today, the buildings in the town remain unchanged and that leads Jiufen to experience a tourist boom starting from 1990s.
In Jiufen, it is filled with both retro Chinese and Japanese style cafes, tea houses and etc. All can be found here from a myriad offerings of food all the way to clothes, shoes, souvenirs, leather accessories and anything that you can name it. Of course, being a smart consumer aka tourist, you can check on the prices first before buying them as you might be able to get them cheaper when you stroll along.
6. YehLiu Geopark
The rock landscape of YehLiu Geopark is one of the most famous wonders in the world. There are about 3 areas in the park where the first area contains mushroom rock and ginger rock, second area contains the Queen's Head, Dragon's Head Rock and the third area is the wave-cut platform located on the other side of YehLiu.
Before the Queen's neck breaks off anytime, it is best to visit this place as soon as you can. This is because the neck of the Queen has apparently becomes thinner and it can be broken off anytime soon - after all, this place becomes a tourist attraction due to the Queen's neck.
7. Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, Taipei
While you choose to visit Taiwan, it is important for you to know some of the history and background which can be attained if you visit the National Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall. I was pretty grateful that at least, English is used to describe the story; otherwise, I would not understand a single thing and leave this place with empty hands. From this visit, I guess I know him better? Haha
8. CingJing Farm
Immersing yourself in the fresh air and the scenic wild greenery of the Cingjing Farm, you will see herds of sheep grazing on the land. As it is very rare for us, Malaysians, to see sheep with our naked eyes, now you can do so by visiting the Green Green Grasslands. The sheep in CingJing are very friendly where you can touch them, feed them and even, take photo with them.
9. Tunnel of Nine Turns, Hua Lien
If you are a person who values nature, you can go to Hua Lien, that is surrounded with marble. The name of this tunnel derived due to the gorge is so narrow - it takes about 30 minutes to stroll along this tunnel and gives access to enchanting scenes of the gorge, river, stone strata and etc.
10. Xi Men Ding
I personally like Xi Men Ding though I was given a culture shock when I put my footprints into that area. It's like a second KL to me. When I stepped out from hotel, hola, Xi Men Ding was there to greet me - I had KFC there, witnessed a street performance, shopped for food and clothes on street as well as an underground shopping tunnel, treated my thirst with sweet ice mangoes, watched midnight movie, and many more. It really saves my time from travelling one place to another.
All in all, it was a great 10 days trip though we were overwhelmed with tiredness. Nevertheless, this was one of the most remarkable trips that I had this year. If you realize, I do not recommend any night markets - some night markets like Raohe Night Market and Feng Chia Night Market are pretty ok to go but Shilin Night Market is a nightmare to me. The surrounding was simply too crowded. You barely can move from one place to another and sometimes, you might just get lost within the market itself. We spent just an hour and decided to head back to Xi Men Ding - Shilin Night Market is just unbearable for us.
In any case, thanks Taiwan for the good memories. We will be back again for sure :)
Regards,
Foodiestravel
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