Taiwan Diaries - My travel boots

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness”
Mark Twain

And I would now tell why I am using this quote by Mark Twain. Asia is full of beautiful experiences but when we speak about travel in Asia, it is almost always about the more glamorous neighbours of Taiwan, like Hong Kong, Singapore, China, Japan, Korea, Thailand etc.

It is only when you experience Taiwan also known as Formosa, that you believe the beauty that the place is, with friendly and warm people, a unique culture, rolling lush green hills to bluest of the beaches and amazing food! As Jim Rohn once said “ Better understated than overstated. Let people be surprised that it was more than you promised and easier than you said.” And I couldn’t agree more once I experienced this beautiful country.

Table of Contents

Essential Taiwan

In our travel through Taiwan, I would say we barely were able to scratch the surface but even that was a brilliant experience. The places we covered in our 8 nights 9 days trip are what one would say is Essential Taiwan, though Taiwan deserves much more time and attention than that. I obviously hope to return and explore more of this pretty gem of a country, till then, read on…

Why Taiwan

Because of some of the reasons I have stated above. And some others are the experiences recounted by friends who have visited the place, a great weather in the month of October which is when we did the trip and a smooth visa process about which you can read here.

Travelling through Taiwan

For travel through Taiwan, we used the services of a car rental company which goes by the name of OWN RIDES , along with a driver and found it to be pretty satisfactory. The primary reason behind this was that we felt after having researched in many forums, that language could be an issue in Taiwan and having a driver who knows the place and can communicate in the language you speak, always translates into having an amazing guide. And we couldn’t have found a better guide than our driver, Hudson.

Day 1 – Taichung

Our short flight to Taichung takes one and half hours from Hong Kong. The immigration process is smooth and takes very less time to complete.

We come out of the airport to find a smiling Hudson holding a placard with our name on it. Yeah, that’s the name of our driver. Introductions made, he puts our luggage in the car’s boot and we take our place in the car. He is chatty and starts telling us about Taichung and its attractions.

Our stay

We check in Lailai Hotel (You can book at http://www.booking.com ) which is conveniently located in the North District but since the actual check in is at 3:00 PM, we leave our luggage at the hotel and almost immediately start our trip at around 12:00 PM.

Stay tip : You can have a look at trip advisor for best stay options in Taichung. It is advisable to stay near the Taichung Station for ease of travel.

Our top experiences

Day 1 – Stop 1 – Miyahara Ice Cream Shop

What is so special about an ice cream shop that it is there on every tourist’s Taichung Itinerary, you may ask. For one, this place used to be an ophthalmology clinic, owned by a Japanese man named Miyahara. Later it was turned into the Taichung City Government’s Public Health Bureau. In fact, all through Taiwan, glimpses of Japanese style architecture are visible since Japan ruled Taiwan for 50 years.

Once the Bureau moved to another place, the site remained deserted for a long time and was partially destroyed by the 1921 earthquake.

miyahara ice cream — In front of the Miyahara

However, now if you look at Miyahara, you wouldn’t know all this. You will be stunned by the Harry Potteresque interiors, the beautiful tall ceilings, the shining wooden bookcases, an amazing and colourful display of different kinds of local and traditional desserts like pineapple cakes, cookies, chocolates, wrapped in fine and pretty packaging and kept inside a glass counter. There are several kinds of luxury tea which are available and it is definitely a difficult task picking up one!

There is a restaurant by the name of ‘Moon Pavilion‘ on the second floor of the Building which serves traditional Taiwanese cuisine.

Having explored the place, we can’t contain ourselves and are dying to have the famed Miyahara icecream. The Ice cream section has a delectable ice cream spread. There is quite a long queue. After waiting for half an hour, we finally get our hands on the icecreams. The kids are delighted by the size and the flavour. Miyahara is a must visit for its ice cream and desserts.

Day 1 – Stop 2 -Taichung Railway Station

Taichung old Railway Station, dates back to 1905 when it was a wooden building. Later in 2017, it was rebuilt as a red brick building. The architecture is influenced by Japanese colonial style and the station has been classified as a National Tier 2 Historic site. The place gives a sense of history of Taichung.

The new station building right next to the old one, is made out of glass and concrete and looks very modern and different than the old station. There are some sculptures in front of the two station buildings which make this a nice, picture clicking experience. The kids are quite taken in by the sculpture of the dragonfly and the big colourful man. It is like the old meets the new.

Day 1-Stop 3-Rainbow Village

Rainbow village is a tiny settlement of 11 houses and is a colourful destination on every tourist’s wishlist who visits Taichung.

There is an interesting story about how Rainbow village came into existence. The village originally went by the name of Caihongjuan, had 1200 houses and was built for veteran soldiers. At some point of time, developers wanted to demolish the village but one Mr. Huang (lovingly know as ‘Grand pa‘) did not want to leave the place. His neighbours left and he started painting the remaining 11 houses in the village in bold and vibrant colours and made motifs of birds and animals. His art was discovered by the local University students and they ran a campaign to save the village.

And guess what? The village remained and is now one of the most popular destinations to be visited when in Taichung. It takes around 45 minutes to explore the place and some say that if you are lucky, you may get to meet Grand Pa. We surely weren’t.

Day 1 – Stop 4 – Chun Shui Tang (Origin Store for Bubble Tea or Boba Tea)

This is where it all began. The place was founded by one Mr Liu Han-Chieh, who after a visit to Japan in the early 80s, where he saw coffee being served cold, got inspired to serve cold Chinese tea. It is claimed that bubble milk tea was invented in March 1987 when the Manager poured Taiwanese tapioca pearls (also known as fen yuan) into a tea drink. And now the popularity of Bubble tea or “Boba” has crossed the borders of Taiwan and spread to many other countries.

Anyway, the place is very crowded though thankfully we get a place to sit. The order has to be placed in the beginning by ticking on the items you want on a paper and the payment has to be made upfront.

It is a hot day and the bubble milk tea is nice, not very sweet and tastes refreshing on a hot day. The chewy tapioca pearls in the end lend an amazing taste to the tea. The food is decent, nothing extraordinary though.

Though we were not aware, the place also offers DIY sessions on making bubble tea and its advisable to book in advance in case you wish to undertake this activity. You can book this activity here.

Day 2 – Stop 1-Xinshe Castle

Its a bright morning. We decide to start our day with the Xinshe Castle. I happen to mention it casually to the receptionist and she immediately tells me to carry some warm clothes and insect repellants since it is in a mountainous area. The journey takes around 50 minutes. We get to know from Hudson that all the structures in the castle are made of red stone blocks and it looks like a European castle.

We reach Xinshe and buy the entrance tickets. It is not very crowded but can get crowded and one is advised to book ahead. Trip Advisor offers some good trip options which you can book here .

The place looks very peaceful and there aren’t many people around. However, we see a wedding shoot happening and it is a pretty sight. There is lots of greenery around and a lovely pond. The gardens are beautiful and there is small but lovely waterfall. It is a man made castle and it has no historical significance.

The restaurant is over priced and so is the souvenir shop. I feel this is a place which meant more for photo shoots though the environment is nice and the place looks like a British castle ground. It is good for spending a couple of hours though I wouldn’t go as far as to say that this is a must visit.

Day 2 – Stop 2 – Zhongshe Flower Market

Next on our itinerary is the famous Zhongshe Flower Market (or the Chung She Tourist Flower market).

When we enter, it just looks like a large flower market with different shops selling different types of plants, seeds etc. But don’t be misled by the exterior.

After buying the tickets, we go in the garden (Details regarding the market are available here). Nothing prepares us for the beautiful field of flowers and we are immediately taken by its stunning display of colours of different flowers in bloom. The place shouts ‘instagram’, it is so beautiful.

There are musical instruments set amidst the stunning blooms, some fairy tale characters, beautiful carts, photo frames. The sunflowers look pretty against the backdrop of the blue sky and mountains and so do the various sculptures placed in different places in the garden. It is not a very big garden and the time you spend here would depend on how much time you wish to spend amongst the flowers since this is a very photoworthy place. We spend around an hour here.

It is not a very big garden and the time you spend here would depend on how much time you wish to spend amongst the flowers since this is a very instagram worthy place. We spend around an hour here.

Day 2 – Stop 3 – Gaomei Wetlands

After spending some time at an outlet mall, we drive to Gaomei Wetlands located in Qingshui District in Taichung. Gaomei Wetlands is an ecological preservation zone and is known for its natural resources and awesome sunsets. We reach the wetlands just in time for the sunset and well, what a mesmerising view. We get down and walk in the mud which there at the end of the board walk. There are so many windmills and they look stunning against the colourful sky.

This is one sunset I will always remember. It would do one good to carry a bag to keep your shoes while you enjoy walking on the mud. This is must visit because of the awesome sunset.

Day 2 – Stop 4 – National Taichung Theatre

We make a quick stop at the National Taichung Theatre. This free-form structure houses three theatres of varying capacities within its organically sloping halls. At 40,000 sq m, the eight storey venue is based on a three dimensional grid, which has been shifted and sculpted into an irregular form reflective of a coral reef.

Day 2 – Night exploration -Fengjia Night Market

It is quite late and we are told that this is when the Fengjia Night Market, one of the most popular night market of Taichung, established in 1963 comes to life. We decide to go visit the Fengjia night market to get a first hand feel of the night markets of Taiwan.

The market is vibrant with different stalls selling different wares, but what fascinates me is the amazing variety of food different stalls are serving. Taiwanese Street food is epic and you will find the most amazing varieties of dim sums, sausages, mushroom delicacies, bubble tea, meats etc. Going by the lines in front of some of the stalls, it can be safely said that the people really like their food.

I love the hustle and bustle. Taiwanese people look very happy and infact, I realise that they are very friendly people.

Taiwan is known for its mushrooms and we decide to have it at stall recommended by Hudson. There is a huge line and I really have to wait for my turn which comes after half an hour. I chat a bit with the guy roasting the mushrooms and then order the lemon pepper mushrooms. It turns out to be very yummy.

Loved the mushrooms at Fengjia night market

There is a stall selling roasted sweet potatoes. This is one thing which you will find everywhere in Taiwan. Having never paid attention to having something like the ubiquitous sweet potato, somehow I feel like having it. The smell wafts in the air.

We see an old street vendor selling sweet potatoes. He has a portable kiln whose bottom is covered with hot glowing charcoal and the sweet potatoes which are hung by hooks around the brim have never looked so attractive. The roasting process is a slow one and the potatoes have now turned crispy black. We buy some and eat and its oh so great in taste.

We buy some knick knacks from the market including some mobile covers with pretty designs, shoes and souvenirs. We then go to a stall and have some bubble tea. We also realise then and there that it will be our constant companion for the whole duration of our trip. Its as common to Taiwanese people as drinking water.

We go back to the hotel already looking forward to the next day.

Day 3 – Sun Moon Lake

We get up early in the morning for our day trip to Sun Moon Lake and after having breakfast, are on our way for a day trip to the famous Sun Moon Lake. You can read my detailed post here.

Sun Moon Lake in Nantou Yuchi Township, Taiwan, is a serene lake surrounded by mountain ranges and is visited by millions of visitors every year. It is one of the most beautiful places in Taiwan and was named such after its physical resemblance to a sun and a crescent moon.

The first stop – Wen Wu Temple

We start our trip with a visit to the Wen Wu temple near the Sun Moon Lake. It is a beautiful temple with a Chinese architectural style and has three separate halls, with the Central hall devoted to Guan Gong, the God of War, and the warrior-God Yue Fei. The second floor is a shrine devoted to the First Ancestor Kaiji and the God of Literature. The rear hall is dedicated to Confucius.

The Wen Wu temple has beautiful views of the Lake especially, if you climb up to the terrace which we do and take in the wide expanse of the crescent shaped lake and its stunning and serene views.

Stop 2 – Boat ride at the Sun Moon Lake

After spending some time at the temple, we go to the Ita Thao Pier. To reach the Pier, we have to cross a street which is full of street food vendors and small shops. There is a lot of crowd and I see people are thronging the stalls of food and drinks. We have a refreshing bubble tea at a small shop and then we walk towards the Pier.

Hudson, our driver has already arranged for the ferry tickets. However, I would advise that the tickets be booked on Klook so that there is no need to queue up and one may also land up some good deals. The Sun Moon Lake Ropeway is also here and is known to have a great view of the lake and the mountains.

The lake has beautiful views and has is tranquil. The surroundings are lush and green and a balm to the eyes.

There are two types of boat tours. While one allows you to hop on and off from each stop and stay as long as you desire at each stop, the other takes about an hour, merely making one-stop while other sights would be simply passed by, and giving passengers a 15-minute stay at the stop before heading back. We take the latter due to time constraints.

The boat stops at the Xuanguang Pier. There is the Xuanguang Temple which is small temple but the place seems to be famous for the famous Ah Ma tea leaf egg stall. Ah Ma, an old lady, sells tea braised eggs which are hugely popular. We hear that the stall location was given Mr. Chiang Kai Shek, the then leader of China.

The third stop – Ci En Pagoda

Done with our boat ride and lunch, we go to the Ci En Pagoda which sits on the 954 meter-high Sha ba lan Mountain. It was built by late President Chiang to honour his mother. It is a steep climb of around 700 metres though doable if fitness is okay. We huff and puff a bit and reach the top. It is quiet and not many people are there.

The Pagoda has 9 levels and you can climb depending on your fitness levels. Views of the lake are definitely worth it though frustratingly, for us, it is cloudy and hence the view is not so clear.

And last but not the least..The Oh so stunning Bicycle trip

Last thing of the day. We are tired but it is said that no trip of the lake is complete unless you do a cycling trip around the lake. The cycling route around the Sun Moon Lake is said to be one of the “10 Breathtaking Cycling Routes” in the world (CNN News) and we just have to do it.

There are two ways to do it, the full loop of 29 Kilometres (18 Miles) or the shorter and easier 12 Kilometers (7.5 Miles). Evening has set in and we have the small one too. The shorter ride makes sense due to the lack of time and we hire some cycles from a cycle shop. We get one with a baby carrier fixed to it.

The route is full of pleasant sights of the lake and lush surroundings. The lake has gleaming green waters which sometimes changes to blue. There are small pretty bridges and beaches (yeah, even the lake can have beaches, very small ones though :-)). We find the trail to be a beautiful experience. We see many people fishing and enjoying the quietude, street food vendors and people walking around.

The day is over. We go back to Taichung with memories of the tranquility of the lake.

Day 4 – Ren’ai (Cinjing Farm)

The next day we say bye bye to Taichung and go to Renai.

The journey from From Taichung to Renai is very picturesque and we see some stunning landscapes of Taiwan before reaching our hotel, Europe Villa.

The hotel is also very pretty, like a fairytale house and the kids immediately fall in love with the place. The garden is lovely with some story book characters.

The scenery at Ren’ai is really breath taking with beautiful mountains and lush greenery. We rest a bit and then have a light lunch at the Starbucks in the Cinjing Farm Visitor Center.

Hudson takes us to see the charming Old England Manor. This is a hotel but seems to attract tourists also. It has the looks of a British mansion with a huge clock on the main tower and an old worldly charm. The views from the place are awesome and we spend some time here, happily clicking some photos.

Next on our list is the Cinjing Farm or the Qinjing farm as it is known locally. We are really looking forward to this because it is a farm and the kids will get to play along with some cutesy animals.

The farm was created in 1961 to habilitate demobilised soldiers listed in the armed forces and their dependants.

We enter the farm and are taken in by the lush green meadows, the rolling mountains and grass, the sheeps grazing around. This place looks like mini Switzerland. It is quite pretty with little colourful windmills.

Qingjing — In front of a pretty windmill

The air is fresh and there is a pleasant breeze. We enjoy walking through the farm meeting white and fluffy sheep on our way. The little one is enamoured.

We are greeted with some nice views which the kids love.

An equestrian and acrobat show takes place everyday at a Circular Theatre located next to the Guanshan Pasture nearby the south gate of Qingjing Farm. We attend the 3:45 PM show(the other one being at 10:45 AM) and have lots of fun watching the skilled horse riders, said to be from Kazakhstan, who entertain in different ways. The horses look fine bred too. Half an hour passes by in a flash. The riders stand on the horses, shoot, roll and leap with great skill and dexterity.

We walk around a bit more having some fruits and ice cream post the show.

We go back to the hotel, tired but happy. The hotel manager recommends the nearby Spring Ground Hot Pot for dinner and we get ready to have this unique experience.

The ‘Hotpot’ experience

In Taiwan, Hot pot is a community meal where family and friends sit around a pot and share the meal. It is a very popular way of having food especially in the cold winters.

The atmosphere is great and the servers show great hospitality. We have specifically requested for a vegetarian hotpot which is very unusual for them. But Taiwanese are really friendly and helpful people. The server warns us that a vegetarian hot pot won’t be that great but they will do all they can to make our experience pleasurable.

A big pot full of a delicious boiling broth is placed on the burner of our table. The server keeps a wide variety of vegetables along with different kinds of accompaniments. We put the veggies we want to eat in the broth, let them cook and then have them. We rather like this spicy broth and have a lot of it along with the veggies. We are also impressed with the Taiwanese hospitality.

Day 5 – Taroko National Park and Taroko Gorge

This is to be the highlight of our trip. Though now I can say with confidence that Taiwan has so many beautiful places, hidden gems, that it would be unfair to rank one place above the other.

Stopping at Hehuanshan

We start early in the morning. After a drive, we reach the place from where the Taroko National Park begins. We stop at Hehuanshan, a beautiful alpine area that has peaks over 3000 m and in fact, it is also known as ‘Switzerland of Taiwan’. The hills are covered in verdant green. The road reaches an elevation of 3,275 m above sea level which makes the peaks accessible from the road.

And finally Taroko Gorge

Taroko Gorge, is also known as the Taiwanese Grand Canyon, and is often cited as the top most scenic attraction of Taiwan. It is known after the “Taroko” or “Truku”, a Taiwanese aboriginal tribe.The first 19 Kilometres of the Provincial Highway No. 8 is the Taroko Gorge.

The Gorge has mountain walls which soar hundreds of metres above the river and the gorgeous views have totally mesmerised us. We find the scenery at the Gorge to be absolutely breath taking. We see the picturesque Eternal Spring Shrine on top of a mountain and a waterfall streams out from the mountain.

The calm blue water of the Liwu river flowing gently is a balm to the tired eyes. Hudson tells us that in rains, it is a sight none can compare to. Ah well, we will have to come some other time for it.

The scenery in the Park though, is very pretty. There are pretty temples perched over slopes, beautiful bridges from where you can see the Gorge.

While returning, we spend some time on the Yuewang Suspension Bridge high above the Liwu River. The portals of the bridge date back to 1915. It is an amazing experience to take in the wide expanse of the mountains and the river till where the eyes can travel.

Though Taroko has many trails, we have decided that with the baby, we will just do the touristy things in Taroko so we stick to them. But truly, Taroko is an experience which needs to be savoured and to be able to experience it in its full glory, one needs at least 2 days.

Day 5 – Night Stop – Hualien City

It is time to now go to our next destination, Hualien City. Taroko Gorge is in fact near Hualien. We are staying at Hualien more as a stopover for the night. The place we are staying at is a nice B&B and the hosts are very warm and hospitable.

We rest a bit and then go out at night to explore the night market.

Hualien Night Market (Dongdamen Night Market)

The Hualien Night Market, also known as the Dongdamen Night Market is the largest market on the East Coast of Taiwan. Its spread over a large area and it looks like a there is huge fun fair going on. There are lots of games which everyone can play like dart throwing, balloon shooting, ring toss etc. and the kids have lots of fun trying their hands at some of these games.

We can see lots and lots of food vendors and there is an amazingly different array of food on display which are not only from Taiwan but also from Japan, America etc. Food is inexpensive and we try some. There are some live music performances going on and we enjoy while having our food. After spending some time, we head back to the B&B since we have to get up early in the morning and head to Taipei.

Day 6 – Hualien Qixingtan Beach

After having breakfast the next day, we first head to Hualien Qixingtan Beach, known to be one of the most beautiful beaches in Taiwan. The beach is full of white and black gravel which looks pretty against the beautiful blue background of the icy blue Pacific Ocean. The weather is cool and we spend some time here, taking in the wide expanse of the Ocean.

Day 6 – Qingshui Cliff

Well, this one really left us spell bound. Qingshui Cliffs is a 21 kilometer length of coastal cliffs averaging 800 meters above sea level, and is located inside the Taroko National Park. This is indeed a very scenic place falls on the southern part of the Suhua Highway which connects Yilan and Hualien.

We park our Car on the Northside of the Chongde Tunnel, and then make our way to the Observation deck via the Chongde trail and this is what we are greeted with….

So many shades of blue and the tunnel carved on the cliff…the way the water has been working its wonder on the rocks of the cliff..this is what is called a natural wonder.

Day 6- Jiaoxi Hot springs

After spending some time here, we go to the Jiaoxi Hot springs. The water is comfortably hot and gives relief to our tired legs. Thereafter we go to a fish spa where the fish come and nibble off the dead skin on your foot. It was a ‘ticklish’ experience but one we enjoy.

Day 6-Taipei

After a drive of a couple of hours, we finally reach Taipei, our last stop. We check into the hotel, rest a bit and then go out to explore.

Taipei 101

We see the Taipei 101, which resembles a bamboo stick and was once the tallest and the largest green building in the world. It is still the tallest green building though, if not the tallest in the world. It is a pretty sight though we are told that it looks best when viewed from the Elephant mountain. We decide to come back the next day.

Shilin Night Market

We visit the Shilin night market which has been there since 1899. It is known to be Taiwan’s most famous and also the most crowded night market. There are so many street food vendors and so much food on display, it looks like a foodie’s paradise.

Day 7 – Stop 1 – Yehliu Geo Park

Wow! This place is just wow. Nature can create amazing wonders and Yehliu Geopark is a living example of it. It has some uncommon and unique geological formations and is located along a cape stretching around 1.7 kilometres. The structures were formed as a result of thousands of years of geological movement which forced the Datun Mountains to change their shape.

The park has some amazing mushroom shaped formations including Sea Candles, Elephant Rock, Ginger Rock and what is known as the Queen’s Head, named after its similarity to Queen Elizabeth 1 which took over 4000 years to form.

If one has time on hands, Yehliu Ocean World, situated next to the Yehliu Geopark, can be visited. It is an oceanarium and also has dolphin and sea lion shows.

Day 7 – Stop 2 – Yinyang Sea

This has to be a first! Beautiful hues of yellow and blue greet greet us when we reach the Yinyang Sea, located beside the northern coastal road in the Gold Ecological Park region. The sea has been named such based on the concept of duality mentioned in the ancient Chinese principle of yin and yang.

Apparently, this blue/yellow coloring is a result of the insoluble floating iron ions from the heavy concentration of pyrite (also known as “Fool’s Gold”) in the area. The water though, is said to be super toxic. Whatever be the reasons for such coloring, it is very scenic and this place is totally worth a visit.

Whatever be the reasons for such coloring, it is very scenic and this place is totally worth a visit.

Day 7-Stop 3 -Golden Waterfall

Our next stop is the Golden Waterfall located near the Gold Ecological Park in Jinguashi. This is a nice waterfall with the appearance of golden water falling down. Its worth a photo stop.

Day 7-Stop 4-Jiufen Old street

Jiufen is a small gold mining village which used to be so prosperous during the Japanese era that it was known as ‘Little Shanghai’. Jiufen is quite popular with the travellers because of its streets with an old world charm. We walk a bit on the stone paths adorned with beautiful red lanterns and buy some souvenirs and trinkets.

Day 7- Stop 4 – Shifen Old Street (Sky Lantern)

Shifen Old Street is a railroad town having an old worldly charm. which still retains the charm of yesteryear. This is now the most popular stop on the Pingxi Train Line and is a very vibrant small town. There are shops selling souvenir, small toys, food etc. but the biggest draw are the sky lanterns.

The sky lanterns were once used for signalling by the rail road workers but nowadays are painted by visitors with their wishes and released into the sky. Releasing a sky lantern costs TWD100~150 each. There are lot of people releasing the sky lanterns and it is a festive atmosphere at Shifen.

Day 8-Beitou Hot Spring Museum and Thermal Valley

If you want to experience a natural hot spring, Beitou is the place to be. It has 3 different hot spring types Green Sulphur Springs, Red Iron (Ferrous) Springs and White Sulphur Springs. There are private spring units for couples as well as hot spring area for the public. There are hotels which offer hot spring facilities and food.

We soaked ourselves in the Millenium Hot springs, which is the main public bath house. If you want to have a finer and more private experience, you can visit one of the many hotels offering hot spring facilities.

One hour is enough to visit the hot springs. And this is a must do if you are in Taipei.

We come back and spend rest of the day exploring Taipei City.

In the evening, we go to the Elephant Park for a view of the Taipei 101.

It is our last day and we feel that there is a lot more left to explore. Thankfully, there is still a lifetime left and we are already looking forward to another trip with a lot more time than we had this time.

Day 9-Bye Bye Taiwan

We fly back with happy memories of experiencing a beautiful country with stunning scenery and warm and hospitable people. We wanted the trip to be a relaxing one for the kids, especially, the little one and didn’t want to make it a very hectic one, hence we did it in a way that everyone enjoyed and we could explore some of the places the country is known for. Next time, we promised ourselves, we will explore this beautiful gem of a country, not only for what is known but also for the unknown.