At first I wasn't sure about the trip to Sitges even though it was highly recommended by the locals I had met in Barcelona. On my way to Montblanc as the train was passing by Sitges, my interest for the town was aroused by the surrounding rocky mountains and the shimmering Baleanic sea. I bought the ticket and jumped on a train at Passeig de Gràcia, following the instructions of the lady who sold me the ticket. Soon, I was panicking as I realized that the destination of the train was St. Vincenç de Calders. I got off the train at the next station, Barcelona Sants, and looked for a platform that showed Sitges but I couldn't find any. The next train to St. Vincenç de Calders arrived, I asked an old lady boarding the train whether the train stopped at Sitges and she nodded bewilderingly so I got on the train skeptically. Thirty minutes later the train stopped at Sitges.
It was a sunny day, a perfect day out for beach activities but the water was too cold and that helped to keep people away from the gorgeous beaches and created a perfect bio-distance for me: not too crowded yet you could still see people sun bathing, surfing, playing volleyball, playing guitar, practicing macaco and sailing. The mild heat in the air radiating from the sun contrasted with the freezing cold from the sea, it was an interesting oxymoronic sensation. Sitges has no famous architecture like Sagrada Familia nor museums like Picasso or Milo in Barcelona but the atmosphere of the town was cozy and relaxing. The houses gave me deja vu feelings; whitewashed walls, blue windows and shimmering water in the distance at the foot of the hilly town, I wondered, does this mediterranean style truly have magic soothing power or have we just been brain washed by the images of Greece?
Sun Moon Lake is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Taiwan. The Sun Moon Lake Scenic Area Administration hosts a website containing the most informative resources about the area you can find online. However, I am turned off by the swarms of Chinese tourists, aggressive boat ticket sellers soliciting everyone in the parking area, and invincible tourist guides who would stop the traffic in the middle of a road in order to get a short cut to restaurants for their groups regardless the traffic laws. Nevertheless, the beauty of Sun Moon Lake keeps me going back on a yearly basis.
The magic power of Sun Moon Lake is best felt at dawn, before it is surrounded by tourists. The lake is protected by the surrounding hills. At dawn, before the sun has risen, the still water and hills shrouded in mists cast a charm of tranquility that is like being projected into a masterpiece of Chinese brush painting where time stand still. The mesmerizing spell is broken by the rays of the sun that disperse mists among the hills and unveil the golden hue of swift mists on the surface of the lake. From a distance, the wake of a rowing boat disturbs the reflections on the mirror-like lake, turning the fairytale land into reality.
You can find all the information you need for a trip to Sun Moon Lake on the website mentioned above. Most of the tourist groups skip the trails that are the quintessence of the area. Here is my version of a 2 day itinerary.
Day 1: Toushe Basin --> Syuanguang Temple --> Ci En Pagoda --> Syuentzang Temple --> Ita Thao (lunch and feel the crowds)--> Ita Thao Lakeside trail --> Shueiwatou Nature Trail --> Dajhuhu Nature Trail--> Wenwu Temple --> Maolan Mountain firefly sighting (only during mid April to mid May)--> Shueishe pier (accommodation, book a room with a lakeside view in advance)
Day 2: Shueishe pier sun rise --> Shueishe lake side trail --> Hanbi trail --> Paper Dome --> Make by Iron
Recommended Nearby Scenic Attractions
Toushe Basin is located at the west-south tip of the Sun Moon Lake and its peat soil makes it glint like a star next to the bright lights of Sun Moon Lake. Peat soil in the lake area is formed of decomposed vegetation. It is mostly organic, with a small proportion of mud, and rich in humic acid with a pH value of about 3.6. The peat in Toushe Basin is about 60 meters deep and covers an area about 175 hectares. The ground of Toushe Basin bounces like a water bed, as a result all man made artifacts are built at the edge of the basin. It is an unique experience walking on it. Follow the signs for Red Wood B&B (紅木農莊; GPS: 23.83103, 120.90389) on HuanHu road and you will find the bouncing earth that I filmed below:
The great Hanshin earthquake in Kobe/Japan on Jan. 17th 1995 destroyed more than 200,000 buildings including the Takatori Church. To build a temporary home for the community meeting house, architect Shigeru Ban raised funds and recruited 160 volunteers, most of them were college students, to build the house that is made of paper. The project started in July and was completed on September 17th, 1995. Inspired by Bernini's churches, 58 paper pillars (5m in length, 33cm in diameter, 15 mm in thickness) were arranged in an oval-shape that were sheltered in a rectangular fiberglass form.
The New Home Land Foundation (an organization that's dedicated to post 9-21 earthquake community reconstruction ) heard that the paper church that had served not only as a temporary meeting house but also a spiritual asylum for the community was about to be torn-down and relocation to rebuild the Takatori church when participating in the 10th anniversary memorial ceremony of the great Hanshin earthquake. The chairman proposed to relocate the paper church to Nantou/Taiwan where the epicenter of the 9-21 earthquake was in 1999. The proposal was accepted and the paper church was shipped to Taiwan in July, 2005. The paper church reassembling was completed and opened to the public on September 21st, 2008 in Tao-Mi Eco-village, Puli township.
Entrance fee: NT$100, exchangable voucher
Opening hours: Sun-Fri: 09:00-20:00; Sat and National holidays: 09:00-21:00
Address: No. 52-12, Taomi lane, Taomi village, Puli township, Nantou county (GPS: 23.94143, 120.92703)
Make By Iron (金剛基地) is the base of Autobots in Taiwan. Inspired by the movie Transformers, Mr. Liang gave up his job as a gardener and built a Bumblebee, Optimus Prime and some transformers out from the car parts for his son. The base was opened for public on Jan. 23rd, 2011, with an entrance fee NT$30 which can deduct expenses in the base. (Address: 200, Chungshan rd sec. 4th, Puli township, Nantou County; Opening hours: 10:00-17:30; Tue. off)
I got this weekend free so I drove around Tainan and visited a few places that I always wanted to go but had never been. This is my photo-trio.
Cigu Salt Mountain is the monument that stands for the glory of salt making of old times. Under the promotion of tourism, Cigu salt fields usually overshadow the other salt fields in Tainan, but when it comes to the best quality of salt made in Taiwan, Beimen salt stands out unanimously. Jing Zai Jiao tile paved salt field (井仔腳瓦盤鹽田) was the first salt farm in Beimen District, Tainan, to use a tile base for drying the seawater.The saltworks started operation in 1818 and the area for salt drying in Beimen county was as big as 360 hectares in 1980. However, the high cost of manpower for making salt in Taiwan is becoming unaffordable and the Beiman salt fields were shut down in 2000. Jing Zai Jiao tile paved salt field is the only salt field kept for tourism purposes and the salt crystals glint in the sunset making it a great spot for photography.
Built during the 23rd year of the reign of Jiacing in the Cing dynasty (A.D. 1818), the Jingzaijiao Tiled Salt Fields were formerly known as Laidong Salt Fields.The site was originally a barren desert. Lying on the sandy beach is a small sand dune, where underground water gushes out from low-lying ground forming a well-like structure. The name, Jiingzaijiao, was essentially derived from this particular landscape formation. To prevent salt crystals from attaching to the soil, salt miners at Pottery Dish Salt Field manually laid out broken debris of pottery onto the crystallizing ponds of salt fields. This approach resulted in purer and clearer salt being mined. Under the sunshine, the Pottery Salt Pan displays a resplendent, mosaic like pattern. These features make it a unique cultural landscape of the homeland of salt. Today, it has become an excellent site for tourists to experience salt drying. http://www.swcoast-nsa.gov.tw:2480/en/02_tour/scenery_view.aspx?sn=155
Oyster farm is the most common scene in Cigu but the z-shaped oyster stands with the sun setting in a perfect location makes this spot a popular site for sunset black card photography. It's not an easy location to find, I drove back and forth about one hour, asked a few fishermen and still couldn't find it. It wasn't until I cross referenced with internet information and the google map with iphone to locate this spot. If you are interested, check on the map below for details.
Tainan Science Park public art space features the "yellow ribbon" at a cost of NT$300 million, (US$10 million) it's worth taking a look at just because of the price.
* lights up sometime after 19:00.
Located in Da Shu District, Kaohsiung City, E-Da world is a community that incorporates recreation, education, estate development and health care. E-United group, in cooperation with Eliter Corp, spent 25 years planing and constructing and invested more than 50 billion to build a community that has 2 hotels (Crowne Plaza and E-Da Skylark Hotel), the biggest outlet shopping mall in Taiwan, the first Greek themed amusement park, E-Shu University and international high school, Eliter Estate (Earl's District) and its own public transportation. E-Da World was test operated on June 19th, 2010 and the grand opening was on December 18th, 2010.
I visited E-Da world during the new year holidays and checked in to the Crowne Plaza. Off the freeway No.1, the width of roads to E-Da world started from 3 lanes each direction down to a 1 lane winding mountain road, with the new year crowds I was amazed that I didn't get stuck in traffic. After parking, I gave up on checking into my room because of the crowds in the Crowne Plaza lobby and headed to the outlet mall (Mon-Fri: 11:00-22:00; weekend/holidays: 10:00-22:00). The 19 thousand meter square outlet mall is divided into 3 sections. Section A, 7 floors and a ferris wheel on the roof (NT$200; free ride if you have a ticket to the amusement park), sells designers collections, interior decor and housewares. Section B, 2 floors, has a Fontana di Trevi replica and painted dome that attracts most of the attention in the mall. The roof of section B is an open-air market and restaurants where live performances take place every night. Section C, 6 floors, is where all the fun starts. Rock climbing, ice skating, baseball, basketball and a movie theater. This section is also the ticketing and entrance of the amusement park.
E-Da theme park (NT$899, Mon-Thu 09:30-17:30; Fri-Sun 09:30-19:30; NT$ 650 after 14:00(Mon-Thu),15:00 (Fri-Sun); tickets sold before 17:30) is the first Greece themed amusement park in Taiwan, the park is built according to the Acropolis, Santorini Mountain City and Trojan Castle styles. Acropolis has an extravagant opera theatre that can accommodate 1800 guests. Santorini mountain city creates an illusion of being actually in Greece. The giant wooden horse in front of the Trojan Castle recreates the scene of the famous story that has been told for thousands of years. In the castle, flying over Taiwan simulates hangliding over scenaries of Taiwan. There are 47 recreation facilities in the park including an U shaped roller coaster, a spin that goes up to 55 meters above ground and a roller coaster goes into water, etc. This is the place where you can have fun untill you throw up.
I went back to the Crowne Plaza Hotel and was suprised by the crowds in the lobby waiting to check in at 18:00. I've never seen anything like this: guests in every counter of the reception were complaining about the sluggish checkin procedure; a woman was screaming at the manager, it was so loud that everyone in the lobby could hear her and a group were taken into the manager room as they were banging on the table; people who waited in lines were total strangers but acted as they were the best comrades and were planing a riot. I waited an hour and finally it was my turn. After checking my reservation and ID the receptionist told me that my room was not ready yet and suggested that I should have dinner first and come back later! I asked the receptionist to send my key to me at the Italian restaurant in the hotel, 30 mins later, my key was sent to my table and my room was upgraded.
Despite the incident of checking-in, the hotel amenities of Crowne Plaza were fabulous. Water fountain show right next to the restaurants, sauna, swining pool, gym and espresso café machine in the room..., it was a great acommodation.
Transportation: shuttle buses commute between Taiwan High Speed Rail Zuoying station and E-Da World (NT$37; 06:20-23:00, timetable in details),
The 2011 Taiwan International Orchid Show (TIOS) is now taking place at the Taiwan Orchid Plantation in the Huobi District of Tainan City. I bought a pre-ordered ticket from 7-11 ibon (NT$90; the full price for an adult is NT$150) and drove about 50km from Tainan city to the venue. I was affraid that I'd be traped in the traffic and would end up seeing nothing but tourists at the exhibition but to my surprise, the traffic was smooth and the venue was well organized: cars were directed to drive in from one direction and out from the other; parking lots were set far away from the exhibition and lots of shuttle buses were taking visitors back and forth seamlessly. I got to take some amazing photos of even more amazing orchids.
Magnificent landscaping made from all kinds of orchids can be found right at the entrance of the gallery that also exhibits the wining orchids to welcome visitors. this gallery is the highllight of the orchid show. The well designed exhibition and tour routes allow an enjoyable tour despite the crowds. The grand champion of this year is Prince Edward of York, a Paohiopedilum.
The show will continue from March 5 to the 14th at the Taiwan Orchid Plantation (325, Wushulin, Wushu Village, Houbi Dist, Tainan) from 09:00-18:00.
Info: www.tios.com.tw
During the Chinese New Year, I visited Fo Guang Shan and Shen Wei Tian Tai Shan I Kuan Tao. If you want to know more about Fo Guang Shan and I Kuan Tao , I embeded the links in the texts.
Taroko Gorge Taroko National Park is one of the signature tourist attrations in Taiwan. It's located on the east end of the Central Cross-Island Highway (Provincial Highway No. 8) in Hualien, which was the first highway that connects east and west parts of Taiwan through the majestic central mountains. The budget used to build the Central Cross-Island Highway was funded by United States and the workers were veterans who fellback from mainland China to Taiwan with the Government in 1949. The construction began on July 7, 1956, and was first opened to traffic on May 9, 1960. The 190.83 kilometer highway passing through various topographies, altitude ranged from sea level to 3,000 meters and the most beautiful/majestic sceneries on the road are riveting for the last 20 km at the east end.
Most tourist groups spend only a half day in the park to visit Eternal Spring (Changchun) Shrine Trail, Swallow Grotto (Yanzihkou) Trail and the Tunnel of Nine Turns (Jiuqudong) Trail. Everyday, after lunch, swarms of crowds diminish the stupendous workmanship of the trails. It is wise to visit these trails in the early morning when the solitude intensifies the majesty of the gorge and then you can really project yourself back to the time when the veterans doug through the marble of the mountainside. Except for the 3 most popular trails, Taroko National Park has much more to offer; you can easily spend a whole week hiking in the park on different trails as each trail has its uniqueness and it's a shame to miss one.
Recently, I spent 2 days in the park and finally visited the Shakadang Trail (4.4km/oneway; 3-4 hours/roundtrip) and Lüshui Trail (2km/oneway; one hour/roundtrip) for the very first time. A friend of mine once told me that she thought the Shakadang trail is the most beautiful trail in Taroko National Park. I have been to Taroko many times but I could never find the entrance of Shakadang trail so I stopped by the tourist center of Taroko and found the information: "The trail entrance is near the park headquarters to the west. Through the tunnel of Shakadang about 1km(0.6mile) from the headquarters, there is a Shakadang bridge connect to it. On the right of the bridge head, take the staircase down to the trailhead" (there is a small parking on the other end of the Shakadang bridge, you can park your car there and walk back to the entrance). Shakadang trail was built along the Shakadang river cliffs during Japanese colonial period in order to divert water to the Liwu hydropower plant. Thousands of years, the river cut through the gorge leaving mysterious patterns on marble that reflects on still, copper blue waters in a greenish background, such scenery earned the trail the name "Mysterious Valley Trail". I couldn't agree with my friend more, Shakadang is the most beautiful trail in the Park and it's worth spending 4 hours for a roundtrip.
The other new experience on this trip was the Lushui Trail. The history of the trail can be traced back 300 years. It was the trail used between Taroko tribes when they first settled along the Liwu river. Walking on this trail, high above the Central Cross-Island Highway, you can overlook the Lushui terrace. A suspension bridge, a tunnel with water dripping down, butterflies, bees, etc. along the way, it was an easy yet surprising trail.
Mukumugi
Meqmegi was the name of the first Taroko tribal family who settled in this area about 300 years ago. To honor their ancestors, the tribes called this area "MGMGI" and was known as "Mukumugi", a transliteration from the Taroko tribe, by others. The place was renamed "Tongmen" (copper gate) as a copper mine was found here. Mukumugi is located in Tongmen township, Sioulin county, about 20 min driving distance from Hualien City. Compared to the famous Taroko National Park, Mukumugi is less known and visited by tourists as it was closed for public visit on May 20th, 2003 in order to restore the ecosystem. The area was re-opened 3 years later, with a 300 visitors/day restriction. The Mukumugi eco-tourism started to get the public's attention as the Taroko National Park is getting over crowded, day by day. Unlike the Shakadang trail in the Taroko National Park, Mukumugi not only offers a similar picturesque scenery but also a resort that allows vistors to have a close encounter with the nature.
More info:
Entrance permit application:
1. go to the Tongmen police station and fill-out the form on the day of entrance (ID needed); go early to ensure you are in the first 300 applicants list.
2. apply the permit online at http://eli.npa.gov.tw/E7WebO/index02.jsp (Chinese only): you should send out your application 7-30 days before your trip; 2-3 days after sending out the application, go back to the website and check if you get the permit. If you do, print it out and take it with you to the Tongmen police station on the day of your trip and have them stamp it (no queue with others who apply the permit on site).
Free tour guide: contact the Mukumugi tourist center in advance. (Tel :03-8641822) There are two trails in the Mukumugi area. One more difficult, requires a guide. Contact tourist center for more information.
Green island (綠島, Lyu dao) is a small vocanic island located about 33km off the eastern coast of Taiwan. The island was originally inhabited by Ami aborigines who called it Sanasai, meaning the birth place of ancestors. A fisherman, Chen bi Xian, who led the village from Xiao Lu Chou first settled down on the island in 1803 and the Han immigration started. The island was called "Huo Shao Dao" (fire-burned island) in the begining of 19 century (Chin Dynasty) and renamed "Green Island" by the magistrate of Taitung in 1949. There are several versions of stories about how the island was called fire-burned island including the residents would light up torches on the hill of the island to guide fishing boats to a safety return before there was a light house; a wild fire burned down the half island; and the red soil was exposed because the vegetation on the island was destroyed by typhoon in summmer or cold fronts in the winter time creating an illusion from the distance.
Surrounded by Pacific Ocean, the island is an ideal isotated spot for outlaws, and the island was noted as a place that held the most dangerous exiles of Taiwan. There were two prisons on the island: the Green Island Prison that used to lock up the most brutal gansters is still functioning as a prision today; the Green Island Lodge where most of the political prisoners were held during the white terror is now opened to the public for visit.
Green island has one of the three sea bed hot springs in the world (one in Japan and the other in Italy) that attracts a lot of sea bed hot spring afficionado worldwide. The hot spring is located in a tidal flat, in the eastsouth of the island, a perfect spot for sunrise. Sitting in the ocean and feeling the heat of the hot spring surrounding you as the first ray of sun appears is a unique experience.
Except for the sea bed hot spring and exotic vocanic landscape, the underwater world is the jewel of green island. There are over 300 different species of coral in green island including a 13 meter tall Porites lobata that has lived in the Shrlang area for over 1200 years. Every summer the black current brings many different species of fish to the area making it the high season for tourism.
Transportation: To the island: By ferry: NT$ 920/person for a return ticket. Take a ferry at Fugang harbor in Taitung City, check in 30min before departure. You can find the schedule and book a ticket online at http://www.ezboat.com.tw/ (Chinese only). By air: NT$ 1028/person for an one way ticket. Take a plane at the Taitung airport; there are 3 flights a day by daily air; flight schedule.
On the island:
Motocycle is the best transportation to move around the island, NT$350/day, or you can take one of the tourist buses that depart at 08:00, 09:00, 10:00, 11:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00 and 17:00 at the Nanliao Harbor. The bus clockwisely circumnavigates the island, it also makes brief stops at tourist attractions of the island and the bus final stop is the Nanliao Harbor. It takes about 2 hours for a bus trip, NT$100/person. ( for details call 089-671272)
Accommodation:
There are a lot of B&B on Green Island, most of them provide a package tour (about NT$2000 to 250 per person) including one room, green island return tickets, motocycle, snorkeling/ glass boat/ hot spring, night tour for wild sika deer sighting, etc. you can find out more by surfing the B&B info in the following websites: http://www.gbnb.com.tw/ http://www.yoyogreenisland.com.tw/
Fussen is a small town about 2.5 hours south-west of Munich city by train, it's the start/end point of the 350 km romatic road in Germany. The most famous castles, Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau, are located near the town. Travellers by rail change onto buses No. 73 or 78 at Füssen railway station to Hohenschwangau bus stop. I booked a room at Hotel Konig Ludwig in Schwangau, luckily enough, I got on a bus that didn't go to the castles as most of the buses did and 10 minutes later the bus stopped in front of the hotel already.
After checking in, the concierge told me it's better to walk about 10 minutes to the tourist information office in Schwangau Rathaus and then take a bus from there to the castles as not many buses stop at Hotel Konig Luwdig. I went in the tourist info office to get some pamphlets and the staff told me it's about 15 minutes by foot to the castles. Fifteen minutes later, I was still on the road that seemed to have no end and the Neuschwanstein on the hill seemed to be staying away from me at the same distance, it took me about 40 minutes to get to the ticket center! If what the staff told me about the distance was right than I must be a slow walker.
To visit the castles, one has to purchase the tour at the ticket center and arrive at the castle's turnstile at the time that is printed on the ticket. Tours are available in English and German or with an Audio guide. I purchased English tour for both castles, it was a great tour in Hohenschwangau, but I found it too crowded in the Neuschwanstein. It was so crowded that some people couldn't find their way to get in the Throne Hall when our guide started her introduction. So here is the advice: get an audio guide tour for Neuschwanstein. The tours last only 30 minutes, only 7 rooms are opened for the public in Neuschwanstein, and no photos are allowed in both castles. On the path to Marienbrücke (Mary's Bridge), you can get a great bird's eye view of the Hohenschwangau. The bridge itself is as famous as the castles as it provides a great view of the Neuschwanstein. However, to get a postcard-view of the castle, one has to cross the bridge and somewhere in the steep terrain is where the dreamy catstle pictures are taken.
It was around 20:30 when I got back to the ticket center and it was empty down there, no cars no people, I was the only one walking on the road. It was until I heard cheers from a bar at the corner of the tourist information office in Schwangau Rathaus then I realized it was the semi-final football game, Germany V.S Spain. I couldn't find a table available in the bar so I ran back to my hotel bar and ordered a small cup of beer, watching the game with everybody. Basically, my tolerance for alcohol is zero, by the time I finished my beer my eyes were all red like I was crying and the game ended with the result that Germany lost its chance to get the world champion by 1 point. Everyone in the room was disappointed and an old man looked at my red eyes trying to comfort me, he said: "oh well, it happens. Anyway, it was a good game, so don't be sad". I nodded and pretended to wipe off a tear from my eye.
2010 world cup this was the video broadcasted all the time in Germany.
I was wondering why most of the guests in the hotel were elders with walking sticks. During my stay, they even had a prosthesis conference held in the hotel and the hotel looked more like a high-end rehabilitation center then a hotel to me. From the Fussen official website I realized that the town itself is a recognized hydrotherapy spa and "Where health is tradition" is one of the slogans in Fussen. The nature of the town is incredibly beautiful and the biking trails are well designed so the riders can enjoy the nature without worrying about having a close encounter with automobiles.
The bold €6.90 on the board of a Chinese restaurant attracted my attention when I was wandering around Fussen town. It's very difficult to refuse a Chinese lunch buffet for only €6.90, so I went in and the boss spoke fluent Mandarin made me believe that it would be an authentic Chinese delicacy. "Try our spicy & sour soup" said the boss, while I was enoying my food. I am not a soup person, so I smiled and nodded and kept eating my food. A moment later, she went by and said the same thing to me again, "they are so proud of their spicy & sour soup, it must be good" I thought, so I got a cup and gave it a try. I tasted it and had to try very hard not to scream out loud "man this place needs to hire a better chef, the soup is terrible, yuck!" It tasted sweet and sour instead of spicy and sour, actually it's so sweet and sour that I believed someone must had tip over the sugar and vinegar bottle. A few minutes later the boss went by to check on me (she really was persistant in having their guests try the spicy and sour soup) and she bursted out laughing, "that's not the spicy & sour soup, that's sour sauce for salad" she said. I was so embarrassed, even the "foreigners" at the other tables were giggling, I must be one of the few Taiwanese who could not tell the difference between spicy & sour soup and sour sauce. I finally never did try the soup, but their food was good nevertheless.
Useful info:
You can search train timetables of Munich/Füssen as well as bus timetables in Füssen via DB Bahn website. Print-out train timetables are available at the DB Bahn station lounge in Munich.
You can get a discount when purchasing the tour of the castles or the boat cruise in Forggensee with a hotel check-in certificate.
A boat cruise on Forggensee is possible. There are long cruises (2 hours, €11), 3 boats depart from Fussen Bootshafen at 10:00, 12:30 and 15:00 daily; and short cruises (55 min, €8), 6 boats depart from Fussen Bootshafen at 10:30, 11:30, 13:00, 14:20, 15:30 and 16:30 daily. More infomation at http://www.tourismus-fuessen.de/schifffahrt.html
My journey in Munich actually started in the Munich Franz Josef Strauss Airport. I was transitting via Munich to Dubrovnik, and the connecting time was 10 hours later! I went through every duty free shop in terminal 2, including the Private, a sex toy shop. "It can't be, a sex toy shop in the international airport?", I thought, looking at the sexy lingerie and the cute version of dildos displayed in the window. I walked in the shop and a big flat screen TV was broadcasting pornography; DVD, role playing costumes, condoms and dildos molded from the famous porn stars, sizes for all were exhibited blatantly. I felt the heat on my face when I encountered the smiling staff's eyes. It's a new way to boost energy efficently after hours lingering among the duty free shops, dont' miss it!
I participated in a free walking tour organized by the Sandeman's new europe. Our guide, Travis, not only had he shown the group the tourist attractions in the city center but also told their histories and tales. it was an informative and pleasant 3.5 hour tour. Walking in the historical sites in the center of the city, you got to admire how precise the Germans are; the city went throught World War I and II, and still it looks just like the way it was back in the old days. Knowing Munich would be a hot zone in the war, Germans took tons of pictures from every corner of the city before the war which helped the restoration of the city.
The BMW Museum is the ultimate attainment of beauty and high-tech. The museum presents the milestones of automobile making through the decades with exceptional lighting and projections. The architecture itself is an extravaganza complimenting the cars. You don't have to be a millionaire to touch these beauties but you wish you were one after a tour in the museum.
Englischer Garten is one of the world's largest urban public parks. Standing on the gravel trail that extends to both sides and dispears in the dense forest, I was indecisive of which direction to go. It was a hot sunny day and blisters on my feet demanded a cool sedation, so I went along the creek toward up stream. It was a big open space, people laid on the grass next the creek, with tops off, enjoying the suntan. I sat by the river bank and soaked my feet in the icy cool water enjoying the sun like everyone else. Then I saw a man stripped off completely in front of me, I looked away, and on the left, 3 naked men were spinning their kids around and everyone seemed cool about it. It then made sense to me, that's why the symbol/acronym of naturism was adpoted from German FKK (Frei Körper Kultur, free body culture).
Useful info:
If you are getting and leaving Munich via the Munich Airport plus you are staying in Munich over 24 hours, the Bayern-Ticket is the ticket you should purchase. The ticket is valid throughout the entire MVV network, plus the whole of Bavaria, on regional trains. It is available from all the ticket machines in the airport or via the internet or one of the automatic ticket machines at the DB Bahn station.
Plitvice Lakes National Park was on my must see list when planning the trip in Croatia, and it seemed the bus commute between Zagreb and Zadar was the only way to get to the park, so I gave up the Episcopal Complex of the Euphrasian Basilica in the historic centre of Poreč and headed to the capital of Croatia, Zagreb. While waiting for a bus to Zagreb at the Plitvice lakes bus stop, I met a couple who were also going to Zagreb and the girl was half Taiwanese from her mother's side even though she couldn't speak Mandarin. Before any bus came, a minivan stopped at the bus stop and a woman asked if we would like to share the van with them, 3 Australians, to Zagreb, so we hopped in the van and enjoyed the nice company and beautiful scenery on the road to Zagreb.
The city is devided into the upper and lower towns; churches and historical buildings are located on the hilly park of the city whereas art museums and greenery parks are scattering in the lower town. The buzzing Trg Josipa Jelacica and the adjacent Dolac fruit and vegetable market are great starting points for a walking tour as they are located on the 'border' between the upper and lower towns. The colorful tiled roof of St Mark's Church makes it stand out from the surrounding buildings. Did the same architect design the roof of the St Stephan's Cathedral in Vienna as well, I wondered. Despite the emblem of Zagreb on the roof, somehow the color tiled roof church looked 'German-ish' to me.
"Zagreb doesn't do many markets, but those that it does do, it does well." The Dolac fruit and vegetable market (06:00-15:00; daily) sells freshly picked vegetables, flowers and fruits from all over Croatia and the antiques market (09:00-14:00; Sunday) on Britanski Trg is a treasure island for collectors. Hrelic (07:00-15:00; Sunday) is the biggest flea market I have ever seen so far. The market is located in Sajam Jakusevac, about 20 minutes away by bus (No. 295) from the city center. From hundreds of meters away, I could see goods laid out on the ground on both sides of the road, it's only when the bus had come to a full stop that I realized how big the market was. Almost half of the market was second hand cars and car parts. I saw CDs, underwear, kitchenwear, anything you can name, even a pig roast, all this in an area that looked like a big garbage dump or gravel pit. A man was having fun with his untopped umbrella, "it's perfect for anyone who wants to get a beautiful suntan in the summer", he said with broken English. That was the highlight of the market for me, charming.
Summer means fun in Croatia. I spent one night in the Park Ribnjak watching people fire dancing with the music; another night sitting in the rain watching Opereta Gala at Scena Gradec. Teenagers with great profiles, shirt off practicing flips while a little boy watched and trying to imitate them. The city is not only fun but has a lot of energy in summer, no wonder it is listed as one of the coolest places to go.
Useful info:
Zagreb has a well-developed and efficient public transport system that consists of trams, buses and trains. The tram network is an ideal transportation in the center of the city (routes and timetable in Croatian) while the local bus system covers the area outside the city center. The price of a single-ticket valid for 1.5 hours is 10 Kuna; a day ticket (dnevna karta) valid for both tram and bus until 4 am the next morning, is available for 25 Kuna at most kiosks. Buy a ticket and punch it in the little orange machine once you enter to validate.
Zagreb card grants you unlimited travel on public transport in Zagreb, discounts at virtually all of the city’s museums, reduced prices at many restaurants, shops, and service providers (discount details). The card is valid for 72 or 24 hours (90kuna or 60kuna) from the date and time entered on the card and is not transferable.
There are two entrances in the park, the main entrance on Plitvička Jezera and the secondary entrance at Velika Poljana. Buses from Zagreb stop at the main entrance that accomadates souvenir shops, resaurants, etc. Buses from Zadar stop at a wooden bus shelter and a skywalk that leads into the forest where 3 hotels and the secondary entrance of the park is located.
The path from the secondary entrance leads to the largest lake, KoZjak Lake, and forms a boundary between the upper and lower lakes. The upper lakes are seperated by dolomite barriers, surrounded by dense forests and interlinked by several gushing waterfalls. The lowers lakes were formed by cavities created by the water of the upper lakes. Most of the water comes from the Bijela and Crna rivers and pool in the Proscansko Lake. There are 16 lakes in the park, all connected by well designed wooden walkways and trails.
Useful info
Bus timetable:
To get in: seach timetable with autobusni kolodvor, the station of the Plitvice Lakes National Park is Plitvička Jezera. Another searchable timetable is Liburnija Zadar, if you are departing from Zadar (Croatian only). There are discrepancies from two search engines, it is highly recommended to re-confirm the bus schedules with the bus stations. To get out: If the bus is not full, it will take on more people. Bus schedules are posted at information stations near both entrances to the park.
Ticket: if you are staying in one of the hotels in the park, buy a one day ticket and have your hotel stamp on it that will give you unlimited access to the park and all transportation in the park during your stay.
There are many routes in the park (maps) and all are well-marked. You can choose one that fits your schedule and an easy way to see all the lakes and waterfalls is to take a shuttle bus to Okrugljak Lake at the top (St4) and then walk down (red line). Take a boat at P2 to P3 (green line) and then red line to St1. Take a shuttle bus back to St2 where the hotels are located. (Google map above)
I thought my hotel was located in the old town of Zadar which is about 20 min walking distance, 1.6km, from the main bus station. After 15 minutes walking on the sidewalk with cars driving by fast from both directions, I still couldn't see a sign that looked old enough to me. It was a view you would see in any modern city: big roads with lots of cars, high-end boutique shops, tall buildings with opaque picture windows, etc. I couldn't help wonder did I choose the wrong direction again? I stopped in a photo shop to ask for the direction to my hotel and she looked at me like I was a lunatic. "You should take a bus, No. 5, and of course you could always walk if you insist, but it would take at least 30 minutes" she said. A trip in Croatia made me realized that my sense of direction was not as good as I thought it was, so I bought a ticket from her and got on the bus not knowing of which stop to get off. It was my lucky day, I got off the bus by instinct and there it was, Hotel Donat, situated on the grounds of the Falkensteiner Hotels & Resorts Borik, nestled in a large park with pine trees and a pebble beach next to the Adriatic sea.
I got only two days to come out with an itinerary and to get all my hotel bookings done before I could send my application for the Croatia visa (read here), so I picked my hotels by scanning through the prices, internet critics and their locations on the google map. I didn't pay attention to the details of my bookings so when I was told that 3 buffet meals and drinks from the pool bar were included in the room rate (euro$ 81), I was happy even after I finally realized that the hotel was 4 km away from the old town, 6 km from the main bus station. It was a beautiful sunny day and Zadar was my last chance to dip in the Adriatic ocean, I spent the whole afternoon getting suntan while drinking refreshing cool drinks from the pool bar.
The compact old town of Zadar is overshadowed by the surrounding modern architecture. Even in the old town what attracts people the most is the world famous high tech designs, the sea organ and sun salutation, and clubs/bars run by UB40's producer Nick Colgan and drummer James Brown. When St Donat's church (one of the best preserved pre-Romanesque buildings in the world) is no longer in use for religious ceremonies together with the Roman Forum next to it becomes a theme background of an outdoor cafe shop, it is the Venetian lion on the town gate that tells the fading histories of the city while cars drive through it.
Useful info:
Take bus No. 2 or 4 from the main bus station to the old town of Zadar. A bus ticket in one direction costs 8 kuna while a two way ticket costs 13 kuna. Two way tickets are only available for purchase at Kiosks.
Saying goodbye to Trogir, I went north to visit the Krka National Park. Located in Šibenik-Knin county, central Dalmatia, it is just about 15 kilometers away from the city of Sibenik. There are 7 daily buses that commute between Sibenik and Skradin via Lozovac (2010 timetable, intercity line, ŠIBENIK - SLAPOVI KRKE - SKRADIN). Departing from Sibenik bus station, the bus drops you outside Skradin's old town. You can pay the park admission fee at either Lozovac or Skradin entrance; the price includes a bus (from Lozovac entrance) or boat (from Skradin entrance) ride to Skradinski Buk where the walking trail starts.
I wanted to take a boat ride to Skradinski buk so I bought a ticket to Skradin. Somehow the idea that Lozovac entrance was further than Skradin stuck in my mind (maybe because Lozovac is located at the upstream of the national park?) so when I saw the first parking space of the Krka national park and all the "touristy looking" people seemed to be all getting off the bus at this stop, I was confident that I must have arrived at the Skradin entrance. I bought a ticket and was ready for the boat ride even though I couldn't see a boat. I asked the staff where could I take the boat and she told me the shuttle bus would take me there. The shuttle bus stopped in front of an information/ticket booth and the staff came out selling tickets for the boat excursion, I was totally confused, the boat ride should be included in the admission no? It wasn't until I saw the boat docking by the river bank at the otherinformation booth at the other end of the trail that I realized I got off the bus too early and I took the Lozovac entrance instead of Skradin.
The Skradinski Buk is the longest and the loveliest waterfall on the Krka river. Wooden trails built on water take you deep into the flourishing forest making a close contact with waterfalls possible. In fact, at the bottom of the Skradinski Buk you can swim in the icey cold water with the most magnificent waterfalls in the area as background. I saw a man climb up the cliff and dove into the water; girls in bikini posed for photoshoots; babies happily tapped water in fathers arms on shore; seagulls waited by the falls for fish; a snake submerged into the water luring fish to take the bait.., it was paradise for everyone.
It takes about 2 hours to circumnavigate the Skradinski Buk (if you only stay on land) and that's just a small propotion that the Krka National Park has to offer. A boat excursion to Visovac Island, Roski slap, the Krka monastery and the Early Croatian fortresses of Trosenj and Necven is also availabe with extra price 50-130kn based on the journey you pick. Details refer to the google map and the official Krka National Park website below.
Sibenik is often overlooked by tourists and served as a pitstop enroute to the Krka National Park. Churches and monasteries, stone houses and mansions, all are ornamented by portals and heraldic crests, Sibenik is one of the 7 UNESCO Heritage sites in Croatia and the highlight, Cathedral of St James, was constructed entirely of stone and is reputed to be the world's largest church built completely of stone without brick or wood supports. Well, after exploring the city of Dubrovnik, Split and Trogir, Sibenik seemed a bit plain at first glance. I got back to Sibenik from Lozovac and waited under eaves of the public library to open for internet access (opened at 18:00; 10kn for 2 hours) while pouring rain hit. An hour later, the rain stopped, I walked out of the library and it seemed that the historical city came back to life with the touch of golden rays from the sky, like a miracle. Jugglers and a mini circus were busy entertaining the crowds whereas a ballet was staged in between the town hall and the cathedral of St James. It was the trademark of Sibenik, International Children's Festival, that has been held during the last week of June and the first week of July annually for the past 40 years. I bought a popcorn and sat on the stone road with crowds enjoying a "mosquito movie*" in Hrvatska, even though I didn't understand what they were saying in the movie, I laughed like a kid.
* In Taiwan, a mosquito movie is a humourous term for an outdoor projection at special occasions like a local temple ceremony where people tend to get bitten.
A boat ride from Dubrovnik to Split not only saved me from a time consuming passport check at the border of Bosnia but also gave me a chance to stop by Korcula and Hvar islands en route to Split. After eight and a half hours sailing on the Adriatic, I arrived at Split around 18:30 which was still not too late to find my accommodation for the night. On the Lonely Planet map of Split, the Diocletian Palace is a walled city but in reality the buildings are either built over the walls or the walls are gone, either way I couldn't find the walls and ended up walking much farther then I should have. An orchestra rehearsal in the Trg Republike caught my attention, I walked in the square and seeing the Hotel Bellevue made me realize how far I was away from the "used to be" walled palace, and I finally navigated myself back to the B&B Kastel 1700.
I couldn't find any restaurants that were recommended by the hotel staff, so I went to one of the restaurants listed in Lonely Planet to challenge their language skills as in the book it stated: Sperun, is a favourite among the foreigners possibly because the waiters seem to speak every language under the sun. Well, it had proven that Mandarin is still one of the tough languages to master even for waiters who seem to speak every language under the sun. And the secret of its popularity among foreigners in this restaurant was, my personal feeling, good hospitality: the chef moved among the customers and a free bottle of water service made this a cozy restaurant.
From a postcard of the old Diocletian Palace, the city was divided into 4 quarters by two straight roads crossing in the center of the city. Each wall has a gate named after metals: gold, bronze, silver and iron for north, south, east and west gates, respectively. From the eastern to western gates, a straight road, Kredimirova, separates the imperial on the southern side from the northern side that was used by soldiers and servants as living quarters. Today, the definition of the old city walls are lost in buildings; bars, shops, restaurants and local residents mix with historical sites, museums and cathedrals. A few turns in the labyrinthine streets in Diocletian Palace, I couldn't tell which direction was north, so I put maps away and just followed my heart then I heard acapella singing from the Vestibule. Like a miniature Pantheon in Rome, the echo in the Vestibule creates the best stereo system for such an enchanting acapella performance.
I loved Trogir at first sight. Trogir is a small island about 30km north from Split, it is connected to the mainland and Ciovo island by 2 bridges on each side creating a 360 degree natural canal that surrounds the island. Unlike Split, it is much quieter and relaxing. Luxury yatchs docked at the trogirshi channel, sitting on a bench by a wide seaside promenade that hosts bars and restaurants, I watched the crowd flow in the sunset. It was so peaceful that I was startled by occational loud exclamations coming from the soccer fans in restaurants behind me. If you ever go to Croatia, you must stop in Trogir, it is a gem.
Useful information:
All public transportations, train, bus and ferry, are next to the Split harbor that is about 300 meters away from the Diocletain Palace.
Split Card is available at the tourist office in the Diocletian palace. 36KN/5Euro for one card and it is valid for 72 hours; the best part is if you are staying in Split for 3 days you can get it for free! The card gives you free access to most of the city museums, half price discounts to many galleries and tons of discounts on car rental, restaurants, shops and hotels. (Details at : http://www.visitsplit.com/15145/split-card/)
Walking in the old city of Dubrovnik with gelato and Venitian-mask shops on both sides of the Stradun, I had the illusion of being in Venezia, Italy. The broad straight Sradun brought me back to reality but I got lost again in the intoxicating blue Adriatic ocean, felt that I was on an island of Greece. Is the fusion atmosphere of Italy and Greece the secret of Dubrovnik that attracts millions of people every year? I had to slow down my pace as the stone road of Stradun was slippery smooth, a result of years of polishing by tourists, and that's just as well, I could gain a better control of my agitated heart and appreciate the pearl of the Adriatic, slowly.
From the bustling main street that hosts most of the tourist sights: the most famous landmark of Dubrovnik is the Onofrio fountain and next to it the third oldest functioning pharmacy in Europe, is in the Franciscan Monastery & Museum and the medieval knight sculpture at Luza Square that used to be the official linear measure of the Republic, etc; to alleys where restaurants and bars set tables in and locals hang out their laundry to dry overhead, they all blend in naturally.
A walk on the old city walls and forts perfects the tour in Dubrovnik. From above, a stupendous panoramic view of the city unfolds, on one side the walled city and on the other the ocean and all its activities. I saw a labrador swiming in the blue Adriatic and it puzzled me that in the land of Dalmatia I hadn't seen a single Dalmatian? (but I did see cats everywhere). Walking on the walls that were built in the 13th century, I imagined soldiers patrolling the fortifications and then I saw two men dressed in traditional costumes guarding the drawbridge at Pile gate, one of only two entrances to the old city, the other being Ploce gate, a reminder that the drawbridges were once actually raised every evening, the gates closed and the keys handed to the prince as the golden hues of sunset colored Dubrovnik at dusk.
As I waited to take some sunset pictures, I noticed a wedding party in the courtyard of the excelsior hotel. Summer in Dubrovnik it seems is wedding season, and love is in the air all around. Jubilant revelers drive back and forth honking their horns, it seems from every direction, mixed in with some soccer fans, whose team has just won their match at the world cup. It's definately party time in Dubrovnik and the city is alive with joy and celebration in this summer holiday season.
Photosynth of Onofrio fountain
Panorama of old city harbor
Panorama of old city walls
Panorama of new harbor
Dubrovnik photostream
Useful info:
Transportation:
From/to airport: Atlas shuttle buses (35KN/5Euro/person) (tel: (020) 442 222; www.atlas-croatia.com) depart for Dubrovnik after the arrival of every regular incoming flight.
Around Dubrovnik:
Dubrovnik's buses run in the city as well as to suburban areas such as Cavtat. You can buy the city bus tickets from the driver directly, 10KN, or from any tisak (kiosk) for 8KN. The ticket is valid for all local bus lines within an hour after validating it in the yellow box on a bus. The time table of the bus can be found on the company, Libertas Dubrovnik, website: http://www.libertasdubrovnik.hr/. Bus map of the city: http://www.libertasdubrovnik.com/gradska.swf
Dubrovnik City Card:
The card is on sale at all cultural institutions in the city of Dubrovnik and all of the information office of tourist boards. Facilities included in this offer are the Maritime Museum, Natural History Museum, House of the Marin and the Dubrovnik City Walls, Art Gallery Dubrovnik, Cultural and Historical Museum, Rupe Ethnographic Museum and Gallery Dulicic-Masle-Pulitika.
Daily Card, 130KN, includes free entrance to 8 cultural institutions and 24h public trasport rides
Weekly card, 220KN, includes free entrance to 8 cultural institutions and 20 public trasport rides
The Ma-Kau Ecological Park is composed of Cilan Forest Recreation Area, MinChih Forest Recreation Area and Giant Tree Garden. Originally, it was operated by the Veterans Affairs Commission; in April 2005, the ecological park was entrusted to the Coconut Tree Co. under the ROT (Rent-Operate-Transfer or Rehabilitate-Operate-Transfer) agreetment. The park is named after a spice tree, May Chang (Litsea cubeba; Aromatic litsea), that can be found abundantly in Cilan mountain (Cilan, 棲蘭, means habitat of orchid ). May Chang is called "Mountain Pepper" in Mandarin and "Ma Kau" by the Atayal aborigines in Taiwan. "Ma Kau" is the symbol of prosperity in Atayal, as the result, the whole ecological park was named "Ma-Kau Ecological Pak" by the Coconut tree Co.
The Ministry of the Interior proposed to add Ma Kau Ecological Park in the national park list in 2003, but it is now still one of the national parks with undefined status due to protests by the local aborigines. The cover range of the national park was preliminarily planned to a total area of about 53,000 hectares, including Wulai township, Taipei County, about 8,700 hectares, DaTong township, Ilan County, about 21,000 hectares, FuXing township, Taoyuan County approximately 9,200 hectares and Jianshi township, Hsinchu County, 14,000 hectares.
MinChih Forest Recreation Area (明池國家森林遊樂區, NT$120, free for MinChih resort guests; opening hours: 08:00-17:00, Map) is located at 68KM landmark of the Beiheng highway (highway no7), 54KM east to Ilan City and 68.5KM west to Dasi township,Taoyuan County, a border of Ilan and Taoyuan County as the old name "ChihDuan" (meaning the end of a pond) indicated. It was renamed "MinChih" (meaning clear pond) by the Minister of Defence,Chiang Ching-kuo, in 1964. The pond is an artifical lake built on a high altitude natural marsh, 1050-1700 meters above sea level. The landscape design was adopted from the Yuan and Song Dynasties creating a garden in garden style. A few cypresses stand in the pond as pens, the pond itself represents an ink slab and the water is the ink with mists wafting on the the mountain like a water ink painting, the pond expresses the beauty of Chinese calligraphy. A trail with low white walls on both sides leads to a garden in the garden, a roofed wall that seperates the garden into half, on one side is a landscape with waterfalls, ponds in a greenish cypress forest; on the other side, the ground of the courtyard is covered with white cobblestones. The deliberate broom marks on the ground creates an illusion of water marks on a pond, very Zen atmosphere, a great meditation room. Using water bouncing back into a jar that is berried underground creates echos that sound like piano notes is part of a re-creation of Japanese Tea Ceremony.
The Giant Tree Garden is in the Cilan mountains, located on road No100 in Datong township, Ilan County, 21 Km to MinChih Forest Recreation Area, 26Km to Cilan Forest Recreation Area. It's the most dense redwood plantation left in Taiwan. Even thought it was opened to the public in 1991, the area is still a restricted area that alllows a maxium 720 visitors per day. To visit, one has to make a reservation with the Coconut Tree Co. (Tel: 02-2507-1339, Fax: 02-2507-3826, email: dvt@yeze.com.twdetails below). There are 62 cypresses in the area over than 400 years old and 51 of them were nicknamed after some celebrities in Chinese history according to the year they were born. Trails in the area are 3.1km in total, can be devided into 2 parts, 1.2km of easy walking for about 26 tree sighting and 2.3km for all tree sighting.
This is one trip that I could easily recommend for anyone who would like to enjoy the incredible beauty of these majestic trees.
Booking the trip
Online booking: Departing form MinChih or Cilan resort Departing from Taipei Registration: 07:45 at Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall, MRT exit 4; departs at 08:00 to MinChih Forest Recreation Area, Giant Tree Garden, returns to Taipei around 20:30.
Telephone booking: 02-2507-1339
Time Table:started on Jan. 20, 2010
Departing from Cilan resort
Departing from MinChih resort
Departing
Content
Departing
Content
07：50
Arrival 08：50
Tour finish 11：20
Meal for 30min
Departing for Cilan resort 12：10
Arrival at Cilan resort 13：10
07：30
Arrival 08：30
Tour finish 10：50
meal for 30min
Departing for MinChih resort 11：30
Arrival at MinChih resort 12：30
10：30
Arrival 11：30
Tour finish 14：00
Meal for 30 min
Departing for Cilan resort 14：50
Arrival at Cilan resort 15：50
10：15
Arrival 11：15
Tour finish 13：45
Meal for 30min
Departing for MinChih resort 14：20
Arrival at MinChih resort 15：20
13：20
Arrival 14：20
Tour finish 16：50
Departing for Cilan resort 17：00
Arrival at Cilan resort 18：00
13：00
Arival 14：00
Tour finish 16：20
Departing for MinChih resort 16：30
Arrival at MinChih resort 17：30
Price:
For resort guests: adult, NT$600/person, 3-12 years old child: NT$450/person, child under 3 years old: NT$100/person.
For non guests: adult, NT$800/person, 3-12 years old child: NT$550/person, child under 3 years old: NT$100/person.
One day trip from Taipei: adult, NT$1290/person on weekdays, NT$1490/person on weekend, 3-12 years old child: NT$990/person, child under 3 years old: NT$100/person. The price includes transportation, entrance fees, lunch at MinChih resort, guide and insurance.
Shuttle bus service NT$600/person; route: 08:00 Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall, MRT exit 4 Taipei; 09:00 Ilan Train Station, 09:50 Cilan Forest Recreation Area, 11:00 MinChih Forest Recreation Area; 13:30 MinChih Forest Recreation Area, 14:30 Cilan Forest Recreation Area, 17:00 Ilan Train Station, 18:00 Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall, MRT exit 4 Taipei.
.jpg)
