Our Secret Stash: Taiwan Discoveries

Hi there,

While preparing for our family vacation to Taiwan, I trawled the web for information and came across many useful tips on various blogs. So in 'paying it forward', I have put together some little useful observations/tips I have gathered.

1) If you are planning a visit to Taroko Gorge, it would be a good move to stay a night or two in Hualien. From Huailen, do hire a cab and driver to take you to the Gorge. Depart early in the morning to avoid the busloads of tourists.

We had a great stay at the Hotel Bayview in Hualien. It is a small hotel located by the beautiful Chi Hsing Tan beach and definitely lives up to the great reviews it has garnered. Do make time to cycle along the beach. The hotel provides bicycles free of charge.

Cycling Paths by the beach

2) When visiting Taroko Gorge, it would be handy to have torches and ponchos.
Our 2 teens thoroughly enjoyed the trek along the "BaiYang Waterfall Trail". It is a 2.5-3h round trip which takes you through 8 tunnels, some of which are so dark you can't see your hand in front of you! (hence the need for torches).

The last of the 8 tunnels along the Baiyang Trail is actually a cave -- Water Curtain Cave. Remove your footwear, don your poncho and enjoy the feel of your feet splashing through icy cold water, walking through 'water curtains'....while the sound of the gushing waterfall envelopes you....It was the highlight for all of us....and a great bonding experience for the family.
We wouldn't have been able to enjoy this had we followed a tour bus....so do remember to ask the taxi driver to bring you to this "Bai Yang Bu Dao" (chinese pronunciation) trail.

3) Another favourite part of the trip was the ride on the Pingxi Branch Railway Line. If you have a day to spare while in Taipei, this is a great day trip. There is a wealth of information about the quaint old towns along that you can visit along this line, but if you are venturing on your own, please note the following to save some hassle:

You CANNOT use the 'Easycard' on the Pingxi Line. However, you can use the Easycard to take the train to Ruifang Station.
Instead of buying the Pingxi Line ticket at Ruifang where there's a long queue...you can also buy the ticket at Counter 12 at the Taipei Main Station.
Remember that you have to 'tap out' with the Easycard at the 'tap terminal' located on the Ruifang Station Platform itself, just before you hop onto the train heading on the Pingxi Line. (From then on, you will be using the Pingxi ticket.) There is no need to exit the station.
If you do not 'tap out', you might find yourself being unable to 'tap out' at the station where you started your journey from (eg. Taipei Main Station).
You would also have to 'tap in' on the Ruifang platform on your return journey.
Do catch the early train which departs Ruifang before 9am to avoid the tourist crowds which descend later in the day.
The trains on the Pingxi line do not run very frequently. If you don't want to end up just 'waiting for the train', do check the train timetable at each stop for the timing of your departing train before you eagerly run off to explore the town.

Most visitors come to these quaint little towns to 'release lanterns'. 'Everyone else' seems to do it at Shifen...but if you would like to avoid the crowds, do it at QingTong (the very last stop on the Pingxi Line)...it costs the same but without the 'maddening crowd'.

Put insect repellant! During our visit this June, there were mosquitoes!