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Seven-day Vacation in Taiwan: 2 Nights in Taichung
After spending time in Taroko National Park and Taipei, our next destination was Taichung. We took the high-speed train to Taichung coming from Taipei. Taiwan High Speed Rail THSR offers early bird rate with discount of up to 35% for bookings made 5 to 28 days ahead. Discounted rate offered is of limited quantity and is subject to seat availability and time slot. The earlier you book, the higher the chance to get a discount. Bookings are done in their website. We booked 27 days ahead and got the tickets at 20% discount (NT$ 560 instead of NT$ 700). I noticed during booking that trains scheduled to leave…
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Seven-Day Vacation in Taiwan: Taroko National Park Day Trip
Our third day in Taiwan was dedicated to Taroko National Park. This is a huge park with numerous trails, some of which requires permit from authorities for access. We didn’t have much time in Taiwan to explore this place to the fullest so we decided to do just a day trip, which was also good enough of an experience. Getting from Taipei to Taroko NP Using public transportation, our option was to reach Hualien first. Based on my research, there are two ways to get from Taipei to Hualien: 1. Direct Train: Taipei to Hualien Our group was focused on getting there via a direct train. We were based in…
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Taipei to Hualien Using a Combo Ticket (Bus and Local Train)
Booking the express train from Taipei to Hualien isn’t always a walk in the park. Worst case scenario that tickets are sold-out, the other option is the combo – bus + train. The combo ticket is not available online. Reservation or advance booking is not possible. It has to be bought in person at the bus ticketing counter on the day of travel. The bus company will provide you with tickets for the two legs of the trip: Bus from Taipei to Luodong Local train from Luodong to Hualien Based on my research, there are two bus companies that offer the combo ticket. Your choice will most likely depend on where…
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Seven-Day Vacation in Taiwan: 2 Days in Taipei
As I’ve mentioned in my introductory post about my seven-day vacation with friends in Taiwan, two days were allotted for Taipei. Since I’ve already explored parts of Taipei before, I had to come up with something else to do. Getting to Taipei City from Taoyuan Airport Our flight’s ETD from Manila was 23:40 of January 31 with ETA of 2:05 February 1 at Taoyuan Airport Terminal 1. With this arrival time, our options to reach Taipei City is to take either a taxi or a public bus. We opted to take the Kuo Kuang Bus 1819. This bus has a stop at both terminals 1 and 2 of Taoyuan…
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Seven Day Vacation in Taiwan
In 2017, my friends and I were playing with the idea of vacationing in Taiwan for the first quarter of 2018 to explore its countryside. We agreed that if cheap fares become available, then we’ll push through with it. In November 2017, two of us – Melvin and I – were able to book a flight with Cebu Pacific Air for PHP 4,500 (USD 86.95) each pax, no check-in bag included. Days before the flight, we added 15kg of check-in bag for PHP 690 (USD 13.33) each passenger per way. Another friend, Carol, decided to join part of the trip and booked her flight in January 2018. Another thing…
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My Experience with Booking a Train between Taipei and Hualien
If you’re planning a visit to the Taroko National Park, your adventure will probably start with booking a train ticket between Taipei and Hualien. The ideal ride to take is either the Puyuma Express or Taroko Express which goes for, more or less, two hours of travel time. Booking opens 14 days in advance. But, if the opening of ticket sales for your travel date falls on a Saturday or Sunday, it will already be up for grabs by Friday. I learned that the hard way. My friends and I scheduled a day trip in Taroko for February 3. With the 14-day rule in mind, I was expecting ticket…
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Staying Connected While in Taiwan
When on a trip, some people are able to stand not being connected when they’re outside their hotel while others can’t. For those who prefer to always be online, one way to stay connected while in Taiwan is by buying a prepaid sim card that comes with data. You can buy a sim card at the airport’s arrival hall or in stores around the city. When I arrived at Taoyuan International Airport, I didn’t have an immediate need for data so I purchased one in the city instead of the airport. I stayed in New Taipei City and opted to buy a Taiwan Mobile sim card days after my arrival.…
my life. my travels. my thoughts.
