JAPAN x TAIWAN - JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME
Join us on our first trip to Japan and then exploring Taiwan from tip to tip!
When the school schedule for 2024 was published, the first thing that stood out was the long winter break. We immediately started thinking of what to do with the long spell that had been scheduled. Next year, our daughter would be starting high school so there was a sense that there would not be many opportunities like this in the future to travel during the school year.
We decided that we'd make a tour of Taiwan, but found direct tickets to Taiwan quite pricey! Our first option was actually to transit through Amsterdam via KLM. But as we watched those flights, the route eventually disappeared and was no longer available. By chance, we found one route that flew through Japan which would be several thousand dollars cheaper than if we flew direct to Taiwan!
It was settled, this would be our first trip to Japan!
With months to go, we set about planning this epic trip (in Turas, of course) keeping in mind that this may be the one and only time that, as a family of four: 1) we would visit Japan together, 2) witness a New Year's celebration in person, 3) have the opportunity to travel Taiwan from tip-to-tip. With high school coming and college just around the corner for Charlotte (our oldest), this seemed like the journey of a lifetime!
Join us as we take you through our AMAZING journey to Japan and Taiwan in the winter of 2024!
You can also check out a full video playlist of our trip: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDMGPcg-bjPbGjj_0ZJmHffiQhFOcfQsq!
Days
Day 1: Tokyo Haneda
Arrival and settling in
Our arrival in Haneda was in the early afternoon. Prior to leaving, we strongly recommend registering for customs online via the Visit Japan Web site (https://services.digital.go.jp/en/visit-japan-web/) which can save time on your arrival. We strategically chose our hotel in a location that would be easy to transit as we would need to leave early to hop on our flight to Taiwan. The Hamamatsucho station at the very end of the Tokyo Monorail was the perfect area for us since it made easy to transit to/from Haneda airport and also connected use to the Yamanote rail line which encircles Tokyo. This made it an ideal home base. After exiting the airport, we picked up a hotspot from one of the vendors in the airport. From there, we picked up 4 SUICA cards and made our way to the Monorail to our hotel. The Bay Hotel is a fantastic choice in terms of value and location. It's in a quiet street, but it's just a short walking distance to the train station. The rooms are quite small, but the shower is fantastic! Our philosophy is generally that if we are spending a lot of time in the hotel room (aside from sleeping), we're doing something wrong! After checking in and freshening up, we made our way towards Tokyo Tower and Azabudai Hills to check out the holiday markets in the area and grab our first bites to eat in Japan!
Visit
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Tokyo Tower 東京タワー
Tokyo Tower's small Christmas market is a good place to grab a bite to eat and get lost in the bustle. -
Azabudai Hills Mori JP Tower
From Tokyo Tower, make your way here for more upscale window shopping! -
Zōjō-ji
You can pass through the park where this temple is located on your way to Tokyo Tower.
Eat
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Rice balls @ Azabudai Hills
Don't skip on onigiri in Japan! Even simple rice balls can be elevated with umami! -
Crepes @ Tokyo Tower
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Udon, noodles, and fried chicken @ Tokyo Tower
There are a variety of restaurants in the food court at Tokyo Tower; perfect for a quick bite.
Stay
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Bay Hotel Tokyo Hamamatsucho
This hotel is situated perfectly at the end of the Tokyo Monorail, making transit to and from Haneda very easy, even in rush hour. The rooms are quite small, but the showers are AMAZING!
Transit
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Haneda Airport (HND)
Pick up your SUICA and head for the Monorail as it is the easiest option to the heart of Tokyo. -
Hamamatsuchō Station
We selected our hotel here to be at the end of the monorail line. This station also boards the Yamanote line which encircles Tokyo.
Photos
Day 2: Mount Takao + Tokyo Dome
Heading for a hike
We started our first full day in Japan with a hike out in Mt. Takao where we hoped we would get to see Mt. Fuji. From Hamamatsucho, we headed towards Shinjuku via the Yamanote line where we would transfer to the Keio line to Takaosanguchi. The Monday morning rush hour transit went better than expected and we arrived without much fuss in about 1.5 hours. The line was mostly empty (this being a Monday) and the trail was also sparse in traffic. We started with a quick snack of doughnuts at the base and made our way up trail 1 to trail 4 as we wanted to take the more natural route up. The first stretch of this hike was by far the hardest as the ascent is quite steep! But by the time it splits to trail 4, it is much more leisurely. Be sure to try the dango vendors on trail 1 for a quick recharge. At the top, we were fortunate to have a clear view of Fuji on our visit! By 11:45, we were ready to head down after taking a short break at the top to savor the views. Just south of the station is the Takao 599 museum that's worth a quick visit. The nearby village has shops where you can pick up snacks and gifts (if they're open!). Then head back towards the station and just past it is the Takao Trick Art Museum. This small museum features many interactive displays of visual trickery; it's a fun place to end your day in the area! Our original plan was to head to Tokyo Dome to wrap the evening with some thrilling coaster rides (after napping on the 1.5h ride back), but visitors be warned: the rides shut down early! Unfortunately, we were not able to ride as the ticket offices closed just as we arrived. Despite that setback, Chuck and I both agreed that this day was probably our favorite day. The Takao area was very quiet on this day (not many visitors) and not very crowded. We enjoyed what felt like a more "authentic" experience in Japan with many more locals than foreigners.
Visit
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Mount Takao
Went up trail 1 to trail 4. Came down 1 to 2. Up at peak and finished by 11:45 AM. Back at base by 2:00 PM. This is a relatively easy hike for all ages and it offers a view of Mt. Fuji if you're lucky! -
Mount Takao Trick Art Museum
A great place to spend the afternoon -
TAKAO 599 MUSEUM
A relaxing place to stop after hiking Takao to grab a snack and coffee. Check out the various exhibits here of the local flora and fauna. -
Tokyo Dome City
There's abundant shopping and dining here, but note that the rides close early! We missed the rides because we arrived around 6:30 PM
Eat
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7-Eleven
7-11 is one of the few options in to grab a bite any time of the day, especially early and late. -
高尾さんかく堂
Amazing doughnuts at the base of Takao! -
Takao Dango
Be sure to try the various dango (charcoal grilled mochi) on the way up! -
有喜堂
Relaxing place in the village near the station where you can grab freshly steamed red bean buns and green tea. -
TMH. (TAKAO MOUNTAIN HOUSE) CAFE
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Tonkatsu Matsunoya
The tonkatsu here was delicious; be sure to try the sauces!
Stay
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Bay Hotel Tokyo Hamamatsucho
This hotel is situated perfectly at the end of the Tokyo Monorail, making transit to and from Haneda very easy, even in rush hour. The rooms are quite small, but the showers are AMAZING!
Transit
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Hamamatsuchō Station
Origin station -
Shinjuku Station
Transfer from the Yamanote line here to the Chuo line to Takao -
Takaosanguchi Station
This is the terminal station for Takao; note that you may need to transit (depending on whether you're on an express or not)
Photos
Day 3: Tokyo East - teamLabs Planets, Ueno, Skytree
Exploring the east side of Tokyo
We planned our trip around an "east" and "west" route in Tokyo. This plan was influenced by Tokyo Kenchan's "5 Days Plan" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIT0UNGGlRM) which breaks down a strategy to get the most out of a 5 day trip to Japan. Because we knew that we wanted to visit both teamLab Planets and Borderless, we decided to split our "east" and "west" days around these two scheduled events. On this day, we headed east towards Planets to start the day and planned to head north and east; eventually making our way to Tokyo Skytree for the evening. For both teamLabs, we recommend booking the earliest time slot in the day as they can get crowded after that and the experience is degraded once it's filled with visitors. Planets requires visitors to experience it without any foot coverings and because of that, I think that it ultimately feels more intimate and more engrossing. Both kids preferred Planets to Borderless, in fact. Even going slow, however, this is only going to take up 1.5-2h of your day. We entered at the 9:30 slot and we were out by 11:15. From here, we headed one station to the west towards Toyosu Senkyaku Banrai which is a market that has a TON of great food options to choose from. I strongly recommend putting this on your itinerary as there's something for everyone! Be sure to try the grilled eel; it was delicious! Afterwards, we made a quick stop in Ginza for some shopping and to visit the Sanrio store! Shopping wasn't our primary agenda, so our stop here was short before heading off to Ueno to check out the shrines. Ueno was quite low key and a pleasant place to stop for the afternoon as the fall foliage was spectacular in the sunset. From here, our next stop westward was Asakusa. This area was bustling with tourists! The streets leading into the Sensō-ji temple are packed with shops and food vendors. In some ways, this area felt the most lively and vibrant of all of the areas we visited in Tokyo and reminded us the most of the night market energy of Taiwan. On a return trip, we would definitely spend more time exploring the side streets in this area as there we soooo many interesting shops and side alleys to explore that were closing down by the time we arrived (a big difference compared to Taiwan's night markets which seem to come alive around this time of night). One of our favorite stops of the entire Tokyo visit was a "milk bar" tucked away in one of the side streets. Here, you can taste various varieties of milk sourced from all around Japan. It was a unique experience and we enjoyed it! Our night ended at Tokyo Skytree where we relaxed and tried to trace our route along the nightscape of Tokyo.
Visit
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teamLab Planets チームラボプラネッツ TOKYO DMM
We chose to do both Planets and Borderless. The kids preferred planets; perhaps because you experience it without shoes, it feels more intimate and connected to the experience. Be sure to arrive early; book the first time slots if you can. -
Sanrioworld GINZA 1F・2F
Visit this shop in Ginza for all things Sanrio! -
Ueno Park
Ueno park has a number of attractions and is a great place to stroll through if you follow our route and head north east. -
Sensō-ji
As we made our way from Ueno to Tokyo Skytree, we stopped here as well. The Asakusa area is a lively and crowded place with tons of shops and stalls. The side streets are also worth exploring; you can easily spend half a day or a whole day exploring this area! -
Tokyo Skytree
Book your ride up to the top of Skytree via Klook and look for deals to combine with other destinations that you plan to visit.
Eat
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Lawson
Like 7-11, Lawson is one of the places you can stop and grab a quick bite any time of day. -
Toyosu Senkyaku Banrai 豊洲 千客万来
This area has a lot of small food shops and tourist attractions. It is just one station to the southwest of teamLab Planets and a great place to stop and grab lunch! -
HOKKAIDO MILK BAR Asakusa Milk Cafe
Out in a side street of Asakusa, this place serves milk from different regions of Japan. Try the milk flight to taste just how different these regional milks can be!
Stay
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Bay Hotel Tokyo Hamamatsucho
This hotel is situated perfectly at the end of the Tokyo Monorail, making transit to and from Haneda very easy, even in rush hour. The rooms are quite small, but the showers are AMAZING!
Transit
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Hamamatsuchō Station
Origin station -
Takeshiba Sta.
Blue Urikamome line to teamLabs -
Shin-Toyosu Sta.
Exit station for teamLabs -
Yūrakuchō Station
Transit here from teamLabs to get to Yamanote.
Photos
Day 4: Tokyo West - teamLabs Borderless, Cat Street, Shibuya, Meiji Jingu
Exploring the west side of Tokyo
Once again, we started our day with a visit to teamLab; this time, Borderless! Unlike the linear Planets, Borderless is more open ended and requires you to explore it's various nooks and crannies. While the sights were spectacular here as well, it certainly felt less "intimate" than Planets and quickly became crowded to the extent that it was hard to enjoy some of the exhibits. We strongly recommend booking the earliest slot if you can. From here, we headed east to "Cat Street" which turned out to be somewhat of a dud as the main street is largely filled with large retail brands and a smattering of small 2nd hand clothing stores. If we had to do it over, I think we'd skip this area. Similarly, Harajuku was not for us as our trip wasn't oriented around shopping (you can only walk into so many Uniqlo's before it's waaaay too repetitive). Our night ended at Shibuya where we once again booked a visit to the rooftop viewing platform after grabbing a quick bite in the basement food court. Unlike Skytree's indoor platform, this one is outdoor and can be quite chilly in winter! So be aware that you should plan ahead for the weather. This day was our last day in Japan before heading out to Taiwan. For us, our favorite day was the first trek out to Takao because it felt more "authentically Japan" than the other parts of Tokyo. The area around Asakusa was also fun as it reminded us more of Taiwans lively side streets and alleys.
Visit
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teamLab Borderless: MORI Building DIGITAL ART MUSEUM
Borderless felt a bit less "intimate" than Planets, but was also worth the visit. If you decide to do both like we did, look for discounts on packages on Klook. Book early so you can get a time slot early in the day. By 11 AM, it was packed and not nearly as enjoyable. -
Cat Street
This street is mostly commercial shops; I'd consider skipping on a second visit! -
Harajuku
Yet another shopping district in Tokyo; worth strolling through, but quite packed. -
Shibuya Scramble Crossing
We headed here after Harajuku and crossed to get to Shibuya Sky! -
Shibuya Sky
VERY cold at the top in winter so be sure to bring a jacket. Hats and other loose items will need to be stowed in a locker. The shops actually closed on us on the way down and everyone had to scramble to the elevators. -
Japan, 〒105-0013 Tokyo, Minato City, Hamamatsucho, 1 Chome−2−3, Konparu Shiodome, 1F Laundry Lounge Konparu 汐留
Laundromat nearby; hotel dryers usually don't work very well!
Eat
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Tenrai-ken
We grabbed noodles here after lunch. Seating is tight; punch in your order at the machine at the front. -
Henry's Burger Harajuku, ハイネスト原宿 1F 6 Chome-12-15 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0001, Japan
Stopped here for a quick bite and tried their wagyu burger! -
SHIBUYA SKY (Food Court)
The food court was a good choice for us to grab a quick bite before heading up to Shibuya Sky
Stay
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Bay Hotel Tokyo Hamamatsucho
This hotel is situated perfectly at the end of the Tokyo Monorail, making transit to and from Haneda very easy, even in rush hour. The rooms are quite small, but the showers are AMAZING!
Transit
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Hamamatsuchō Station
Our hotel station. -
Kokuritsu-Kyogijo Station
Where we disembarked for cat street. -
Shinjuku Station
Photos
Day 5: Transit for HND to TSA - Taipei
Tokyo to Taipei
We took the Monorail directly from Hamamatsucho to Haneda for our short flight to Taiwan, landing in Songshan airport. In Taiwan, we ended up picking up SIMs instead of a hotspot. Our hotel for this first leg was located in the Ximen area just south of Taipei Main Station as we would be transiting from there in a few days. Arriving in the early afternoon, we stopped to grab some quick snacks nearby including the Taiwanese classic: beef noodle soup! We spent our evening exploring the Ximen area and wandering through the markets. While Japan seemed to largely shut down around 8-9 PM, Taiwan feels like it's just starting to get into the groove, even on a rainy weekday night! Another big difference between Japan and Taiwan is the abundance of streetfood in Taiwan. Japan definitely feels more "buttoned up" than Taiwan's more laid back nature.
Visit
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Taipei Animate Store 安利美特 台北店
Underground manga and Japanese anime culture shop. -
Hello Kitty主題店（7-11）
Probably not worth the visit! -
Ximen Night Market
The Ximen area is bustling at night!
Eat
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Heritage Bakery & Cafe
Quaint bakery and cafe in the Ximen area; requires a reservation (can be done on the spot via QR code). -
XinYang Noodles Hengyang Shop, No. 73-1, Hengyang Rd, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan 100
The famous beef noodle place is not far from here, but there can be lines and that shop is small! There are lots of places to get delicious beef noodles like this one!
Stay
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N hotel 北行旅
Walking distance from Taipei Main Station (directly south). Exit Z10. Decent value; bathroom could use a LOT more privacy! -
Bay Hotel Tokyo Hamamatsucho
This hotel is situated perfectly at the end of the Tokyo Monorail, making transit to and from Haneda very easy, even in rush hour. The rooms are quite small, but the showers are AMAZING!
Transit
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Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport) 東京国際空港（羽田空港）
Flight is at 9:20 so depart at 6:00 AM from hotel. -
Taipei Songshan Airport
Arrive at 12:30 PM. 30 minute transit to the hotel. Brown line to Blue line to TMS. Walk south from TMS.
Photos
Day 6: Taipei 臺北 - Northern Coast
Visiting the northernmost tip of Taiwan
This day started with visiting Chuck's ancestral sites to the east and north of Taipei before making a trek to the northernmost point of Taiwan. We rented a car since these sites are difficult to reach without one. If you plan to rent a car in Taipei to head north or east out of the city, we recommend renting in the Nangang area as this will allow you to bypass much of the chaotic inner city driving as Nangang is at the edge of Taipei. There are various points of interest along Taiwan's norther coast worth visiting, but due to the short days of winter and the rainy weather, we focused our visit on the Fuguijiao Lighthouse which marks the northernmost point of Taiwan. From there, we headed just 15 minutes south to a eclectic coral temple. Every surface of this temple is covered in shells and coral! The inner chamber is composed of multiple rooms in a maze-like route! This is definitely a memorable place that's worth your visit! After returning our car at Nangang, we headed east to Roahe night market. This area is quite lively and definitely worth a visit. However, Roahe night market is one of the busiest we visited and it was super packed! A tip is to walk under the eaves of the buildings on the side instead of in the main street. It's far less packed and you can still step into the street if you see something intereting!
Visit
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Northernmost Point of Taiwan 台灣最北點
We made the trek here to complete our tip-to-top trek of Taiwan! -
台灣珊瑚貝殼廟（新廟）(Coral Temple)
This is a fantastical temple that is adorned on almost every surface with coral and shells. It's definitely worth the visit if you can make your way here! -
Raohe Street Night Market 饒河街觀光夜市
One of the busiest night markets in Taipei! Tip: walk the sides under the eaves instead of the in the street as it is far less packed.
Eat
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Jinbaoli Old Street
Old street with a famous roasted duck shop and various other eats!
Stay
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N hotel 北行旅
Walking distance from Taipei Main Station (directly south). Exit Z10. Decent value; bathroom could use a LOT more privacy!
Transit
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Lianbangzuche-Gaotienangang Station 聯邦租車-高鐵南港站
Booked via Klook; we picked up a rental car here to head for the northern coast. There are less transportation options if you want to head north of Taipei so be sure to prepare an international drivers permit. -
Houshanpi
Get off here to walk north to Roahe
Photos
Day 7: Taipei 臺北 - Alishan 阿里山 - Transit
Heading for the mountains!
Our journey southwards started with a quick pit stop in Taichung to grab lunch with family. Here, we stowed our luggage at the HSR station and visited the National Taichung Theater where holiday shops were set up. You can visit the rooftop gallery for great views of Taichung and checkout the artworks on exhibit (cute, colorful dinos in this case!). The park just in front of the theater was also lined with vendors this day and we enjoyed the stroll through the park. Taiwan seems to be a place with a lot of creative people and a lot of handmade goods; in many ways, it made browsing and shopping in Taiwan more interesting than our experience in Japan. From Taichung, we hopped back on the HSR to Chiayi where we picked up our rental car that we would use to head out to Alishan. While it is possible and convenient to do it with transit only, we needed the flexibility and to save as much time as possible so we chose to rent a car. Our host at the home stay served us tea upon arrival and gave us great advice about how to experience Alishan and the nearby area given our schedule. Unfortunately for us, both mornings of our stay would be cloudy so we tabled any sunrise visits and instead focused on how to make the most of our short stay, deciding that we would to a full day in Alishan first and then the local hikes before heading off to Fenqihu and back to Chiayi.
Visit
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National Taichung Theater
The theater features unique architecture and has a rooftop gallery with sightlines of the city and art installations as well. During our visit, there were also various shops set up inside! -
Charlotte Park
A downtown park that is a pleasant green space to stroll through. During our visit, there were various vendors set up with lots of handmade wares! -
Longyin Temple
Stopped here on the way up to Alishan at night. There are small vendors here to grab some food and even local fruit.
Eat
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美好美快餐
Breakfast place; grab early and then go back to hotel to grab stuff
Stay
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綠香茶園民宿 Green Incense Homestay
Our home stay nestled in the tea fields of Alishan! -
N hotel 北行旅
Walking distance from Taipei Main Station (directly south). Exit Z10. Decent value; bathroom could use a LOT more privacy!
Transit
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Taipei Main Station
Depart via HSR here for Chiayi -
HSR Taichung Station
Stop here to get lunch with fam? -
Chiayi 高鐵嘉義站
Arrive here to head to Alishan. -
IWS Rent-A-Car Chiayi IWS愛旺租車嘉義站
Rental car booked via Klook. They will pick up from their location to the west. IWS had the nicest car of the trip (a nearly brand new Focus).
Photos
Day 8: Alishan National Forest
Eating and hiking our way through Alishan
Our host recommended starting our Alishan trip at Shuishan Giant Tree and work our way counter clockwise to Shemu Station. This turned out to be great advice and we would advise the same route! Parking fills up fast so you may need to park in the street side spots just past the entrance and walk down. Within the park, we took the Japanese era train to the hike that would lead us to Shuishan Giant Tree. From there, we doubled back and headed towards Sister Ponds and the other sites in the area. This route should land you at Shouzhen temple where there is a small market of vendors selling souvenirs, drinks, and snacks. This is a great place to stop to pick up lunch as there are lot of interesting options to pick from and try! Don't skip on sampling the freshly ground wasabi (rare!) and the various dishes made from millet rice from doughnuts to mochi. We spent about 5 hours in the park in all and exited around 3 PM and headed just a kilometer past the park to a sunset viewing platform at the 89.5k marker. This platform offers fantastic views of the sunset and valley below! We highly recommend making the trek here if you can. From there, we drove the 45 minutes back to our home stay and grabbed dinner along the main street. Note that these restaurants close early (by Taiwan standards) so plan to arrive early! If you miss the window, the 7-11 should still have plenty of options.
Visit
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Alishan National Forest
If you're not coming for the sunrise, Alishan can be hiked in probably ~5 hours moving leisurely. The hikes are all relatively easy and not too strenuous. -
Shuishan Giant Tree
Our first stop in the park -
香雪山觀景台
This is known as the "89.5k" platform as it's located at kilometer marker 89.5. Stop here to watch the sunset!
Eat
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Alishan Shouzhen Temple
This is the best place to stop for lunch; there are lots of shops here selling local snacks. -
石桌羊肉店
Good spot on the main street here. Note that places tend to close on the early side to be sure not to pass on dinner!
Stay
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綠香茶園民宿 Green Incense Homestay
Our home stay nestled in the tea fields of Alishan!
Transit
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IWS Rent-A-Car Chiayi IWS愛旺租車嘉義站
Rental car booked via Klook. They will pick up from their location to the west. IWS had the nicest car of the trip (a nearly brand new Focus).
Photos
Day 9: Tea Field Hikes - Chiayi 嘉義
Hiking among the tea fields
Our home stay was nestled in the high mountain tea fields. Right at the end of the driveway is a trail that takes hikers up through the tea fields and bamboo forests beyond them. We started our day with this hike and made our way up through the picturesque views of the valley below. The trail is pleasant and relatively easy, but portions are slippery in the rain so take your time and go slow if there's moisture. Up here, you can not only see tea, but also coffee -- a high-value crop that has become increasingly popular in Taiwan. After completing our hike -- and earning some calories -- we headed to Fenqihu to grab lunch and snacks. It was actually surprising that even on a cold, rainy Monday, Fenqihu was packed! If you have the option to visit without a car, we strongly advise that you do so since finding parking itself was an unexpected ordeal! Fenqihu old street itself is quite small, but the surrounding area also has plenty of hikes and it's easy to make this a full day trip if you plan hikes as well. For us, our primary goal was to eat! And here, there were lots of options to pick from. Of course, you should pick up a classic bento (we didn't feel like waiting in the more well-known restaurant) and try out the millet rice mochi. Of course, don't skip on the irresistible doughnuts which fill the entrance of the old street with an unimaginable fragrance! We headed back to Chiayi for the evening and checked into our hotel before heading out to the nearby night market to grab dinner.
Visit
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Trail of Tea 茶之道
This hike was right at the end of the driveway of our home stay and takes you up through the tea fields and bamboo forest above. Highly recommended! -
Fenqihu Old Street
Fenqihu is actually quite small but ABSOLUTELY PACKED, even on a cold rainy Monday in December. There are lots of places to grab a bite to eat and snacks. Don't miss the cafe with the locally grown and roasted coffee. There are also plenty of trails nearby if you want to make this a whole-day outing. Parking can be really, really tricky so use transport if that's an option for you.
Eat
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Wenhua Road Night Market
Stay
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Green Hotel
Good value; note that the parking is actually 2 blocks away. -
Laundry Place
Laundromat; two in this area -
綠香茶園民宿 Green Incense Homestay
Our home stay nestled in the tea fields of Alishan!
Transit
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IWS Rent-A-Car Chiayi IWS愛旺租車嘉義站
Rental car booked via Klook. They will pick up from their location to the west. IWS had the nicest car of the trip (a nearly brand new Focus).
Photos
Day 10: Chiayi 嘉義 - Kaohsiung 高雄
Transit to Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung would be our base for the next few days, but first, we stopped by the Chiayi Art Museum. It was a fitting stop as the exhibit featured the sketches of a Taiwanese artist from his travels around Taiwan. We all lamented that we had not kept a more thorough journal of our travels! After returning the car, we hopped on the HSR and made the short ride to Kaohsiung. Here, we checked into our favorite hotel of the stay located right on Pier 2. This area features a lot of street art and shops to visit! We did a short stroll before heading north towards Kaohsiung Arena to grab dinner with family. We capped the night with a stroll through Ruifeng night market to get snacks and try our hand at the claw machines (with futility...)
Visit
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Chiayi Art Museum 嘉義市立美術館
A good place for a short stroll; not a huge museum. -
The Pier2 Art Center
This area is a great place to stay as it is convenient to travel to the rest of Kaohsiung via the orange MRT line or the light rail. There are abundant shops and stores to stroll through as well as various art exhibits! -
Hanshin Arena Shopping Plaza
Shopping plaza with an abundance of dining options. -
Ruifeng Night Market
This night market is just around the corner from the Hanshin Arena Mall. Worth the visit; lots of food options and not too crowded! (We only got snacks)
Eat
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Qiang Qiang Gun Breakfast Restaurant
Delicious and cheap traditional breakfast options -
Kyoto Katsugyu Hanshin Arena Branch
Grab Japanese fare here; located in the Hanshin Arena Mall
Stay
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帕鉑候工所 PAPO'A HARBOR HOTEL
An absolutely fantastic value; one of our best stays in Taiwan. Located really conveniently to the light rail and very walkable to Pier 2.
Transit
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HSR Zuoying Station
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Formosa Boulevard Station
Main transfer station to the orange line. -
IWS Rent-A-Car Chiayi IWS愛旺租車嘉義站
Rental car booked via Klook. They will pick up from their location to the west. IWS had the nicest car of the trip (a nearly brand new Focus).
Photos
Day 11: Kaohsiung 高雄
Spectacular coastal scenary
In many ways, this day surprised us the most with some absolutely stunning scenery along Kaohsiung's coast. We started by hiking north west of Pier 2 towards Xiziwan beach. Here, you'll pass through a tunnel that will connect you to the university and the beach. This beach is great for a stroll as the shallow waters and black sands make for a unique combo. Walk south and follow the coastline to the east and back north and you'll see the former British Consulate perched atop a hill. Climb the stairs up to the top to get a view of the beach below and cut through a flight of stairs next to the small temple by the consulate (it was closed on the day we passed by!). This shortcut will take you to the ferry station where you can use your EZ Card to make the short ride over to Cijin Island. The exit of the ferry station is essentially the start of Cijin old street. Here, you can grab a quick lunch and snacks while you sit on the boardwalk besides the beach. At the end of the old street is the black (grey?) sand beach and you'll see a massive breakwater in the distance. This breakwater causes an isthmus of sand to form that bridges the beach and the breakwater. It is a dramatic sight, especially near sunset! On our visit, we were one of the few people who made the trek out to the isthmus and up onto the breakwater. It was absolutely breathtaking watching the waves from atop the break water! The contrast of the sand and the blue waters made it all the more dramatic! Returning from the breakwater, head left (north) towards the end of the beach where there is a tunnel that connects to a trail that leads up to the lighthouse. Make your way up to the lighthouse where you can grab a coffee from the small cafe at the top before taking in the expansive views of the harbor below. From this vantage point, we could see the entire trail that we had followed that day leading up to this point -- it's quite a unique experience! From here, heading just south leads to Cihou for which overlooks the ocean below. This is a great place to watch the sunset!
Visit
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Xiziwan Tunnel (Old Shoushan Cave)
Cross this tunnel to get from Pier 2 to Xiziwan beach. -
Xiziwan Haishui Yuchang 西子灣海水浴場
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The British Consulate at Takow
You can hike up here to cut across the peninsula and take a shortcut to the ferry terminal. -
Wooderful life 駁二店-報名DIY活動可入木育森林體驗
Fun experience for the kids; there's a DIY experience and an indoor "playground" that are across from each other. -
Cijin Old Street
Stop here to grab lunch on the go. Lots of options to choose from! -
Cijin Beach
A beach area located at the end of the Cijin Old Street. Here, the gray-black sand meets blue waters; be sure to wander out onto the breakwater where "Moses Splits the Sea". -
Cijin Tunnel
At the end of the beach, head to this tunnel which will lead you to a trail that takes you to the lighthouse above. -
Kaohsiung Lighthouse
Stop here to see expansive views of Kaohsiung Port and that trail that brought you this point! From here, you can see each of the stops of the day. -
Cihou Fort
Located just southwest of the lighthouse, this is a great place to catch the sunset.
Eat
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Shoreline Coffee & Roaster
Right at the lighthouse; stop here to grab a coffee and snack to reward you hike up!
Stay
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帕鉑候工所 PAPO'A HARBOR HOTEL
An absolutely fantastic value; one of our best stays in Taiwan. Located really conveniently to the light rail and very walkable to Pier 2.
Transit
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Gushan Ferry Pier Station 鼓山輪渡站
Ferry terminal to reach Cijin; head here from Xiziwan
Photos
Day 12: Tainan 臺南 Day Trip
Eating our way through Taiwan's historical capital!
Tainan was once the capital of Taiwan and unlike many other cities in Taiwan, it has retained much of the unique historical character. Here, without an MRT nor train running west towards Anping, the main options are bus, taxi, or -- our choice -- walking. Perhaps because there's no MRT here, it feels like there's a surprise around every corner! Here, there are endless streets to wander and explore in search of amazing food! One of the best dishes we had the entire trip was a bowl of stir fried beef noodles. The savory and extremely tender, melt in your mouth beef was simply divine and we wished we had ordered more! Unlike Taipei's alleys and backstreets which can sometimes feel "grimey", Tainan's alleys and backstreets seemed more charming, picturesque, and inviting. Each side street seemed to reward your curiosity with some quaint cafe or amazing food or unique shopping experience. We even had a run in with a French YouTuber who runs the channel Ku's Dream. We explored and ate our way west and eventually had to take a cab west towards Anping old street (losing too much daylight walking and eating!). At Anping old street, unsurprisingly, we continued to eat and walk! It was a fantastic day and worthy of another, longer visit and exploration. We would have liked to 1) eat more, 2) explore more side streets and alleys, 3) visit the coastline sights here. Tip: use the local train instead of the HSR to reach Tainan since the HSR puts you quite far from the city center.
Visit
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吳園涼亭
Small pond and park located behind the Tainan Wu Garden -
Tainan Confucius Temple
Historical temple that makes for a good stroll. -
Ximen Market
Lively area; around the corner is a newly dubbed "Asakusa Shopping Center" with lots of small shops and vendors. -
Hayashi Department Store
Historical department store that now houses various vendors and small shops. You can purchase postcards and a stamp from the rooftop store and drop it in the post! -
Snail Alley
Quaint back street that's perfect for a stroll to find the various snails along the way! -
Anping Old Street
Bustling old street with lots of food options! The dried shrimp crackers are a specialty here! -
Anping Tree House 安平樹屋
Historical merchant house that has now been overtaken by banyan trees in a dramatic fashion!
Eat
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煮椪糖
Unique vendor here who guides you in creating your own "sugar biscuit" which is made from melted cane sugar and a bit of baking powder. -
Klin Tainan Baozi 克林台包
http://klintainan.com/ Worth the stop to try the various buns! -
阿信巧克力農場台南店
Delicious locally grown chocolate ice cream and unique cocoa tea. -
鴻牛溫體牛肉湯-南門店｜中西區美食｜宵夜牛肉湯｜熱門牛肉湯｜台南美食推薦｜台南小吃推薦｜牛肉湯推薦｜溫體牛｜必吃牛肉鍋｜宵夜推薦｜熱炒推薦｜必吃美食｜評價牛肉湯｜
Delicious beef noodles; one of the best meals we had in all of our travels.
Stay
-
帕鉑候工所 PAPO'A HARBOR HOTEL
An absolutely fantastic value; one of our best stays in Taiwan. Located really conveniently to the light rail and very walkable to Pier 2.
Transit
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Kaohsiung Station 高雄車站
The train is a better option as it puts us in the center of Tainan. Tze-Chiang Limited Express is 30 minutes. Special note: you might be too conditioned to the MRT and get on the wrong train like us! So be careful when boarding trains! -
Tainan 台南車站
Transiting to Tainan via rail is more convenient than the HSR which places you far outside of the city.
Photos
Day 13: Kaohsiung 高雄 - Kenting 墾丁 - Transit
Snacking our way south
If you haven't noticed the trend, much of our travel itinerary of Taiwan is built around what we want to eat! As with our strategy in Taipei, we picked up our rental car near the edge of the city -- this time at Kaohsiung airport which is near the end of the MRT line at the southern edge of the city. Along the route from Kaohsiung to Kenting, there are several unique places to stop. This region is a fruit growing region of Taiwan and you'll notice the giant mango statues as you make your way south. It's also known for the urn roasted whole chickens. Of course, we had both! It wasn't mango season, but here, the mango is so soft and sweet that the put a stick in it and make a popsicle out of it! Be sure to make a stop at one of the various quaint cafes along the coast. The chicken was perhaps one of the top 2 meals that we had during this entire trip (the beef noodles in Tainan being the other!). While it seems like it might be heavy, the 4 of us were able to polish off a whole chicken! The meat was tender and moist -- even the breast -- while the skin was crispy and smokey; absolutely amazing! We made a pit stop at the aquarium as well since the weather was overcast with a light drizzle so it was perfect to be indoors for the day. While the overall property is quite large, the overall exhibits are probably mid-sized. For us, it was about a 2h detour before we got to our hotel and checked in.
Visit
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波波投幣式洗衣
Quick stop for laundry. Arrived early enough to see the owner cleaning the place and she was very helpful. -
National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium
Stop here for a 2 hour tour of the aquarium. It's not super large (though the facility itself is very large) so don't plan more than 1.5 - 2.5 hours.
Eat
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上品の飯糰
Really tasty rice balls and other traditional breakfast fare. But don't sleep on the coffee vendor right next to this stall; BEST COFFEE we had the whole trip! -
枋野秘境-海景咖啡 (Seaview Cafe)
Beach side cafe that serves mango desserts (and other seasonal fruit desert) as well as coffee! A quaint place to stop to take a short break. -
七里香甕仔雞 枋山店 (Urn Roasted Chicken)
Wow! A must visit! This place serves DELICIOUS urn roasted chicken with the drippings in a bowl. Absolutely amazing!
Stay
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山風足跡民宿
https://www.booking.com/hotel/tw/ken-ding-shan-feng-zu-ji-ping-dong-xian.html. Nice homestay tucked a bit back from the main strip in Kenting. -
帕鉑候工所 PAPO'A HARBOR HOTEL
An absolutely fantastic value; one of our best stays in Taiwan. Located really conveniently to the light rail and very walkable to Pier 2.
Transit
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Formosa Boulevard Station
Transfer here to red line -
Kaohsiung International Airport
Pick up the car here. -
固得租車-高雄店 KHH Car Rental(轎車、貨車、機車出租、機場接送、包車旅遊)
https://www.goodcars.tw/ worst rental car we had the entire trip! But value was good and otherwise fine.
Photos
Day 14: Kenting 墾丁 West + Sichongxi 四重溪
Hot springs and gorgeous beaches
We woke to an overcast, windy day (winds of 15mph to 20mph!) which forced us to change our initial plans of beach activities. We started to search for alternatives and settled on visiting Sichongxi which had been recommended to us by an enthusiastic cab driver in Tainan. Sichongxi is one of the 4 major developed hot springs regions of Taiwan. Here the water is rich in minerals with no trace of sulfurous odor; it's easy to spend several hours here just soaking in the hot springs! We visited Qingquan Japanese Hot Spring Hotel which has a "public", day-use hot spring (does not require a hotel room stay). The day rate was very reasonable, though keep in mind that towels are not provided and you are required to purchase or bring your own swim cap. Unlike Japan, public hot springs in Taiwan are non-nude so prepare a swimsuit if you plan to visit. After soaking for most of the morning, we headed off to Paradise of Deer for an encounter with deer and capybara in the small park. This is a great place to stop with kids as the deer and capybara are sure to please. The capybara here are well cared for with a "safe" zone they can retreat to if they are tired and there's a 15 minute break between each group of visitors. We ended our day at South Bay where we watched the sunset and strolled the beach. The water was quite warm, actually, but the high winds may make some shudder at diving in without a wetsuit!
Visit
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Si Zhongxi Qingquan Japanese Hot Spring Hotel
Hot spring resort with day rates (350NT + 80NT for swim cap). Very reasonable price for up to 6 hours stay. Bring your own towels and spend time in each of the 4 hot springs pools of various temps. No sulfurous odor from any of them and will leave your skin incredibly smooth. No issues with crowding on a Saturday in December. -
Paradise of Deer
Great place to spend about an hour to feed and pet the deer as well as the capybara (apparently the stars). Capybara enclosure cycles 15 minutes on, 15 minutes off with 25 visitors per cycle. -
South Bay
Gorgeous beach with great views and crystal blue waters. In December, the water was balmy and much warmer than the air temps on the day we were here. The main building has bathrooms and showers (showers are paid entry). Parking in the main lot is also paid. Very nice beach and very clean. -
Kenting Night Market
Convenient place to grab dinner! Lots of options to choose from including many places that cater to more western tastes.
Eat
-
元氣麵店
Simple fare; noodles of all types, wonton soup, braised pork rice, and veggies. Good portion sizes for the price and good noodles. 300NT for 3 large bowls of noodles, 2 generous bowls of braised pork rice, and 1 bowl of wonton soup.
Stay
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山風足跡民宿
https://www.booking.com/hotel/tw/ken-ding-shan-feng-zu-ji-ping-dong-xian.html. Nice homestay tucked a bit back from the main strip in Kenting.
Transit
-
固得租車-高雄店 KHH Car Rental(轎車、貨車、機車出租、機場接送、包車旅遊)
https://www.goodcars.tw/ worst rental car we had the entire trip! But value was good and otherwise fine.
Photos
Day 15: Kenting 墾丁 Hiking, Southernmost Point, Hengchun
Hiking ancient coral valleys
Our next full day in Kenting started with a hike through the ancient coral valleys of Kenting National Park. Here you'll find deep valleys formed from the accumulation of coral over millions of years and deep limestone caves that offer a memorable hiking experience as you wind your way through. Be sure to check out the observation tower in the center of the park where you'll find expansive views of the southern wilderness of Taiwan after ascending to the top deck of the tower. From the park, we made our way to the southermost tip of Taiwan to complete our tip-to-tip journey! Our original plan was to head up the eastern coast, but the weather let up and we were able to spend a bit of time in the water at the beach and headed to Baishawan beach. We ended our day with a visit to Hengchun night market which is only open on Sunday evenings. Chuck and I both agree that this is probably one of the best night markets that we visited in terms of the overall experience: not too crowded, lots of variety of food, unique options that we haven't seen in other night markets, and no lines! If you make your way south, definitely come visit this night market.
Visit
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Fairy Cave
Hike through these ancient limestone valleys in Kenting park. -
One-Line Sky 一線天
A valley formed by ancient coral walls. -
Southernmost Point of Taiwan
This was a highlight for us as it marked the completion of our tip-to-tip journey! -
Kenting Baishawan
Gorgeous beach! One of the most beautiful beaches we've personally witnessed! The water was a milky, crystal blue/green. Spectacular place to watch the sunset.
Eat
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Hengchun Night Market
Open only on Sunday; probably our favorite night market in all of Taiwan. Not too crowded, few lines, and lots of delicious food! Don't skip on the eel sushi!
Stay
-
山風足跡民宿
https://www.booking.com/hotel/tw/ken-ding-shan-feng-zu-ji-ping-dong-xian.html. Nice homestay tucked a bit back from the main strip in Kenting.
Transit
-
固得租車-高雄店 KHH Car Rental(轎車、貨車、機車出租、機場接送、包車旅遊)
https://www.goodcars.tw/ worst rental car we had the entire trip! But value was good and otherwise fine.
Photos
Day 16: Kenting 墾丁 - Taipei 臺北 - Transit
Return to Taipei
As we wrapped up our journey south, we made our way back up north, we stopped by Siaodu's Steamed Buns on the way up to grab a snack. This store has a variety of unique steamed bun flavors to choose from including some "secret" menu items that the owner's make for the day (be sure to chat them up!). We only ordered 4 buns, the but the boss gave us two extras that weren't on the menu! From there, we headed back to Kaohsiung to return our rental and made our way back to Taipei via HSR. Be sure to check the timetables and aim for the express trains as these make less stops and minimize the transit duration (and give you extra time to explore Kaohsiung!) In Taipei, we checked into our final lodging: Meander 1948 which is a mix of hostel and private rooms. We booked a private room for 4 and for Taipei on New Year's, it was a pretty good value (if you book far enough in advance!). A perk is that you can also use the extremely clean (and private) common showers and restrooms which can make your stay a bit more convenient. The location is just to the north of Taipei Main Station, but the actual walk time to an MRT platform is probably closer to 10 minutes. Otherwise, the area has plenty of activities and side streets to explore and wander with Dihua street just to the north and Ximen just to the south; both within walking distance. We wandered north through Dihua in the afternoon and made our way to the Dadaocheng Pier Plaza where there are a number of restaurants set up in containers serving food and alcohol. This is a great place to unwind and watch the scene of the Tamsui river or go for a stroll. If you're still up for for it, head to the Ningxia night market to the east. This is one of the busiest night markets that we visited with lines longer than even Roahe! There were lots of delicious options to choose from here so if you hate lines, I'd recommend arriving early to avoid the queues!
Visit
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Dihua Street
Bustling shopping district where the buildings have their historical facades. Lots of dried goods here (but beware, some products are imported from China and aren't actually local). -
Dadaocheng Pier Plaza 大稻埕碼頭廣場
Trendy place to grab a bite and/or a drink and watch the nightscape along the Tamsui river. -
Ningxia Night Market
Suuuper crowded and busy, but there were lots of delicious food options to choose from! If you don't arrive early, then expect to wait in lines!
Eat
-
Siaodu's Steamed Buns
A fantastic place to stop and grab a quick snack either on the way down or up! A variety of freshly steamed buns in special flavors. Be sure to chat with the boss since they often have flavors that aren't on the menu! -
火星猴子
Delicious taro latte -
Du Hsiao Yueh Taipei Dihua Branch, No. 112號, Section 1, Dihua St, Datong District, Taipei City, 103
Staple Taiwanese dishes (slightly) elevated. Delicious and simple classic flavors. The fried tofu is fantastic.
Stay
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Meander 1948
https://staymeander.com/meander1948/ Our final stay of our trip, Meander offers both shared rooms and private rooms for 4. This is a really great place to stay just north of Taipei Main Station. The main downside is that it's about 5-10 minutes to walk to the nearest MRT entrance. -
山風足跡民宿
https://www.booking.com/hotel/tw/ken-ding-shan-feng-zu-ji-ping-dong-xian.html. Nice homestay tucked a bit back from the main strip in Kenting.
Transit
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Kaohsiung International Airport
Lots of rental car companies located in this area. This is the right place to pick up and return your car since you can bypass a lot of city driving. -
Zuoying Station
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Taipei Main Station
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固得租車-高雄店 KHH Car Rental(轎車、貨車、機車出租、機場接送、包車旅遊)
https://www.goodcars.tw/ worst rental car we had the entire trip! But value was good and otherwise fine.
Photos
Day 17: Taipei 臺北 - New Years Eve
Celebrating the new year!
Taipei has become one of the top destinations for New Year's Eve and for good reason. It's lively, bustling, yet still accessible. Because of the layout of Taipei around Taipei 101, there are numerous viewpoints that provide excellent views of the fireworks. This means that -- unlike say Times Square in New York -- despite the number of people that visit Taiwan for new years, it doesn't feel inaccessible. You can choose to view it from the streets or on one of the nearby mountains -- there are sure to be a number of amazing viewpoints depending on how you want to experience it. We started our day by exploring the areas around our hotel including Huashan 1914 Creative Park which is set up like a smaller Pier 2 with numerous shops, food stalls, and art installations. From here, we headed north to Dalongdong Temple making a quick stop at Old Noodle Shop (the literal translation of the name!) for some AMAZING noodles (highly recommended). This tiny noodle shop is tucked into a back street yet it as packed during our visit. The menu only has 6-8 items on it and every one that we tried was delicious! To ensure that we'd have enough energy to make it through the night, we decided to take a mid-afternoon nap before heading towards Taipei Dome and Songshan Creative Park to explore that area. This was our planned initial viewing point as it is convenient and has close proximity to the MRT, but we decided to make our way closer for a better vantage point and ultimately ended up in front of Taipei City Hall where we had a fantastic viewpoint. If you're considering visiting Taiwan for new years eve, be assured that the organization and crowd control are top notch! Bathrooms are clean and plenty of temporary port-a-potties are set up at the most popular viewing points. First aid stations are well marked with giant floating balloons to make them easily identifiable if needed. Even the after celebration transit is well organized with at least 3 lines that run parallel (green, red, blue) to carry passengers away. As we made our way towards the MRT station after the celebration was over, we didn't even have to wait for a train as they arrived in quick succession. From our viewpoint -- including a walk to the green line -- it took us about 1.5 hours to make it back to our hotel all said and done; not too bad! Taipei is definitely a great place if you are considering visiting for New Year's Eve.
Visit
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Viewing Location for Taipei 101 Fireworks
This was our viewing location for the New Years Eve fireworks! -
Huashan 1914 Creative Park
This area has a lot of small shops and stores that are worth visiting. If you missed Wooderful life in Kaohsiung, you can also visit here. -
Dalongdong Baoan Temple
Temple where we stopped to take in the bustle as locals stopped by for the new year. -
Songshan Cultural and Creative Park
Area with plenty of shops and exhibits to explore -
Taipei Dome
Lots of shops and dining in this area including an underground mall which just opened in 2024. -
Eslite Spectrum Songyan
Large shopping complex with a 24h Eslite! Basement has wide array of dining options (and amazing boba!)
Eat
-
Li-Ji Soy Milk
Breakfast option that is comped by Meander. Busy shop and delicious food! Ordering can be a bit complicated. -
Old Noodle Shop
Delicous, delicious noodles! The menu only has like 6-8 items and it was packed despite being in a non-descript side street. Recommend the "dry" noodles as the sauce is amazing.
Stay
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Meander 1948
https://staymeander.com/meander1948/ Our final stay of our trip, Meander offers both shared rooms and private rooms for 4. This is a really great place to stay just north of Taipei Main Station. The main downside is that it's about 5-10 minutes to walk to the nearest MRT entrance.
Photos
Day 18: Taipei 臺北 North
Preparing to head home
We started our final day in Taipei with hot pot with family in Ximen before heading north to the Neihu area. We originally planned to do a hike here, but weather changed our plans and we made our way towards Miramar to complete some final shopping and visit the Aurora Ice Rink at NOKE. This was a fitting winter activity to close out our trip as we prepared to head home!
Visit
-
Jinmianshan Trail 金面山步道
This was our initial destination in northern Taiwan, but we ended up changing plans due to rain. -
Miramar
Miramar is a large mall, but primarily we headed here for Aurora Ice Rink in NOKE across the street. -
極光冰場 Aurora Ice Rink
Ice rink located in NOKE
Eat
-
Mala Hotpot Xining (Ximending)
Grabbed lunch here with family. Lots of all-you-can-eat options, but the premium meats are priced standalone. There is a 120 minute time limit from the time that you are seated and it's strictly enforced. Also note that it's cash only.
Stay
-
Meander 1948
https://staymeander.com/meander1948/ Our final stay of our trip, Meander offers both shared rooms and private rooms for 4. This is a really great place to stay just north of Taipei Main Station. The main downside is that it's about 5-10 minutes to walk to the nearest MRT entrance.
Photos
Day 19: Depart from TPE to EWR
Despite the fact that it was just after new years, the airport was easy to navigate and not crowded at all! Do note that the MRT from Taipei Main Station doesn't start until 6:30 AM so if you have an early flight to catch like us, your best bet is to pre-book an Uber. In Taiwan, the laws on ride hailing apps mean that Ubers are priced similarly to regular yellow taxis so the price for a ride should be fairly reasonable (just over $30 for us).
Stay
-
Meander 1948
https://staymeander.com/meander1948/ Our final stay of our trip, Meander offers both shared rooms and private rooms for 4. This is a really great place to stay just north of Taipei Main Station. The main downside is that it's about 5-10 minutes to walk to the nearest MRT entrance.
Transit
-
Taipei International Airport
Departs 8:50 AM → NRT @ 12:55 PM (5hrs) → EWR @ 4:15 PM
Notes
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-oo6QkhhK8
Overview of the main Kenting beaches and access to bathrooms and other facilities. A great resource for planning beach days!
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https://www.nickkembel.com/snow-in-taiwan-in-winter/
Good discussion on Taiwan weather in winter. In general, it feels a bit like SF so I can see why many Taiwanese are drawn to SF.
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https://en.mttakaomagazine.com/trails/6th
A listing of trails on Mt. Takao.
FAQ
-
How warm are the waters in Kaohsiung or Kenting in December?
The water temp is generally in the low to mid 70's F and quite comfortable for swimming and playing in the water. However, the air temps and high winds in Kenting in winter mean that you'll be quite cold once you're out of the water. Locals will find the conditions too cold for swimming, but anyone that is. used to swimming in the cold Pacific waters of California will feel fine!
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What is Taipei like on New Year's Eve?
Unlike Times Square in New York, Taipei 101 is in an area that is relatively spread out with great views all around -- including from nearby mountains like Elephant Mountain. Therefore, it is quite spread out and it's not as packed as Times Square. In addition, there are plenty of (very clean) restrooms set up in popular viewing locations like Taipei City Hall and Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall. The MRT system operates high frequency on the major lines (red, blue, green) so it is relatively painless to make your way out of the Xinyi area. Overall, a very pleasant in-person NYE celebration without a lot of hassle and pain!
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What is the best place to watch New Year's fireworks in Taipei?
Taipei offers many vantage points for viewing the fireworks on New Year's. The area just to the west of Taipei City Hall offers great views with few obstructions with a lot of space. It's also easy to walk to transit from this location.
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How should I travel to Tainan from Kaohsiung?
The train from the Kaohsiung Station is the best option because the HSR will put you quite far outside the city whereas the local train will take you to the center of Tainan and it is more convenient.
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How much can I fit in the storage lockers at the THSR stations?
The storage lockers are surprisingly large! Even in the smaller units, we were able to fit a carry-on sized roller horizontally into the locker with room to spare.
Summary: Japan x Taiwan
There is something special about how travel brings you together as a family. For 21 days, we would spend every moment of every day together; we would explore together, eat together, sleep in the same room together. For us, this was the journey of a lifetime as our oldest starts her transition into high school and soon into adulthood. Who knows what the future will hold? Will we ever travel all 4 together like this again? Will we ever witness a New Year's Eve celebration in person together as a family again? Whatever may come, this adventure is one that is certain to be special in all of our memories!
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