Three Days at Southern Taiwan

Day 1

1. Taipei – Kaohsiung

• UBUS  (intercity bus) from Taipei Main Station | cost : 380 元 | time required : + 5 hours

2. Kaohiung Railway Station – Kaohsiung Grand Mosque

• Bus no.53 | cost : 12 元 + Taxi | cost : 155 元 –> I was lost. Please do not follow this…
• Bus no.88 | cost : 12 元 –> it is the right one, or
• Weiwuying MRT Station (O10), out at gate 4, turn left and walk about 200 m | cost : depend on departure station

3. Culinary – Warung Sate Muslim (beside the Mosque)

• 1 portion of sate kambing + white rice (bisa nambah, saya nambah soalnya…) | price : 100 元 / portion

4. Tour de Kaohsiung

• 122, Wufu 1st Rd – the address of Rotiboy on the internet –> the shop was not open anymore [mission failed]
• 6 Ming-Cyuan 2nd Rd – Wilson Sporting Goods Co. –> wanna buy racquet, but that is an office which not sell the products, they told me to buy it from their reseller agents [mission failed]
• 387, An Ning Street – Sumitomo/Chu Yu Hotel
• Tour was using A Pe’s Taxi – ask Mbak Alin (Warung Sate Muslim shopkeeper) to call the taxi | cost : 250 元

5. Kaohsiung Lantern Festival 2009

• City Council MRT Station (O4), walk about 500 m to Love River | cost : depend on departure station

6. Sumitomo/Chu Yu Hotel (near Kaohsiung Railway Station)

• Single bed : 1080 元 / night (weekdays)

Day 2

1. Kaohsiung – Pingtung

• by local train | cost : 31 元 | time required : + 20 minutes

Asked the information service about how to go to Eluan Bi Park. She suggested to take intercity bus or take the train to Fang Liao. I arrived at Pingtung at around 11 o’clock. There was Kuo Kuang Bus to Eluan Bi Park at 2 PM.

2. Pingtung – Fang Liao

• by local train | cost : 60 元 | time required : + 1 hour

3. Fang Liao – Che Cheng

• by Kuo Kuang Bus | cost : < 100 元 (forget the price precisely) | time required : + 20-30 minutes

4. Che Cheng – National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium

• by “black” taxi – like a taxi but without argometer, the price shoud be negotiated | cost : 150 元 | time required : 15 -20 minutes

5. National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium

• Ticket entrance : 450 元

This place is like the SeaWorld in Ancol. Nice place to visit, but not friendly with your pocket.

6. National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium – Eluan Bi Park

• by Kenting Shuttle Bus | cost : 70 元 | time required : + 40 minutes

7. Eluan Bi Park

• no ticket fee… Eluan Bi Park is the southernmost part of Taiwan…

and… waiting for the sunset… but unfortunately the sun was hiding behind the clouds…

faraway there is INDONESIA…

8. Eluan Bi Park – Kaohsiung

• by Kuo Kuang Bus | cost : + 350 元 (forget the price precisely) | time required : 2 hours

9. Kindness Hotel (near Kaohsiung Railway Station)

• Single bed : 1390 元 / night (weekdays)

Day 3

1. Kaohsiung Grand Mosque

• Shalat Jum’ah

2. Culinary – Ali’s Kitchen at 124, Wufu 2nd Rd

• the restaurant was closed [mission failed]

3. Kaohsiung – Tainan

• by Tzu Chiang Limited Express Train | cost : 107 元

4. Tour de Tainan

• Tainan Snacks Area – could not find the place [mission failed]
• 214, Jingnian Rd – the address of Rotiboy on the internet –> the shop was not open anymore [mission failed]

5. Tainan – Taipei

• by Tzu Chiang Limited Express Train | cost : 741 元

Notes based on experience :

1. Tzu Chiang (T.C.) Train is not really worth to be taken to go out-town. Costly, almost twice than the intercity bus, with the same time consuming. Only good for short distance destination. The intercity bus such as Kuo Kuang, Ubus, etc. are preferable.
2. Take the local train if you are rich of times and wanna enjoy your trip. Bad choice if you are in hurry.
3. Learn some basic Chinese language are helpful so much. Worth for my one year’s Chinese course. Xie2 Laoshi.
4. Do not hesitate to ask the information service at the station, moreover if the officer is young and beauty. Do not forget to give her your best smile before you asking.
5. 2 or 3 persons will be good number to save your accommodation expenses, and some of transportation expenses. Contrary, bringing your spouse could be doubled your transportation expenses.