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Showing posts with label Taiwan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Taiwan. Show all posts

5 LOHAS Experience in Taiwan

My family and I visited Taiwan last year, 2014. It was a memorable trip for us. My family prefer "back to nature" trip. The Taiwan trip let us understand the meaning of LOHAS.



LOHAS is an acronym for Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability, a market segment focused on health and fitness, the environment, personal development, sustainable loving and social justice.

Extracted from www.lohas.com

Taiwan is considered  a treasure island. The island has a variety of delicacies. Exciting events or festivals that happened almost every month. Not to forget, national park that is well maintained. Let me share with you my LOHAS experience in Taiwan.

#1 Cycling in Park


We are very surprised that Taiwan has great cycling path way in most of the small villages. Most of the villages we visited has similar story. The village used to be log farm or agriculture industry. As years go by, price fluctuated and many people left the industry. In order for the village to survive. Tourism is introduced to these villages. The old railways are either transformed into museum, jogging track or cycling track.

The existing railway provided a great cycling track for the cyclists. Cyclists are able to enjoy the beauty of nature and breeze. Try it yourselves.

Link: Cycling in Baihe Village

#2 Jungle Trekking

It was raining season during May 2014. We enjoy our walk by wearing rain coat or holding umbrella. It was quite an unique experience to walk in the park or jungle with umbrella.


#3 Fresh from the Farm

 Most of the home stay owner have their own farm. We have the chance to eat fresh vegetables and fruit from their farm.
The most unforgettable meal in Baihe village. All ingredients are from the the owner farm or neighbor farm.

#4 Creative Home stay concept


Stone House in Hualien district was the most impressed home stay  for our trip. The walls of the house was covered with grey pebbles. We also come across some hostel with their own creativity on it.

Link: Taiwan Accomodation

#5 Friendly People

We did not feel any fear while walking on the midnight street. Although most of the street or shops were written in Chinese, my English educated dad  didn't face trouble in communication. He can used dialect to chat with the local. Hokkien and Hakka dialect were widely used by local.

English may not be widely used in Taiwan. When we lost our way or ask for information, they will explain with great detail. We were offered tea when we are having our morning walk or evening walk. It is quite easy for us to mix around.


Flight ticket from Malaysia to Taiwan (Round Trip) is less than RM500 per person. Do look out for great flight ticket with different airline. Mr. Ang and LerLer are looking forward to have honeymoon or ore wedding photo shoot in Taiwan too. May be we can try cliff jumping like the recent Sony A6000 advertisement in Taiwan too. ^^



Blog Contest: fb.com/ButterflyProject + Taiwan


 Hash Tag: #ButterflyMsia


Hash Tag: #TimeForTaiwan, #TimeToEat, #TimeToShop, #TimeFor2Wheels

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Tzu Chi Head Quarter @ Hua Lien, Taiwan

5 August 2015

On the way to our home stay (Stone Hous), we requested Ken to drop us at Tzu Chi Head Quarter, Hua Lien.

Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation

Tzu Chi Foundation was established in 1966 by Venerable Dharma Master Cheng Yen on the poor east coast of Taiwan. For over 43 years, the foundation has been contributing to better social and community services, medical care, education and humanism in Taiwan and around the world. From the first 30 members, housewives who saved two cents from their grocery money each day to help the poor. The foundation has volunteers in 47 countries with 372 offices worldwide.

Serene pathway to the temple
A volunteer was explaining the concept and environment to us.





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Cycling in BaiHe Village, Taiwan



8 August 2014

Travel like the local is our family travel's motto. This travel spirit has been passed down from my dad to me. That is why I wish to write about our ecology cycling trip in Baihe village.

4:00pm  We check in Grand Uncle's House. This home stay is surrounded by lotus plantation. The room has a beautiful view to oversee lotus pond.

4:30pm We choose our bicycle and wait for Mr. Teo, tour guide of the trip.
This is Mr. Teo. He is the tour guide and owner of Grand Uncle's House. He been awarded as one of the best ecology tour guide in Taiwan too.  At first rest point, Mr. Teoh explained the agriculture demographic at this rest place.

There are many children in this ecology tour. Mr. Teoh encourages the parent to let the children to play around this area. While the children are playing, Mr. Teoh continue to explain the different dams in this village.

林初埤木棉花道
 This is "林初埤木棉花道". Google translated it as "Lin Pi Early Kapok Road". Every year, around late Febraury and early March,  flaming orange color flowers will be blooming. The path will be shut down and open just for cyclist and tourists to enjoy the view.

During the late 1980, railway was built to transport sugar cane. As the sugar cane production cost increase, the farmers reduce sugar cane production and change to rice or lotus plantation. The train service for this area shut down too. In recent year, Taiwan government remove the railway and mended the path into cycling path. Cyclists can have a safe path to cycle around this village.

One of the largest dam for plantation.

Mr. Teoh is joking with the children while waiting for us.

The journey ended at another big dam. There are total seven dams for agriculture at this district. We rested for 20 minutes before cycling back to home stay. I do not manage to capture the journey back to the home stay due to heavy rain fall. I also faced the worst nightmare that every photographer face. My camera battery went flat. O.O I brought 2 cameras and 3 batteries for this cycling trip. All went flat at the same.

This cycling trip is the most memorable trip in my Taiwan Itinerary.

Tips:
  • Try to bring a Chinese speaking friends along
  • Stay at Grand Uncle Homestay to enjoy back to nature experience


Check out Mr. Teoh's interview on the ecology tour in BaiHe Village.



Grand Uncle's House 



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Taiwan Private Tour Guide



August 2014

Any Time For Taiwan. Our Taiwan trip mission are
  • To tour Taiwan Island
  • To avoid popular tourist area
  • To travel like a local Taiwanese
  • To eat like a local Taiwanese
  • To explore some hidden tourist area
  • To relax
 That why we hired a private tour guide for our 10 days 9 nights Taiwan Trip. Based on some good review, I contacted Wonderful Taiwan Company. Mr. Lim is an experienced trip planner. Through Whatsapp and Facebook, we discussed on the itinerary. Mr. Lim is able to answer our answer will great detail.


Our private tour guide, Mr. Kent Kuok.
He has 2 years working experience as tour guide. Taiwan history, food, geography festival and many other interesting information he is able to explain to us. He is like a walking dictionary

My mum and Mr. Kent
Any question? Mr. Kent is able to answer us



Whatsapp: +886 921 928 747



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Taiwan Accomodation Review



On August 2014, our family travelled to Taiwan  for 10 days 9 nights. Since it is a round island tour, we have the chance to stay 9 hotel/ hostel/ home stay.

For each hostel photos, please check it here

Wuji Hostel
258宜兰县五结村新生街21号
Email: qqout@eorange.com.tw
Tel:+886039531631
Website: http://095597405.eorange.com.tw



Suto Home 石头的家
华莲县吉安乡南滨路一段251巷26号
Email: sutohome@gmail.com
Tel:+8860933485552
Website: www.sutohome.com

Sheep Hostel
台东市南一街96号
Email: sheep_hostel@yahoo.com.tw
Tel:+8860930133763
Website: http://sheep96.myweb.hinet.net/sheep

Legend Hotel
No 55, XinSheng 1st St., Qianjin District, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
Email: service@legendhotel.com.tw
Tel:+88672877766
Website: www.legendhotel.com.tw

Dream House B&B 埔里梦想之家
南投县埔里镇大城里大城路152号
Email: gn19928183@gmail.com
Tel:+8860972959663
Website: http://puli-dream.okgo.tw

Dingdai Glass Vacation Villa
546南投县仁爱乡大同村人何路218附2号
Email: dingdai.farm@msa.hinet.net
Tel:+8860492803598
Website: www.dingdai.com.tw


XiangTing  Hot Spring Hotel 香亭民宿
南投县埔里镇中山路一段66号
Email: -
Tel:+8860911091122
Website: http://0911091122.blogspot.tw


Grand Uncle House 三叔公的家
台南市白河区大竹里30-20号
Email: granduncle0317@yahoo.com.tw
Tel:+8860934305987
Website: www.granduncle.com.tw

Image Credit: Garden Stay

Garden Stay 逢甲 花园民宿
西安街口站
Email:uklm@hotmail.com
Tel:+8860986584867
Website: http://gardenstay.net/

East Dragon Hotel 东龙酒店
No. 23, Sec 2, Hankou Street, Taipei
Email: edhtl@east-dragon.com.tw
Tel:+886223116969
Website: www.east-dragon.com.tw

Each hostel/ hotel/ home stay has their unique, the list below is just LerLer's opinion. LerLer do not have any connection with any hostel/hotel/homestay.

Best Service: East Dragon Hotel
Best Homely Feeling: Grand Uncle House
Most Friendly: Suto House
Most  Service Impressive:  Dream House B&B
Most Scenic View: Ding Dai Glass Vacation Villa




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Food Journal in Taiwan - Part 1



We tasted some great cuisine in Taiwan. Since there are too many foods, LerLer will break it down into a few posts. LerLer is getting hungry when writing all these posts.

Date: 4 August 2014

Dishes : 甕窯雞 (weng yao ji) NTD 650,  炒山野过猫(stir fried paku pakis) NTD170,  三星炒葱(stir fried spring onion)  NTD170, 鸡油控封桂竹笋(bamboo shot in chicken oil) NTD230,  什锦综合菇(stir fried mushroom) NTD 200,  清炒猫耳(stir fried cat ear) NTD200, 温泉白饭 (white rice) NTD50
 
Place :  Wen Yao Ji Restaurant  台湾古早味瓮窑鸡

Price : NTD 1,670 / RM 177.59

Review : We ordered small dishes. After all the dish been served, we are quite taken back. The serving portion were too big for us.This was the first time to taste "cat eat" vegetable. It is a kind of see weed species. The texture is very crunchy with some salty moisture in it.

Must Try: the tender  and juicyWen Yao Ji
Date: 5 August 2014

Dishes : stew pork rice, 4 different kind of fish soups

Place : Nan Fang Ao 南方澳

Price : NTD 415 / RM 44.13

Review : Long queue at the stew pork rice stall. Luckily we went there quite early

Must Try: Fish Soup

Date: 5 August 2014

Dishes : Takoyaki, yang chun noodle, stew pork rice, tempura
 
Place :  HuaLien Night Market

Price : NTD 300 / RM31.90

Review : Takoyaki is NTD 40 per box. Each box has 6 takoyaki. It is the cheapest and delicious we ever try

Must Try: -

Date: 6 August 2014

Dishes : breakfast
 
Place :  Suto House 石头之家

Price : -

Review : One of the best breakfast we ever tried. Every ingredients is so fresh

Must Try: Pizza
Date: 6 August 2014

Dishes : Stone steamboat, lover's tear 情人眼泪, Stir fried purple vegetable

Place Red Tile Roof Restaurant, 红瓦屋老地方文化美食餐厅- 阿美族风味餐

Price : NTD 1,540  / RM 163.73

Review : The steamboat pot is made out of penang leaf stem. Once the leaf stem is dry, it can withstand the sizzling hot stone. The waiter will put the hot stone into the soup. As the stone is very hot, it can cook up all the ingredient in the soup. This way, the soup has the sweet  fish soup taste without the fishy smell.

We are quite curious with lovers' tear too. lovers' tear  is a kind of mushroom can find after the rain. It is very different from black fungus in Malaysia. It has very thin and smooth texture. It is very suitable for old folks too.

Must Try: Stone steamboat

Date: 6 August 2014

Dishes : Mi Tai Mu, cucumber pickle, stew toufu and seaweed
 
Place : MiTai Mu Stall under bayam tree 榕树下米苔目铺

Price : NTD 300 / RM31.90

Review : Delicious

Must Try: Mi Tai Mu

Date: 7 August 2014

Dishes : Fried food

Place :  Liu He Night market, 六合夜市

Price : NTD 1,670 / RM 177.59

Review : -

Must Try: -





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10 Days 9 Nights Taiwan Tour Itinerary 2014



03 August 2014
10:00am   Depart to Kuala Lumpur
02:00pm   Reach Kuala Lumpur and rest

04 August 2014 
06:00am  Depart to KLIA2 with MyTeksi app
07:30am  Reach Klia2
08:15am  Breakfast at level2 food court
08:40am  Immigration check in
09:40am  Boarding flight
03:00pm  Arrive at Taiyuan Airport
04:40pm  Finally meet tour guide, Ken after 1 hour of queue at immigration check point
05:30pm  Reach YiLan for Longan Wooden Urn Kiln Chicken Restaurant,  龙眼木桥瓮窑鸡
06:30pm  Check in Wuji Hostel, 伍桔民宿
07:30pm  Walk around  Wuji street
10:00pm  Rest

05 August 2014
06:00am  Morning walk around small village
07:00am  Breakfast at the hostel
08:00am  LuoDong Forest Park, 罗东林业文化园
09:30am  Visit long Lake长埤湖风景区
10:00am  QingShui Hot Spring 清水地热
11:00am  Lunch at Nanfang-Ao南方澳
12:00pm  Suhua Coastal Highway, 苏花滨海公路
01:45pm  Ching Shui Cliff 清水断崖, 燕子口峡谷景观步道
03:00pm  Visit Tzu chi Hall慈济静思堂
05:00pm  Visi Qixingtan Scenic Area, 七星潭风景区
06:00pm  Check in Suto House, 花莲石头的家
08:00pm  Visit Hualien Night Market, 花莲夜市


06 August 2014
08:30am  Visit XueShan Shui, 雪山水
09:30am  Visit Lintian Mountain Forestry Center, 林田山业园区
11:00am   Lunch at Red Tile Roof Cultural Cuisine Restairant - Amis Style, 红瓦屋老地方文化美食餐厅- 阿美族风味餐
01:30pm  Visit Tropic of Cancer Monument, 玉里北回归线纪念碑
03:00pm  Visit Sansiantai, 台东三仙台风景区
05:00pm  Visit water flow uphill, 水往上流奇观
06:00pm  Check in Sheep hostel, 绿羊轩民宿
07:30pm  Dinner at Mi Tai Mu Under Bayan Tree, 榕树下米台目
08:30pm  Visit International Landmark Park,  国际地标公园


07 August 2014
08:00am  Visit TaiTung Forest Park, 台东森林公园
12:00pm  Visit Milennium Park 千禧曙光纪念公园
01:00pm  Lunch at Four Sisters' Beef Noodle, 四学士牛肉面
02:00pm  Visit Dragon and Tiger Pagoda, Kaoh Siung 高雄龙虎塔
04:00pm  Check in Legend  Hotel
07:30pm  Visit Liuhe Night Market, 六合夜市


08 August 2014
08:30am  Visit Kaoh Siung Hakka Cultural Museum, 高雄美浓民俗村
02:30pm  Visit Taiwan Sugar Museum (Tainan), 台南乌树林糖厂休闲园区
04:15pm  Check in 三叔公的家
04:30pm  Cycling around  BaiHe village
08:00pm  Dinner  at hostel



09 August 2014
07:00am  Visit Kaoh Siung Formosa Boulevard Station, 高雄捷运美岛站
08:30am  Visit Nantou Aowanda Sky Bridge, 南投猴探井风景区天空之桥
01:00pm  Lunch at random lunch box shop, 便当店
02:00pm  Visit Sun Moon Lake, 日月潭
02:45pm  Visit Wen Wu Temple, 文武庙
04:00pm  Visit Puli Brewery Factory, 埔里酒厂美食广场  
05:30pm  Check in Puli Dream B&B House, 南投埔里梦想之家民宿
07:30pm  Dinner at Wu Hua Ma Dumpling Restaurant, 五花马饺子馆
08:10pm  Walk around Puli Night Market, 埔里观光夜市


10 August 2014
08:45am  Visit  Taiwan Paper,广兴纸寮
10:00am  Enjoy some dessert at Feeling 18 Cafe, 埔里18度C巧克力工房 
11:00am  Visit Koi FIsh lake, 鲤鱼潭风景区
12:00pm  Lunch at  Puli Hakka Restaurant, 家味香客家廚房
02:00pm  Visit Carton King, 纸箱王创意园区
02:20pm  Visit Little Swiss Garden, 小瑞士花园
03:30pm  Check in Dingdai Glass Vacation Villa, 顶代格拉斯民宿
07:00pm  Dinner at Patite Western Restaurant, Patite 洋食馆
08:00pm  Visit Little Swiss Garden night view, 小瑞士花园夜景



11 August 2014
08:00am  Visit Cingjing Farm, 清境农场
12:00pm  Lunch at Cingjing Lumama Restaurant, 清境魯媽媽雲南擺夷料理
01:00pm  Visit the highest vehicle access point at Mount Hehuan, 合欢山武岭3275公尺 
02:30pm  Visit Cing Jing Tourist Area, 清境旅游中心
03:30pm  Hot Spring bath at Xiang Ting Hot Spring Villa, 香亭民宿
06:00pm  Check in Feng Jia Garden Hostel, 逢甲花园民宿
07:30pm  Walk around Feng Jia Night Market, 逢甲夜市


12 August 2014
10:00am  Jiufen, 九份老街
01:00pm  Gold Waterfall, 黄金瀑布
03:00pm  Kee Lung Buddhism Temple基隆大佛寺
04:30pm  Sun Yat-sen Memorial Park 国父纪念馆
06:00pm  Dinner at  "Flat Duck", 鸭肉扁
07:00pm  Check in East Dragon Hotel, 东龙饭店
08:00pm  Walk around XiMenDing,西门町

13 August 2014
06:00am   Walk around XiMenDing, 西门町
11.45am   Lunch at 阿宗面线
01:00pm  Depart to Airport
03:55pm  Depart to Kuala Lumpur







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