On The Road In Taiwan : XJ2 Crew : Travel is Life : Explore Your World : Learn from Living

THE XJ2 CREW CAN BE YOUR GUIDE IN TAIWAN FOR:

Latest Review: On The Road in Yilan

In early April 2019, we took a drive to the opposite corner of Taiwan to explore Yilan County. It is a popular playground or vacation area for residents of the Taipei area because of its relatively close proximity (1-hour drive on good days and 3+ hours on holidays) and because of what the county offers. It is on Taiwan's beautiful, rugged East Coast, so there is plenty of scenic beauty, and there are high mountains, so there are many lakes and hiking trails to choose from. With the many quaint villages, towns and cities to explore, there is much cuisine to sample, and relaxing to do. [View On The Road in Yilan]

Beiguan Tidal Park
Toucheng Township, Yilan County

Longtan Lake
Jiaoxi Township, Yilan County

Sinliao Waterfall Trail
Dongshan Township, Yilan County

Renshan Botanical Garden
Dongshan Township, Yilan County

Wanglongpi
Yuanshan Township, Yilan County

Zhongshan Street
Jiaoxi Township, Yilan County

Deyang Temple Hotel
Jiaoxi Township, Yilan County

ON THE ROAD IN TAIWAN

Tainan City is the ancient cultural capital of Taiwan, offering 500 years of history to explore, beginning as the Dutch colony of Fort Zeelandia. You will discover a variety of cultures in this warm, hospitable city, and you can sample a wealth of special cuisine that is a favorite of travelers throughout the world. Tainan City is a large municipality that includes sandy beaches, fertile farmlands, oyster beds, subtropical forests and mountains abundant in wildlife.

XJ2 Crew Favorites: Sights: Wushan Macaque Preserve (Monkey Mountain), Chimei Museum | Restaurants: The Artful Dodger | Hotel: Silks Place Tainan

Taitung County is in the Southeast corner of Taiwan, and being the most inaccessible area of Taiwan, it is also the most pristine, unspoiled corner of the island. It is here that you can see Taiwan's Austronesian (indigenous) cultures in all of their splendor. Most of the residents in this county are indigenous tribal people, and you can find many intact indigenous villages and discover their rich, colorful cultures. There are blue skies and the bright blue Pacific Ocean, with the tall mountains always looking over you.

XJ2 Crew Favorites: Sights: Taiwan National Museum of Prehistory | Events: Taitung Hot Air Balloon Festival | Restaurants: Alihi Buffet | Hotel: Sheraton Taitung Hotel

Yilan County is in the Northeast corner of Taiwan, and being situated between Hualien and Taipei, it is accessible to millions of Taipei residents by car or rail. That makes Yilan an ideal tourist getaway in Taiwan, with plenty of sun, sea, and mountain scenery all around. The mountians provides scenic hiking trails, alpine lakes, and hot springs. There is even paragliding available for the adventurous. While the coastline provides beaches, surfing, fishing and whale watching. There are quite a few small cities that have developed activities and attractions to entertain visitors.

XJ2 Crew Favorites: Sights: Guishan Island Whale and Dolphin Watching | Events: Su'ao Cold Spring Carnival | Restaurants: Slobber | Hotel: Art Spa Hotel

TRANSPORTATION IN TAIWAN

To the delight of international travelers, Taiwan is a highly accessible island due to its well developed transportation network. If you prefer to drive a car, you can choose from one of several car rental companies, including Hertz. To drive a car in Taiwan, you will need to have a valid International Drivers License, which you can apply for in the USA before you leave. There is also a railway network, which goes around the entire island. It is relatively inexpensive, however you should order tickets online in advance, because trains fill up quickly, especially on the East Coast. You may find yourself without a seat, but you can still stand on a train, if you can handle it. Then, there is Taiwan's high speed rail system (THSR), which offers quick access to the north, center and south of the island. The HSR cruises at about 290 kph, and it takes about 2 1/2 hours to go from Taipei to Kaohsiung (USD $50 one way). If you're on a tight budget, there are coach buses from several companies (Aloha, U-Bus and Ho-Hsin), which give you comfortable and affordable rides throughout Taiwan. It is the cheapest way to go, so most locals choose this method of travel. When you are in the cities, you can get around by Metro, public bus, or taxis. Taxis are much more affordable in Taiwan than in the USA, so it is often the method of choice for travelers. The Metro is also easy to use by travelers, because signage is in English.