Day 7 @ Hualien, Taiwan

Day 7 (Fri) Hualien

I took a bus tour around Hualien, booked online thru Merry Travel Service (Hualien)

Places covered : 

Cing Shuei Cliff 清水断崖 is outside Taroko Gorge, along Suao-Hualien coastal highway

Buluowan

Chang Chun Bridge

Eternal Spring Shrine 長春祠

Tienhsiang 天祥

Ci Sing Tan

Places not covered/ not allowed :

Swallow’s Grottos 燕子口

Tunnel of Nine Turns 九曲洞

Baiyang Trail (require some 2 hrs to do this trail)

Cingshuei Cliff 清水断崖 is outside Taroko Gorge, along Suao-Hualien coastal highway. Between Heren and Chongde is the most spectacular. Heren is about 16 km from Taroko. It’s about 25 mins drive from Taroko to Heren.

Besides Taroko Gorge / Taroko National Park (太魯閣國家公園), other attractions in Hualien City / County include:

Nan Bin Night Market (南濱夜市);

Hualien Farglory Ocean Park (海洋世界);

Shin Kong Zhao Feng Farm (新光兆豐農場);

Rueisuei (瑞穗) Hot Spring;

East Rift Valley National Scenic Area (花東縱谷) – Rape flowers (Dec to Jan);

Shihtiping Recreation Area (石梯坪) – Unique landforms along coastal beach;

Cing Shuei Cliff 清水断崖

 Buluowan

 Chang Chun Bridge

Eternal Spring Shrine 長春祠

Ci Sing Tan

 Tienhsiang 天祥

Normally this is the place for tourist to take a break

I mean toilet and lunch break

So they drop us off at Hualien Train Station at bout 5pm
I was with my companion, Joline who is from Mel, Aust.
We met the first time before we took the train from Taipei
And we met again on the same tour same day
So it was fated to be friends
And we cheerfully headed down town
Walk all the way to Zi Chiang Night Market for bout half an hour

The Coffin Bread raved all over Hualien seemed normal to me

Nothing fantastic though the menu was so damn long

The plus point is that they do provide free tea (:

The goose meat from a shop nearby
We didn't order any rice at all
Keeping our tummy empty for bigger wave (:

This stall often populated by the locals and they offered a huge range of variety
And only guarded by 1 lady so the queue was really long

Fried potatoes looked cute but once they are cold they ain't yummy anymore

 Their sushi were dirt cheap there but I was almost full so we ordered only few pieces

This corn shop was over-crowded

It tooked them 1.5 hours to grill/ bbq my corn OMG!

For me, it is not worth the wait and I am not a fan of soft-corn

Here's the map for the Golden Triangle at Hualien

Golden Triangle from my ming su

Photo courtesy of other blogger.

Day 6 @ Hualien, Taiwan

Day 6 (Thursday) Taipei > Hualien

Xi Men Ding Breakfast – Check out Jogging Bear – Taipei Main Station – Hualien Station – Check in Pandora Hope Castle BnB – East Coast Park – Golden Triangle – Rainbow Night Market – Pandora Hope Castle Bnb  

TRA to Hualien details 943823

Train Number :170

DEP time: 10am (collect tickets before 9.30am)

Coach/Seat: 4/45

Pandora Hope Castle Bnb

Address: No. 16, Ln. 411, Zhongshan Road, Hualien City

Contact details: Mr. Mo 928686989

Check out the latest news on http://www.taroko.gov.tw/English/?mm=0&sm=0&page=3

Second time boarding a long distance train
It was a 2 hours ride to Hualien
I picked Tze Chiang Express Train and it costs me TWD 840 for 2 ways
Bought tickets online few weeks beforehand
And exchanged the tickets at least an hour before boarding time
But I kiasu so I exchanged to the actual tickets 1days before my departure date
This will be done at Taipei Main Station counters

Happy with the legroom provided and the train was super clean

They say people will sell Ru Rou Fan on the train but I didn't see any
Luckily the usual scared-no-food me will tabao something to chew on the train

This yummy cheese sponge cake I got from the night market
Costs merely SGD 2 but was superb delicious

 Finally alighted at Hualien Train Station

 The dunno-chinese-words me saw the arrows pointing to that direction

The sky doesn't look good on me though

I decided to give Rui Sui Hot Spring a missed

Don't wanna risk getting there alone - bout 2-hour journey

So this is Pandora Hope Castle Bnb in Hualien

Booked thru agoda.com

I guess I should be princess for few days in Hualien

After freshened up, headed to the street with the piece of map
Landlord was so kind to give me a map of Hualien and circle the house for me
All I know is my house located in the middle of the map

He recommended this shop in Hualien
So I made up my mind and went around to search for this
I didn't regret although I got lost several times

I truly love this and I am giving this both thumbs up
Fried Onion Biscuits + Duck Egg (10/10)
If I ever go back Hualien I will definately come back for this

Then this drink shop lao ban gave discount while I was queueing

So I took the oppurtunity to sit down at the benches at his shop
And to enjoy my piece of fried local delicacies
I took his lemon bomb drink (6/10)

 Then reached somewhere like cultural park

We have only single type of fans but they have hot fans

Passedby electronic shops and stood in front of it for few seconds

Cause it was winter and I didn't wear proper winter wear

I don't know why they have this plus it wasn't the hungry ghost festival
It looked kinda classic to me and that colourful deco cauight my eyes

Walk to the end and you will find the east coast park
Wind was blowing strongly and there was nobody at the park
Obviously it was icing cold that time

Rainbow Night Market still not opened so I went somewhere for dinner

Dined here while waiting so ordered their Nestea
And a bowl of pork sliced soup noodle (7/10)

Queued for the bao that people claimed super delicious
For me, I think still okay (6/10)

 Feared no time for breakfast the next morning so better tabao this

Went back to the Night Market but only few stalls were opened
So, I think this night market not worth visiting
Besides, those stalls were mainly game stalls
Tam Chiak me won't feel satisfied at all