Taipei & Taichung Trip: The Lowdown - Part 2

[Timothy Denesik]

Sure, no problem! I'll help improve this visit Taiwan (Taichung) story to make it more suitable for foreign friends to read while maintaining your down-to-earth style.

● Taichung: Our Experience
Honestly speaking, compared with Taipei, Taichung feels a bit old-fashioned and resembles a small town. There are not many particularly interesting attractions in the city center.
I personally think the most worthwhile place to visit is Sun Moon Lake (which is quite famous, but unfortunately, time was tight and I could not travel to Alishan this trip).

• Accommodation: "Chance Hotel" next to the Taichung Station.

  • It felt decent; its hygiene standards may be a bit lower than previously found places. However, its transportation was very convenient.
  • Also, near the station is a huge shopping mall, where dining is hassle-free.

• No. 1： Gongyuan Ophthalmic Hospital

  • This place used to be an ophthalmic hospital but has since turned into a trendy store selling souvenir food items and ice cream.
  • I do not understand why so many people recommend it. The shop is quite small (as shown in the pictures), and I did not find it particularly worth visiting.
  • Travel Tip: If you happen to want to buy some sweet treats or ice cream, you could stop by for a quick look.

• No. 2： Rainbow Village

  • "Villages" refers to former villages where soldiers and their families lived. This particular one got nicknamed Rainbow Village due to an elderly uncle who painted colorful drawings on his houses and surroundings.
  • To be honest, this place is minuscule; there are only several old houses. I think just viewing photos online would suffice; driving far for a special trip seems unnecessary.

• No. 3: Zhongyi Night Market

  • This night market feels rather unremarkable, featuring mostly food stalls and clothing vendors.
  • The benefit is that it's closer to the hotel's location, making a casual stroll relatively convenient.

• No. 4: Taichung Park

  • It’s located next to the hotel, nearby enough for a leisurely walk. The park is quite spacious along with some cute squirrels around too!

• No. 5: Sun Moon Lake

  • One of the most famous lakes in Taiwan, Sun Moon Lake boasts incredible natural beauty. I highly recommend! I joined a one-day tour package covering Sun Moon Lake and Gao-Mei Wetlands. Our tour guide was friendly and patient.
  • Major Thoughts/Advice：
    • My regret is choosing the wrong tour package! If given a chance to revisit, I'd select the Sun Moon Lake + Qingjing Farm combo!
      • Reasons：Qingjing Farm boasts stunning European-like scenery with sheep shows, adding more fun to the overall visit.
    • Enjoying the beautiful natural landscape by cruising lakes is worth it. After completing the boat ride, consider the tour done.
    • In addition to the cruise, my particular package included bike rides and visits to local temples, but unfortunately, it rained on the day, the weather got bad and made cycling hard, not to mention my own disinterest in those temples.

• No. 6: Gao-Mei Wetlands

  • This place ranks high among Taichung’s popular sunset and late summer evening attractions.
  • It is important to keep the weather in mind. When the weather was clear, the scenery was out-of-this-world picturesque.
  • Unfortunately, it rained while I visited making scenes look merely good rather than excellent. Intended shoe-off exploration was impossible due to the lack of spare shoes and wind chills, leading me to abandon this idea.

● In summary, my thoughts on Taichung:
- Taichung has quite many culinary delicacies to try; its variety has greatly surpassed my expectations during stays abroad (more so than in Hong Kong).
- Taiwanese are genuinely friendly and generous people; despite being usually introverted, I could sense myself gradually becoming more sociable.

[Elaine Boyle PhD]

For Taichung, staying around Feng Chia or the 7th Redevelopment Zone might be better. The old district near the train station has declined; walking around, apart from a few popular shops, everything else looks run-down and old. Some storefronts have been vacant for a long time, and there's even a smell of urine near their entrances... It really feels like the Taichung city government doesn't have enough money for urban development.

[Israel Koss]

Oh, that's right. The area near the city hall definitely feels more modern, with lots of tall buildings.

[Kathryn Heller]

When I'm in Taichung, I usually head up to the mountains, but with your limited time, that's probably not an option.

[Madeline Hermann III]

Exactly, we only have a few days to explore.

[Kendra Howe]

I've visited all the popular spots usually recommended for Taichung, like the Shuinan Economic and Trade Park, the National Taichung Theater, and the Calligraphy Greenway/Audit Village area. They are quite a distance from your hotel.

[Madeline Hermann III]

Thanks for sharing!

[Velma Thompson]

I think the food in Taichung is delicious.

[Mr. Ryan Hermann]

I feel like both Taipei and Taichung have a lot of great food.

[Elsa Wyman]

Is there a lot of tasty food in Taichung?