Hey!! My first trip to Taiwan with Family!! With these suggestions, hope it help you in planning your next trip to Taiwan!!
Places to visit in Taichung
1) Sun Moon Lake
One of the largest lake in Taiwan, once you reached the port, the ticket sellers will approach you and they have different operators (we went with the Blue company). An adult ticket cost about TWD300 (~MYR45) which allows you to ride the boat unlimited-ly for every 15 or 20 minute interval (depends on peak or non-peak period)until they are closed.
One of the view from the first port.
The main attraction in one of the three places the boat brought us, was this “A-Po Herbal Tea Egg”. It opens at 11 am (obviously we were too early).
Four eggs cost TWD50 (~MYR8) as shown in the picture above. The egg was so yummy as we were so hungry. We were considered slightly early as most of the stalls were yet to open.
Since we were here during Taiwan’s Holiday (1st week of April) and it would get a lot more crowded, our tour guide advised us to be here early. Though I believe it would be more happening after-noon and during the night at Sun Moon Lake.
SUN MOON LAKE 日月潭 (Google Map)
Adult boat ticket price TWD300
Satisfaction level : ♦♦♦
2) Swiss Garden
Swiss Garden 小瑞士花园 is a garden view with various types of flowers. Best visit during spring till early summer for optimum blossoms. We were so lucky to have 2 extra free entrance tickets given by strangers. Per entry to the garden is TWD120 (~RM18) and if you are a fan of flowers, this is definitely the perfect place for you to take pictures and enjoy the scenery.
SWISS GARDEN 小瑞士花园 (Google Map)
Admission Ticket per adult : TWD120
Satisfaction level : ♦♦♦♦
3) Ching Ching Farm (青青农场）
Not far away from the Swiss Garden is Ching Ching Farm 青青农场. High up in the mountain where you can feel the breezy air and cooling weather and lots of sheep running around freely.
If you come in at the right timing, you even get to witness their wool-shaving show. But be prepared with the crowd.
Overall, it is a good place to feel the mighty mountain in Taiwan. If you feel lavish and really like mountains a lot, you can consider putting up a night at the Old English Castle which according to our tour guide, per night would cost more than TWD10,000!! (near to Ching Ching Farm and other attractions)
CHING CHING FARM 青青农场 (Google Map)
Admission Ticket per adult : TWD200
Satisfaction level : ♦♦♦♦
4) Winery Factory 埔里绍兴酒厂
Pu-li Winery Factory is a cultural artifacts exhibition where they show the history of making wine 绍兴酒, which we now (in Malaysian Chinese community) commonly used for Chinese-cooking more often than not.
The amount of artifacts and the way they store them was magnificent, it is definitely an insta-worthy place to visit. Haha..:)
PU-LI WINERY FACTORY 埔里酒厂 (Google Map)
No Entrance Fee (closed at 5pm)
Satisfaction level : ♦♦♦♦
5) Luce Memorial Chapel, Tunghai University
Visiting a campus may not be as exciting unless you don’t mind immersing yourself into their landscape design and architectural buildings & monuments.
Luce Memorial Chapel is one of the greatest architecture built inside the campus, it is a curved-triangle with glass-transparent front and rear of the building. Gorgeous.
We were so unfortunate as it was closed on the day we visited, hence the reflection snapping picture from the outside 🙁
We strolled around the campus and enjoyed the view of Tunghai University.
LUCE MEMORIAL CHAPEL 路思义教堂, 东海大学 (Google Map)
No Entrance fee
Satisfaction level : ♦♦♦
6) Rainbow Village
Rainbow Village 彩虹眷村 is a small area in the middle of Taichung, like a park I would say, painted mostly red and other colourful paintings over the area by an old man who is now nearly in his 90s.
It seems like this place has not much to offer, but the images in the camera definitely an eye opener.
RAINBOW VILLAGE 彩虹眷村 (Google Map)
No Entrance Fee
Satisfaction level : ♦♦♦
7) Carton King
Carton King 大坑纸箱王 is a place where you can experience and feel the creativity of Taiwan people where almost everything here is made out of cardboard and iron rods. I would say is more or less like Legoland in Malaysia, just instead of lego blocks, they are cardboards. You can easily spend about 2 hours taking pictures and visiting this attraction.
The entrance ticket is inclusive of a TWD100 cash voucher where you can use to buy merchandise items in this area like snacks, souvenirs and etc.
We bought this fried mix mushrooms and honey-flavoured ice creams with the vouchers, so good & yummy…
CARTON KING 大坑纸箱王 (Google Map)
Entrance Fee : TWD200 (inclusive of TWD100 cash voucher)
Satisfaction level : ♦♦♦♦♦
7) Lavender Cottage
Lavender Cottage 薰衣草森林 is definitely a must go for lavender lovers. Although according to our tour guide, there is another lavender farm down the hill but I think it is worth the journey to experience the lavender farm here.
Similar to Carton King, their tickets are inclusive of cash vouchers which you can buy their merchandise items. We easily spent 2 hours at this place.
Since we were there during Taiwan’s holiday, it was rather crowded but we still manage to enjoy the beautiful view of lavender farm. Inside the cottage, there is a Merry-wheel where kids can take a ride with their parents. It gives a fairy-tale dream sensation.
Here, you can see plenty of lavenders planted across the hill!!
LAVENDER COTTAGE 薰衣草森林 (Google Map)
Entrance Fee : TWD 100 (inclusive of cash voucher of TWD40)
Satisfaction level : ♦♦♦♦
Check out my Taipei trip as well!
That’s all for now. To more travels to come !! 🙂