Crossing over to 2012 in Hanoi – Day 3 (Halong Bay)
Date: Sat 31 Dec 2011
Stay: Room 504, Onboard White Dolphin junk boat
Excited about our overnight stay onboard White Dolphin in Halong Bay on New Year’s Eve!
We were promptly picked up by the mini bus and unlike the previous day’s experience, there were just 11 of us comfortably. It was a long 4.5 hrs journey to Haiphong harbour for our transfer to the boat. Traffic was chaotic on the highway as vehicles were going at all directions at one junction. The bus made a 25-min stop at a crafts centre which had a F&B area. I had my first few slices of fruits (an orange sliced at VND30,000) since arriving in Vietnam. Fruits are quite expensive in the minimart too.
We arrived at Hon Gai habour at about 12.50pm. Our cruise will be travelling to Bai Tu Long area which I had researched was the less crowded area than Halong Bay, although the route would take us to part of Halong Bay area as well. There are apparently only some cruises who operate on this route such as Indochina, Bai Tu Long, White Dolphin and Paloma etc. It was quite quiet at the harbour.
Cold front at Hon Gai harbour
Halong Bay had been recently recognized as one of the new 7 Wonders of Nature in the new 7 Wonders of the World programme. It was also listed as a UNESCO Heritage World Site. There are about 3,000 islands found in Vietnam, of which about 1,960 islands are located around the bay.
We boarded a small boat that transferred us to White Dolphin which was anchored just 10-min away. The boat looked well-maintained. We clambered onboard excitedly and proceeded to the dining room first for our welcome drink. The dining room was elegant and cosy! There were less than 20 of us onboard – 2 Japanese couples, 1 UK couple and other international travellers. While waiting for some others to arrive, we explored the deck and started taking pictures. Finally, the guide gathered everyone and started allocating rooms. Ours was on the lower deck.
Boarding White Dolphin
The room was pleasantly clean, spacious and classy! Better than we expected and came with a window too! We were glad that the boat turned out to be a good value as we had paid USD159 per pax (all inclusive). My only grouse was the strong smell of diesel which was made worse because of my sensitive nose. I later discovered that the engine room was right below us and the wooden flooring couldn’t keep the offending fumes out. T & S’s room which was opposite ours didn’t seem to smell as bad though… If you can afford it, take the suites which are on the upper deck.
Oh! Beware of ladies paddling near your window and start hawking their drinks and souvenirs from their boats. Best to keep your curtains closed for privacy.
Onboard White Dolphin
We were told to keep our luggage in our rooms and come back up to dining room for our lunch. The tables were set in fours and twos. As the boat cruised on, lunch was served. We had a set menu with about 6 dishes and had a healthy balance of vegetables, meat, seafood and fruits. Food was of good standard. There was just one waitress onboard and she was kept busy serving all of us. Nevertheless, she kept her smile and was fast with her service.
Our guide, Tuyen, gave us a quick overview of programme for the two days. Kayaking was next in order. The weather was chilly and we expected the water to be cold. Regardless, we were determined to get on the kayaks as it would be a great way to experience the bay. We gathered at the lower deck, wore our life jackets and took turns to get on the kayaks which were tied to the back of the boat. I was concerned about protecting my new camera which I carried with me on the kayak as I didn’t want to miss any photo opportunity while exploring the bay.
Kayaking around the bay
We were given the option to explore either the floating village or a secret cave – all of us chose the latter. It took a while to get coordinated but soon we found our rhythm. The water was surprisingly warm. We rowed through a low cave and emerged to a beautiful view of a lake surrounded by limestone peaks. We paddled around the quiet lake. Suddenly our guide signalled us to row towards him – there were monkeys jumping around the face of a cliff. Soon a small crowd gathered around.
Exploring the bay
It was getting dark and we started to paddle back to the boat. The bay was now dotted with more boats anchored. It was like a big parking lot. Took a shower and headed to dining room for dinner. We looked through the drinks menu and found the drinks rather reasonable. However the wine list was understandably limited. As there were four of us, we decided to share a bottle of white (USD29) to celebrate the occasion. It was the last and only white wine left. The rest of them had to settle for reds.
Dinner was another set menu of about 8 dishes. It was simple but delightful. Just when dinner was served, someone requested for music and we found out that there was no sound system onboard. So a few of them went to find their mini speakers and ipods and we soon had some nice music to set the mood for dinner. We had another round of cocktails (from USD6 onwards) post-dinner and went up to the sundeck to enjoy the night view. We could see and hear the merriment in the nearby boats. Spirits were high as everyone waited for the new year to arrive. I spotted the Japanese couple trying their luck at squid fishing at the front of the deck. I think it was probably too noisy nearby that the squids did not take the bait.
New Year's Eve!
It was getting chilly on the upper deck and we were still an hour away from countdown. The four of us headed back down and decided to have our 3rd round of drinks in one of our rooms. Before we know it, it was five minutes to midnight and we hurried back up to join our fellow travellers for the countdown.
- 3rd round before countdown!
Admiring the night view in Halong Bay
It was a quiet end to a special evening. Though the bed was comfortable, I had trouble sleeping because of the diesel fumes.
Crossing over to 2012 in Hanoi – Day 2 (Ninh Binh, Hoa Lu, Tam Coc)
Date: Friday 30 Dec 2011
Stay: Hanoi Hostel, 32 Hang Vai
An eventful day! We had booked a day tour (USD24 per pax) to Ninh Binh, an old city where Hoa Lu, about 100km of Hanoi was the capital city of Vietnam under the Dinh Dynasty between AD968 and AD980. The itinerary included cycling along country side and sampan boat rides in Tam Coc, which was also known as the ”Halong Bay on land”.
We were supposed to be picked up for our Ninh Binh tour at about 8am but the mini bus came at 9am instead. When we boarded the vehicle, it was aleady packed and we had to settle for uncomfortable foldable seats behind the driver. It surprised us that we went on to pick up more passengers!
Our fellow passengers included Australians, Koreans, Thais, Malaysians, a Japanese and Singaporeans. And a French quartet who were actually just hitching the ride to Ninh Binh – more about this later…
So the very full mini bus, which was also very late, picked up the last two passengers, a German couple who were pretty agitated when they arrived. They kept asking the guide what time they’d be brought back as they had a train to catch. Due to the guide’s limited English, they kept repeating themselves till it was understood that they should be back in time. We thought we were finally on our way – it was now close to 10am – when barely 10 minutes later, the German guy started shouting that they needed to get off the bus. Both the driver and guide were in shock as the vehicle was still moving in the middle of the road. It escalated into shouts, “Open the door! Open the door!” It turned out that they were on the wrong bus and were supposed to be on another tour instead! The driver stopped by the road and they alighted quickly while the rest of us burst into laughter, amazed by the sudden turn of events!
Just when we had finally settled into our two and a half hours’ ride out of the city, another situation arose. The French quartet started to question the guide about their drop-off point as they had intended to hitch the ride to Ninh Binh centre instead of joining the itinerary. Due to the delays, the guide wanted to follow the schedule instead of dropping them off at the city centre first. He was also trying to explain to them that it would be difficult for them to travel around by themselves and better for them to follow the group. However, the French insisted that as “independent travellers”, they preferred to do it their own way and since they had informed the travel agency that they only wished to be dropped off at the city centre, the driver should drop them off first instead of following the group. Both sides had their own interests and fueled by language barriers, their discussion became acrimonious.
In the end, the driver got us to our first destination and we heard later that the guide got (and presumably paid for) a taxi for the quartet to send them to the city centre.
Our first stop was Hoa Lu, the dilapidated ancient citadel of Vietnam. The King used to reside and rule in the compound and there was a temple where people now pay respects to (a statue of) him. The area was surrounded by natural limestones. There were many students this day, probably on school excursions. A group of them decided that some of the Australian guys in our tour group looked like popstars as they surrounded them for photoshoots.
Hoa Lu, ancient capital of Vietnam
Local students enamoured with "pseudo-star" from the tour group
After the simple meal, some of us went on the cycling route on our own. We were given 45mins to ride on a direct return route through a village and paddy fields. It was a good choice as the scenery was beautiful. We made a few photo stops along the way.
Taking in countryside sights
Meanwhile, the rest went on the sampan boat ride. We caught up with them later and boarded the small boats rowed by young girls and/or old ladies. Each boat can take about a maximum of three persons, excluding the rowers. It was thrilling in the beginning to be in the waters as we paddled out along the river. But the ride soon lost its novelty after an hour. We rowed through three caves and saw lots of limestone peaks. It was serene on the river. I can imagine how tiring it would be to row the boat and why the ladies would use their feet to row instead.
Scenic sampan ride along Tam Coc river
Along the way, there would be “friendly” photographers with DSLRs who would offer to take pictures of you on the sampan and ladies rowing aside you, trying to hawk drinks and souvenirs such as postcards and embroidery cloths. In fact most of the sampans had a metal box on them which the rowers would open at some point on the ride to try and sell you the items. Although I understand their economic needs and I disliked the subtle coercion.
In the tiny sampan along Tam Coc river
To make up for not giving them sales, we set aside the tips for the ladies to be given to them after our ride. However, even before we reached the harbour, they started to ask for tips blatantly. Instead of feeling disgusted, I felt pity that for the hard work, they make meagre earnings. We tried to tell them that we would give them when we reach the harbour. At one point, we did wonder if they would refuse to let us off unless we gave them the tips.
Although the ride was scenic, I am not sure that getting stuck on the sampan boat for almost two hours was worth it as we could not move much (as the boat would tip precariously) and we felt pressured to ”contribute” to the rowers’ earnings. If you are thinking of visiting in summer, be prepared with sunblock and a wide brim hat!
One last drama for this trip – we had a young Japanese lady in the group who was travelling alone and she had a plane to catch this evening. As our schedule was met with delays, she was becoming late for her taxi ride at her hotel to the airport. We were still speeding on the expressway at the time her taxi ride was arranged. Traffic in the city centre would be horrendous. The guide realized that we were not going to make it in time and asked if she could change her flight. Some of us suggested instead that they try to contact the taxi driver and get him to pick her up along the way instead and proceed directly to the airport. I was amazed that she could remain calm, or maybe she was just helpless. In the end, the taxi driver managed to meet her outside of the city centre but even then he had to rush her to the airport, with just an hour and a half to her departure time. It takes about 45 minutes to travel to the airport, assuming no heavy traffic.
Till this date, I’m not sure if she made it in time for her flight – I hope she did. I would strongly advise would-be travellers not to pack your itinerary too tightly and stressing yourself out. Always allow time for unknown circumstances.
We were dropped off near the lake area. In anticipation of our Halong Bay trip the following day, we decided to buy some bread or snacks. Managed to buy some (expensive) pastries (chocolate croissant @ VND 39,000) and a loaf of wholemeal bread (@ VND50,000) at some bakeries. Later on, we discovered some local bakeries along the streets which sold far more appetizing pastries at much lower prices. I guess Murphy’s Law applied again!
Feeling hungry, we had a quick dinner at Pho 10 along Ly Quoc Su. It was one of the recommended shops in my guidebook. We each had a bowl of Pho Bo (beef soup noodles) at VND30,000 (SGD1.80/ USD1.20 approx.). However, both of us felt that the Pho Bo we had at Bat Dan streetside was much more fragrant.
Pho 10 at Ly Quoc Su street
It was close to 9pm when we headed to Rising Dragon hotel (USD57 a night) near Hong Da mall – W’s friends from Shanghai who would be joining us the next few days were arriving. The hotel was of good class although it was located along a quiet and hard to spot alley in Nguyen Quang Bich street. The hotel staff had good service though – upon knowing that we were waiting for our friends to arrive and check-in, one of them served us water without us even asking for it!
When T and S finally arrived, they were informed that due to overnight renovation works next door, the hotel had arranged for them to stay at another sister hotel instead. It was a cheaper hotel and a much more convenient location though. The staff arranged and paid for a taxi to bring us to Indochina hotel (USD 40 a night). It was a mere five minutes’ drive away, on Au Trieu street, next to St Joseph’s cathedral. Two of the hotel staff met us there (they rode their bikes there) to ensure that all was settled. They went through all the hassle despite that our friends were just staying for one night.
I later found out that Rising Dragon had just opened for six months while Indochina had been around for years (but refurbished). Both hotels had about 35-40 rooms. I was impressed with Rising Dragon’s staff service so I had to mention it here.
We bought bottles of water (1.5l at VND10,000) from the minimart for our trip and after dropping off the stuffs at our room, we headed off to the night market.
There is a major night market along Hang Duong every weekend from Fri – Sun. It starts from Hang Dao all the way to Dong Xuan market. Portable stalls would set up in the middle of the road from about 7pm onwards and last till about 11pm. The human traffic would move in one same direction on each side of the stalls. It took us about an hour to finish walking up and down the entire market, with little shopping done. Most of the stalls were selling seasonal winter wear. I got some belts (from VND 30,000 onwards). Despite what I read about bargaining in Vietnam, I found that most of the sellers were not keen to bargain and most could not speak English so (minimal) bargaining was done with the pressing of calculator buttons.
Bustling night market along Hang Duong
We had a long day and would have to wake up early the next day so we decided to retire back to pack our bags. It was already close to 12am when we finally hit the beds.
Crossing over to 2012 in Hanoi – Day 1 (Old Quarter)
Date: Thursday 29 Dec 2011
Stay: Hanoi Hostel, 32 Hang Vai
Was looking for a cheap and short getaway over the New Year’s holiday and Hanoi was the best option for three reasons – 1) cheaper flights than Siem Reap (which was my first choice); 2) Halong Bay near Hanoi was recently identified as one of the 7 natural wonders of the world; 3) I haven’t been to Vietnam.
Took a morning Jetstar flight to Hanoi and reached in good time at 12pm. Hanoi is about one hour behind Singapore. Immigration process was smooth and no arrival form is required. For those needing visa, they would have to pay upon arrival. Our driver was late. We had arranged for airport pickup at USD16 per trip (private car) as advised by hostel (and many online reviews) as taxi touts would send you to other hotels which they would receive commission for instead.
We bought a Vietnamese SIM card from one of the counters at the airport arrival area as it’d be cheaper than paying for roaming. The minimum was 150,000 VND (approx. SGD9.50) from Vinaphone. We could make international calls and messages as well. Do ask around as we had friends who bought a SIM card at one of the counters at USD10 instead which they were told was the minimum. They had problems with the card subsequently.
Finally our driver showed up with a paper that had my name on it. He seemed a bit flustered. We were wondering if he had many side businesses as he was busy making phonecalls throughout the trip to the city which was about an hour’s drive away. He even made a 15-min stop near the West Lake to meet a business partner – we thought he was just taking a smoke break… Well, at least we had a view of the West Lake, aka Tay Ho which a number of high class accomodations such as Sheraton and Fraser Suites as well as expensive restaurants are located.
The weather looked foggy – we couldn’t figure out if it was air pollution or just the cold temperature. It was about 20-22 deg C. I later found out from the hostel manager that it was just the cold weather. Everyone on the street was wearing thick winter jackets.
When we reached the Old Quarter, the first thing we noticed was the non-stop stream of motor bikes on the street. These would grow towards the peak hour when it becomes a massive jam in the narrow streets. We arrived at Hanoi Hostel on Hang Vai where our hostel is located. Mike, the manager and Candy, the duty staff gave us a quick briefing and the room key. We had opted for a cheap stay (USD15 per night for a private twin room with bath) although it is possible to get good quality hotel stay at reasonable prices in Hanoi. Our room was on the 3rd floor which left us panting after climbing up the steep stairs. No lifts here. The room looked clean and neat although the bathroom could use some upgrading. Three could share the room as there was a double bed and a creaky single bed.
Hanoi Hostel @ 32 Hang Vai, Hoan Kiem
After checking in, we also made a booking for a day tour to Ninh Binh for the next day. It costs USD 20 + USD 4 (for cycling).
It was past 2pm and we were hungry. We asked the staff for recommendations nearby and were directed to 32 and 39 Bat Dan street. The streets may seemed confusing at first but one key feature is that every street seemed to specialize in certain products or services. For example, Hang Vai had a distinct spice scent because of the concentration of spice shops along the street. Hang Gai is known as Silk Street. After walking around for half a day, you will learn to recognize the streets.
Hoan Kiem map
As we were famished, we stopped at 32 Bat Dan without checking out 39. 32 served Pho Ga & Bo (beef/ chicken soup noodles). It’s at a corner with stools outside the stall. The lady at the stall gave me the menu and we just needed to point to her our choices. There were both soup and dry noodles. Prices from 30,000VND (approx. SGD1.90). Because the weather was chilly, we both chose the soup. The soup was amazingly fragrant! We slurped up quickly.
Delicious Pho Bo at 32 Bat Dan street.
Fragrant Pho Bo
Next stop, to Ly Quoc Su street to visit a tailor shop. After taking some time to figure out the map (which did not name all the streets), we finally found the street. It takes guts to cross the streets here as motor bikes would zoom around without a care. The trick is to walk confidently and watch your way as the bikes would manoveur their way around you.
A key landmark on Ly Quoc Street is the Saint Joseph Church. Catholicism is the second major religion here, after Buddhism. Next to the church, there were some coffeeshops where people would sit around on low stools, have a cup of Viet coffee or iced lemon tea (about 10,000VND) and people-watch. When in Hanoi, do what the locals do – so we did the same.
Old Quarter street - near St Joseph Church
Refreshing iced lemon tea
Bambou Silk was recommended by a friend who visited Hanoi a few years ago. I did some online research and found that it was recommended by other travellers as well. With a magazine clipping of a dress I liked, I enquired from the nice lady, Mrs Loan on the cost. She had some lovely materials and there was a lace material that matched my dress perfectly! I spotted another nice flowery material and promptly decided to create a dress from it. Her prices were non-negotiable but for tailored services with material, I found the USD 40-45 per dress quoted reasonable. I noticed a few people came by to tailor jackets and shirts. They do both men’s and women’s. The shop also has ready-made tops, dresses and jackets as well as silk scarves. As we had to be away on New Year’s eve, my fitting was arranged four days later. They can complete within 2 days though. After taking my measurements, I had to pay about 50% deposit first.
Good quality tailoring
Bambou Silk, 8 Nha Chung, Hoan Kiem (next to St Joseph Church, right after the coffeeshops)
Tel: 04 39381333 Email: loan5nhachung@yahoo.com.vn Look for Mrs Loan
Hoan Kiem lake is a key landmark with a pagoda in the middle of the lake. We took a stroll around the lake area. It takes about 20-min to walk around the lake. There were some large flower displays in celebration of the upcoming Chinese New Year – a major holiday for Vietnamese. We went up the bridge that linked to Ngoc Son Temple but was not keen to pay the 10,000VND to visit it. Nightfall is early around 5pm during winter.
Sights around Hoan Kiem Lake
Heading back towards the hostel, we walked north past a street near Hang Be which was lined with shops selling shoes. More food stalls were set up along the streets. Saw some belts which I liked at a portable stall. Although I got them at 150,000VND (SGD9.50 for two) which I thought was cheap, I realized later that I was ripped off! Night market stalls sell similar belts at 30,000VND each! It was a hard lesson learnt…
We met up with Huyen, a staff from Travel Sense Asia which we had bought the Halong Bay cruise tour (more info on my later post for Halong Bay) from online. I found the agency online through tripadvisor’s recommendations. She had kindly offered to meet us at our hostel to settle the remaining payment so we did not need to make the trip to her office. She briefed us again on the itinerary and answered our queries. She even brought the credit card machine. We decided to pay the remaining amount in cash. What impressed me was that she remembered to deduct the card fees from the remaining amount as our quoted price was nett and inclusive of card fees. Further more, she offered to remain contactable for any queries we may have about Hanoi, and not just about our tour. Such service is much appreciated!
We headed to dinner next. Again, based on recommendations from the hostel staff, we went to Hang Buom to check out 51 and 59. 59 was Ladybird restaurant which offered a variety of food but seemed to be occupied by tourists. 51 was an enigma. We saw the sign but no shop can be seen from the street. We had to walk into a long alley, turn a corner before we came into a bustling shop filled with locals. The old lady at the counter smiled and handed us the menu. They specialized in beef steak (95,000VND) which seemed a bit expensive for local standard. Between the two options, we chose to follow the locals. It was a great choice and we later realized that the meal was still reasonably low in price! We shared bread (4000VND) and a bottle of Saigon beer (12,000 VND = SGD 0.80!!) as well.
Secret alley to a local favourite
Bit Tet - beef steak
After a long day, we decided to head back early to rest as the day tour starts early at 8am. By this time, we were overwhelmed by all the zooming and beeping of the motorbikes, the myriad of shops and the street maze.
3D2N Kuala Lumpur – Getting there and hotel stay
My first trip to KL was about 10 years ago. Since then I’ve made numerous short trips there. This year alone, I’ve made two 3D2N trips to KL to date with family members. Just about a 5-hr coach ride (or 45-min flight away), KL is accessible and affordable for a quick getaway!
Sharing some travel suggestions and notes here – hope these will be useful to would-be KL travellers!
Getting to KL from Singapore – Fly or Coach?
I’ve done the flight, coach and rail routes to and from KL and my preference is for coach (provided there are no major jams at the causeways!). With budget airlines, flying to KL has been very affordable and faster presumably (45-min flight time). However, the airline check-in, bus ride to KL city centre and transfer to hotel add to the travel time.
By flight, upon arrival at the LCCT (low-cost carrier terminal), you can hitch a ride with any of the buses to KL city centre outside the terminal. It’s about RM8 per pax and an hour ride (depending on traffic) to KL Sentral, the major transport hub in the city). From there, you can transfer to the LRT or rail line or monorail (a 10-min walk away due to the current construction of the new building) to your destination. There’s almost hourly departure of buses to LCCT from KL Sentral but do catch earlier timings in case of traffic jams.
By coach, you can check out fares from the various travel agencies. With the upgrading of coaches, bus ride has become more comfortable, compared to my first bus ride about 10 years ago. You can book a coach+hotel package or just the coach tickets. As I was travelling with family this time, I took the easy way of getting a coach+hotel package from Five Stars. It’s about $230 per pax (with upgrade to Executive Coach + Deluxe room) for a 3D2N trip. Prices range for the different hotel grades.
With the Five Stars Executive coach (which seats about 30), there are old and new ones so it depends on your luck of the draw upon boarding. So far, I found that the Five Stars double decks are newer so you can check with the agent when you book. The seats are pre-booked so do let them know your preference. These coaches come with your own VOD entertainment unit (like on a plane) which is very important to me as it keeps me occupied during the 5-hr ride. Seats are reclinable with massage function. Do bring a jacket as it gets rather cold. There’s usually a 15-30 min rest stop at Yong Peng to KL but just a toilet break on the way back to Singapore.
Usually I’d take the 7:30am departure from Golden Mile and 3pm return from KL. You’d be required to standby 30-min before departure. Coaches leave on time so it’s better to be early. Do check if your coaches do hotel drop-off and pick-up.
I’d like to try out the Transtar Solitaire coach next time as they look really new and comfortable. As these are limited 14-seaters, you have to book early. I estimated that it’s about $20 more than the Five Star coaches.
Hotel Stay
For a shopping and eating trip, I like to stay in the Bukit Bintang area for convenience. I’ve stayed in Equatorial, Dorsett Regency, Capitol and Federal. My favourite so far is Capitol for its price, reasonable comfort and location. Just remember to ask for a quiet room as one side faces a live band pub nearby. The same applies to Federal. In terms of comfort, Dorsett is a better class and just a 5-min walk away to Pavilion, the largest mall in Bt Bintang but I didn’t like walking back along a dark alley at night.
Check out reviews from tripadvisor.com if you’re keen to explore options.
Taiwan 2011 – Yilan, Jiaosi, Taipei (Day 9)
Date: Sat 2 Apr 2011
Stay: Wonstar Hotel (Ximen), Taipei 万事达（西门）
Last day of our Minsu tour. A beautiful warm day – apparently we had met with one of the rare dry days in Yilan. Located near coast, it rains for almost 270 days in a year here. Anson was busy washing his car with spring water.
Country Grange
Anson - our reliable, knowledgeable and safe driver-cum-guide
We spent the morning exploring our homestay’s own farm area. Owner, Wu Papa has built an impressive maze of viewing platform at his eco-farm. He is a homestay veteran in the area. His eco-farm has a great variety of fruit trees, flowering shrubs, a handful of happy domesticated poultry and lovely ponds. Guests at the homestay can use the bicycles to explore the area for free. However, beware of roaming wild dogs in the area.
Eco-farm @ Country Grange
Fruit trees like mandarin oranges and pomelos can be found in the eco-farm.
We had to collect and clear our own breakfast sets. Wu Papa would give an introduction of Yilan, its surrounding area and unique culture during this time. Apparently Yilan residents have their own dialect slang. There is a feeding session of the farm animals after breakfast.
Feeding time!
Wu Papa has an interesting stall outside the farm – the stall is unmanned with pomelos in a basket and a tin can where buyers could drop the money in. It has been in operation for almost five years and Wu Papa said he got the idea from a visit in Japan. Trust in people to act responsibly and with integrity – that is his belief. Before we left this lovely place, Wu Papa stuffed two pomelos into my arms.
With warm and welcoming Wu Papa and Wu Mama
We had intended to visit the famous Jiaosi hotspring but since it was a hot day, Anson suggested that we go to the public hotspring footbath instead. That suited us fine. The water was hot – my feet were all red after a few minutes.
Public hotspring footbath at Jiaosi
Along the way, I saw a huge signboard of a bakery which I recognised from a Taiwan TV food programme. The bakery, Cake Noble 诺贝尔 found only in Yilan is famous for its cream rolls 奶冻蛋糕. We went to the branch near Jiaosi and luckily there was no crowd, which is often found at its main store. The rolls looked so tantalising! But since it has to be kept refridgerated, we bought only one signature strawberry cream roll (NT150) to consume when we reach Taipei. Anson bought two for his family as well.
Yummy strawberry cream roll from Nobel Cake - only in Yilan
As it was still early to head off to Taipei, Anson suggested to bring us to Shenkeng Beancurd Old Street, which I had mentioned to him previously. The street is near the Maokong area. We took the expressway to Taipei and along the way, went through the longest expressway tunnel in Taiwan. This tunnel project took almost 8 years to build and met with several difficulties through the years.
As it was a long weekend holiday in Taiwan (for All Souls’ Day and Children’s Day), the expressway was heavy with traffic. Somehow I felt really blessed in this trip – we managed to avoid the holiday crush as we were ending our Taiwan tour the next day.
Shenkeng old street is known for its smelly beancurd – something that I’m not fond of. The street has character with several stalls peddling homemade food stuffs. The smell of the offending beancurd permeated the air. Mum was taken by the kampong chickens she saw and we proceeded to lunch at one of the eateries serving the chicken. It was not good as we thought though.
Shenkeng beancurd old street 深坑老街
It was about 3pm when we finally arrived at Wonstar hotel at Ximenting. Bade farewell to our trusty driver/guide – he has another group to handle the next day so we sent him home early.
Ximending was teeming with youths – expected on a weekend. After checking into our room, we relaxed for a while and had tea with the scrumptious strawberry cream roll. Polished it off within 15 minutes and almost forgot to take a pic! The room exceeded my expectations – we had an executive triple-sharing room which I got a good deal through agoda.com.
Wonstar Ximen hotel - Executive triple-sharing room
Brought mum and aunt to Longshan Temple, just one MRT stop away. The temple was crowded as there was a mass prayer session held for the Japanese earthquake victims. We headed off to Huaxi Night Market nearby. I found the same food stall I had visited a few years back and promptly ordered my favourite kidney dish. Delicious!
Longshan Temple - now with a digital signboard
Huaxi Night Market
We went back to Ximending for shopping and more food. Of course I had to bring them to the famous Ah Zong Meesuah – now they have chairs outside the stall! Am not a fan but I guess for first-timers, it’s a must-visit spot.
Bustling Ximending
Mum and aunt needed to buy some local pastries. Ordered the pineapple pastries at GangJi Pastry shop 港记酥皇店 . The shop is opposite East Dragon Hotel 东龙大酒店 in Ximending. Find the street with the food stalls, walk towards the end until you see the hotel on the opposite side of a road. Cross the road and you’ll see the shop opposite the hotel lobby.
A new find at Ximending – a shop that sells foreign magazines, especially those bundled with freebies. You can see the bag samples hanging around the shop which makes it easier for you to decide which one to buy.
The shop is at one of the rows parallel to the Ah Zong Meesuah stall.
Dining at Ximending
After some last-minute shopping, we went back to pack our overloaded bags.
The next day, we took the Freego bus to the airport. Important to note that Freego bus 飞狗 does not stop at Wonstar Ximen hotel. You’ll have to bring your luggage and walk over to a foot reflexology shop opposite East Dragon Hotel, about a 10-minute walk away. The hotel only takes reservation on the day of departure. But because of the poor service at the hotel, I called up Freego directly to make my reservation. Bus ride NT140 per pax, takes about one hour, depending on traffic conditions.
Notes: There are two Wonstar hotels in Ximending area. Do check the locations when you book. There are limited eateries at the airport Terminal 2. You may want to go for early lunch at Ximending instead before departure.
Taiwan 2011 – Cingjing, Mt HeHuan, Taroko Gorge, Yilan (Day 8)
Date: Fri 1 Apr 2011
Stay: Country Grange, Yilan 庄脚所在，宜兰
Started the day with a buffet breakfast. Was enthralled by the ever-changing clouds. The weather looked very promising!
Dramatic clouds
View from our room window
Our first stop was a small market – Mum and aunt bought some local dried food and fruits. The big juicy pears were so tempting! Mum was contemplating on bringing one back to Singapore. We ended up buying one and had the auntie slice it up for us to eat on the journey.
Shopping for local food stuffs
We headed to QingQing Grassland 青青草原 (entrance NT160) – a large green area with good views of the mountains, sheeps, horses and other farm animals. Made it just in time for the sheep show. We tried some goat’s dairy products – ice cream and milk. I couldn’t accept the taste of fresh goat’s milk!
QingQing Grassland 青青草原
Anson decided to take the mountain route today because of the great weather. He emphasised that this route would be tough and most drivers would not want to take this route. The good thing is tour buses would not be taking this path because of the narrow and hazardous condition.
View along the way to Mt He Huan
What a ride! As we ascended the highest part of mountain, we could see snow along the road. It was quite extraordinary to experience tropical and wintry weather within a span of two hours! We stopped at the top of the mountain – everyone was thrilled to walk precariously on the icy roads.
Top of Mt HeHuan 合欢山顶
3275m above sea level
Anson shared that this same road is extremely slippery and icy during bad weather days. It takes a skilful driver to manoeuvre the road and it is really bad on the car tyres and engines. We saw an abandoned car in the snow – apparently stuck after the engine stalled in the cold. Anson said it was better to just abandon the car than get someone up the mountain to tow it away!
Icy road - few drivers would want to tackle the difficult route
We went around mountains after mountains – I was getting lulled to sleep. The soundtrack in the vehicle was great – featured a lot of my favourite and familiar tunes! I couldn’t help but wonder how the locals manage to live within such an inaccessible area. After about two hours’ drive, we arrived near the entrance of Tarako Gorge 太鲁阁 for a quick simple lunch and toilet break.
The next two hours’ drive was quite dangerous as we had to keep a look-out for falling rocks. Anson made a few stops along the way and pointed out the watermarks that powerful floods would make during heavy downpour. It was scary to hear of bridges washed away even at such high points. The tunnels we drive through were all hand-chiselled. I was awed by both the beauty and danger of nature. Most of all, I left with strong admiration for the pioneers who created this road with nothing more than simple tools and bare hands.
Taroko Gorge - stone edges smoothened by strong waves
In awe of nature
This bridge was previously at the broken road below but was washed down the river by floods. The park people picked it up and fixed it back up on higher ground this time.
We exited Taroko Gorge and reached the eastern side of Taiwan. There is only 1 road linking the north and south of East Taiwan. The coastal highway is narrow and being the one road servicing both ends, traffic was heavier and much faster. The forests we see here were much denser and undeveloped.
We could see the endless Pacific Ocean where the line between sky and ocean was undefined. Surprisingly, the ocean did not have a salty scent like what we have back in Singapore. There was no sight of ships or boats, only buoys indicating fishing nets.
Coastal road along Pacific Ocean to Yilan
Mesmerized by the Pacific Ocean
We drove past Su-Ao 苏奥, a fishing harbour town. Most people on the east coast pray to the Mazhou goddess 妈祖, who is the protector of the fishermen. There is a Mazhou goddess statue covered in pure gold in one of the temples here. There is also the well-known cold spring spa nearby – unlike hotspring, the water here is about 15 deg C.
We finally reached our last minsu, Country Grange 庄脚所在. It is located in a nice quaint neighbourhood. Over the years, several minsu have sprung up in Yilan but Country Grange can be considered one of the early pioneers in the area. The minsu is run by a friendly senior couple, Wu Papa and Wu Mama.
Country Grange - our triple-sharing room and common areas
Anson drove us to town to have dinner at a fishball stall that he recommended. The fishballs turned out to be meatballs! But they were tasty! We also added some dishes that Anson recommended – shark’s meat, liver, hotspring eggs, smoked duck…. The shop was strangely decorated with retro toys collectibles and old Chinese vinyl record covers – the owner’s collections. Next door, the owner’s father, a former fireman, collected giant beehives and strange jars of herbal honey concoction, some with wasps soaked in them.
Yilan Fishball Noodles
Interesting shop decor
This day, we crossed hundreds of mountains. After today, it would be all flat land.
Taiwan 2011 – Alishan, Cingjing Farm (Day 7)
Date: Thur 31 Mar 2011
Stay: Sunshine Villa, Cingjing Farm 见晴山莊，清境农场
Luckily we did not plan for a sunrise viewing – the day started foggy and the drizzle grew heavier in the morning.
After a hearty breakfast, we took a stroll at the backyard of the Minsu, with umbrellas nevertheless. It’s a nice uphill forest trail. We didn’t go far as the muddy trail made it hard for aunt and mum to trek. I suspect there could be more to see behind the tall trees. The owner was constructing a third building and this one will have a fantastic view no doubt as it’s situated higher up.
Forest Walk behind Longyun
Anson informed us that it’d be good to go to Alishan National Park early before the throngs of tourists arrive at the park. Most tour buses would have departed early morning from Taichung and other nearby areas before ascending the mountain and they usually reach the park around noon. Although there are hotels up next to the park, there are limited rooms and quality of stay in these old hotels is merely acceptable for the price you pay. I was glad that we stayed comfortably in our loft room last night.
Along the way down (we have to go round down and then up the mountain again to get to the park), we saw amazing sea of clouds floating amidst the mountain tops. At that height, we were literally above the clouds. There are also beautiful terraced tea plantations – Alishan is known for its high mountain tea.
Morning sea of cloud 云海
Alishan Tea Plantations
Strangely once we went down below the clouds, the sky cleared and it had turned out to be a warmer and dry weather at the park. Parking is horrendous here due to limited spots. We could see tour buses and cars parked several kilometres down the road leading to the park. Luckily we were early and Anson had his way to get into the carpark nearer to the entrance. Entrance to the park is NT100 each.
Anson warned us of the long walk ahead – he has walked around the park countless times. The highlight of this season is the cherry blossoms. We could see several photography enthusiasts toting their equipment and snapping intently at various plants and trees. The famous Alishan railway train could be seen shuttling between two stations in the park.
Blossoms
There are a few key spots to admire the blossoms such as near the park centre. However the blossoms seemed scarce and not as intense as those I had seen in Tokyo during its blossom period. We suspect the past few days of rain could have shaken off many of the blossoms.
Cherry blossoms in Alishan
Up at Alishan
Anson brought us on a route lined with ancient trees and those turned out to be more interesting than the blossoms. Some of the trees were more than 2000 years old! And many of them belong to the precious species of cypress. According to Anson, many of these cypress trees were felled by the Japanese during its occupation of Taiwan. The wood was highly prized by the Japanese for its hardy and lasting quality. It is now a protected species in Taiwan.
Ancient trees in Alishan
As we strolled along, we noticed bigger groups of tourists, mostly Chinese, invading the park. They talked rather loudly and were not a pleasant crowd to be next to as they tend to push around, smoke and shout amongst themselves. I was glad that we were near the end of our two-hour tour.
We decided to have a quick lunch at the tourist centre just outside the park before embarking on our two-hour drive to our next destination. There were a few eateries and we settled for one that Anson is familiar with. The hotpot lunch was just nice for a cool weather. After lunch, we could see the fog descending. We hurried on our way down the mountain road.
Alishan tourist centre
Hotpot lunch, surrounded by noisy Chinese tour groups
The road to Cingjing was rather straightforward as we took the expressway. It was faster and also because we had already taken the scenic route earlier on our way to Alishan. Nearing Cingjing, we had to go through another round of mountain roads up again. However, it was much shorter than the way to Alishan.
Cingjing Farm is a favourite holiday spot for the locals as well. It is known for the European designed hotels and homestays that dotted the mountain. History has it that mainland China minorities from Yunnan area who had fought against the Communists at the Thai-Cambodia borders were later resettled at this mountain. Although it is not clear why the European architecture predominates, the historical background of the inhabitants is apparent in the Yunnan-Cambodia fusion cuisine found in the area.
Tired from the long walk in the park and long drive, we decided to have dinner at our Minsu, Sunshine villa. They served a good meal of the Yunnan fusion cuisine. Our room and the restaurant have good vantage points for mountain views.
Sunshine Villa - with electric blankets!
Evening glow - view from the restaurant
Delightful dinner
There is even a 7-11 right next to the Minsu. Unlike the earlier two accomodations, this one felt more commercialised. Nearby, we could see the famous Tudor-styled The Old England hotel which is touted as the most expensive hotel in the area. Room stays are NT15,000 onwards for one night!
I was eager to explore the area the next day.
Taiwan 2011 – Sun Moon Lake, Alishan (Day 6)
Date: Wed 30 Mar 2011
Stay: Longyun Holiday Farm, Alishan 龙云农场， 阿里山
We woke up to a beautiful mountain view. Headed out to the owners’ house next door for breakfast. It was a wonderfully healthy homemade meal! Liang Mama who made the dishes with her family came by and introduced us the various dishes so lovingly created.
Breakfast here!
Cosy dining area in the owners' home
Healthy breakfast served with sweet potato porridge - black fungus goes well with organic vinegar!
She also gave us some deep purple coloured grapes (known as Jabotica 树葡萄) which she told us was in season and we could visit the farm nearby and pick the fruit. The interesting point about this antioxidant-rich fruit is that it grows separately on the tree trunks, unlike the usual bunch that we see hanging on trees. We could also eat it whole, seed, skin and all! The skin is sourish, while the white pulpy flesh is sweet.
After the warm breakfast, we explored the compound. The area is dotted with pine trees hence the name of the minsu. There was another house which has a few rooms. Liang Mama told us that a big group could rent the whole house. It was a lovely place, made more homely by the three big dogs! I tried to take a picture with them but the leader of the pack, Xiao Xiong was most reluctant while another brown one eagerly came by and laid down next to me.
Peaceful compound
Protective trio - friendly canines
Soon, we joined some other guests to visit the Jabotica farm. It was quite a sight to see these grapes all over the trunks of the short trees! We could pick and fill up a plastic box at NT200. We were encouraged to eat and pick the fruits at the same time! The fruits can be harvested during two seasons here – during the period of All Souls’ day (end Mar – early Apr) and Mid-Autumn (August). Jabotica trees are hard to find in Taiwan as only a few areas have farms that cultivate them. We were lucky to be at the right place at the right time!
Originally from Brazil, this fruit is a rare sight even in Taiwan.
Anson came by and picked us up at the farm. We bade the friendly Liang Papa, Liang Mama and Sister good bye and headed towards Sun Moon Lake, a famous tourist spot.
Sun Moon Lake is as the name states, two lakes, one resembling a sun, another the crescent moon. It is the largest body of water in Taiwan and home to a minority aboriginal tribe known as the Thao 邵族。There are only about 600 of them left now in Taiwan, making them the smallest minority in the country.
We visited the Wenwu Confucius temple. There is a flight of stairs near the temple which has 365 steps, each has inscribed famous people who were born on each date of the year. As mine was in February, I had to clamber all the way down. Apparently I share the same birthdate as an Italian opera singer Enrico Caruso and the French impressionist artist Renoir. It was a hard climb up after that!
Sun Moon Lake
Anson informed us about a cultural performance by the Thao 邵族 tribe and we decided to catch it. There was a restaurant at the performance area where we had authentic Thao cuisine for lunch. Apparently the eatery was operated by the Thao tribe princess! We enjoyed the meal very much.
Thao tribe - they have pretty features!
Thao cuisine - the wooden contraption is a miniature version of their fishing boat with net.
Wild boar trotter - so well-done that even the bone can be consumed.
As we continued our way to Alishan, Anson pointed out areas that were destroyed by earthquakes, floods and landslides. We could see tunnels covered by landslides, houses and schools broken up by nature’s wrath. It was a sobering sight for us Singaporeans who lived on a safe land that is hardly hit by any natural disasters.
Roads destroyed
Schools destroyed. Still under repair.
Stopped by a plum specialty shop along the way to get some local pickled plums, wine and sweets. This is run by the local agricultural office which help farmers to package and sell their goods so that they can focus on cultivating their harvests.
The road to Alishan turned out to be quite a ride – the winding road up and down mountains seemed endless! Repair works were ongoing at some parts that were demolished by landslides and heavy rains. As we headed higher up, the descending fog made it more thrilling. Temperature dropped by a few degree celsius. Anson pointed out the hazards of driving up this road and the need to get to our destination by early evening before the fog covered the area. The scenery along the way was astounding though.
On the road to Alishan
There is only 1 mountain road up to Alishan - the road was once made inaccessible for over two months because of landslides, trapping travellers on Alishan.
Above the clouds
We passed by a pair of ancient trees known as Couple Trees 夫妻树 near Tatajia 塔塔加 and an ancient tree of more than 2700 years old! I think about 12 people are needed to hug the tree completely at its width!
Ancient couple trees 夫妻树
Ancient Tree 鹿林神木- 43m tall, more than 2700 years old
Finally reached Longyun which was hidden up on the mountain. It has its own Farmville! Anson got us upgraded to the new block – we got a loft room! The room was spacious and comfortable albeit cold. There was even a heater in the bathroom! Temperature dropped to about 6 deg C at night.
View of Longyun bar-cum-activity centre and its Farmville below.
Upgraded Annexe - our loft room is at the top right window
Modern loft room
Dinner was sumptuous with vegetables right from their farm! There was even a mochi-making session after dinner. Longyun is an establishment here at Alishan. They have programmes such as forest walk, fireflies night walk (which unfortunately for us, was not in season) and activities such as Aiyu 爱玉 jelly making. They have Aiyu fruit growing in their compound!
Homemade goodness with vegetables from the farm
Mochi Making - delicious!
The night was young but it was too cold so we went to bed early.
* Note: Longyun does not provide bath towels.
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