With
summer temperatures in the high 30’s (95oF), we took an August trip
to Taiping Mountain in Yilan County, Taiwan. We needed a cool mountain getaway so
we headed back down Taiwan’s northeast coast to Yilan County, then southwest on
Route 7 along the Lanyang River, crossing over the Jiayuan Bridge.
We had to meet
the van driver-guide at Yilan station early Sunday, too early for a HSR
connection from Taichung, so we took the opportunity to spend a day and night
in Taipei before catching the Taiwan Rail to the east coast. To the Taipingshan
Villa we went for two days and a night, hiking on three mountain trails and
catching the Perseid Meteor Shower on a cool clear night.
Unlike the Cilan
Divine Tree Forest tour in July, on the north bank of the Lanyang River, outsourced,
the Forestry Bureau does the Taipingshan forest and villa itself. EZTravel.com
has tours for the former while ezfly.com is one agency that does the latter.
(6100NT)
So, how much
money do you think our three day-two night mid-week trip cost? Remember, it
included a HSR from Taichung to Taipei, Taiwan Rail non-stop to Hualien,
mini-shuttle bus tour from the station to the beach, lunch, Taroko Gorge, and
one night in the Parkview Hotel including buffet dinner and breakfast, shuttle back
to the train station for a non-stop to Yilan for a private van to Cilan Resort
for a night including three meals, entry to Divine Forest, and mini-bus to
Taipei's HSR back to Taichung. Would you believe 10,000 NT - $322 per person.
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| Courtesy: The Odyssey Online |
