TW 8D7N itinerary help!!!

[sellun]

Hello guys! I'm going TW for 8days from 1 - 8 Oct.

The current plan is
1 - Taoyuan - hualien (1night)
2 - Hualien - Cingjing (1night)
3 - Cingjing - Taichung (2nights)
4 - Taichung
5 - Taichung - Taipei (3nights)
6 - Taipei
7 - Taipei
8 - Fly home

Is this route good enough?
Purpose of first 4 days is just sightseeing and relax, go slow.
Taipei is really just about shopping and eating, I've been to taipei several times but not other places, so I need help to plan for the first 4 days.

1. is Hualien - Cingjing - Taichung - Taipei a good route?
2. Should we hire driver? If yes, what's the average cost per day?
3. Is it doable via public transport? We're travelling in a group of 4
4. Any recommended minsu in Cingjing and taichung?
5. We're all travelling on low budget, any free/cheap stuff we must do??

Thank you all for your help!

 

[dede1217]

Hired before drivers in taipei 3500 twd one day.
they pick you up from hotel 8+am, then drive u around until 8+pm.
Taichung so far no hire driver.
But have gotten quotation like 3500 to 4500 twd so far.

For taipei, is better to get driver if you have more people, 3-4.
else waiting time and travelling time is super long ....
Example, jiufen, shifen only, can take u close to 3+ to 4+ hours at least ...

 

[Gixxerfied]

The fun of travelling on the railway is to see things you wont get to see inside the cab..

If time is a factor, might as well sign up with tour groups..Guarantee chopx2..

 

[sellun]

Hired before drivers in taipei 3500 twd one day.
they pick you up from hotel 8+am, then drive u around until 8+pm.
Taichung so far no hire driver.
But have gotten quotation like 3500 to 4500 twd so far.

For taipei, is better to get driver if you have more people, 3-4.
else waiting time and travelling time is super long ....
Example, jiufen, shifen only, can take u close to 3+ to 4+ hours at least ...

Thanks for the advice bro. I'm quite familiar with taipei and we'll just be going those standard shopping places so we'll be taking their mrt. Need more help regarding hualien/cingjing/taichung. & what to do there.

The fun of travelling on the railway is to see things you wont get to see inside the cab..

If time is a factor, might as well sign up with tour groups..Guarantee chopx2..

I totally agree with that man! Any advice on my enquires?

 

[calkel20]

1. is Hualien - Cingjing - Taichung - Taipei a good route?
2. Should we hire driver? If yes, what's the average cost per day?
3. Is it doable via public transport? We're travelling in a group of 4
4. Any recommended minsu in Cingjing and taichung?
5. We're all travelling on low budget, any free/cheap stuff we must do??

Thank you all for your help!

1. Ok.
2.Yes, public transport not viable option.
3.absolutely not.
4.budget?
5.Low budget please skip this route. This is the most expensive route.

 

[sellun]

1. Ok.
2.Yes, public transport not viable option.
3.absolutely not.
4.budget?
5.Low budget please skip this route. This is the most expensive route.

Thanks for the reply. Whats the average cost for booking driver for 4pax, I'm not sure about the market rate.

Budget for accom about $50/pax/night?

Any other recommended route for 4day tour?

 

[Gixxerfied]

Thanks for the advice bro. I'm quite familiar with taipei and we'll just be going those standard shopping places so we'll be taking their mrt. Need more help regarding hualien/cingjing/taichung. & what to do there.


I totally agree with that man! Any advice on my enquires?

The route from

CJ>Hualien or Hualien>CJ cost more and definitely need a driver..

 

[twosix]

1. is Hualien - Cingjing - Taichung - Taipei a good route?

It can be quite tiring traveling from Taoyuan to Hualien. I'd recommend Taoyuan - Taichung - Cingjing - Hualien - Taipei instead.

Taoyuan to Taichung around 2hrs by coach or HSR only. Then you can have more time to jalan jalan TC. Next day take the bus or taxi to cingjing. the following day rent a taxi whole day to drive to hualien along the way tour taroko gorge. next day either stay and tour hualien or catch the puyuma train back to taipei (2hrs ride).

cingjing - taroko gorge - hualien will cost around NT$5000 for whole day.

 

[sellun]

It can be quite tiring traveling from Taoyuan to Hualien. I'd recommend Taoyuan - Taichung - Cingjing - Hualien - Taipei instead.

Taoyuan to Taichung around 2hrs by coach or HSR only. Then you can have more time to jalan jalan TC. Next day take the bus or taxi to cingjing. the following day rent a taxi whole day to drive to hualien along the way tour taroko gorge. next day either stay and tour hualien or catch the puyuma train back to taipei (2hrs ride).

cingjing - taroko gorge - hualien will cost around NT$5000 for whole day.

Our flight will reach early morning thus we will have one full day for the first day. My friend has already booked the accom at hualien and assuming if we can't change. Is there anyway to work around our clockwise direction?

Any recommended driver for cingjing portion? Any any recommended accom for cingjing & taichung?

What should we do in taichung?

 

[therat]

Thanks for the reply. Whats the average cost for booking driver for 4pax, I'm not sure about the market rate.

Budget for accom about $50/pax/night?

Any other recommended route for 4day tour?

Ur road is same as mine except mine is 12 days.

My accom is estimate $50-$60/pax/night

Expensive hotel stay especially on Friday and Sat.

Hualien driver
I contract few number that I found in this forum and tripadviser.
Quotation range from
Hualien 2 days and Hualien to cingqing
$25k (VN T5) , $20k (VNT5), $12500 (WISH)

In the end, my Hualien minsu offer me $13600 (wish during hualien and VM T5 for hualien to Cingqing)

You might want to check with your minsu.

Taichung driver, one quote me $3500 for 10 hrs, OT 300NT/hr for WISH

Hualien to CJ need driver. No public transport

 

[twosix]

Our flight will reach early morning thus we will have one full day for the first day. My friend has already booked the accom at hualien and assuming if we can't change. Is there anyway to work around our clockwise direction?

Any recommended driver for cingjing portion? Any any recommended accom for cingjing & taichung?

What should we do in taichung?

If the hotel is not fully booked, I think can change dates. Just email the hotel whether can change.

For drivers, you can check this thread: http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/t...hualien-cingjing-taichung-driver-4610578.html.

There is also a thread on cingjing accommodation. For me, I'm staying in starry minsu. another popular one is misty minsu near to 7-11.

in taichung, if u want to be near fengjia nm, you can consider beacon hotel. if not, can try cityinn plus or hotel 53 near the train station (not the hsr station).

 

[therat]

For drivers, you can check this thread: http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/t...hualien-cingjing-taichung-driver-4610578.html.

This is the driver that quoted me $12500 (WISH)
with Hualien $3500 each
Hualien to Cingjing $5500

He is Hualien taxi driver , driving WISH , too bad.. I had 5 ppl, with luggage.. WISH might be too cramp for me.

 

[therat]

1 - 8 Oct is near to Taiwan national day and China golden week.

If you want to stay at cingjing, you need to act fast.

 

[twosix]

This is the driver that quoted me $12500 (WISH)
with Hualien $3500 each
Hualien to Cingjing $5500

He is Hualien taxi driver , driving WISH , too bad.. I had 5 ppl, with luggage.. WISH might be too cramp for me.

2 drivers i approached are also hualien residents. both quoted NT$5000 from CJ to HL for Dec.

 

[sellun]

1) From Taoyuan to Hualien, the journey is long and you wasted many hours. I suggest you do a anti clock wise Taoyuan >(2hrs) taichung >(2hrs) Cing jing >(half a day to whole day depending how long you stop at Taroko) Hualien >(3-4 hours) Taipei.
2) Rent a car if anyone of you drives, around NTD1800 a day.
3) If you're talking about bus, its cheap but if you're talking about HSR, it's only on the west coast and the cost of it for 4 can rent you a car for whole day liao.
4) CAn consider going south a bit to Tainan, it's the food city of Taiwan. Every streets and corners have beef noodle stalls.

I believe it can be changed at no cost subject to availability of course. Even agoda allow you to change. Can consider just making Cingjing a few hrs stop, there are far more things at Taichung or Hualien to see.

I'm interested in the option of renting car. We have 3 drivers (out of the 4) is it easy to drive in hualien - cijing - taichung area?

I'm confused by the driver's rate. Taichung is 3k+ for 8hrs? And Hualien/CJ is 12k+? so much different?

 

[sellun]

It can be quite tiring traveling from Taoyuan to Hualien. I'd recommend Taoyuan - Taichung - Cingjing - Hualien - Taipei instead.

Taoyuan to Taichung around 2hrs by coach or HSR only. Then you can have more time to jalan jalan TC. Next day take the bus or taxi to cingjing. the following day rent a taxi whole day to drive to hualien along the way tour taroko gorge. next day either stay and tour hualien or catch the puyuma train back to taipei (2hrs ride).

cingjing - taroko gorge - hualien will cost around NT$5000 for whole day.

Latest update: We will be changing to anticlock wise as per your recommendation.

1: Taoyuan - Taichung (Cheapest option should be coach?)
2: Taichung tour
3: Taichung - cingjing (by public bus?)
4: Cingjing - Hualien (Hired driver or taxi to tour taroko, which one cheaper?)
5: Hualien - taipei (Cheapest train possible?)
5 - 8 Taipei free and easy.

 

[twosix]

Latest update: We will be changing to anticlock wise as per your recommendation.

1: Taoyuan - Taichung (Cheapest option should be coach?)
2: Taichung tour
3: Taichung - cingjing (by public bus?)
4: Cingjing - Hualien (Hired driver or taxi to tour taroko, which one cheaper?)
5: Hualien - taipei (Cheapest train possible?)
5 - 8 Taipei free and easy.

NT240 each person from TPE to TC. imo this is the best option as there are many coaches in the airport to TC and you do not need to take a bus to the HSR station.

NT100+ by bus from TC to CJ. Take it at TC HSR station or Gancheng bus station.

I'd assume hired driver = taxi. Usually they are full time taxi drivers and part time hired driver who knows the tourists attractions.

hualien to taipei by puyuma (fastest @ 2hrs 5min), is NT440 per person. Book online may have some discounts.

 

[Gixxerfied]

1) Coach from taoyuan to taichung best..Reach so early also nothing much so might as well slp on the bus..At least dont have to go up and down..

3) Yes, bus got timing..Best check

4) Driver, not regular yellow cab..Early morning head out then Hehuanshan sunrise then continue to Taroko for day tour before going to the hotel.

5) Cheapest is gonna be longer..Typical Puyuma Express(Fastest) is almost 2hrs already..So nt sure if u can tahan longer..

 

[twosix]

I'm interested in the option of renting car. We have 3 drivers (out of the 4) is it easy to drive in hualien - cijing - taichung area?

TC's traffic condition quite bad. public tranport there not good, so a lot of people prefers to drive.

hualien - CJ are mountainous roads. are you comfortable?

 

[Gixxerfied]

NT240 each person from TPE to TC. imo this is the best option as there are many coaches in the airport to TC and you do not need to take a bus to the HSR station.

NT100+ by bus from TC to CJ. Take it at TC HSR station or Gancheng bus station.

I'd assume hired driver = taxi. Usually they are full time taxi drivers and part time hired driver who knows the tourists attractions.

hualien to taipei by puyuma (fastest @ 2hrs 5min), is NT440 per person. Book online may have some discounts.

No discount for single trip..Got discount for return..