TW 8D7N itinerary help!!!

[wisely98]

please excuse me for my ignorance, if it takes the same time to travel from taipei to taichung - 2 hours and taipei to hualien - 2 hours by puyuma. why would journey from tpe - hl considered as "long and wasteful"?

 

[Gixxerfied]

The reason why i would do Taoyuan>Taichung>Cingjing>Hualien>Taipei is for the segment between CJ and Hualien(continue onto Taroko as well).

Wake up morning to depart CJ and drop by Hehuanshan for sunrise before continuing on towards Hualien and go Taroko for a day's tour before going to the hotel.

Vs

Hualien then book driver for Taroko tour(After that late and not advisable to drive towards CJ also) and also miss the sunrise..

 

[twosix]

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

have... pay by cc got discount. 5% i think.

 

[sellun]

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..

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.

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?

Thanks for the prompt replies!!!
really informative!
We will coach from taoyuan to TC since we'll be there for 2nights before going CJ.

1) We've heard that the bus (nantou bus) from TC to CJ can be bad for people with motion sickness? If we were to book a driver to travel from TC to CJ what would be the estimated price? ~NT2000?

2) Whats the difference for the e-go bus and nantou bus? the e-go bus seem to cost much more...

3) Seems like we have to book a driver for CJ - hualien as well. Is Hehuanshan sunrise then continue to Taroko for day tour a standard thing to do there and usually comes in a package with drivers over there? What would be the estimated cost for this and any recommended drivers?

4) Puyuma Express sounds good, and its not really very expensive at NT440.

5) We're comfortable with mountainous road as we've driven in other countries, just not sure about the traffic condition and anything to take note of.. And since we'll be going hualien, how to return the vehicle to TC? (never really heard of people doing self-drive, but we're open to explore this option)

 

[sellun]

1) I went with this > ¹Å»«¤p«È¨®¯²¸î¦³**¤½¥q VIP CAR RENTAL CO., LTD. . Free GPS/handbrake lock/toll fees chip(which means they pay for all tolls!)

2)Taichung to Cingjing is a piece of cake, after freeway 6, via puli, another 20 mins or so. From Hualien to Cingjing you're passing thru mountanious road all the way, I think 100km of it all, it took me half a day with some stops but my day started at 5am.

3) I find driving in Taiwan generally easy but I have driven in many countries and did many road trips while abroad. I did find different driving habits in different towns though. For eg in Taipei, the cars are arrogant and will attempt to cut you/overtake you at hight speed, I don't see this in other towns of taiwan. For mountain roads, drive slowly especially when approaching corners.

I see. We've driven in places like new zealand, so i believe the mountainous road shouldn't really be much of a problem?

Will it be possible to rent the vehicle from TC and return in Hualien?

 

[twosix]

Thanks for the prompt replies!!!
really informative!
We will coach from taoyuan to TC since we'll be there for 2nights before going CJ.

1) We've heard that the bus (nantou bus) from TC to CJ can be bad for people with motion sickness? If we were to book a driver to travel from TC to CJ what would be the estimated price? ~NT2000?

2) Whats the difference for the e-go bus and nantou bus? the e-go bus seem to cost much more...

3) Seems like we have to book a driver for CJ - hualien as well. Is Hehuanshan sunrise then continue to Taroko for day tour a standard thing to do there and usually comes in a package with drivers over there? What would be the estimated cost for this and any recommended drivers?

4) Puyuma Express sounds good, and its not really very expensive at NT440.

5) We're comfortable with mountainous road as we've driven in other countries, just not sure about the traffic condition and anything to take note of.. And since we'll be going hualien, how to return the vehicle to TC? (never really heard of people doing self-drive, but we're open to explore this option)

mountainous road, so some people will surely have motion sickness. take taxi may have too, depends on how the driver drives.

taxi, if you bargain, maybe can get NT1600 1 way from TC to CJ.

 

[soarer]

I see. We've driven in places like new zealand, so i believe the mountainous road shouldn't really be much of a problem?

Will it be possible to rent the vehicle from TC and return in Hualien?

Nope. Rent in Taoyuan, return in Taoyuan. Or rent in Taipei, get them deliver to Taoyuan, then return in Taipei. Usually it is cheaper to rent for more 4 days onwards. But if you do your maths, it's worth it. You can see different things on the road, you can stop as and when you wish, for as long as you want. At night you can take the car to drive around wherever you're staying, night market, see some night life. Can return as late as you wish. Early morning you can go to nearby to see sunrise if you want. Most hotels we booked have their own parking lot. Full tank of petrol is half price of what we're paying in Singapore. It is worth every penny.

 

[soarer]

More pics. All taken in Taroko. Sometimes the lane is just enough for 2 cars to pass through so need to slow down. Other than that, take care of the blind spots in front because cars can come at the corner at high speed. Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed the drive very much.

 

[therat]

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

may I know what car?
As I had 5 ppl with luggage.. WISH is too cramp for me.
For VM T5 , I received quote 8000NT from the minsu .

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

Taichung is within city
Hualien 12k is total of 3 days,
2 days withiin city $3.5NT each
Hualien --> CJ is 5500 NT, if snow, add chain extra 100 NT

 

[twosix]

may I know what car?
As I had 5 ppl with luggage.. WISH is too cramp for me.
For VM T5 , I received quote 8000NT from the minsu .

Toyota Wish.

 

[therat]

Toyota Wish.

thanks.

I also received quote from Toyota Wish from Hualien to CJ.. 5500 NT

 

[Gixxerfied]

Because the airport is not in Taipei but Taoyuan. It's a long journey travelling half an island. I am not sure about the 2 hours from Hualien to Taipei though, whoever quoted that may like to answer that.

It's about 2hrs by Puyuma Express from TMS to Hualien or vice versa..

have... pay by cc got discount. 5% i think.

Cant remember..Only 1 time i book single trip..With the bank rates, the 5% discount maybe just offset the bank rates nia..