Taichung blog — The fullest Taichung travel guide for first-timers

Taichung is a city located in the west of central Taiwan, with an area of 163 square kilometers, Taichung is the third largest city after Taipei and Kaohsiung. The city is considered as Taiwan’s cultural and educational center with many temples and relics. Taichung is considered to be a poetic city with natural beauty landscape, and rich culture, diverse cuisine … worth to visit. The city is quite developed, if you only have one to two days, do not worry, it’s enough to explore Taichung. What to do in Taichung? Let’s check it out our Taichung blog (Taichung travel blog) — The fullest Taichung travel guide (Taichung guide) for a budget trip to Taichung for the first time from how to get Taichung, top and best things to do in Taichung to where to eat in Taichung below.

Taichung blog — When is the best time to visit Taichung?

According to the experience of many visitors who have traveled to Taiwan in general and Taichung in particular, Autumn is the best time to visit. Simply, because the weather in Taiwan in the autumn is extremely pleasant, the scenery is also very beautiful. However, because it is the most beautiful time, this is also the peak tourist season in Taiwan. So if you plan to visit Taichung during this period, please also pre-book your flight and hotel to avoid incurring high service charges.

In addition, you can visiting Taiwan at anytime of the year. A good period time is from February to April. The weather in this period is quite warm and pleasant, suitable for outdoor activities and sightseeings.

Taichung travel blog — How to get to Taichung?

Option 1: By normal train

It takes about 2 hours from Taipei to Taichung by normal train. Depending on your luck, you can buy a standing or sitting ticket. Normally, to get a sitting ticket you will have to buy ticket early and come directly to the ticket counter to make sure you have a seat on the train otherwise you will have to standing for 2 hours on the train. It cost from 241 NTD (Local) to 375 NTD (Express) and travel time is 2.0-3.5 hours.

Option 2: By HSR (Taiwan High Speed Rail)

The best way to saving more time while travel from Taipei to Taichung is by HSR train (high-speed train). It takes 40 minutes. It’s always make sure you have a comfortable seat on the train, but the ticket is also more expensive than a normal train. It cost from 670-750 NTD (Standard Class) to 965-1060 NTD (Business Class).

Read more: HSR Taiwan travel guide — Everything you need to know about Taiwan High Speed Rail HSR.

Option 3: By bus

You can getting to Taichung from Taipei by bus. It takes 2.5 hours and cost about 220-260 NTD. This is the most most affordable way with easy, very frequent and convenient but slow and often delay by traffic jams. Some bus firms are UBus, Kuo-Kuang (cheaper), Aloha, Ho-Hsin and others.

Taichung blog: Getting around Taichung

By Bus

Overall, the public transport in Taichung is very convenient (bus / train). More careful, you can download the bus app in Taichung for easy travel and time management. However, if you go far, you need to plan clearly and carefully to be able to travel advantageously and could visited many tourist attractions.

By MRT

The most popular means of transportation used by people in Taiwan is MRT. In order to be able to use this vehicle, you need to purchase the card at the bus stop at the airport or at the gate to the train station. This is a fast moving and extremely convenient vehicle. The Cards for MRT can also be used to pay for bus or THSR tickets or pay for shopping at some stores such as Pizza Hut, 7Eleven …

Taichung blog: Where to stay in Taichung?

One of the good experiences for reserve a hotel/dorm/accommodation in Taichung is that you should choose the stay area near the train stations or night markets which is more convenient for eating and traveling, like the hotels below that we introduce, or where we were stayed near the Fengjia Night Market, the bus station right outside, not to mention around there are many more shops and restaurant.

Cheap hotels/hostels/dorms in Taichung

The price of hostel/dorm in Taichung are generally much cheaper than Taipei, sometimes only at half the price in Taipei you can get a beautiful place no less than, sometimes even better. Not to mention the dorm price in Taipei may be equal to the price of one room in Taichung. Here is a list of 5 cheap, beautiful and good hostel/dorm in Taichung you should refer.

Unicorn Hostel: For only price of $15/night/bed in dorm room. This hostel/dorm is decorated with cute, lovely colors, suitable for female friends, male friends are also ok. In addition to the clean rooms, Unicorn Hostel also offers free bicycles for visitors to explore Taichung. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

Fengjia FUN INN Hostel: Also located in the center of Taichung, quite close to National Taichung Theater. Prices range from $15, It’s not only offers dorm beds, Fengjia FUN INN Hostel also has double rooms, rooms for 4 people. The owner of this hotel like the youthful style, the rooms are decorated so cute. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

Cabin B&B: This B&B is located at right in the center of Taichung, decorated with red bricks, extremely cute, very convenient. Prices are a little bit higher than 2 hostels above (maybe thanks to the position close central city) from $20 night/bed in a dorm room. But with a very good location, this price is worthy. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

Mid-range hotels/hostels in Taichung

Feng Jia Nick Hostel: Formerly Feng Jia Fly Hostel, with only $23 for a double room, you will have a room decorated in minimalist style, clean but also no less comfortable, in addition to air conditioning, it has hairdryer and other facilities. You see the name Feng Jia is understand it located next to Feng Jia night market. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

Fengjia Machi Hostel: It is also centrally located next to Feng Jia Night Market in Taichung. Price from $27/double room. The room also had a fridge.

Nu Stay: Formerly EZGO Inn, we make sure you look at this room, you just want to move into stay right now. EZGO Inn is decorated in bright colors, blue of the sea, not to mention some scallops, starfish … very eye catching. EZGO Inn is also located in the center of Xitun area as the above hotels. Rates from $25/night/double room. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

In addition, you can also refer to other hotels such as FJ story house, or KUL Hotel.

High class and luxurious hotels in Taichung

La Vida Hotel: Located in a good location of Situn District, La Vida Hotel is an ideal spot because it is surrounded by restaurants, shops, and nightlife in the heart of Taichung. The hotel is not too far from the city center: just 4.4 km away, and normally takes about 30 minutes to reach the airport. With good location, from this modern hotel you will easy to getting to the famous tourist attractions of the city. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

Hotel 7 Taichung: If you are finding a hotel with very good location in Taichung, there is no good choice more than Hotel 7 Taichung. From here, you can easy to explore the vibrant of the city at every corner. From this hotel, guests can enjoy easy to access to all the popular city attractions of the city. Rates from $67/night. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

Chance Hotel: Designed for both business and leisure travel, Chance Hotel is ideally situated in Central Business District; one of the city’s most popular locales. (Check rates and reviews on Agoda.com or Booking.com).

Moreover, you can refer to the good hotels such as: Miller Inn, The Cloud Hotel, Chase Walker Hotel, Moon Lake Hotel, Evergreen Laurel Hotel – Taichung: Rates from $100/night. Millennium Hotel Taichung: Rates from $132/night.

Taichung blog: What to do in taichung? Best places to visit and top things to do in Taichung?

Taichung has a mild climate all year round, industrial and commercial is well develop with rich history and diversity of cultural activities, so every year attracts a large number of tourists.

Gaomei Wetlands

Gaomei Wetlands is the most worthwhile destination in Taichung. Located in the southern estuary of the Dajia River about 50 minutes’ drive from the center of Taichung, this place is known for its superb sunset landscape views. Gaomei Wetlands is a land where water is flooded to the shore, so when the sun goes down, it will print from the sky all the way down to the water, giving a reddish color that covered all the space. Another point is that the windmills runs alongside the shore, making the scene becomes very unique and surreal.

When the water getting down at Gaomei Wetlands, you can join with friends and relatives walking on a shallow muddy beach to the sea. Even when the water has been covered up the mud, still have a wooden road is built with 800m long on the water to help travelers feel like walking in the water surround.

Address: Gaomei Wetlands, Qingshui Dist., Taichung City, Taiwan.
Opening hours: The boardwalk is closed at high tides
Bus: #178 and #179 from Qingshui Railway Station. #655 from THSR Station (on weekends, holidays, summer and winter school vacations).

Lishan Scenic Area

Known as a scenic area with picturesque scenery, Lishan attracts many visitors with mountains, rivers and lakes, lush forests. There are four main attractions that you should explore when visiting Lishan: Kukuan (Gukuan), two farms: Wuling and Sushou Shan and Lishan recreational area. Each season, Lishan brings in its own beauty such as spring with blooming flowers, summer with fruitful trees, autumn with red and yellow leaves or winter with white snow cover all the land.

Address: No.95, Zhongzheng Rd., Heping Dist., Taichung City
Tel: +886-4-25981331

Sun Moon Lake

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