We were truly tired roaming through the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium (read that here). We retired to our budget hotel room for the night, and quietly went to dreamland for tomorrow is going to be an even larger adventure. True enough, that day's adventure was nothing short of awesome. We rented scooters to go around the place, and that already made our day awesome. For starters, we went to the southernmost tip of Taiwan! Well, I can't see the islands of Batanes from Kenting but still, people say that radio signals from the Philippines can sometimes be detected in Kenting. That's how close we are to my beloved country. Also, the weather is a dead giveaway. It was late December, so we were freezing cold in Northern Taiwan and then we explored Southern Taiwan where we were fried in tropical heat. 500 meters away, and we'll be standing on Taiwan's Southernmost point.
I have been told a lot that this place is for kids - They were right, because the kid inside me enjoyed it very much. And I'm sure you will, too. We woke up early on the 26th of December, 2015, and we immediately prepared for our transfer. From Kaohsiung (read more here), we travelled for 2 hours towards Pingtung County, the southernmost part of Taiwan using a chartered taxi. Get this: The taxi driver offered a round trip transfer from Kaohsiung Bus Station to any point in Kenting National Park and vice versa for 600 NTD per head. It's a huge bargain considering that it also covers our return trip. Specifically, the remainder of our exploring centered on the Kenting National Park, Taiwan's oldest National Park. Our first stop: The National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium. I can guarantee your satisfaction from the moment you stand in its entrance up to the time to leave: that's my inner kid talking.
I had never been so excited for a weekend trip. We went to Southern Taiwan!!! Dubbed as the land of the unknown beaches (I call it that), I don't see how it can disappoint given that I invested about 4000 NTD for the entire trip.
We scheduled our trip to start exactly on Christmas Day, December 25. We planned (partly) for our trip and when the hour struck 1 pm, we hightailed it to the bus station and the excitement kept piling on for the 6-hour bus trip. Oh, what a sit-down festival it was. We took the bus from Zhongli station and arrived at Kaohsiung main bus terminal at 6:30 pm. We could have taken the high speed train but the ticket is so expensive that we opted to take the longer trip by bus instead. We then headed straight to our lodging of which its name I cannot remember (that's how terrible of a blogger I am), but I do remember that it was near the bus station, and it had nice amenities. We were booked there for one night in a room for four, and it was reasonably priced (I guess) at 550 NTD per person. The evening was still young, and we did not plan to waste any time. We headed straight to the Love River where the dark does some magical things to the scenery. Spoiler alert: I squealed like a little child when I was presented with the opportunity to go panning for gold. Deep in the heart of northern New Taipei lies the fun-filled Ruifang District. I had previous visits in this place, namely, the time we went strolling in Jiu Fen Old Street (read it here), hiking in Mt. Keelung (read more here), and discovering the secrets of the Pingxi Railway (start reading here). With all of those adventures from a single district, I did not expect to have more from this place. We went to Jinguashi, and I realized that this place can offer so much more. The simple town of Jinguashi adjacent to Jiufen was once home to one of Taiwan's largest mining site. This place has (back in the days) large deposits of gold, coal, copper, and pyrites which were heavily utilized by the Japanese during their occupation of Taiwan. Now, the remains of the once vibrant mining industry can still be seen in all of its glory in Jinguashi Gold and Ecological Park. I have a bowl of dirt, now let's search for some gold.
Have you ever been in a place where it constantly smells like rotten eggs? We just had been. The Yangmingshan National Park located between Taipei and New Taipei City is one of the several National Parks established all around Taiwan. This place is famous for its hot springs and hiking trails, one of which we braved amid brazing wind conditions. I'll get to that later. For now, gaze on the scenic beauty of the place and I will tell you everything from the beginning. Imagine walking through a trail carved around a mountain, constantly seeing vents releasing steam and funny smells. Then it hits you: this isn't a mountain, it's a dormant volcano.
At the end of Taipei's red MRT line, the Tamsui River empties into the Taiwan Strait. How appropriately, the place is called Tamsui. This meek district on the borders of New Taipei bursts into life late in the day, with its festive atmosphere lingering until the night. Hosting a night market and an old street, there's plenty of ground to cover in Tamsui. We got there at about 3 in the afternoon and the first thing I noticed is the picturesque beauty of the city blending into the Tamsui River. It's 3 pm but the sun doesn't sting my skin at all. Maybe a little too harsh on the eyes, but it has a cool feel to it.
If you know me, then you probably know that I love beaches. I love them so much that I can appreciate even the polluted ones (I'll just look, not swim). In line with that, a visit to another country would not be complete without a visit to the beach. I have heard of Fulong for a long time now, and seeing the golden sand on pictures made me very eager to visit this beach. Besides, it's location on the northeastern seaboard of Taiwan made it easily accessible via their national railway. All I need is a free day. And I happen to have a free Sunday. Three hours were spent on the train, sometimes sitting, sometimes standing. The anticipation of getting a quick peek at the coastline kept piling inside me, and the moment I see a river with dull-golden sand and stones made me want to believe that I am close. Ding! We are now arriving at Fulong Station, says the recording on the train. I made it. I can smell the briny air, hear the crashing of the waves, and feel the friction from the sand. This scene bade me hello. Ahh, it has been so long since I had been to the beach. Great view, great feel. Add the fact that the river feeding the ocean is actually separated by the beach sand and it's a great great find.
After the thrill in Lingjiao and disappointment at Wanggu (read more here), I can't honestly see how Shifen can under-deliver. For one, the train became empty as we arrived in Shifen even though it is not yet the last stop. It was then filled with tourists that were already going home. It was very crowded. This much people suggests that something worthy of my attention lies here. Much like in Pingxi, many people fancy painting and releasing their Chinese lanterns on the active train tracks of the Pingxi Railway. When the train comes, you can watch all of them scurry away for safety. In stark contrast to Jingtong and Pingxi Stations (read more of Jingtong here, and more of Pingxi here), the Lingjiao Station of the Pingxi Railway is a lot less crowded and more peaceful. Just look at how the railroad is so quiet. By the way, the sign there says no crossing, but I don't see any other means of getting to the other side. I sometimes like to live dangerously. "Look, mommy! I'm standing on the middle of an active train track! :)" This is what divides a serenely quiet Lingjiao.
So, we were left by the hourly train (read more here). Instead of waiting another hour, we walked and followed the tracks toward the next stop, Pingxi Station. The first thing we noticed upon arriving at Pingxi is a newly opened branch of the New Taipei City Library. We didn't linger much, but the post in front of the building caught our attention. It is designed from Chinese Lanterns for which this place is famous for. Every February, at about the same time as the Chinese New Year, many people flock this place to witness the annual Chinese Lantern Festival. In this festive occasion, thousands of Chinese lanterns are released at night to fill the night sky with hues of red, orange, and yellow coming from the flame that propels every lantern up to the sky. This is a sight to behold. I hope I can return to this place someday in time for the festival. Don't look at the car nor the library behind. Notice the post on the left made up of lanterns.
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Kristopher Ray PamintuanNothing fancy. Chemical Engineer. Nerdy. Big, uneven eyes. If those did not repel you, click here to know more Archives
August 2016
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The Admiral Adventures