Taiwan Family Trip: Yilan & Taipei

After getting our feet wet (literally) in gorgeous nature in Hualien, we ventured to Yilan and Taipei, the final leg of our 11-day family adventure in Taiwan.

Where we went in Yilan

Nanfangao Nantian Temple

Our first stop in Yilan was the Nanfangao Nantian Temple where we enjoyed a stunning bird’s eye view of the harbour with its busy docks and fishing boats. The temple was a pretty impressive sight, featuring a roof adorned with colourful dragons and statues made from jade, gold, and other precious stones.

Tangweigou Hot Spring Park

The hot spring park was pretty crowded as it’s a free public footbath in the heart of the city, but it can still be relaxing soaking your feet after a long day out!

Diudiudang Forest

We didn’t spend much time here as it was smaller than we expected. Diudiudang Forest features sculptures adapted from the works of Jimmy Liao, one of Taiwan’s most beloved illustrators, and great for taking photos with (if that’s up your alley).

Zhang Mei Ama’s Farm

Despite its name, Zhang Mei Ama’s Farm was more of a petting zoo than a working farm. You receive a bunch of leaves with you ticket., and we had the chance to feed and interact with a variety of animals, from capybaras and alpacas to wallabies and Patagonian maras.

I’m afraid of animals in general, but it was still pretty fun for me as the animals were all so cute. I was just always on my toes and prepared to run if any came too close to me! My family was over the moon though – they had so much fun pettng and getting up close to the friendly animals.

Chumi Farm (初咪體驗農場)

We also visited Chumi Farm, where we got our hands dirty making scallion bread and harvesting scallions.

The bread-making process was simple, fun, and of course, we had a good time tasting our results. I think my design was the best after baking! Some of the others’ came out hilarious after baking. I think the trick is not to put too many colours onto the bread as after baking, the colours won’t look like what you expect!

The real adventure came when we headed into the fields to harvest scallions. I ended up in kids’ waterproof overalls as they didn’t have adult boots in my size. It was far too tight for me to bend down properly, but I still managed to wash the scallions in a freezing cold canal with a very strong current. I almost lost my balance when I first stepped in!

Qingshui Geothermal Park

At Qingshui Geothermal Park, we got a little more hands-on with nature. We cooked our own lunch by tossing prawns, corn, eggs, and soup packets into the baskets provided and boiled them in the bubbling hot spring waters.

The results? A mouthwatering delicious lunch!

After devouring our lunch, we went to enjoy a hot soak in one of the nearby footbaths – a perfect way to experience the geothermal park.

Wufengqi Waterfall

We visited Wufengqi Waterfall, a beautiful spot surrounded by lush greenery and a very photogenic pavilion, and decided to hike up to view the waterfall from different angles.

After a short hike up the mountain, we came across the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Wufengqi, a Catholic church perched high on the mountain.

Where we went in Taipei

Yingge Old Street

In Taipei, we explored Yingge Old Street, Taiwan’s ceramics hub as WJ had read about the rare purple clay and was curious to see them up close.

The street was lined with shops selling beautifully crafted pottery, and we couldn’t help but buy a teapot made with the famed purple clay and a cute chicken teapot set!

Ningxia Night Market

No visit to Taipei is complete without exploring the famous night markets, and Ningxia Night Market didn’t disappoint. The air was filled with the savoury aroma of fried chicken and other tasty fried treats, and of course, we stuffed ourselves silly.