Jinshan Old Street

A Hong was our tour guide and we chose to do the 8 hour chartered car trip to Yangmingshan. We got to choose which attractions to visit and he even accommodated a last minute change because we especially wanted to see the wild cows on Qing Tian Gang (highly recommend). A major highlight was lunch at a local restaurant he recommended—authentic, delicious, and far away from the usual tourist traps. The best meal of the trip. If you want to experience the 'local' side of the mountains without the hassle of buses, this is a must-book!

・The tour generally involves listening to announcements on the bus or near the entrance to each location, then spending some free time on your own, returning to the meeting point by the designated time. ・The agile minibus allowed for a smooth tour. At every tourist spot, large buses overflowed the parking lots, making parking difficult. Also, in Jiufen and Shifen, there were long lines at the return bus stop, making me glad I signed up for this tour instead of public transportation. ・Our Japanese guide, Mr. Qiu, gave honest, unique, and entertaining announcements. He is extremely knowledgeable about each tourist spot, so by following his instructions, you can travel efficiently, affordably, and enjoyably. Another unique aspect of this tour is being able to hear about the real life of Taiwanese people and the differences between Taiwan and Japan. The meeting time was strict, but it was unavoidable when trying to visit so many places in one day. ・In the end, I walked nearly 20,000 steps, but I was able to rest (and even sleep) my feet during the bus rides, so I didn't feel too tired. According to Chiu, this tour packed a number of tourist spots into one day that would normally take several days to visit. However, I felt the time spent at each tourist spot was just right. We ate lunch in Jinshan Old Street, where Chiu recommended several restaurants, so we basically chose from those. We tried the steamed buns he recommended. There were many other shops in the area, selling items at bargain prices. Finally, we stopped off for a cup of Taiwanese tea at a tea shop near Dongmen Station. The tea was delicious. The Taiwanese tea and pineapple cakes sold at this tea shop were reasonably priced. When I tried to buy souvenirs at the airport just before leaving, I was surprised at how expensive pineapple cakes were! I was also glad he recommended a xiaolongbao restaurant near Dongmen Station for dinner after the tour.