Hualien

It was fun and easy to circle the island. With three meals and even snacks and drinks included, the 13 hours felt short, and I would like to try the eastern route next time. The crew also provided excellent service.

I've been to Hualien several times, but never taken a whale watching cruise. This time, taking advantage of a German friend's visit to Taiwan, I planned this trip. We joined the 10 am cruise. The weather was great, but the waves were a bit rough. It was manageable during the ride, and soon we saw a large group of dolphins, which the captain called "spinning dolphins." It was the first time in my life I'd seen dolphins up close! Amidst the crashing waves, everyone cheered and exclaimed in amazement. We took many photos, and the captain also searched for other targets spouting water. Unfortunately, we didn't see any whales this time, but it was still a very rewarding and wonderful whale watching trip. I hope to see whales next time! Note: If you are prone to seasickness, it's recommended to take seasickness medication before departure. Make sure your phone has a lanyard, otherwise there's a risk of it accidentally falling into the sea. Nobody wants to ruin their good mood with their phone...

I was glad that I was able to rent a better vehicle than I expected. I was able to see places I wasn't able to visit when I came to Sun Moon Lake by bus last year. I plan to rent again next March.

I've rented from Zhihang many times; the car prices are relatively cheap, but the car condition is excellent. The service staff are also very professional and friendly. During the car pickup process, a group of foreign guests also needed to pick up their cars, and the staff handled them fluently in English throughout the process—truly impressive. Highly recommended.

Budget shares booth with Avis. Easy pick up. Staff was patient with many of our questions. Price is lower if you use third party like kkday or klook. We rented the car for one week with full insurance coverage. Please take note if you are involved in an accident, you have to pay upfront to Budget and then claim from kkday. Thankfully, nothing of that sort happened.