Shifen

Thank you, Ouyangsen driver! 😊 The car was clean and the driving was smooth and comfortable. You were able to accommodate my last-minute requests, and I had a wonderful time. The lantern spot in Shifen was great. I am very satisfied.

It was sunny in Taipei in the morning, but as we headed towards Jiufen, the weather turned ominous, and our guide said, "It's raining in Shifen." I thought I would be fine since I had brought a folding umbrella that could be used for both sun and rain, but my anxious husband had brought a portable raincoat (a really basic one) that he thought he had left in the room, and it turned out to be incredibly useful! It was a pack of three from 3coins. Since it was Saturday, there were a lot of tourists, and it would have been dangerous to use an umbrella... but a raincoat alone wouldn't have gotten my face wet, so the ultra-light folding umbrella and the 3coins raincoat made it easy to move around. We were also able to release our lanterns without any problems. In Shifen, it had stopped raining and there was a misty atmosphere, which was magical and also beautiful. And best of all, our guide (sorry, I forgot her name) was a woman who was fluent in Japanese and English and had a very loud and clear voice! Even in the rain and crowds, her voice carried, so we were able to sightsee without getting lost. Her judgment was also accurate, and although we had to transfer to a public shuttle bus because it was Saturday, her good judgment meant we didn't have to wait long to get on. I highly recommend the tea experience at A-Mei Tea House, which costs an extra! You can enjoy tea at this photogenic shop without having to wait in line. During our free time, she checked in with each of us individually, asking if we had any problems or where we'd like to go. I was feeling a bit down because of the rainy weather, but thanks to her, we had a really great time!

The weather was bad, so I was able to use the unlimited bus pass, which was a great help. I visited the National Palace Museum, Jiufen, and Shifen. I was also very happy to receive a cute cup as a gift.

The itinerary was excellent, and the tour guide was very friendly, helping us order delicious food, choose sky lanterns, and providing great explanations of the itinerary. Time management was also superb! The only downside was that we had to return to the bus early because the air conditioning wouldn't be turned on earlier if there weren't enough people! Everything else was great 👍! A great choice for a day trip!