Finally came the day I had been waiting for; journey to Sun Moon Lake (SML).
Before I went to Taiwan, I did a bit of research on SML. Some of my colleagues who have been there have said that it wasn't worth the trip as there's nothing spectacular to see over there. My mum, who went to Taiwan a few years ago also said the same thing. However, I've heard of people who had enjoyed the trip and had been raving about how beautiful the place look.
Hm, so I initially had doubts about wanting to visit SML. I eventually decided to pay SML a visit as I thought that it would be wasted if I've never visited SML despite have gone to Taiwan twice.
So in the morning of Day 3, we took a High Speed Rail (HSR) from Taipei Main Station to Taichung. We did not do our research properly prior to this trip and were shocked when we realized that the train tickets cost $765TWD per person.
But anyways, Taichung was the 4th station from Taipei Main Station and the journey took about 45mins -1hr! It was really fast. I've read somewhere that from Taipei to SML by bus can easily take up to 5 hours to reach. So I guess the $765 train tickets was worth it.
This was our in-train activity. The boyf bought me a proposal ring charm from Pandora to signify another milestone in our relationship and he was busy rearranging the charms on my pandora bracelet.
Please do not underestimate this charm based on its size. It cost him a freaking $240SGD!
Once we reached Taichung train station, we had to change to a bus from 南投客运 to take us to SML. The bus tickets cost $170TWD and the bus ride was about 1 hour as well. So it took us a total of about 2 hours to reach SML from Taipei.
The bus dropped us outside a mall called Delightmall and from there you would have to take a bus again that goes into SML and the hotels.
As it was around noon when we reached, we decided to grab lunch. Not much food around that vicinity (there were many actually, but the boyf is a little picky about where to have meals), so we settled for MOS burger inside the mall.
Up on the second level of the mall and at the entrance of MOS burger, are these really pretty cupboard cutouts decor. So I couldn't resist but took pictures with them.
After lunch, we proceeded to take the bus that brought us to our hotel area, Ita Thao area.
This area is their shopping street (mostly of food and local products). I didn't get to shop much at this street because we were rushing to for our trail and also our boat tour.
Can't remember the name of our hotel, but it was a really nice hotel and the toilet was so clean and so big. What was best was that it overlooked part of the SML.
Talking about clean toilets, the boyf was constipated for a few days because he didn't want to do his 'big business' in our not so clean Taipei Hotel. So the moment he reached this hotel, HE LET IT ALL OUT! Which obviously stank! :(
Back to the trail and boat tour, we were given a complimentary boat tour upon check in and we decided to go for it. As it was still early, we went for the lakeside trail instead.
Some pictures while trail-ing.
SA RANG AEYO OPPA (don't know if I spelt it correctly)
We had walked to the cable car station and in a way, we were forced to take the cable car on that day as the the cable cars would be all down for maintainence the following day.
So since we had already wanted to take the Maokong cable car in Taipei, we might as well take it here since there would be better views.
The boyf may looked really calm and compose here, but he was damn scared during the whole journey! His hands were sooo wet. HAHAHA.
After the ride, we walked back again, this time for our boat tour!!!
This place is so beautiful I don't know why some people think it's not worth to pay this place a visit!
And the boat tour also brought us to this temple where they were selling their famous tea-eggs!
But there were no system of queuing or whatsoever. Every customers would just crammed outside the stall just to get the tea-eggs.
And can you believe it, this person has never tried tea eggs before in his entire 28 years of life. He doesn't know what he's missing out on.
I liked the tea egg as it was really fragrant!
So this was it for our boat tour.
After the tour, we went back to the hotel, wanting to get some rest before heading out to the crowded Ita Thao streets to get some food.
But when we went out at about 630pm, all the stalls were closed, streets were dark and even restaurants were closed as well. Lucky for us, there was this one stall that were selling mini steamboat but it was not to our liking.
So a word of advise if you're going for an overnight stay at SML, either prepare your own food or go get your dinner early!
Alrights, till the next!
