Nantou Street Food


Nantou Street Food shares much of its ingredients, characteristics, and flavour with the majority of Taiwan, with some distinct differences. As an agricultural state famed for its farmlands and mountains, Nantou cuisine uses a lot of fresh ingredients in their dishes, which are often simply prepared and straightforward, with light sauces. Besides heavy influence from South Chinese cuisine, there is also influence from the Aboriginal cuisines of Taiwan.

Rice Porridge With Condiments

Hu Yue Lakeview Hotel (湖悦景観旅店)
No. 113
Yiyong Street
Yuchi Township
Nantou 55546
Taiwan

http://www.huyue.com.tw/


Beautiful Views, Spacious Rooms

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 6
Visited: Jun-2018
Ambience & Setting: 9
Food & Beverage: 4
Service: 5
Value for Money: 6
Spent about NTD $3060 / SGD $140 per person.
- NTD $3060 / SGD $140 Accomodation 2D1N
- $0 Room Service


Nearby Attractions: Taiwan Historica, Nantou County Pottery Museum, Sun Moon Lake, Lalu Island, New Era Sculpture Park, Yushan National Park, Taumi Eco-Village, Arboreal Insect Museum, Paper Dome, Qingjing Farm, Geographic Center Of Taiwan, Sun Link Sea Forest Recreation Area, Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village, Jiji Railway Station, Houtanjing Sky Bridge, Little Swiss Garden, Qingjing Skywalk, Chung Tai Chan Monastery, Xitou Monster Village


Hotel Facilities: Free Wi-Fi, 1 Restaurant (Rooftop Restaurant), 1 Lounge (Lobby Lounge), Sun Deck, Currency Exchange Service


Hotel Activities: Internet Surfing, Sightseeing


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Introduction
Located about 90 minutes drive away from the Taichung International Airport / Ching Chuan Kang Airport, Hu Yue Lakeview Hotel (湖悦景観旅店) in Nantou County is a short-stay leisure hotel, meant for guests to sightsee the Sun Moon Lake area. Offering beautiful views of Sun Moon Lake from its waterfront location, Hu Yue Lakeview Hotel has comfortable and spacious rooms, but little else going for it.


Ambience
Ambience at Hu Yue Lakeview Hotel is plain and simple, with only a few small touches of decorative lighting and artwork in the lobby. Otherwise, the main attraction is the view of the waterfront. Everything else is clean and functional, but not memorable in any way.


Room
Rooms at Hu Yue Lakeview Hotel are spacious and comfortable. The beds are large and soft, and the bathroom is equipped with 2 different showers and a bath tub. The wardrobe is large, and the attached balcony has a good view of Sun Moon Lake. While the in-room wifi is strong, the cable television lacks variety of channels.


Food
Food at Hu Yue Lakeview Hotel is simple and straightforward. The international cuisine is limited, and average in quality, but the local food, particularly the congee, is tasty. There is no room service here. The Rooftop Restaurant has limited seating too, meant for quick eat-and-go style dining.


Service
Service at Hu Yue Lakeview Hotel is decent and functional enough. Staff converse in mostly Chinese Mandarin, limited English, and limited Hokkien. I notice staff double up as waiters in the restaurant as well. Note there is no laundry service here, so you'll need to either bring / buy sufficient clothing for your stay.


Facilities & Activities
The facilities and activities at Hu Yue Lakeview Hotel are nearly non-existent. Beyond the strong and stable wifi connection, and the fantastic views of Sun Moon Lake, there is little to do within the hotel. You're better off heading out and exploring the nearby streets. Personally, I feel a 1-night stay at Hu Yue Lakeview Hotel (湖悦景観旅店) is sufficient.


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Nantou Shops

Some examples of the shops in Nantou, whether along the streets or within the shopping malls.

Taiwan Spirit

Miyahara Formosa (宮原眼科)
No. 20
Zhongshan Road
Central District
Taichung 400
Taiwan

http://www.miyahara.com.tw/

Pastries In Artistic Packaging

Top 5 Taichung Attractions

Some photos in this post were not shot by me, and are credited to their respective sources.


City: Taichung
State: Taichung-Changhua Metropolitan Area
Country: Taiwan / Republic of China

The second most populous city in Taiwan / Republic of China, Taichung is a major economic and cultural hub. Blessed with a pleasant climate, Taichung is home to many cultural activities, shopping places, and natural sights. In particular, the night markets here are very popular.

Here are the Top 5 Tourist Attractions to visit in Taichung, all of which hold important cultural or historical significance. All these are permanent locations which can be visited and viewed at any time throughout the year.


1. National Museum Of Natural Science

Source Credits

The vast National Museum Of Natural Science in Taichung, Taiwan, houses 6 complexes, including the Space IMAX Theater, Science Center, Life Science Hall, Human Cultures Hall, Global Environment Hall, and Botanical Garden. With over half a million artefacts across 27 permanent and 6 temporary exhibits, spanning the fields of zoology, botany, geology, and anthropology, it is the largest recreational and educational museum in the country. Highlights include the Gallery Of Dinosaurs, the Tropical Rainforest Greenhouse, and the water-powered Armillary and Celestial Tower.



2. Feng Chia Night Market

Source Credits

Among the biggest night markets in Taiwan, and certainly the most famed in Taichung, the Feng Chia Night Market is named after the nearby Feng Chia University. Commonly frequented by students and local Taiwanese, this ensures prices here are kept competitive, and stalls focused on providing for and serving locals. There's food, fashion, fun, and future technology, like virtual reality gaming, all found here, making it a good shopping, dining, and lifestyle travel experience.



3. Rainbow Village

Source Credits

Unwilling to leave his village in Nantun District, Taichung, Taiwan, after developers began buying the land for redevelopment, former veteran soldier Huang Yung-Fu used his artistic flair to save the 11 houses in his village from demolition. Beginning with a painting of a bird, his colourful and vibrant artwork of animals, people, and scenes of local life soon covered every surface of the village. Authorities relented to petitions by university students who discovered the place, and designated the Rainbow Village a cultural area. Today, artist Huang Yung-Fu receives over a million visitors annually, gamely posing for photos amidst his artwork on the buildings.



4. 921 Earthquake Museum Of Taiwan

Source Credits

The 921 Earthquake Museum Of Taiwan in Taichung preserves the wreckage of the 7.3 earthquake that struck the country on Tuesday, 21 September 1999. Serving as sobering reminders to the public to be prepared for such events, the site includes the Chelungpu Fault Gallery which crosses the original fault line, the Earthquake Engineering Hall which details the science of earthquakes, the Image Gallery which exhibits photos from the incident and subsequent fall-out, and the educational Disaster Prevention Hall. There's also an earthquake simulator room, which recreates the ground-shaking feeling of the actual disaster.



5. Gaomei Wetlands

Source Credits

Well known in Taiwan for its breathtaking natural scenery, the Gaomei Wetlands along the coast of Taichung is home to many native wildlife, as well as several large wind turbines which provide electric power to the city. The windy area offers fantastic views of sunset, with the sun dipping below the horizon of blue skies and fluffy white clouds, while the mechanical silhouettes of the wind turbines lend a surreal contrast. The wooden broadwalk offers an easy stroll, but for a greater challenge, head down into the soft muddy soil with proper footwear.





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Taichung Street Food


Taichung Street Food is part of the overall cuisine in Taiwan, bringing together dishes that are a mish mash of influences from South Chinese, native Taiwanese aboriginals, Japanese, and Western culture. There is a substantial snacking culture here, and as the city modernises, it's increasingly common to find more Western style options, though Taiwanese and Japanese cuisines are still the most prevalent.

Guan Dong Zhu / Oden

Hotel 7 Feng Jia (Hotel 7 逢甲)
No. 45
Fuxing North Road
Xitun District
Taichung 407
Taiwan

http://www.hotelse7en.com/en-us


Comfortable Stay In A Quirky Place

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Visited: Jun-2018
Ambience & Setting: 9
Food & Beverage: 3
Service: 6
Value for Money: 8
Spent about NTD $2720 / SGD $130 per person.
- NTD $2720 / SGD $130 Accomodation 2D1N
- $0 Room Service


Nearby Attractions: Taichung Park, National Taiwan Museum Of Fine Arts, National Museum Of Natural Science, Taichung Winery, CMP Block Museum Of Arts, Rainbow Village, Taichung Metropolitan Opera House, National Taichung Theater, Feng Chia Night Market, The Parkway, Xinshe Castle, 921 Earthquake Museum Of Taiwan, Guguan Hot Spring, Maple Garden, Gaomei Wetlands, Painted Animation Lane, Dongfeng Bicycle Green Way


Hotel Facilities: Free Wi-Fi, Gymnasium, Laundry Service, 1 Restaurant (Buddy Butty Restaurant), 2 Lounges (Lobby Lounge, Rooftop Lounge), 1 Bar (Lobby Bar), Cable TV, Garden, Sun Deck, Game Room, Currency Exchange Service


Hotel Activities: Work Out, Internet Surfing, Games, Relaxing


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Introduction
Located about 25 minutes drive away from the Taichung International Airport / Ching Chuan Kang Airport in Taichung, Hotel 7 Feng Jia (Hotel 7 逢甲) is a modern boutique hotel with playful, whimsical, attractive decor, but more importantly, is a centrally located family-friendly hotel. Targeted at leisure travellers, there is a distinct lack of business facilities at Hotel 7 Feng Jia, but its convenient location is a plus point.


Ambience
Ambience at Hotel 7 Feng Jia exudes a welcoming yet playful feel. Each level is styled differently, the central artwork piece on each floor is visible from the elevator (which itself has an embedded television in the floor). Modern, creative vibes here. The seating areas are thoughtfully designed, the colourful and eclectic furnishing is comfortable, while the sharp intersecting lines of light create visual appeal. The small garden is also good for relaxing on cool days.


Room
Rooms at Hotel 7 Feng Jia are spacious. I got the Deluxe Loft Room, which has a comfortable and soft queen size bed on the upper level of the loft, while a large living room on the lower level allows for receiving guests. The bathroom is medium-sized, clean, and well stocked with amenities. However, the small pantry is just decent, and I wish they offered international multi-plug adapters in the room. The wardrobe is also fairly small.


Food
Food at Hotel 7 Feng Jia is provided by the Buddy Butty Restaurant, the hotel's in-house all day dining restaurant, which offers mostly international and British English cuisine. That said, quality is an issue, their dishes are below average in taste and execution, and not very appealing. Range of dishes is limited too. The local dishes available tend to fare slightly better, but you're better off eating elsewhere.


Service
Service at Hotel 7 Feng Jia is good, but not memorable. Staff are friendly, and speak functional English, greeting guests politely. They're able to fulfill requests competently, and the housekeeping is decent enough. No complains about the standards here, it's alright, but also nothing to shout about. Minor quibbles though; the bar at the garden area isn't operated, and some of the porcelain cups in the restaurant are chipped, but still stacked openly.


Facilities & Activities
The facilities and activities at Hotel 7 Feng Jia are targetted for leisure travellers and families. The rooftop offers a casual lounge, sun deck, and game room with a foosball table and air hockey table. The gymnasium here consists of only 2 machines; an exercise bike and a treadmill. The balcony has a good view of the city, I personally feel it's nicer at night. Another plus; the Feng Chia Night Market is a short 5 minutes walk away. I would stay at Hotel 7 Feng Jia (Hotel 7 逢甲) again.


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Taichung Shops

Some examples of the shops in Taichung, whether along the streets or within the shopping malls.

Mo Zhi Ji Pai

Ah Lock Tofu
51 Yishun Avenue 11
#01-08 Yishun Park Hawker Centre

7 Wallich Street
#B2-22 Guoco Tower

https://www.facebook.com/ahlocktofu/

Ah Lock Tofu Meal Flat Lay (SGD $7)