“We have just returned from a fun and exciting tour in Taiwan. This is the second time we engaged RevePlanner. Our travel designer planned the perfect tour for my family once more, after finding out from us the places we were interested to visit in Taiwan. With two elderly folks in tow, she not only made special arrangement to ensure that our hotels and transportation were catered to our needs, but also ensured accessibilities to the places we visited and customised the activities suitable for us. For example, considering that my dad used a walking aid, Pamela arranged an easy walking trail for us at Alishan forest and Baguashan at Changhua City, at the same time, we still got to enjoy the scenic view of these places. Her thoughtfulness in arranging our tour agenda was clearly seen during our visits to Taroko Gorge and Jiufen.
Pamela ensured that we took full advantage of our trips and incorporated a visit to Lukang while on our way to visit my good friend in Taiwan. Lukang, now a small and sleepy town, has rich culture and history due to it’s importance as a commercial center in the past. We visited Tianhou Temple and some of the idyllic old streets at Lukang where we learned about the lifestyles, traditions and rituals typical of old China. We also got to sample their famous local shrimp snack, which was simply delicious.
Our next destination, travelling via the Alishan Forest Railway, we were brought into mystical Alishan mountains shrouded with mist. Shuddering through the lush and unruly vegetation and landscape, we arrived at the Sea of Clouds to watch the phenomenon sight at the mountain tops. The sight was breath taking. A rare chance not to be missed!
Lady luck shined on us when we had a chance to see cherry blossoms which usually lasted for a few weeks between March and April. My family and I were captivated by the exquisite beauty of cherry blossoms.
The tea plantation on rolling hills, set against the backdrop of misty mountains, was a sight of tranquillity and calm. We enjoyed the cool fresh air and the view as much as the tea leaves.
A trip to the Sun Moon Lake was an exhilarating experience. The pristine blue water of the lake set against the picturesque mountains as the background, was indeed a mesmerising sight. My family and I took a leisure walk surrounding the lake, admiring the gorgeous lake and the scenic surroundings. The walk was so pleasurable and relaxing that we wished the clock has stopped then.
Not forgetting to mention, we had a very special dinner located on a hilltop. It was an unforgettable al fresco dining experience under the stars where it offered a panoramic view of the Changhua City. Since we were there in the evening, we got to see the vibrancy of the Changhua City where lights shone from huge buildings and night markets. A huge park was located near the restaurant where you could find animals roaming about and patrons got to get up close and personal with them, such as parrots, pigs, sheep, roosters, owls, donkeys, etc. The restaurant served delicious Taiwanese hotpot and western food. We had a fantastic time there tucking in our favourite food and chatting our night away.
At Wanli, my dear sister had her first paragliding experience there. While my parents and I broke in cold sweat seeing her take off from the hillside with a paragliding guide and end her flight by landing on her butt. Luckily, there were people already on standby to rush her help immediately as the wing of the paraglider was certainly heavy. She shared with us excitedly about her flying experience and the spectacular sight of Wanli which she captured while paragliding.
Popular for its natural beauty, Taroko Gorge was another interesting place we have visited. The main feature of the gorge was the magnificent marble mountains. Underneath the majestic Qingshui Cliff was glistering seawater appearing to be tranquilas we watched from above. Light breeze blew into our face and we felt so refreshing and calm. Amidst the lush green stood a small temple by the waterfall was a perfect spot for photographers. Qixingtan, located not too far away, bears the title of the one of the beautiful beaches in Taiwan. You could view the beautiful mountainous coastline of Hualien from the beach. We have also visited Jiufen and Shifen where we were mesmerised by the natural scenic view of the landscapes. We visited the mining mountains, the Yin Yang Sea and Juifen Old Street. At Shifen, we could write our wishes on the sky lantern and I was given the honour to write the wishes for everyone in my family. It was a fun experience writing down wishes on the sky lanterns and releasing them into the sky. Visiting the Yangminshan was next in our travel agenda and we spent a whale of time there enjoying the captivating sight of elegant calla lilies in full bloom.
Our tour guide cum driver, Eddie, did a fantastic job, especially in bringing us to savour the best authentic Taiwanese delicacies. We had a good time tucking in all the fine foods of Taiwan. We had meat balls, steam white chicken, chicken soup, turkey rice, ferment bean curd, braised pork rice, braised pork intestines, beef noodles, glutinous rice balls, oyster omelette and vermicelli. fish ball soup, meat dumplings, baked snails, taro ball desert, and the list goes on.
Eddie had certainly made our trips a very memorable one. He was accommodating, as well as knowledgeable of the places of interest in Taiwan. He not only provided us the history of the places we visited, but also told us the history of the places as we travelled along to our destinations. Eddie was always punctual in picking us up from the hotels and stayed with us throughout our trips, ensuring that we were in good hands. We could count on him to bring us to our destinations safely. He also personally attended to our needs. All we had to do was to enjoy the activities that were planned out for us. We were very impressed with the extra-mile service that he provided to us. For example, he made a trip to a pharmacy to buy some lozenges and Pipa Gao (a kind of herbal syrup that helps to soothe the throat), after knowing that my father and I were down with a flu. He also helped us to buy some memorabilia from the places we visited. When we travelled to Kaohsiung on our own to visit our friends, he contacted us to ensure that we had arrived there safely. We were indeed very grateful and appreciative of his kind gesture. Eddie is the best tour guide we have ever met!
My family and I would like to take this opportunity to thank RevePlanner for making our family vacation at Taiwan a fun and memorable one.”
Sim family
Thank You chef for agreeing to this interview with Gourmet Trails. And to Nathalie for being the important interpreter of our animated conversation! It was a pleasure to spend time with the both of you
