[TW; 2013] CNY Travels | CingJing

The feeling of being able to go back Taiwan is great and this time round with my whole family!
Plus it is a Chinese New Year trip! neh, we dont celebrate CNY

TIP: There is a need to plan and book hotels/hostels/minsus early if you are intending to travel during CNY. At least 2-3months ahead. Just email them and ask them when do they open up their reservations for CNY.

DESTINATION1: CINGJING

Our scoot flight is at 00:55, which means we have to check in the night before.

I dont think I will travel with scoot again, the whole plane ride was good but they din inform there was a change of boarding gate.
I was running about the terminal in the middle of the night with 2 old and 1 young.

#1 Changi Airport T2 > Taoyuan Airport T2

We changed our money over there, and yes, i saw money changer at Taoyuan T2 that opens 24hours. And most of the money changer opens at 6 am. The rates over at the Taoyuan Airport should be (most of the times) higher than the rates in SG. But the rates over at Taiwan DBS is still the best!

After that had to wait for the mobile shops to open at 8am...

so we had our early breakfast at the foodcourt at B1, 7-11 was the only store that was opened.

1 big bowl of 關東煮(guan dong zhu) and comes with a free drink or a free instant noodles.

The mobile shops opened before 10mins before 8am.. but we chose 台灣大哥大, although it is the slightly more expensive compared the the other 2.

The reason was simple, the salesgirl was more friendlier and cheerful than the other 2.

We chose the 5days unlimited internet plus NT$200 credit plan for NT$500.

I like to comment, the internet was fast, it only took 20mins to download an 1hr long drama episode.

#2 Taoyuan Airport T2 > Taoyuan HSR > Taichung HSR
After that we took the United Bus to Taoyuan HSR

 

United Bus, Service #705. NT$30, Frequency 20mins, Travel time 15-20mins

Then the earliest timing to Taichung HSR

One way trip. NT$540 for adult, child half price. Travel time 37 mins.

#3 Taichung HSR > Cingjing Minsu (清境柏克萊景觀花園民墅)
Upon exit from the HSR, find this sign and follow it to travel to Cingjing.
Exit 5 for Cingjing, Sun Moon Lake etc, Exit 6 for Buses to Taichung City and THSR Shuttle Bus to the city

  

Just in time for the 10.20am direct bus to Cingjing.

One way direct bus trip. NT$262 for adults. Travel time 2hours. Nantou bus timings to CingJing 

Almost missed the stop to the entrance of the minsu. If not we had to carry the luggage and walk down the hill. Lucky!

清境柏克萊景觀花園民墅 NT$2600/night http://www.boklai.tw/

Forgot to take a photo of the minsu when we just got in, so this is how the room looks like when you mess it up. The room was not very posh, but comfortable and neat enough, reasonable with the price paid. (It was one of the minsu over there with the cheapest rate with good location)
Just 1min in the room, my whole family was in love with the 100+ tv channels, and I have to drag them out of the room.
And the minsu owner was very friendly, he gave us a map and roughly planned half-day trip in Cingjing for us.

#4 Cingjing Minsu > Cingjing farm
The minsu is situated right beside the farm, (that's why I say the location is good!)
Just 5mins walk from the minsu to reach the backgate entrance of the farm. (you can also purchase tickets and enter the farm from the back gate!)
But the pathway leading out from the minsu is abit uneven, but the pretty pretty cherry blossoms made us happy!

#5 Cingjing farm > Cingjing surroundings

The backgate of the farm.

NT$200 for adults, comes with a row of vouchers, http://www.cingjing.com.tw/

Pretty cherry blossoms and lost sheeps running about the farm

Bought lunch for this stall, the dumplings were nice but the fried chicken is not recommended.

Because it was a public holiday so there was the sheep shearing show and after the show you can get down to the stage area and get some free wool.
After the show they "released" all the sheep, and you can buy some sheep feed and feed them. Personally i feel it is very scary witnessing all the sheep running about like nobody business and "attacking" you even you dont have any feed for them.
I believe this 'phobia' over sheep was the results of watching too much horror movies. But kids like my sister enjoyed the feeding process and the sheep farm!

The next stop was another farm

They had a horse show but the horse show was abit dry so we left halfway. Dont really recommended to go for the show; unless you are interested in those archery and etc. Or maybe we have too high expectations of it after the sheep show.

This is the street linking the sheep farm and the another farm.

Alots of fruits and snacks on sales. I will recommend to purchase their pears, it was very sweet and crunchy! (munch)

Another part of the street where they sell food. Too bad we went abit late, most of the stalls were closed.

#6 Cingjing surroundings > Cingjing minsu
Dinner time! Supplementary dinner from the minsu owners!

Steamboat which was superb! Having something warm in the cold weather is really great!
Shabu-shabu is my new found favourite food in Taiwan! Yes, the pork slices in Taiwan is really good, and it became my TOP#1 favourite food now.
Due to this steamboat, it made us had craving for steamboat and we had it a few times during our trip for dinner.

#7 Cinjing minsu > Little Swiss Garden
Minsu owner drove us and 2 girls down to Little Swiss Garden

We did not enter the garden though, cause we heard that you cant see much stuffs at night so the only highlight will be the water performance.

But the shops at the entrance was enough for my mum to shop for almost an hour.

I would say 7-11 is the best shop to shop in Taiwan. Everything was priced reasonably.

We crossed the road to another small "town"; MOS burger, lavender cottage shop and many other shops were over there. Bought this mango ice, tasted not bad and it is in a bear shape!

It was only 10degrees at night! (BURR)

#8 Little Swiss Garden > Cingjing minsu
Minsu owner drove us back and that's the end of the day.
Wanted to sit at the open balcony but it is too cold. The minsu owner told us that there were stars that night, and sometimes shooting stars, perhaps i missed the chance to see shooting stars.

Anyway, the next day we had breakfast prepared by the minsu owners!

This is the morning view right outside the room's window~

Thick Toast Bread with spread of your choice, a cup of hot drink of your choice, egg, ham and salad. The salad sauce tasted so nice that someone like me who hate raw vege ate the whole bowl!

This breakfast marks the end of my Cingjing trip, the snack I will recommend buying from Cingjing is this wafer. It is really nice!

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