[TW; 2019] Huadong Valley (Part One)

(Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post)

Huadong Valley Day Tour from Hualien: Yun Shan Shuei & Shitiping, https://www.kkday.com/en/product/9708

I'm a big fan of Taitung - hence when I saw this package offered in kkday, I knew I will make it there somehow. Thankfully, I managed to buy the train tickets online beforehand and collected it when I reached Taiwan.

Off I head off to Hualien at 6:14 AM! I couldn't really sleep the night before because typhoon was expected to hit Taiwan and so scared I will miss the train.

The pick-up at Hualien Train Station was at 8.30AM, so the timing was just right! It was a mini-bus which had 6 other passengers, quite a comfortable ride!

Yun Shan Shuei Villa Home

Yun Shan Shuei Villa Home 花蓮雲山水, http://www.villa18.com/;
No. 18, Aly. 201, Ln. 2, Sec. 2, Shoufeng Township, Hualien County, Taiwan 974

 It is a private-owned land with plenty of minsu (aka airbnbs) in the area. Quite serene and peaceful environment!

Very cute paintings and decorations around the area!

This is one of the more popular minsu over there - Bear Forest!

So the hype around this area (in Taiwanese's perspective) were these Bald Cypress (落羽杉) tress. There was an area you have to pay to get in to see the trees, otherwise I feel the public areas were good enough too!

It was pre-autumn, so the trees are in green-yellow-red shade. No filter!

If you're not that interested in trees (which I think kinda impossible cause it was totally amazing shade of colours), you can visit the lalang fields hidden at corners around this private land compound.

IMPORTANT TIP!!! Beware of Forcipomyia Taiwana, generally called tiny black mosquitoes. Please have with you a bottle of insect repellent spray/apply to every single possible exposed skin. I'm not kidding that I got 50 over bites just on my hands alone that I had to visit a doctor back in Singapore cause it was ridiculously itchy. (Imagine 50 bites erupt at the same time!!!) I still have the bites marks viable on my hands 4 months later~

Spot the red patches on the hand a few days later, it's not very obvious on photo but everyone who seen it in real life was like "WHAT ARE ALL THESE!"

Ruisui Ranch

RuiSui Ranch 瑞穗牧場, http://www.rareseed.com.tw/;
978, Taiwan, Hualien County, Ruisui Township, 6鄰157號

This was a ranch I always see in Taiwan guidebooks but I never have a chance to come because I can't drive. Glad that this package included this place.

Look at the cute moo moo cows at the distance!

Cow prints buildings and interior design!

Pudding recommended by the driver-cum-guide! Being tourist, I bought the most thing from the ranch while the rest of the tour mates (they were Taiwanese) were empty handed.

Hualien Tourism Sugar Factory

Hualien Tourism Sugar Factory 花蓮觀光糖廠, http://www.hualiensugar.com.tw/;
No. 19, Tangchang Street, Guangfu Township, Hualien County, Taiwan 97642

The most popular food over there was this kinda old school ice cream! I didn't try as I wanted to save some space for lunch later.

So while the other tour mates bought ice creams, I roamed over this area. It was a rather peaceful walk!

There were resorts over there, kinda Japanese looking houses.

And selling traditional foods!

The rest was just random photos around the area.

Lunch time!

悟饕池上飯包, http://www.wu-tau.com/storys.php

Not my favourite brand of ChiShang bento but made me miss the ChiShang carefree day probably 5 years ago!

Please look forward to Part Two of this tour!