Seasoned travellers in Taiwan are always looking for new adventures and places to explore rather than good old Taipei. Today, we will be sharing what you can do in Yilan Taiwan, a county somewhere along the Eastern side of Taiwan.
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Taipei to Yilan – Getting there
The easiest way to get to Yilan is by the local TRA train from Taipei Main Station. The journey takes roughly an hour, depending on where you decide to stop. The top 3 places to stay are Jiaoxi, Yilan or Luodong. If you prefer the cheaper option, there are also buses departing from Taipei Main Station, but it will take slightly longer averaging about 1.5hrs.
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Accommodation Options – Pretty Pretty Cheap!
Airbnb prices near the city are rather affordable. On average, it costs about 40 SGD per night. If you prefer to stay in the hotel instead, it will cost roughly double of an Airbnb at 80 SGD per night. If you do choose to stay at a hotel in Yilan, we highly recommend you to stay at the Jiaoxi district. Jiaoxi is known for its hot springs, so you might even get to have your own personal hot spring in your own room!
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Booking.comThings to do in Yilan – A Little Bit of Everything!
Yilan is mainly a sightseeing place. There are many notable museums to check out.
For alcohol lovers, be sure to visit the Yilan Wine Museum, where you will have the chance to craft your own whisky.
At the Memorial Hall of Founding of Yilan Administration, you will get to learn more about Yilan’s history.
Lego fans must also check out the Brick Ark museum, which showcases sculptures from Superheroes to animals being constructed out of Lego.
Unfortunately, the only main shopping mall in Yilan is Luna Plaza, which sells a few luxury brand items and there’s also a Uniqlo there for people on a budget. However, there are 2 main night markets over there, namely Dongmen Night Market and Luodong Night Market. Dongmen Night Market is located near Yilan station while Luodong Night Market is located near Luodong station. If you have to choose between the 2 options, we recommend visiting Luodong Night Market first, as it is loaded with heaps of local food and cheap loots.
There are also places for you to get in touch with mother nature. For those looking for a hike, do check out Wufengqi Waterfall. It is a relatively easy one. If you are looking for a challenge, consider hiking at Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area.
For tourists who are more into water activities and wildlife, you should definitely check out the Dolphin watching tours. Most of the tour packages will pass by Turtle Island and depending on your luck you may get to spot some dolphins. Near the harbour for Dolphin watching tours, there is a beach well known for surfing. You can try doing it here if it is something on your bucket list.
Last but not least, you can also check out the Lanyang Museum, which has a very unique exterior.
As mentioned above briefly, Jiaoxi (near Yilan) is known for its hot springs. If your Jiaoxi accommodation does not have a hot spring or you didn’t choose to stay there, you can still visit Jiaoxi Hot Spring Park to have a taste of it.
Overall, Yilan is nothing like Taipei so there isn’t a lot of shopping to do. However, you do get to see a very different side of Taiwan where Yilan gave us a more countryside type of experience.
So what are you waiting for? Add Yilan to your itinerary right now!
Related to Yilan Taiwan:
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Taipei – A Basic Travel Guide (Transport, Accoms, Things to Do)
