Taiwan Island Tour and More on Taipei

[fountainhall]

In all my years of visiting Taiwan, I have mostly only stayed in Taipei. So I decided on my recent trip finally to take a 5-day/4-night tour around the island. The one I chose is organized by Edison Tours which has a brochure in most hotels – i.e. therefore probably more expensive! The tour uses 5-star hotels and is not cheap - around US$550 each for a couple sharing a room or $750 for single rooms - and there are certainly other much cheaper ways to see around. But to maximize time and see as much as possible, I felt this tour was good value. The four hotels were absolutely superb. Two even had hot spring baths in every room in addition to communal baths in the basement floors. So at the first stop at the quite lovely Fleur de Chine hotel at Sun Moon Lake in the centre of the island, I luxuriated in my hot bath whilst watching the activities on the lake at dawn.

Sun_Moon_Lake_Dawn.jpg

As happened at each of the four stops, the apps were active. Two evenings later at the hotel up a hill outside the small city of Taitung on the east coast, I received one message on Hornet from a 25-year old: "Want to fuck a policeman's ass?" Unfortunately there was virtually no time on the tour for any such hook-ups.

From Sun Moon Lake we continued down the west of the island past a temple which collapsed during the 1999 earthquake and has been left as a tourist attraction next to the new one which replaced it.

Ruined_Temple.jpg

Replacement Temple.jpg

Naturally there are dozens of temples and pagodas to see, but there was no obligation to get off the bus to see inside each. Some, though, were fascinating. We also spent much of one afternoon at the massive Buddha Memorial Center complex with its 8 pagodas leading up to its huge Buddha statue.

Buddha_Memorial_Center.jpg

Buddha_Statue.jpg

Similar Threads:

• Same-sex marriage in Taiwan and Thailand
• Taiwan Preparing Same-Sex Partnership Law
• Taiwan
• Taiwan anyone?
• Any insights on Taipei or Taiwan?

[fountainhall]

Taiwan Tour/Taipei (continued)

After a night at Kaohsiung where we had a river cruise as dragon boats manned by lithe young rowers were practicing for this week's Dragon Boat Festival, the next day was spent exploring the extreme south with its lovely beaches, crystal clear waters (what a difference from Pattaya, Phuket etc.) and interesting rock formations.

South_Coast.jpg

At the southernmost tip there is a lighthouse. Nothing special about that, other than it was built by the British in the mid-1800s at the request of the mandarins of China's Qing Dynasty which then ruled over the island. After crossing to the east side, the more we drove north the more the dramatic landscape resembles parts of Hawaii with the roadway cut into seemingly never-ending steep cliffs rolling down to the sea. To reach the last night's hotel near the city of Hualien, we drove slowly up and through the long and quite magnificent Taroko Gorge with a succession of absolutely stunning views.

Taroko_Gorge1.jpg

Taroko_Gorge2.jpg

Taroko_Gorge3.jpg

Taroko_Gorge4.jpg

The next day it was more coastal scenery before lunch and another drive across the island back to Taipei. I saw enough on the tour to know that there are a few places I’d like to revisit, and a couple where it would be nice to take a relaxing holiday. I ended up kicking myself that I had not explored further afield many years ago.

2 weeks in Taipei

Usually I am in Taipei for just a few days. This trip I extended the time to two weeks split before and after the tour - and am so pleased I did. As is always the case, as soon as I got to my room in the Taipei hotel the apps were buzzing. I know some in this forum just cannot believe there are guys in their late teens and twenties who actually prefer the company of much older men. I understand that feeling, but as I and others have pointed out before, thankfully there are many such guys around Asia. One I met on this trip actually specifies an age range of 50 - 65 in his Hornet profile; another 50 - 70.

Another I met was aged 24 and came all the way from the airport area (an hour on the bus and train) to spend a quite lovely afternoon with me. Expenses were offered and politely refused, but with a request that he meet me again on my next visit next month! Delightfully accepted!

Huang Ding Hot Spring

With the weather so hot - Taipei had its hottest-ever day when I was there - the gay (well, it’s mostly gays who go there) hot spring is apparently less popular than later in the year. I ventured to the Huang Ding hot spring late on a weekday afternoon and there were only a dozen guys around, not one a twink. As I left a few were arriving, and I am sure Saturdays will still be popular, even in summer, so arriving before 5:00 pm will still be advisable to ensure you don't have to queue to get in.

Commander Gay Club

One evening I was taken to this gay leather bar which I had never even heard of before - no doubt because leather is not my scene. It's located in a smallish dark basement in a residential area just a few blocks from the Red House in the Ximen District. Being a Friday, it was heaving with mostly gorgeous bodies when we arrived at 11:30pm. Fifteen minutes later a darkroom opened. This is pitch black and precisely what you imagine it to be. We did not venture inside but did notice a few guys stripping off some of their clothes before entering. There is also a small stage, but we left before the show. I will explore more next month.

[aussie_]

Thanks for the report and photos. It brings back good memories of my first trip to Taiwan and taking the same 5 day tour around the island. I will be returning to Taipei next week and staying for just over a month. I have visited Khaoshiung and Taichung for three days in each city and have met guys from the apps in both places who have showed me around and spend time with me for activities inside and out of the hotel. Tainan is also worth a visit, like Khaoshiung and Taichung easily accessed by the high speed rail. I might go to Alishan in central Taiwan on this trip to escape some of the hot weather. It is definitely worth having a break from Taipei and traveling around Taiwan for sightseeing and meeting the local guys.

[fedssocr]

That actually sounds like a pretty fair price to me, especially including the hotels.

I agree that Tainan is worth a visit. I did a little two-day/one-night visit there a few years ago. The HSR is very quick to get there (and then you take a local train to get into the city).

On my first Taiwan trip we visited Keelung which has a couple of sights worth seeing and then drove down the coast to get to Taroko. The Yehliu Geopark was really nice too.

Last time we visited Sun Moon Lake and a few of the other little sights around that area as well as the 921 Earthquake Museum which was quite interesting. Lukang was nice too. We went to see this little area where they make traditional hand-stretched noodles.

Lots of photos if you have the patience...
https://picasaweb.google.com/1063313...28070/Asia2013
https://picasaweb.google.com/1063313...28070/Asia2012

[fountainhall]

Some gorgeous photos - thanks. I do agree. When you take into account the standard of the hotels, the price of the tour is far from expensive. The weekday listed prices for the cheapest rooms in the Fleur de Chine Hotel at Sun Moon Lake and Silks Place in Taroko Gorge at this time of year are over US$300 each. Given that, I guess it''s almost a steal!

I see you have photos of the Gay Pride Parade/s. Just for information, those wishing to attend the Taipei Parade this year should note Saturday 29 October in their diary. Expect more than 80,000 to turn up. Getting to Taipei is now cheap with both V Air and Tiger Air Taiwan offering cheap flights from Don Mueang. V Air departs in the morning and Tiger in the evening. V Air flights depart to TPE at 10:35 am and cost Bt. 2,450 - or Bt. 3,150 if you want baggage and a meal. Same price for the return on Monday 31 - but that leaves at 06:30 am! With taxes the round trip total comes to Bt. 6,224. If you want to stay longer after the Parade, the November return flights are not yet listed.

Tiger Air Taiwan departs DMK at 7:20 pm and costs Bt. 2,534 inclusive. But it does not arrive till 12:35 am and I am told it is frequently late. Also no prices yet for the direct return flights in November but it will probably leave around 4:00 pm and the price for October is Bt. 2,780. Usually I take the V Air morning flight and the Tiger Air afternoon return. Just one caveat. Cabin bag is weighed at check-in so you must pay if you are overweight.

The only problem with the Pride week-end is that Taipei is totally packed with guys not just from Taiwan but all over Asia. Fabulous for eye candy, but the bars, saunas, hot springs and all gay establishments are packed to the gunnels. I once made the near mistake of trying to get into a gayish hot spring after the Parade. Never had to queue before, but that evening the queue just to get through the door was about 30 minutes and then another 20 before I could get a locker. After all that I just could not see any water as it was totally packed body-to-body! But of course that was the compensation! Stunning!