Taiwan Trip 2014 - Day 2 - Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) - Cingjing (清境)

ITINERARY

Day 1: Changi Airport > Taoyuan Airport > Sun Moon Lake 

Day 2: Sun Moon Lake 日月潭 

(Shuishe Visitor Centre 水社旅客服務中心 > Xuan Guang Temple 玄光寺 > Ita Thao 伊達邵碼頭) > 

Cingjing  清境 

(Senzhilian 森之恋民宿 > Cingjing Farm 清境農場 > Green Green Grassland 青青草原 > Little France 法国小镇 > Small Swiss Garden 小瑞士花園)

Day 3: Cingjing > Taroko National Park > Hualien 

Day 4: Hualien 

Day 5: Hualien > Taipei (Huaxi Night Market)

Day 6: Taipei (Jiufen > Gongguan - Retail Outlet & Night Market)

Day 7: Taipei (Beitou > Tamsui)

Day 8: Taipei (Shinkong Mitsukoshi > Ximending > Shilin Night Market)

Day 9: Taipei > Taoyuan Airport

5.30am: The sky looks gloomy.

But still we proceed to Ita Thao ferry (which is 5 min walks) hoping for a nice sunrise!

6.30am: This was the best we could capture.

By almost 7am, we headed back to hotel for wash up and breakfast.

A quick snapshot from my hotel room view before breakfast.

After having our breakfast from hotel, we purchasing the ferry tickets to tour around the 3 island in Sun Moon Lake.

Would be good to have the ferry schedule for the day as the ferry is in 1 direction

 Shuishe Visitor Centre (水社旅客服務中心) -> Xuan Guang Temple (玄光寺) -> Ita Thao (伊達邵碼頭) -> Back to Shuishe Visitor Centre (水社旅客服務中心)

We got on to the first ferry to Shuishe Visitor Centre (水社旅客服務中心).
Already packed with tourists, but not all shops were opened.

We took a quick walk around and saw this preserved fruits. Can't help but bought a mixed pack. Definitely good for digestion.

Next stop was Xuan Guang Temple (玄光寺)

A must try is this Mushroom Tea Leaf Egg (金盆阿嬷香菇茶葉蛋)!
After having 2 eggs, I had another. And I should have buy more...
The ferry tour guide mentioned to us the taste has been adjusted to cater to tourist's liking. It used to be less salty. I guess for me, it would still be as delicious.

Walking around, we wandered to the carpark path

Towards the carpark... 

Didn't take long for us at Xuanguang Temple as it was getting crowded. We headed back to Ita Thao.

View from ferry ride.

Back in Ita Thao, food stalls beginning to open for business and hence our lunch began!

Black Tea Chinese Bamboo Partridge (红茶山竹雞)

Chicken is nice, portion not a lot. But tea flavor is not very obvious.

  Grilled Mochi with Curry Powder
I think I should have just gone for original flavor. The curry powder makes the mochi seemed a bit dry.

 
Fried bun with generous portion of vegetables & mushroom

Cold Yuchi tea from Tea 18.

Back in the hotel and waiting for our ride. Took a few snaps. 

A nice and relaxing lobby, the lady owner offers us tea while we wait for our driver.

Cherng Yuan Hotel

Our driver for Sun Moon Lake to Cingjing picked us up at Ita Thao Ferry instead of Shuishe Visitor Centre, saving us the hassle to board the ferry and also giving us more time to tour around Sun Moon Lake before leaving for Cingjing. The drive from Sun Moon Lake to Cingjing took an hour+.

Our cab in the mirror! 

Our accommodation @ Cingjing is with Senzhilian (森之恋民宿). 

Got to know this place from the driver who told us that we can have the luxury of staying in the room and catch the sunrise!

Our 4 person hotel room for the night. 

The beds are separated by a level (more privacy in some ways)

Since it's a short stay, we took a short break and off we went to Cingjing's tourist area. 

Senzhilian's staff/owner drive us to Cingjing Farm (清境農場). Also, they were very informative in how we can decide to spend our day there. In the farm, they have shows which is only on on weekends but the crowds deter us from going.

Entrance to Cingjing Farm (清境農場)

When you enter the farm, remember to get the stamp chopped. This is to allow you to return into the farm for the day itself.

Up the slope

The view

Down the stairs

The windmill

Maple leaves

Walking in the farm is not very tiring but a bit humid. Luckily, there is an area for food!!!

Rice in Bamboo Stick (竹同饭)

Yunnan Chilli Chicken (云南椒麻鸡) - Like this dish a lot! 

Pumpkin Cake （月见饼）

The auntie said it's a combination of pumpkin and tapioca? Anyway, it is similar to the tapioca cake (pan fried style). Have to eat it while it's still hot for best texture.

Aiko's Pizza @ Cingjing

Can't resist a freshly baked Pizza!!

Straight ahead down from Cingjing Farm is Little France (法国小镇). And almost dinner time. Exhausted from a whole day of walking and travelling, we took a long break and also dinner at Little France. There are countable places for food, but the one that catch our eyes is Shine.

Shine @ Little France (法国小镇)

By the time we finished dinner, it was really dark (after 7pm) and cold....

Got lost from Little France to Small Swiss Garden. Heard the music but just can't seemed to find the way. Chanced upon another guy who is touring alone and on his way to Small Swiss Garden. We got together and under the dimly lit path with the signs are covered by the trees, we struggled to find the way. If not for the guy who had asked for directions earlier before proceeding, we would have really got lost in the middle of nowhere with no one to ask for help. 

Finally... we reached Small Swiss Garden and even had time for ice cream and a bit of shopping...

And still in time for the water performance at 7.30pm

After the water performance, we took a quick walk around the dimly lit garden.

A quick view of Small Swiss Garden

After our short tour in Small Swiss Garden, we called the hotel and another lady came to drive us back to hotel.

Back in hotel with after dinner snacks!!

and the moon from hotel room...