台湾 DAY 1 | Penang ✈️ 香港HK ✈️ 桃园Taoyuan International Airport 🚌 台中(火)车站Taichung Station

This post covers about:
-Flight ticket and details (in-flight meal & some useful tips)
-Custom clearance at Taoyuan International Airport
-4G prepaid tourist SIM card
-Bus ticket from Taoyuan to Taichung

The talking initiated a year ago, flight booked on May 2017 and finally I'm here to share the fun things,itinerary and some useful tips about travelling to Taiwan!

Thanks God and simply everything for fulfilling my family's wishes which is travelling to Taiwan, for the first time. Ever since we agreed that year 2017 is to travel overseas, we'd been keeping an eye on the flight ticket on various airlines, including China Airline, Cathay Dragon, Air Asia and Malaysia Airlines. We emphasize on the schedule time and onboard convenience, and of course, it must be under affordable ticket pricing as well. In the end, we booked for five pax via Cathay Dragon, roughly RM 1,316 for each return flight. We didn't purchase it under any promo and hence, it's a normal pricing. Basically it consists of an economy-class seat. complimentary 30kg baggage allowance and cabin baggage as well as in-flight meal.

We started google must-visit places and asking friends around who'd been to Taiwan before. #MableTips Ask those who had recently been to as they can provide a more updated info. You know like 悠游卡 Easy Card，统联客运 U-Bus，捷运 MRT or 公车 public buses...Whatever I've been told, I jot it down and end up I had a big piece of info, but all uncategorized 😂

And also a big big credit to my sister as I asked her do the searching and listing and filtering where I'm more like her assistant (Bangkok trip was on me so I suppose taking turn is great option,too). I believe she learnt a lot as well! And to be honest, I was simply worried over everything new and strange in a strange place, kononnya travelling, still 莫名小怕 😂

Penang ✈️ Hong Kong

Our flight was 1.05pm from Penang to Taipei, transit Hong Kong. For my own practise, ever since My Acne Nightmare, I've been putting on a facial mask whenever I'm onboard. I came across to learn that the air ventilation onboard is rather poor, therefore, in terms of germs and bacteria, it contains averagely more than on ground. Either for the sake of health and my face, I bring it along from home. #MableTips If you have bad breath or wish to stay from the potential harmful bacteria like me, you could always request for a facial mask from the flight attendants.

My sister spontaneously joined me for putting the mask, just one flight and not anymore after that LOL

Not sure about other airlines but Cathay Dragon's in-flight meal consists of two categories, normal (default) meal and special meal. The first one is based on the catering's menu-of-the-day and the latter one is carefully picked for those with special needs on meal, for example, vegeterian meal, no beef dietary meal, fibre meal and more. Since both category of meal I'm okay to go with, so, I picked the latter one (no additional surcharge applied). For special mealrequest, you have to select it at least 24 hours from the flight time. #MableTips Search online for sample food served at either Cathay Dragon or other airlines so you could have some picture to do selection.

Cathay Dragon Onboard - Kosher Meal

Food served including

1. Smoked Salmon on Julienne Vegetable Salad
2. Fruit Salad (Mainly preserved ones)
3. Chicken with rice (in Indian Briyani Style)
4. Apple Crumble
5. Wheat roll, cracker and chocolate truffle
6. Plain water (Eligible to request for other drinks onboard, free flow)

Out of curiosity, I selected Kosher Meal for my flight from Penang to Hong Kong. I get to know that it follows the Jewish Dietary Law where the meal has its own protocol to follow during preparation. I'm certainly okay to go since I have not much concern on food restrictions, food was acceptable for me 

The in-flight entertainment is quite cool, there are various genre and languages of movies, tv shows, songs, mini games, including classical ones but also just off-theatre like IT, Dispicable 3! Cathay Dragon update the list every month, I thought I could have maybe a light sleep but the entertainment kit is simply hooking. There were few times I insist to listen kpop while closing my eyes for a short rest, sampat la me LOL #MableTips You may request for a pillow and blanket from the crew if you need it. As they are running fast, you can do so even before the aircraft take off to avoid disappointment.

Hong Kong International Airport

We reached Hong Kong Airport at nearly 5pm for transit, next flight 6.30pm. Basically, for transit flight like this (Penang to Taipei), there're not much time to hea where you can take your own time to stroll in the airport. IT'S ALL ABOUT FAST WALK! There will be flight attendant guiding on the next gate to head to based on your destination, we were like 走上走下 based on the directory board in order to reach our boarding gate. #MableTips Go washroom onboard before the plane reach Hong Kong (traceable via 'map' from the entertainment kit), then direct proceed to the next boarding gate without wasting time for washroom once touch down. You may go for washroom again when you're at boarding hall.

Hong Kong ✈️ Taipei (Taoyuan)

For an hour and 55 min flight, I went for special meal request again, this time I had bland meal. It consists of soft, cooked food and not spicy. I picked it for the sake of dinner where I wish to have a light one. 

Cathay Dragon Onboard Bland Meal

I love this very much, it comes in subway-sandwich style stuffed with chicken meat and assorted vegetables including my favourite pumpkin!!! Best is, it serves warms (to my heaarttt). For drinks we have pre-packed Oo-long tea.

Cathay Dragon Onboard Indian Meal

My dad had this capati-like wrap, he's an all-time Indian meal goer though.

Cathay Dragon Onboard Kosher Meal

Oh dear.. the chicken breast with fried rice is simply tantalizing to me!

We were also required to submit Taiwan immigration form upon entering Taoyuan Aiport. Flight attendant will be distributing the form accordingly. Also, don't forget to make custom clearance if you bring along more than US 1,000 dollar or other sensitive items. #MableTips Bring along a pen to quick-fill the form onboard.

Taoyuan International Airport

Finally, we reached Taoyuan aiport at nearly 8.30pm. Immigration counters were filled with people and it was about 9.30pm by the time we claimed our baggage and proceeded to arrival hall.

Chunghwa Telecom Tourist Prepaid 4G SIM Card

(5 Days Validity - Unlimited Data + NTW 50 Call Credit)

We have mobile prepaid SIM card during our vacation and after referring to friends' suggestion, I selected 中华电信 Chunghwa Telecom as it has wider and better coverage in Taiwan. I picked 5 days pass card (4G unlimited data and New Taiwan Dollar 50 voice call) for New Taiwan Dollar 300. Submit your passport for a record and lend them your phone for the installation and you're done with a taiwan number as well as the return of your existing sim card. Remember to get back your passport when you leave the counter.

There are also other telecom companies like 台湾大哥大. All of them are situated at a same place where the nearest point is on right hand side, a short distance coming out from arrival gate(Terminal 1), just opposite tourist information counter.

We then headed to B1 to purchase bus ticket to Taichung. Follow the flow and you will be seeing a row of counter from different bus companies where bus platform is just right outside. B1 lighting is dimmer compared to the other corners in the airport.

Various bus companies ticket counter at B1, Taoyuan International Airport, Terminal 1.

Taoyuan International Airport - Taichung Station 

Significantly, you will see 统联客运U Bus and 国光客运 Kuo-Kuang more on the road in Taiwan , be it Taipei and Taichung, other companies chartered more for the lines that don't have much on tourists' destination.  

Our ground public transport (except mrt and day tour) also took either one of the two companies I mentioned above. Click here to see bus coaches available from the airport to Taichung

Bus journey from Taoyuan Airport to 台中（火）车站Taichung Bus Station is approximately 2 hours. To make you clear, 台中火车站 stands for the same place as 台中车站. Taiwanese are already get used to 车站stands for train station where 转运站 refers to bus terminal.

统联客运 Ubus @ Counter 2, B1 Floor, Taoyuan Airport Terminal 1.

Bus code from Taoyuan to Taichung Station is 1623. Each ticket from Taipei to Taichung costs TWD 280. Senior citizen stands for half price but I'm not very sure how would they verify for tourists. #MableTips Upon paying for ticket, inform the counter assistance how many trolley luggages or bulky ones you wish to put at the luggage section of the bus , they would distribute the sticker label accordingly where you have to stick it on your luggage.

We bought midnight couch to Taichung which is also the last one of the day. Some of you might wonder the reason why. So since the first ride on the next day is 6 something in the morning and we may reach there at 8 something, nearly 9 (our day tour starts at 9am), we think it's great to reach Taichung earlier where we can have our breakfast over there (even we're not eligible to check in hotel yet, but at least we can leave our luggage there). For a complete bus schedule from Taoyuan to Taichung, you may click here (but they are all in mandarin, no english version available)

Almost everything in Taiwan is in e-transaction, bus ticket from Ubus could also purchased online. But it required certain info which we don't see it's necessary to make one since we were not too sure about our arrival before that. You know, there might be chances of flight delay etc.

Kuo-kuong also provide similar coach to Taichung as well, but there's also a Taiwanese exchange intern who I know revealed to me that Ubus provide better service than Kuo-kuong, so we hopped for it first. Because we know we would sure ride for another the following days.

Alright, I shall continue tomorrow, bed time now, goodnight and stay tuned!

Archive:

1. Little discover on Taoyuna Airport (Free Photo Session + 24 hour Convenience Store)
2. Day 2: 8 hour Cab Tour / Meals of the day