Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

When taking the train out of town, verify which platform you're supposed to be on several times. We missed our train by being on the wrong platform. We were confused about the correct platform.

The walls are thin, and we could hear someone else’s phone conversation. The beds are typically hard or very firm. The air-conditioning was turned off because they thought it was cold. But we thought that they were trying to keep their expenses low. A man at the hotel showed us to the room and provided us with a couple of bananas, some candy, and chilled bottled water. There are sliding panels for privacy and to block out the light, but these were on the verge of falling apart. The room was clean, with fluorescent overhead lights uncovered.

The hotel was conveniently and centrally located next to the train station. So if you get lost, just get in a taxi and show them the card, or just tell them to take you to the train station. The room was just so-so, but the staff is really nice and helpful.

Phone: (04) 2224-0609-10

You are asked to remove your shoes and place them in storage next to the front desk before going in. The place looks relatively new and clean, with modern stand-up showers. There’s a TV lounge, computer access, complimentary drinks, dark areas, and private spaces. It’s not busy on weeknights.

There's a large fruit and vegetable vendor at the corner of the block, which sells delicious fresh-squeezed bottled orange juice.

Phone: 220-2126

We saw the Mars exhibition with videos from National Geographic. Then we saw a film; The Meaning of Life is the English title. Everything else was in Mandarin Chinese, and I recommend passing on the film.

We paid a separate admission to watch a couple of 3-D animation films in a separate building (about a 5-minute walk away if you don't go in the wrong way), one called Panda Vision and the other called Dog and Bugs. Panda Vision was better than the second feature.

Other exhibits include the Science Center, Life Science Hall, Chinese Science Hall, Global Environment Hall, Theaters, and Botanical Garden.

There are refreshments.

There was also a large temporary photographic exhibit by photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand. They had beautiful mural-sized images taken from the air with an ecological critique with what is wrong around the world. The display is outside of the museum, where it is accessible even after the museum closes. It was only opened for about a week.

Hours: 9am to 5pm daily, closed Mondays

Phone: 886-4-23226940

Take any of the following buses from the Taichung train station:

Taichung Transit Company

No. 22, 27, 46, 47, 103, 106, 135

Jenyou Transit Company

No. 22, 38, 45, 125

Chuyeh Bus Company

Any bus heading toward Shalu or Tachia

High Potential Bus

Brown line, green line, or orange line.

It looks like a tourist trap for an over-hyped view of the lake. We spent several hours and a very expensive cab fare to come here from Alishan for this rather disappointing view since there was no direct bus service and the route was a scenic ride only available by car.

The water views driving along the roads in and around Juneau, Alaska in the US are far more numerous and much better looking, but also with a much colder and wet climate and clean air.