吃喝玩樂在台中
前兩個星期去了台中short trip, 玩了兩日。去之前我同十個朋友講起台中，九個半未去過，但就奇怪地有八個半覺得台中没有甚麼好玩。其實我對台中都没有任何期望。這次揀去台中，原因只是同行的遊伴都已經去過台北和台南，所以就試下去比較冷門的台中。
原來台中是一個hidden gem。有台北的美食和shopping，但city比台北relax， 没有那麼擠迫，但又比台南高雄繁華和有更多姿多采的吃喝玩樂。
吃
台中有全台灣最大的夜市，旺得厲害，夜晚一兩點滿街都是人，全條街滿佈熟食檔，大可掃街一嘗地道小食，大飽口福。他們都很會宣傳自己的檔攤，會將傳媒報導放大做poster，吸引顧客。見到poster就試下，百發百中。
台中最出名的小食是太陽餅，大約像一個鬆化的老婆餅。我覺得味道一般，但就因為想買手信，去了一間獨立平房有花園的餅店，發覺餅店的氣質、服務、包裝都好似日本般高水準。店內有免費postcard，寫好後放入店內的信箱會代免費寄出，多麼窩心。
喝
去年陳豪拍了個關於咖啡的節目，介紹了幾間台中的咖啡店。我喜歡喝咖啡，所以特地follow那個節目去找coffee shop。其實咖啡没有甚麼特別，但據稱店主熱愛咖啡和很有heart，店員服務奇佳，所以impress到我買了咖啡豆回來。
台灣風靡全球的飲品珍珠奶茶，名店春水堂，原來始於台中。去了兩天，就去足兩天春水堂，全因它的珍珠真是零舍不同。
玩
台中附近的著名旅遊點有日月潭和阿里山，也有很多較少人認識但有深遠文化歴史的景點。由台中出發一兩個小時車程已可以去到温泉、牧場等香港没有的特式地方。交通方便，可以自己租車，或者包車連司機，價錢實惠，一天車資每人平均不用HK$300。
現在大陸人可以去台灣旅行，所以要有心理準備景點可能會迫爆大陸同胞，想寧靜的話，要記住這個factor。
台中市本身没有太多旅遊點，有全台灣最大的美術館，主要以展覧為主，長期展品不多，所以要講彩數看看當期展覧的水準。我在美術館逗留得最耐的是精品店，design一流，實用不實用的精品都有。我看中了一個台灣設計師design的folder，好有結婚喜慶的感覺，我就將店內所有存貨都買了下來，準備送給找我證婚的人做結婚證書套。
樂
台中最大的surprise和最大的樂趣就是令人失控的shopping。日本的服務水平，大陸的價錢，有潮也有娘的products，要好好尋寶。有不少貨品都比香港便宜，包括一些外國入口貨，連在誠品書店買日本雜誌都平過香港。
台灣licence的Hello Kitty有香港没有的design，在一間類似Muji style的生活用品店有又實用又cute的product，令人愛不釋手。
由香港去台中有香港快運和榮信兩間航空公司直飛，航程只需75分鐘，同去澳門差不多時間，非常方便。
台中是一個令我一回來就想再去的好地方，值得介推。
申請台灣簽證
這個weekend打算去台中玩兩三日，所以要申請台灣簽證。申請台灣簽證可以選擇在香港預先辦理或者到達台灣後辦理落地簽證。但因為去到台灣的機場時可能會有很多同一班機的人排隊，怕耽誤行程，而且聽說台中的機場很小，簽證櫃枱不多，所以還是在香港先申請好簽證保險一些。
港澳居民可以先在網上申請（https://nas.immigration.gov.tw/），輸入個人資料後幾秒鐘就可以拿到一個預先核准的編號。憑着編號就可以親自或者委托其他人去金鐘的中華旅行社或者機場的辦事處領取台證。
在機場的簽證辦事處位於Terminal 1，但我出發當天要從 Terminal 2 check-in。為避免臨上機前要在兩個Terminal跑來跑去，又難以預計要預早幾多去等，我就決定先去金鐘取證。
前兩日我上到中華旅行社，勁多人，大大話話有成百人在排隊。不知是不是大家都不去泰國旅行，所有人都轉移去台灣。短的隊是已經在網上申請，只是取證的，只得十幾個人排隊。長的隊是其他未在網上申請的人，個蛇餅打到看不到隊尾。好在我精明地已在網上申請，等了不到十分鐘就可以遞交申請編號，護照和身份證副本，取到一個號碼籌等叫取證。看到牆上告示說要等一小時才可以取證，告訴大家可以先離開，在當日四點半前再回去取證，我就没有留在那兒等。一個多小時後我回去，不用等，直接去取證的counter，出示號碼籌，付上７５港元，簽證馬上到手。
所以如果大家要申請台證，第一記緊要先在網上申請，第二可以在吃午飯前上去拿號碼籌，吃完飯去取台證，就可以減低等候時間。
Planning a trip to Kenting
Chinese New Year holiday is over and I am already looking forward to the next holiday. This year, we are very lucky to have 5 consecutive holidays for Easter and Ching Ming. It’s time to plan ahead if you want to travel during that peak period.
My friend is planning to go to Taiwan during Easter and asked me for information about Kenting, as she knows I went there last year. I wrote her emails about how I feel about Kenting and shared some practical information. I extracted the content of my emails in this blog. Hopefully you will find it useful too.
Time to go
Last year, I went to Kenting during the May 1st long weekend. Taiwan also has a long weekend for the Labour Day. Many Taiwanese people travelled on short trips to Kenting that weekend. It was particularly busy. I suppose Taiwan won’t have Easter holiday (given they don’t even celebrate Christmas), so I expect fewer Taiwanese tourists during Easter. However, Kenting is a very popular destination for Hong Kong people. The number of Hong Kong tourists almost outnumbered local tourists when I was there. Basically I heard more Cantonese than Mandarin spoken at the tourist sights. I believe Kenting would still be very busy around Easter holiday.
Kenting music festival will take place on 3 and 4 April. I read about it in U Magazine last year. It looks like it mainly aims at young people. Concerts go on really late and I guess it will be very noisy near the concert venue. Bear this in mind when you book accommodation. Also, be prepared that the street will be full of people around 20 years old. Hope it won’t make you feel old.
There might be cherry blossom or some other flowers in Kenting in spring. Go and see if you are interested. If not, avoid the crowds in those places.
How to get to Kenting
You can take a bus from Kaohsiung airport to Kenting. The journey time is around 2 hours. But if you are hiring a car, just drive. The drive is easy and quite enjoyable with seaview. Fuel is very cheap in Taiwan.
Local Transport
You need to hire a car or motorcycle to go around places in Kenting. Public transport is not good or non-existent. It is much more enjoyable to have your own transport to be flexible. Or else, you may hire a car with driver. If you go with a group of 4, it works out to cost about the same as joining local day tour. But then you have complete control of your own itinerary and time.
Accommodation
There is a lack of really nice hotels in Kenting. There are only small 民宿. Some have more character than others. They are into different themes like Greek white house, Provence lavender garden etc. I would definitely recommend staying somewhere facing the sea. Anywhere facing the main street would be too noisy and unbearable.
Beach
The beach is quite beautiful with white fine sand. The drawback is that the beach was very very crowded at busy long weekend. I didn’t even bother to go to the main beach. Simply covered with people on every grain of sand. People go there for wind surfing, jet skis, banana boats etc. It would be quite exciting if you don’t mind the crowd.
Food
Food in Kenting is not good – Ah So agreed. She didn’t like the food when she went there for her programme either. She said Kenting is suitable for people who need to go on a diet…
Kaohsiung
Nothing much to see in Kaohsiung. Only a few shopping centres. No need to stop there unless you want to go shopping and buy some souvenirs. I stopped over and bought many many many many things though……
See more information on my website:
http://www.morethanhoneymoon.com/honeymoon/honeymoon/shorttrip/kenting.html
