What is Golden Fulong??? I only know Fulong, but why is Fulong golden? Um, I don't know why it's golden. Let's follow this path and see why it's called Golden Fulong. We'll have to follow it and rely on the author's understanding, not the novel.

Traveling around Taiwan alone

Episode 1 FIRST TIME @ Sweet Potato Island

Episode 2 TAIPEI with my relaxing day

And this is episode 3

On the third day of my visit to Man Thet Island, I planned to follow the route of the "HUMAN RIDE" program and visit the place that is considered the origin of the concept and scene in the city decorated with red lanterns, like the Oscar-winning cartoon "SPRITED AWAY" or in Thai, "Spirited Away" by Japan's Ghibli Studio.

Before we delve into the journey, let's first understand the route. Many reviews might suggest that these locations seem scattered, but we can actually cover them all in a single day, extending into the night. 😉

GOLDEN FULONG (Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area)

The Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area, or the scenic route along the northeastern coast and Yilan in Taiwan, is an interesting natural route in Taiwan. Many people have probably read reviews and seen pictures of these places, so they may wonder if they can be arranged in the same trip. The answer is yes, and my journey will start from the coast (Fulong Beach) and then go up to the ancient village (Jiufen) on the mountain, according to the map above, which I have made to make it easier to understand this route. Let's get to the point after this long introduction.

The morning atmosphere at the accommodation on the second night, STAR HOSTEL, was perfect for chilling out and taking photos. When I went down to the lounge, I saw a young Korean woman setting up a camera to take photos, a Westerner sitting down to work, an older Korean man taking photos of the accommodation, and a Thai person (me) taking photos of the atmosphere before it got too crowded. It was very peaceful, wasn't it? (Unless it's a festival or holiday, of course.)

Don't worry about food at STAR HOSTEL. They offer free breakfast to all guests, whether you're in a dorm or a private room. However, **breakfast is only served from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM**. But for those who have to leave early for a trip or have an early morning appointment, don't worry! The hostel provides sliced bread and rolls with strawberry jam and peanut butter to keep you going. I ate this myself, as waiting until 8:00 AM would have made my journey along the Golden Route to Fuh Long much slower.

This morning's breakfast was strawberry jam and peanut butter toast with papaya milk (I drink milk so early in the morning, I never thought what would happen if I had diarrhea on the way). After eating, please wash the dishes and glass yourself. Self-service.

Around the hostel, go out to the left (with your back to the hostel) and you will find a 7-11 store. You won't starve at night, and there are food stalls selling from early morning to late at night.

Walking out of the hostel near the bus stop sign that says NEW TAIPEI, I saw something like a bus running on rails (am I right?). I don't know what to call it, so I took a picture as a souvenir.

The morning atmosphere in Taipei (near Taipei Main Station at Q-SQUARE) at almost seven in the morning, the streets are eerily quiet. Are people not going to work? If it were Bangkok, this time would be packed with traffic.

Then go buy a TRA train ticket. You can check the schedule and price in advance on the Taiwan Railway website: http://www.railway.gov.tw/en/

TRA train ticket to Fuhua. Let's see the ticket. Thank God, the country has English. I was relieved that I didn't encounter all Chinese like my friend did before. (I'm also confused about whether the ticket with all Chinese and the ticket with English depend on the station or the type of train? Conan's spirit possessed me.)
The information on the ticket is as follows: Line two is the train line (in this case, train number 272).
Line three is the departure station (in this case, Taipei) and the arrival station (in this case, Fuhua).
Line four is the arrival time at the departure station (in this case, 07.30 am) and the arrival time at the arrival station (in this case, 08.41 am).
Line five is the train carriage (in this case, carriage 9) and the seat (in this case, 40). It is also a reserved seat. Finally, the most important thing is the price (because the 07.30 am train is an express train, 128 TWD).

Now comes the important question: which platform is it, A or B? The easy way, since there are signs in English, is to look at the monitor and see what the number of our train is (like mine, 272). Then look at number 272, platform 4A. So, we go to the right, right?

Once you know which platform you're on, go and stand at the sign for your carriage number. For example, if you're in carriage number nine, go and stand at the sign for number 9. Then the train will arrive.

The atmosphere in the ninth carriage of the train was quiet, but it was packed with people. I fell asleep several times, and when I woke up, we still hadn't arrived. It took an hour and ten minutes to get there.

The text you provided is already in English. Is there anything else I can help you with?

You have now arrived at Fulong Station at 8:41 AM. Please disembark from the train. Here is a picture of Fulong Station in the morning. As you approach the stairs, you will see the symbol we have been waiting for after watching the Human Ride program: the bicycle symbol. That's because this trip is all about cycling and enjoying the scenery.

Information on the Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area http://www.necoast-nsa.gov.tw/user/main.aspx?lang=2

Information on Fulong: http://www.necoast-nsa.gov.tw/user/Article.aspx?La..

The scene in front of Fuhua Railway Station. When we arrived at the station, the staff collected our train tickets. The morning atmosphere in Fuhua was sunny and clear. The atmosphere was great (God was on our side again). After missing Elephant Mountain in the evening in Taipei.

As you exit Fuhulong Railway Station, you will be greeted by a train lunch box shop, a bicycle rental shop, and a convenience store. It is highly recommended that if you plan to cycle, you should purchase food, water, snacks, and drinks to eat along the way.

Then I rented a bicycle. It took a long time to communicate because the uncle only spoke Chinese. What to do with life? The simple way is to show your passport with your Taiwan phone number. When you're done cycling, you can get your passport back. The rental fee here is cheaper than at Sun Moon Lake, only 100 TWD for the whole day, but it probably won't be the whole day.

After receiving the bicycle, the uncle, the owner of the shop, will recommend the route to go cycling. Then, just keep cycling and you will find the Old Caoling Tunnel sign.

For my cycling route, I will cycle to the old railway tunnel, also known as the OLD CAOLING TUNNEL BIKEWAY. This is an old railway tunnel that is no longer in use, but Taiwan has renovated it into a cycling path. Taiwan is so creative in making use of things that are no longer in use. Information on the cycling route OLD CAOLING TUNNEL: http://www.necoast-nsa.gov.tw/user/Article.aspx?Lang=2&SNo=04002484 The protagonist of our day is the bright yellow Giant bike, which matches the sky. So I took some photos of the natural scenery. If possible, it is best to come to Fulong on weekdays. There will be a lot of people on weekends, which will make the atmosphere disappear by 50%. At first, I was cycling in the right direction, but then I got lost for a while. I really had to cycle straight, but this guy suddenly wanted to go to the left, so I saw the scenery in the upper right picture. 555 If I didn't get lost, I wouldn't have seen the new scenery, right? (Comforting myself)

After cycling in the wrong direction, I started over and cycled straight ahead. I came across a bridge with a grate like this. I cycled up the hill and the view was beautiful in a different way. From the left corner, you could see the train passing by. (Sorry, no picture available.)

After crossing the bridge, we arrived at the highlight of the trip, the train head. We took some photos of our hero there. After that, we cycled to find the old railway tunnel. After taking some photos at the train head, we cycled to the old railway tunnel. The atmosphere was quiet on the day we went, probably because it was a weekday. More importantly, not many tourists come here, making this trip a great way to slow down and enjoy the moment. Are you ready to enter the dark tunnel with its dim light and chilling atmosphere, devoid of crowds? Get ready and start cycling! What are you waiting for? 555

Let's get ready to enter the tunnel of darkness! It's so scary!

After that, let's cycle into the old railway tunnel. I have made a video of the animation and atmosphere of the area for you to watch.

The atmosphere inside the old railway tunnel, which is 2 kilometers long, is considered the longest tunnel bike path in Taiwan. While cycling, the air inside is quite cool, and most importantly, there is music playing throughout the tunnel. Isn't that cool? (You can hear the music in the video, but if I add the music here, it will probably drown everything out. 555)

After cycling for a while, I came across a sign marking the city boundary. It said that I had left Yilan County and was entering New Taipei City. It felt great, like I had just cycled across a city boundary.

Finally made it out of the tunnel! While I was cycling inside, I saw people walking through it too. I really admire them, it felt far even just cycling, let alone walking. Keep it up!

At the other end of the old railway tunnel in New Taipei City, you will be greeted by the ocean (or the Pacific Ocean) as soon as you exit the tunnel. The bike path is located in the middle, running alongside the railway and the ocean.

I cycled along the path until the end, then I walked my bike up the hill to an area that looked like a fishing village. There I found a scene of a painted seascape with marine animals and my bicycle.

Gaze upon the vast expanse of water and sky, let your heart be free with the flowing water, the breeze, the sunlight, and ourselves.

After soaking in the atmosphere, I saw the sky starting to get cloudy. In my heart, I thought, "Oh no, don't let it be true what they say, 'Taiwan is like a woman, fickle and prone to change.'"

After releasing my emotions to nature, I cycled back the same way to Fuhua Railway Station. I stopped to take pictures along the way, with the mountains as the backdrop. It was beautiful in a different way.

I came across a tunnel while cycling. Actually, I had to pass through this tunnel on my way there, but because I was cycling forward, I didn't see the view behind me. But on my way back, I was able to see the ocean view in front of me.

As I mentioned earlier, the bike path here runs alongside the railway and the ocean. As you ride, you'll see a variety of trains passing by, offering a beautiful view. Then, you'll cycle back the same way because you need to return the bike. I have appointments with several tourist attractions on the Golden Route.

After exiting the tunnel and returning the bicycle, hunger took over and no one could stop her (that's it). So she looked for a train station lunch box to eat, but it turned out that the lunch box shop in front of the train station was closed. The other shop seemed to be open, but she wasn't sure, so she went to find another shop. Then she found a shop opposite the Fuh Long Tourist Service Center. When she went in, she thought to herself, "What should I order?" So she started by saying, "Hello." When the aunt selling the food heard her, she pointed her finger to the back to choose the menu. So we ordered the 70 TWD menu. We pointed to the menu and the aunt nodded in agreement. Then the aunt said, "Soup, soup," and pointed to the back (again). From the body language and the communication of the heart, we understood that we could take the soup ourselves and put it in a cup. There was a lid on it. Taiwanese people are so cute.

The picture above shows the appearance of a Taiwanese train lunch box and the 70 TWD food menu that I purchased. The smell and taste reminded me of Thai pork leg or stewed pork.

Before eating the lunch box, I went to the Fuh Lung Tourist Service Center to inquire about the route to Cape Pi Tou, another destination I wanted to visit. The staff gave me a Golden Fuh Lung route brochure and explained how to get there. They also said that the bus wouldn't arrive until almost noon (when I arrived, the bus had already left at 11:00 AM). The handsome male staff member suggested that I could take a walk on Fuh Lung Beach while waiting for the bus, but I didn't want to go because I was arrogant, not because my legs were sore. I was also very hungry, so I decided to eat the lunch box on the train.

While eating rice and filming the music video, bus number 856 arrived to pick us up. The bus responsible for the Golden Fulong route is number 856. On weekdays, the bus runs every hour, but on Saturdays and Sundays, the bus runs every 30 minutes.

Bus Schedule Route 856 (GOLDEN FULONG)

Note: Adapted from the website http://www.gold-fulong.com.tw/en/fulong_run.aspx

Weekdays

Holidays

- GOLDEN FULONG 11 Famous Tourist Routes: http://www.gold-fulong.com.tw/images/map_2015.jpg

Golden fulong 11 routes (you can calculate the time and place to go from the bus schedule above)

The bus then took us to Bitou Cape (BITOU CAPE - LONGDONG BAY CAPE TRIL). The bus will stop right at the entrance to Bitou Cape (if coming from Fulong). But if you are coming from Jiufen, the gold mine, the bus will stop on the opposite side of Bitou Cape. It's easy, just walk across the overpass and cross over.

Details of Laem Bi Beach: http://www.necoast-nsa.gov.tw/user/Article.aspx?Lang=2&SNo=03000022

If you're coming from Jiufen, the gold mine bus will stop here after you cross the street to the opposite side. Then, just walk up this path.

As you cross the bridge to Laem Pi Pier, you will encounter a tunnel through the mountain. The sides of the road are lined with lush greenery, and the sky is now overcast.

Crossing over to the Bi Tho side, you walk up the hill. After walking for a while, you will come across a wooden house-like structure, which is the coffee shop. It is estimated that it is closed on weekdays, but it is definitely open on Saturdays and Sundays (according to Conan's possession).

Then I walked up the stairs. Life from now on is full of slopes and stairs. But luckily, the weather is good today. There is no sun, only a cool breeze and ourselves.

The area next to the stairs is the school. The atmosphere is very nice, with the sea behind and mountains in front. As for the side, it's a cemetery (ummm, that's a bit scary).

The atmosphere at Laem Piew Pier was relatively quiet as I visited on a weekday. The sky was overcast, threatening rain. While enjoying the scenery, I kept an eye on the bus schedule to Piew Pier, as the buses are very punctual, arriving within 5-10 minutes of the scheduled time. This allowed me to plan my slow-paced journey accordingly. When the bus was about to arrive, I headed to the bus stop to catch a ride to Golden Waterfall.

This trip to Tharn Thong Waterfall wasn't in my plans at all. I thought it wouldn't be interesting because the scenery only has a waterfall, nothing special. And most importantly, I thought it must have been many years since Tharn Thong Waterfall became Tharn Khao Waterfall. I got off because the brochure the staff gave me indicated the location as "Gold Mine before Tharn Thong Waterfall" (which is a typo). In fact, it should be Tharn Thong Waterfall before the Gold Mine (if coming from Pi To). Oh no, the driver thought we were going to get off at this sign, so he stopped and opened the door. What should I do? So I thought, okay, let's get off and enjoy the view. When I got off, I forgot that the next bus 856 wouldn't come for another hour. After getting off, I took pictures of the waterfall and enjoyed the nature.

At the Tharn Thong Waterfall, it was evident that there were many visitors. This could be due to the fact that it was nearing dusk and people were waiting to go to Jiufen. Most of the visitors seemed to have arrived by taxi or private car. As for me, I also had a car with a driver, who had arranged to pick me up in an hour.

After visiting the waterfall and waiting for the bus to pick us up to go to the Gold Mine Museum, which took almost an hour, and most importantly, there was only this much to see at the Tharn Thong Waterfall, so I didn't know what else to see. I walked around for more than ten rounds until finally bus number 856 arrived. Then I went on to the Gold Mine Museum, or Jinguashi.

Finally arrived at the Gold Museum. It didn't take long from Tharn Thong Waterfall. When I arrived, it was raining. Hey, is it raining here too? It's not far from the waterfall, why is it so quiet there? When I arrived at the museum, there were only traces of moisture. In conclusion, from the way I followed the map to this point, I encountered sunshine, wind, a little rain, but it didn't irritate my skin, and in the evening the air started to cool down again. Do you think I'm Iron Man?

The atmosphere of the gold mine at four o'clock in the afternoon (December 3, 2015) The top of the mountain was full of mist, and the ground was wet from the rain. When I arrived at the gold mine, I met a group of Taiwanese students on a field trip. There were a lot of them.

As I walked along, I came across a picture of a man and a woman. At first, I didn't know what it was, as I couldn't read Chinese. It wasn't until the beginning of January that I found out that the woman on the right had become the first female president of Taiwan, and that she was from the opposition party. She had defeated the Kuomintang party. Congratulations to her (although it has nothing to do with me).

As I walked along, I came across a place that looked like a police station (I'm not sure if it was). I saw officers walking dogs around, as if they were filming a TV show. The male officer was very handsome, but he looked so young.

After that, I continued walking and came across this restaurant. It was packed with people and the food looked delicious. Unfortunately, I didn't eat there because I was saving my appetite for Jiufen.

As I walked on, the evening atmosphere grew even more beautiful, typical of the aftermath of a rain shower. After seeing many reviews with clear skies, this time I encountered a gloomy atmosphere, but it was romantic in a different way. I walked to see the clusters of clouds, the mist floating across the steep mountains.

On every journey, I try to find reasons why each place has its own unique beauty in different seasons. In the same place, but in a different season or atmosphere, it gives a different feeling. However, some places, such as SML, can only show their full beauty when the weather is clear.

A group of Taiwanese students are taking a group photo at the Gold Museum as a souvenir. This is what Taiwanese children look like. They seem to be having a lot of fun.

As I strolled leisurely, taking in the sights and sounds, I came across three officers walking a dog that had captured the attention of many tourists, including myself. The adorable dog posed for photos with others. I also encountered another young officer. Why do they all seem so young? (Or perhaps they just have youthful faces despite their age?)

After walking for a while, I arrived at the front building where three policemen were standing. It turned out to be the Gold Mining Museum, which has two floors. Admission is free. I walked around and came to this place (picture above). Gold bars. They said it was real gold that you could touch. The red number on the left is the weight of the gold, and the 9-digit number is the current value of the gold bar. Oh my god, I really want to take it home.

After finishing the tour of the Gold Museum, I headed back to wait for the bus to Jiufen. As I approached the bus stop, I noticed that the fog had started to roll in, almost completely obscuring the mountains.

After soaking in the atmosphere at the Gold Mine Museum and the Taiwanese children who came on a field trip, it was time and a good opportunity to go to the highlight of my Golden Fulong trip and the destination of tourists from Thailand, foreigners or even Taiwanese people themselves. That is, Jiufen Old Town.

Information about Jiufen: http://www.necoast-nsa.gov.tw/user/Article.aspx?Lang=2&SNo=03000019

Information about Jiufen Old Street:

http://www.necoast-nsa.gov.tw/user/Article.aspx?Lang=2&SNo=04000075

**Getting to Jiufen Old Town (from Fulong)**

- From the Gold Museum to Jiufen, you can take bus number 856 (GOLDEN FULONG SHUTTER BUS) or number 1062.

It didn't take long to get from the Gold Museum to Jiufen. The atmosphere in Jiufen on the day I went was, as I mentioned earlier, overcast and gloomy since the afternoon (from Beitou to Jiufen). And I took another picture at the popular angle where many people like to take pictures. Another picture of bus route 1062 (Taipei - Gold Museum). I was too lazy to wait for route 856, so I took whatever route came along. When I got on route 1062 at the museum, it was very difficult because the students were all standing at the bus stop. I didn't know where to wait, so when the 1062 came, I ran across the street in a hurry. I was afraid the bus would leave before I got there. In the end, I managed to get on the 1062 bus.

The atmosphere inside the Jiufen Old Street gets more and more crowded as the evening progresses. As I walk, I look at the food and the sights. Hehe.

As I walked along, I came across a famous shop that I had seen on TV and in various reviews. It was the famous ice cream shop with chopped peanuts placed on a sheet similar to a roti sai mai sheet. Next to it was chopped peanuts topped with ice cream, but unfortunately, on the day I went, there was no coriander sprinkled on it. Hehe.

The staff and the owner of the shop were very kind. They saw that the tourists wanted to take pictures, so they brought them the plate with the ice cream on it to take pictures. When I finished buying, the lady said, "Thank you." (I was stunned. Did I hear wrong? But whatever.) The atmosphere was cool and the sky was cloudy, as if it was going to rain. Eating cold ice cream wrapped in a roti sheet with chopped peanuts was really cool. It was so refreshing in the cold wind.

Tea eggs are available everywhere in Taiwan, even in convenience stores and on the mountains. After that, I walked along the path, looking for the angle that people who go to Jiufen like to take pictures of. Where is it? I just kept walking and turning here and there, and then I came across a staircase leading down and a bathroom. I thought it must be the right place. After walking down the stairs for a while, I saw people gathering around something. They were taking pictures, so I turned left and looked back. I saw this scene (tears almost fell, I just walked around and found it by chance).

Standing here at this corner, I took several photos. If I waited for it to get darker, my body wouldn't be able to take it anymore. I've been traveling since seven in the morning from Fuhua to Jiufen. If I waited for it to get darker, I would definitely be exhausted. But I think the view now is already okay. I can see the red lights from the lanterns. It's really cool.

Then I walked down the stairs (pictured above) to wait for bus number 1062 back to Taipei. If you go down the stairs here, you will go to another bus stop. But if you go back to the stairs to exit at 7-11 (the original way I came in), you can get on bus number 1062 at the starting point from the Gold Mine Museum. But if you go down the stairs to wait for the bus stop like me, you have to take a chance to see if the bus is full. If it is full, you have to wait. While waiting for bus number 1062, I sat down until the first bus appeared and was about to tap my EasyCard. The driver waved his hand to stop me, saying that the bus was full and I had to wait for the next one (damn it). After waiting for a while, another bus came and it turned out that there were not as many people as the first one, so I was saved and went back to Taipei.

As I boarded the 1062 bus back to Taipei (near SOGO), the bus stopped at a station as soon as it entered the city, and a large number of people got off at this stop. I thought I had arrived at SOGO, but when I got off the bus, I found myself at MRT SONGSHAN STATION.

What is this? I turned and spun around 360 degrees. Where am I? Sogo Department Store? This is clearly SONGSHAN Station! Oh my god, where did I come from? The reasons for getting off at the wrong stop are as follows:

1. The bus sign doesn't show the stop, so I don't know where I am.

2. On the way there, I took the train from Taipei to Fuhua. I didn't take the bus from the Sogo department store, so I don't know what the area is like. 555

After getting off the plane, I decided to take a walk around the city. Getting lost or following the wrong signs is a good memory in itself. And then I came across a sign for the Hehua Night Market (which I didn't think I would visit). But when I saw the sign, I went for it. Why not? I've already paid for the plane ticket, so I might as well make the most of it.

While I was wandering around in a daze, I came across a sign pointing the way to the Hera Hera Market, another night market. (Actually, I didn't intend to go there, but I got off at the wrong stop and saw it, so I thought maybe God wanted me to visit this market.)

The atmosphere of the Hera Hera night market is very crowded in the evenings and at night. This market has both food and clothing to choose from. After walking around for a while, I found something to eat and walked around.

After strolling through the food and sights of the Hera Hera Market, we took the subway to Zhongxiao Fuxing Station to visit the SOGO department store and enjoy the cool air and winter breeze. We also took in the Christmas atmosphere, which is just a few weeks away.

The atmosphere inside the zongxiao fuxing station was crowded with people, probably because people were getting off work. Seeing this, I couldn't help but think of the Sukhumvit BTS station. I came down to this level to go to the front of the mall.

The atmosphere around Sogo Department Store during the last month of 2015 in Taipei was no different from other cities, with Christmas trees and lights adorning the streets to welcome the upcoming Christmas and New Year celebrations.

RED HOUSE or the Red Mansion of Ximending

Ximending Red House (Xīmén Hónglóu — Ximending Honglou):

Built in 1908 during the Japanese colonial era, the building was designed by Japanese architect Kondo Juro. It was originally intended to be the first commercial market in Taiwan. However, in 1945, it was converted into a theater for entertainment purposes. In November 2007, the Department of Cultural Affairs entrusted the Taipei Culture Foundation with the management of the building, transforming it into the contemporary art center it is today.

The area next to the Red House of Ximending is Ximending, or the Siam Square of Taiwan. Today, I'm back for the second night. Let's see how the atmosphere is today. Is it any different from the first day?

After exploring the interior of the Red House in Ximending, I took a short walk to the Harajuku district of Taiwan (I've never been to Harajuku, so I was curious). I saw a crowd gathered near the Naruto ninja sign. Being the nosy husband that I am, I couldn't resist checking it out.

This is a show organized by foreigners, and the audience is encouraged to participate, which has attracted a lot of attention from passers-by. Look, the circle is very, very wide.

Walking inside the mall selling Japanese brands that are sold in Thailand, I came across a street performance by a Taiwanese guy. His singing attracted the attention of passers-by. Then I continued to look for food, eating amidst the cool breeze in the Ximending district.

After strolling through the Ximending and Raohe Night Market areas, I realized that it was time to head back to my accommodation as I had to return to Thailand tomorrow. Fortunately, my flight wasn't until almost 10 pm, so I planned to explore a few more places in Taipei.

My first trip to Taiwan was an unforgettable experience from the moment I set foot on the island. You can read about my previous impressions of Taiwan in my earlier review. Stay tuned to see what other amazing things I encounter tomorrow!

Let's continue our journey in Taipei with me! Now let's eat something, come on, let's eat, hehe.