Honestly, the Taiwan Trip is not my first choices holiday's destination in this year. Actually, I was planning to go holiday to other countries but it has something that I can't prevent it so I decided to explore Taiwan in this year with my lovely Mama. Even though Taiwan is not my first choices holiday's destination in this year but it has in my travel's destinations list but I not expect to go there on this soon.
Since I do not have the confidence to travel to Taiwan as free and easy, so I decided to take the travel package from the travel agent. I think this travel agent is not foreign to you because I have traveled with them before this. If you have been read my travelogue to China & Turkey, so you'll know who they are is. Yes, I take the trip with the Apple Muslim Holiday or as know as Apple Vacations & Conventions Sdn Bhd.
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| The view of Taiwan from the plane. |
Taiwan is an island located off the coast of southeastern China, southwest of Okinawa and north of the Philippines. The island is governed by the Republic of China (中華民國 Zhonghua Minguo) or ROC. Shaped roughly like a sweet potato, the nation is home to more than 23 million people and is one of the most densely populated in the world. Besides its crowded cities, Taiwan is also known for steep mountains and lush forests. In addition to the island of Taiwan, the Republic of China also governs the Pescadores (Penghu), Quemoy (Kinmen / Jinmen), and Matsu.
This trip is 6 days and 5 nights of Muslim Trip to Taiwan by China Airlines. The travel date is between on 18 September 2017 (Monday) until 23 September 2017 (Saturday). Among the places, I visit at Taiwan are Taipei, Yilan, and Hsinchu. The Taiwan currency is known as New Taiwan Dollar (NTD). The rate on that time is NTD 100 = ±RM 14.295. The voltage in Taiwan is 100 – 110v with two flat pin plugs (multi-adapters needed).
This tour group has 12 adults only. It's because our group is small and also not complete to 15 people so this group does not have tour leader from Malaysia. They just provide to us the check-in staff only for arranging our check-in luggage at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). The first time, I go to Taiwan with the travel agent that not has a tour leader. Of course, I'm a little bit worried about all the things when we've arrived at the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. Even the staff says nothing to worry about it because the Taiwan's airport of the immigration is almost same like with Japan and Korea International Airport. I just hope everything will be going smoothly when we've arrived there.
We are riding the flight by China Airlines from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on 18 September 2017 (Monday), 14:40 pm. We need to standby at KLIA on 10:00 am. For me, that is so early from the standard international hour's check-in time that we have to standby at the KLIA.
After check-in our luggage at the China Airlines counter, we take a light breakfast before going inside. I take chance to visit some shops at the free duty area around KLIA. I just take the window shopping and survey some things that I want to buy.
The duration journey from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport is around 4 hours 40 minutes. This plane is quite big too. The seating arrangement is 3 – 4 – 3 for economy class but if for a premium economy class is 2 – 4 – 2. Our flight no. is CI 0722 (KUL/TPE).
The things from China Airlines that we're got on the plane are the pillow, blanket, and earphone for entertainment. That is standard things in the plane since our journey is least than 5 hours. Even this is the China Airlines; they still can provide the Halal Meals for Muslim customers. Just remember to tick the Halal Meals during when you make the booking of the flight ticket.
The cabin crews are nice to me. They give the snack to customers after 1 hour fly like the mixed snack and apple juice. Then they give our late lunch, which is seafood noodles and apple juice before 2 hours we're landing.
We're safely landing at the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on 19:10 pm. Actually, we've quite fast arrived at the Taipei, Taiwan rather than we expected landing at Taipei, Taiwan is around 19:20 pm.
TIPS – For Malaysian citizen, we are exempted from visa when you're planning to travel to Taiwan. When you get the arrival card inside the plane or when you've arrived at the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, you're needed to fill-up the entire blank box on the arrival card. Then you have to tick on the visa type is visa-exempt and the purpose of the visit is the tick on the sightseeing – if you're going there for holiday. That's all.
After we're stealing our things around the airport, like the immigration and collect our luggage. Then, our tour guide as known as Ms. Wendy Ma is pick-up us at the airport. Yes, everything is going smoothly as I hope before going to Taiwan.
Since we've arrived at the Taipei is quite late so our tour guide takes us to have halal dinner just at the airport. We're take dinner at Hsin Tung Yang - Middle East Halal Kitchen [Foodcourt Taoyuan International Airport 1]. The price of our dinner is arount NT$ 300 (RM 42.90) per pax. I choose to have the beef of my dinner but I can't eat that well because I don't feel well and also I'm so tired.
Then, we're checking in our hotel at the City Suites Gateway, which is located in the Taoyuan area and it's just 5 minutes from the airport. It's so nearby with the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.
The room is quite big for us. They have 2 queen beds in this room. What am I feeling surprised about this hotel is they provide the qiblah arrow in the drawer. It's easy for Muslim customer's prayer.
That's all that's I do in the first day arrived at the Taiwan. Nothing is special yet. Like I say, I'm so tired on the first day even I just seating on the plane. My journey will continue on the second day at the Taiwan.
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