Day 2 of our Taiwan summer vacation was certainly better than Day 1 – mainly because we managed to recover from our exhaustion of having to wake up at 4am to catch the 7am flight on the first day.
We also had a good sleep after two rounds of hot spring bath at Bei Tou Hot Spring Resort. So, we woke up feeling energized like Energizer Bunny, had our breakfast and ready to head to Kaohsiung.
➡ Day 1: Singapore > Taipei | Xinbeitou Hot Spring, Shilin Night Market
➡ Day 2: Taipei > Kaohsiung | E-DA World
From Xinbeitou to Taipei Main Station, the journey by MRT took about half an hour. Taiwan High Speed Rail (HSR) Taipei Station is located at Taipei Main Station. We’ve pre-booked our HSR tickets online to enjoy the early bird discount. The early bird discount of 35%, 20%, or 10% are offered with limited quantity no later than 5~28 days before the departure date.
Taiwan High Speed Rail
Taiwan HSR has a total of 8 stations (Taipei, Banqiao, Taoyuan, Hsinshu, Taichung, Chiayi, Tainan and Zuoying). The stations are fairly new since HSR only started its operation in 2007, and there are ample signages in English so it’s easy for international travellers. You can reach Zuoying (Kaohsiung) from Taipei in as little as 96 minutes for the 345 km track.
Our HSR departed Taipei at 11:30am sharp and arrived at Kaohsiung at 1:06pm. The HSR cabin is very spacious as compared to a normal train. Car 1 to 9 are for reserved ticket holders (car and seat number will be printed on ticket), while Car 10 to 12 are for non-reserved ticket holders where you can choose from the available seats.
Light snacks are being sold inside the train; you can also find vending machines. Toilets are available in most of the cars, with baby-changing facilities in the ladies’ toilet. Ample storage area is available at the front of each car (for bulky items) and on-top of the seats for passengers to keep their luggage.
Best of all, you can also bring outside food to eat in the train. Bentos are sold during lunch and dinner hours near the ticketing counters for just NT$100! We really enjoyed our travel to Kaohsiung via HSR. All I have to say is – I LOVE Taiwan HSR!
Kaohsiung is the second most populated city in Taiwan after New Taipei, and is located in the south of the island. There is a shopping mall at Zouying HSR station (similar to our MRT Xchange but slightly bigger). So, we had our lunch there before heading to E-DA World.
E-DA World
E-DA World, which is located right beside Quan-Yi Mountain, a scenic area of Kaohsiung City, includes E-DA Royal Hotel, E-DA Theme Park, E-DA Outlet Mall, E-DA Skylark Hotel, E-DA Royal Villa and many more. E-DA World is the only complex in Taiwan that combines five-star restaurant dining, extensive shopping, and theme park attractions.
To get to E-DA World from Zuoying HSR station, here’s how -> go to Exit 2 at Zuoying HSR Station and take the elevator down to street level. The E-DA shuttle bus #8501 (Fo Kuang Shan Line) is at platform 3 of the bus stand. Frequency of the bus is 20-30 mins. Bus tickets can be purchased from the bus driver (on the spot) by cash.
We arrived at E-DA Royal Hotel within 20 mins. The moment we alighted from the bus, our baggage was quickly picked-up by the Concierge and we were escorted to the Check-in counter by the friendly hotel staffs. Everything counts in a first impression, which is why I was very impressed with the hotel.
This is our Triple Room at E-DA Royal Hotel. We paid S$240 (breakfast inclusive). The room is very spacious with balcony, bath tub and two queen-sized beds – although it’s not very new. Here are some pictures of our room:
E-DA Outlet Mall
Free shuttle bus service in E-DA World that connects the hotels, outlet mall and theme park
After a quick shower, we spent the rest of the evening doing some shopping at E-DA Outlet Mall. It’s a HUGE shopping mall with over 300 stores divided into 3 sections that combines shopping, leisure, entertainment, sports, cinema and delicious food experiences.
The European inspired design theme combines modern-classical architecture with Taiwan’s first Sky Dome – its design is truly unique! In addition, there is state-of-the-art cinemas equipped with the latest IMAX multi-cinema facilities, ice-skating rink and 640 metres long arcade-style shopping mall that promises a magical shopping experience.
From E-DA Outlet Mall, you can catch the romantic views from the light-filled Ferris wheel at night. It’s truly gorgeous! I understand that E-DA World is the largest tourist resort within Taiwan, and it’s also one of the biggest projects created so far. If you want shopping, attractions, or simply to see more of Kaohsiung, I highly recommend E-DA World.
That’s all for today. In my next post, I’ll share more about E-DA Theme Park that drove us totally crazy!
E-DA Outlet Mall
Website: www.edamall.com.tw
Address: No.12, Sec. 1, Xuecheng Rd., Dashu Dist., Kaohsiung City 840
E-DA Royal Hotel
Website: www.edaroyal.com.tw
Address: No.153, Section 1, XueCheng Road, Dashu District, Kaohsiung City 840, Taiwan
