Yilan for kids - Taiwan Travelogue

Our recent trip to Taiwan brought us to Yilan. Although we initially worried that it will be boring for the boy as it is more of a "back to nature" part of Taiwan, we enjoyed ourselves very much, and wished we spent more time there. Surprisingly, Yilan packs more fun for the kid than expected.

Here's some places you can check out if you are going down that way and I will let the pictures do the talking! 

1. Sophisca Cafe/Factory

No. 188, Sec. 2, Xiande Rd., Yuanshan Township, Yilan

The cafe cum shop cum factory was like right smack in the middle of no where. Seriously, with the vast fields of green all around, this is the most unsuspecting place to have a candy store. Look at those colourful lollies! It was no wonder J had such a happy smile on his face. 

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2. Yinong Ranch / Farm,

No. 17, Ln. 239, Changchun Rd., Kelin Vil., Dongshan Township, Yilan, Taiwan

I love this farm. It was like bringing what I have been reading to J since he was a little baby to life. The kid was obviously enjoying himself with all the feeding, although he got a little scared of the chickens and ducks who flocked to him like bees to honey! The farm was also the highlight of his visit to Yilan as he cannot seem to stop talking about the animals even after we got back to Singapore. 

*****

3. Artemis Garden (香草非非）

No. 650, Neicheng Rd., Neicheng Vil., Yuanshan Township, Yilan, Taiwan

We didn't spend much time in here because J was asleep in the car when we arrived. So the man and I decided to take a quick tour of the place. You will need to pay an entrance fee of NT$100. But that can be used to offset purchases within. They have a large dining hall which I saw served up some lunch and tea sets. They also have stations for DIY crafts. The most striking thing about Artemis Garden is all the plants and herbs. The smell envelops the air... and I certainly felt quite refreshed after the walk around. They serve up quite a nice cup of hot coffee too! 

*****

4. Qing Shui Thermal Village 

宜蘭縣大同鄉清水村南側的清水溪旁( Datong Township, Yilan County, Qingshui riverside)
Pardon the address in chinese as I cannot find the English version

This wasn't supposed to be part of our planned itinerary. However, since we had a lot of time, our driver decided to let us experience cooking IN a hotspring. This was definitely a unique experience not only for the boy, but for us adults too. We don't get this in Singapore, and what I loved about this is that we are so close to nature. The boy got to experience a picnic that requires himself to cook and peel eggs on his own. As mentioned by our lovely driver Jeff, this is a place where most locals flock to. Not very touristy, which made our visit there very much more special. 

*****

4. Happiness 20 Farm
No.20, Ln. 446, Dajin Rd., Dongshan Township, Yilan County

Playing with bubbles... 

This was also an interesting part of the farm. They had two old fashioned water pumps facing each other where visitors could have a water fight! Papa challenged the boy who has the help of our driver Uncle Jeff!

This was another pleasant surprise as we did not plan for this. We were enroute to have some seafood, and Jeff decided to do a pitstop here. Lovely compound that looks very unsuspecting from the outside. The moment you walk in, it is like a mini-wonderland, with swings, bubbles, toys...all looking very whimsical. Similar to Artemis Garden, you will need to purchase a ticket to enter which you can use to redeem for food or some craft activity. The boy was more interested in the good'ol bubble blowing and getting up close and personal with the animals on site. Too personal I must say as he got bitten by the resident ostrich. LOL! 

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5. Nan Fang Ao Fishing Port
Nanfang'ao, Su'ao Township, Yilan County

The first picture on the left right above are huge fish eyes! 

The man is a fan of seafood, and since we were near the coast, he requested that we should not miss having some fresh produce. So...Jeff brought us to Nan Fang Ao Fishing Port, which is a major base for coastal fishing. It's also my first time to a fish market... the whole sale kind where you can to pick your produce and have them cooked instantly. 

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6. Lucky Art Crayon Factory 
No. 7, Dexing 6th Rd., Su-ao Town, Yilan County

Apparently one of the few crayon factories left in Taiwan, and has most of their products exported to Europe and America. Their crayons and marker pens are non-toxic and are easy to wash off. They open their factory for visitors to try their hands at making their markers and crayons... and visitors get to bring back what they have made back. 

7. Some popular Fishball BeeHoon stall 

We were brought to this unsuspecting stall for lunch. It looks like any other noodle stall, but when you enter, the walls are filled with shelves of toys... and I suspect many of which are limited editions. The food was wholesome. Very light yet yummy. And, the dish on the bottom left is actually some part of the shark and is meant to be collagen of some sort. 
Ok... don't judge ah! This was ordered by our driver, and I tried it. Well, it was cold and ermm... kinda leaves a "not-so-nice" after taste. 

*****

Ok! There you have it! Yilan really has lots to offer for the whole family, and I am sure our family will be back there soon. Maybe you should also have Yilan on your itinerary if you are going to Taiwan soon?

Other posts on our recent Taiwan trip can be found here and here. 

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