Taichung and Nantou Attractions: Jingming 1st Street (精明一街), Fengjia Night Market (逢甲夜市) and Sun Moon Lake (日月潭)

Although Taichung City has ample department stores, a visit to Jingming 1st Street (精明一街), referred to locally as “tea street,” a European-style shopping district lined with coffee shops and boutiques, makes for a unique experience . This quaint sixty-meter pedestrian street (closed to cars) is between Jingcheng Road (精誠路) and Jingming 2nd Street (精明二街), not far from Taizhonggang Road, Section 2 (台中港路二段). From the old Taichung train station, adjacent to the bus station (Gan Train), the ride takes ten to fifteen minutes and costs around NT $170.

If you prefer to travel by bus you could board at Taichung Bus Station, the ride costs NT $20 and takes about twenty minutes one way. By bus take Taichung Keyun (台中汽車客運公司), bus numbers 27, 70, 88, 103, 106, 146, and 147 all stop near Jingming 1st Street. Fengjia Night Market (逢甲夜市) isn’t near Jingming 1st Street (精明一街), they’re in two different districts. By cab the ride takes about 12 minutes and will set you back around NT $150.

Although in Chinese, here's the official link for Taichung Bus Company: http://www.tcbus.com.tw/

Here's the official link for Jingming 1st Street (精明一街): http://www.jingming1st.com.tw/

If you're traveling by Taiwan High-Speed Rail (THSR), a free shuttle bus runs from Taiwan High-Speed Rail (THSR) Taichung Station to Pacific Sogo Department Store, (Sogo). From Sogo it’s a 15-minute walk to Jingming 1st Street (精明一街). Alternatively, by taxi from THSR Taichung Station the ride takes 30 minutes and costs around NT $350. From Taipei to Taichung a ticket on the high-speed rail costs NT $560 (standard ticket) and the ride takes an hour. Call (02) 4066-5678 for general information or (02) 6626-8000 for phone booking. Here’s the official link in English: http://www.thsrc.com.tw/en/index.htm

Directions from Jingming 1st Street (精明一街) to Sun Moon Lake (日月潭):

It's possible to go from Jingming 1st Street (精明一街) to the popular Nantou County tourist destination of Sun Moon Lake (日月潭), cab it to the old Taichung train station, it's adjacent to the bus station (Gan Train). The ride to the station takes ten to fifteen minutes and costs around NT $170. From the bus station there are several buses that run to Sun Moon Lake, one of which is Nantou Keyuen (南投客運) (049) 298-4031, which runs to Puli, Nantou County, and Sun Moon Lake. Although in Chinese, here is the bus company's website: http://ntbus.com.tw/.

Here's the official link for Sun Moon Lake: http://www.sunmoonlake.gov.tw/

Have fun and enjoy your time on Taiwan, and if you need a personal Taiwan guide, I provide custom "Taipei in a Day" (台北一日遊)" tours based on my best-selling Taiwan tour guide!  Feel free to contact me via www.taipeiinaday.com for details.  --Scott