Seven Days in Bali

Sometime in 2018, the text arrived: "Hey, want to climb a mountain in July 2019?". Of course, the answer is yes and the following vacation is laid out at the beginning of the year. What began as a simple few days on a mountain quickly escalated to include beaches, river tracing, scuba diving, and jungle terraces.

Day 1: Arrival and Seminyak 

We spent one night on Seminyak beach and to be honest, it was enough. This is a classic party beach with drinks starting early and continuing late into the evening. We enjoyed our alcohol with a sunset and then turned-in early to have a cheap massage before an early morning journey to Lombok.

Day 2: Lombok Waterfalls

Always on the move, we woke up around 6 or 7 to catch the ferry over to Lombok Island and meet up with friends. Two complimentary taxis and a "fast boat" later, we stepped into our mountain villa around 3 pm that afternoon. Dropping the bags in the door, we headed back out to squeeze in some late afternoon river tracing under the mountain.

Days 3 & 4: Rinjani

On day three, we began what we came here to do and started up the mountain. This adventure is outlined in its own blog here.

Days 5 & 6: Snorkeling and Scuba Diving

Arriving from the mountain the previous day, we were able to wake up early on Gili Trawangan and get in the water. We started this day by diving with baby sharks and blowing bubbles. Shortly after surfacing, we got back on another boat to enjoy a private snorkeling tour of the local islands.

This was the most touristy thing we'd done since stepping off the plane. Thankfully, the private boat helped us at least pretend to have some of this paradise to ourselves. We visited five different spots to swim with turtles, underwater sculpture gardens, blue coral and barnacle-covered bicycles.

At the fifth location, we stopped for lunch on one of the more resorty islands nearby where a seller convinced us all to buy matching turtle bracelets made from local volcanic rock and tiger's eye. They were custom made for us on the spot and subjected to the fire rest, so they must be real. Right?

We spent the afternoon exploring by bicycle and ended the day with drinks on the beach while watching the sun go down. The next morning, we did it all over again, but instead of snorkeling, we did a wreck dive instead. Everything else was basically the same: baby sharks, bicycles, drinks, and sunsets. It was perfect.

Day 7: Ubud

We had to get back to Bali to catch our flight out, so we decided to spend our last night in Ubud. This tourist-loved destination is all over Instagram because of the famous Bali Swing over the Teggalang Rice Terrace and I wanted to see what that was all about. Unsurprisingly, like most things on the internet, it's cool, but it's not "I just climbed a mountain and swam with sharks" cool.

The terrace is very pretty and there are swings EVERYWHERE for tourists to enjoy... for a price. It was here that a little girl selling postcards for "school" got me. Tracking us all over the field, she got her money and my family got their postcards.

In town, we tried civet coffee (look it up) and did some temple exploring. The jungle town had a very different feel from the other destinations on our trip. To our disappointment, we also learned that souvenirs were much cheaper here.

Conclusion

We made the most of our time. Rinjani is absolutely worth it. With more time and a bigger budget, I think I would have skipped Gili Tragawan and flown over to Komodo Island instead. Ubud and Seminyak were disappointments to me. However, choosing an out-of-town hotel in Ubud with a private jungle pool may have changed that.

Getting Around

Boats, boats and more boats. We took boats everywhere: private boats, fast boats, ferry boats, etc. They were economic, efficient and I think the complimentary hotel transfers in Seminyak and Ubud made them worth it for us. We went with Blue Ferry Express for the long journey from Bali Island to Lombok because they let us prebook online.

Lanyu: Scuba Diving in Taiwan

Climbing into the back of a pickup with oxygen tanks and fins, we make our way back to Chicken Rock for our second dive of the day. Under the water, we swim between coral tunnels to hunt for clams, sea snakes, Nemo, and other life. It's fly fish season, so diving on the other side of the island with the ships is forbidden to protect the precious food source. I get it. We've been eating char grilled fly fish every day since coming ashore and it's delicious. It's our daily routine now: dive, eat fly fish, dive, drink, sleep, repeat. Not bad for a short spring holiday.



This is our first visit to Lanyu and the fresh seafood is amazing. The diving isn't bad either. I wouldn't mind a return trip to go explore the sunken ships nearby. Like Ludao, Lanyu is a coral island with a thriving underwater reef as well as many interesting rock formations, caves and other places to explore both on and off land. Unlike Green Island, it's big. The whole thing takes multiple hours to circle by scooter as compared to Green Island's short, little joyride.



Lanyu, also known as Orchid Island, is located a good three hours from Taiwan and supports a local population of traditional Tao. There are some Taiwanese on the island as well, but they are mostly seasonal workers, such as our scuba guide Xiǎobō. He was on working holiday as an instructor after quitting his job at Asus. We were also diving with a bunch of Google engineers. Apparently, this is where the techies go to unwind.



Between dives, we spent our time scooting around in search of pretty rocks and food. We found all the formations, including a few that aren't on the maps. If you go, ask your host about the secret cave next to the more famous Lover's Cave. Maybe they'll tell you. There's also a secret little swimming hole hiding under the rocks on the East side of the island.



On your way around, keep an eye out for a great little driftwood cafe serving fresh crushed juice to-go in mason jars and little rope bags. We got in the habit of swinging by there to stock up before heading around to find a cave or catch a sunset. Speaking of, the best place to watch the sun go down is Mantou Rock on the west side. You can watch it disappear from view in the company of some local goats looking for their dinner on the rocks.

Where to Stay

We stayed at Blue Ocean Scuba Center. Of course, we were on a scuba trip, so sleeping literally above the dive shop made things super convenient for us. I'd stay there again though. It was clean and cute with fresh breakfast served every morning. Plus, the location was good. Walking distance from the harbor, it made both our arrival and departure easy. Our host was also always nice and knowledgeable with some great tips for making the most of our time.

Getting There

I want to go back. I do, but the sad truth is that in less time it takes to get to this island, I could also fly to Indonesia. This fact really puts things in perspective on how committed you have to be to get out there. First, it's a 3- to 5-hour train ride from Taipei to Taitung. After that, it's a three-hour vomit-inducing ferry out to the island. We did it. We held our stomachs, tilted our heads back and kept it together. I'd probably do it again, but I am starting to question the logic behind this.

Scuba Diving: PADI Open Water in Taiwan

Well, that was terrifying. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t stripping out of my BCD (buoyancy control device aka vest keeping me alive) and putting it back on again while 40 feet under the water. Looking back, it makes perfect sense that this certification is supposed to be stressful since its purpose is to prep divers for worst-case scenarios in the water, such as having a regulator knocked out of your mouth or being blinded by a leaky mask😓 It was basically a massive, self-induced stress test: “Can you do ‘x’ without losing your mind? Good. Now do ‘y.’”

The first day was hell, the second was terrifying, but the third was amazing. Hell consisted of six hours of theory and seven hours of confined water practice. It was too long. After taking my BCD apart and putting it back together for the fifth time, I was a bit done and toward the end, I was even too tired to be afraid. That part of my brain just wasn’t working, so when the instructor said: “Fall backward into the water,” I said: “Bye!” I might have even waved goodbye to him on the way down. Along with testing our endurance, we learned and practiced majority of the material this day, making the rest of the classes easier.



On the second day, we did everything from the first day again, but in the ocean with fish, poor visibility and currents.  Basically, it felt like a completely different ball game and it was. Considering it was our first semi-solo dive, we did WELL. By that, I mean we didn’t panic or lose our heads when asked to do normally suicidal things like remove our air tanks and regulators while under the water. We calmly practiced: clearing face masks, locating lost regulators, removing BCDs, sharing air supplies, signaling and surfacing.

Just before being signaled to remove, hold and replace our BCDs; a current rushed the group, jostling and swinging the divers around. Obviously, these were not ideal conditions and life was a bit stressful. A fellow diver’s hand was hovering over mine and I grabbed it. We communicated our support through punctuated hand squeezes that said: “We can do this. We will do this. IT WILL BE OK.” Upon surfacing, the whole group burst out laughing for no other reason than that we were alive. #teambonding

Getting all the terrifying lessons out of the way, the third day was a breeze that reminded me why I was doing this in the first place. We were allowed to dive freely as long as we stayed close to the group. Curious divers, who strayed to look at cool starfish, would be summoned back to the school by the relentless rattle of our dive leader’s signaling device. (I never made it to the starfish😢)

This day, we mostly focused on buoyancy control and adjusting to varying pressure changes in the water, which Jeffrey, the dive center’s owner, demonstrated with meditative-like efficiency. He was with us this day, hanging around suspended in the water like a floating Buddha. No BCD, he just casually carried his air tank around between crossed legs in the middle of the water… Goals.

On this day, we also learned some flexible diving skills that are good to know, but not necessary for the certification. My boyfriend is responsible for this. He looked up a list of the skills the night before and decided he HAD to learn them. (He’s a bit of an over-achiever.) Therefore, the instructor began drilling us on: different diver tows for carrying an injured diver to safety and weight drops for fast surfacing. He also showed us how to swim 15 meters without a face mask and then replace it underwater. At this point, I sneaked up the ladder and away from danger, leaving my boyfriend to contend with his curiosity.



It was a struggle, but I’m very glad we did this. The certification has opened up a large part of the world to us that majority of people never get to experience. I know I can trust my significant other to take care of himself and not lose his head in the water. (Can you believe he used to be afraid of water?) I also know he can expect the same of me. The class was only three days, but we learned a lot, tested ourselves and are better because of it. Plus, we can swim like dolphins now😏

There are lots of locations in Taiwan to become certified and also lots of dive shops offering the certification. The three most popular places to get it done are Kenting, Green Island and Longdong Bay. Kenting and Green Island are beautiful vacation spots, whereas Longdong Bay is just convenient. It’s not very pretty and water conditions are less than ideal, but it’s only an hour’s van ride away from Taipei. If you’ve been scuba diving before and are just trying to get the certification done, it will do. However, if you’ve never been in the water before, I’d suggest Green Island. It’s Taiwan’s top diving destination and a direct contrast to Longdong Bay.

Join Diving Center

In case you’re curious, I looked at three different dive shops and reached out to two: Join Diving Center and Scuba Shop Taipei. Based on a friend’s recommendation we decided on Join Diving and couldn’t have been happier. Yes… it was torture, but they were thorough, good instructors with excellent communication skills and years of experience. We don’t speak Chinese, so there was a slight communication barrier, but they never lost patience with us, and did their absolute best to answer our many questions and make us feel comfortable. I highly recommend them, and we will use them again for future dives and possibly for getting the advanced diver certification next spring.

Green Island: Snorkeling and Scuba Diving

Our eyes have been opened and there’s no going back. I don’t know how professional divers function, knowing that there’s this beautiful, quiet world waiting for them to jump into. We’ve re-organized our future trips around scuba diving and are looking into getting PADI certified before the year is out. All thanks to an hour spent underwater off the coast of Green Island.

As far as Taiwan us concerned, Green Island and Kenting are the best places in the country for diving and snorkeling. Green Island’s “Big Mushroom” coral formation is the largest and oldest of its kind in the world. Previously, the dive site was listed among South East Asia’s top diving destinations and it’s where we got our introduction to the activity. Unfortunately, the “Big Mushroom” has since been toppled by a typhoon and is currently lying on its side, but there’s still plenty of life around the site.



During the first five minutes underwater, you will check off everything from the opening sequence in Finding Nemo. The hungry fish will nibble on your fingers and some follow the divers around like flocks of birds looking for a handout. We didn’t see any turtles or rays, but there were plenty of clownfish and sea anemones to keep us company.

We went diving through Blue Safari in Gongguan. It’s a reputable place with certified instructors. We paid quite a bit for the experience, but it was worth it and I definitely recommend them. The guides were very helpful and considerate, giving us: underwater cameras, towels, clear instructions and extra layers to wear under our suits. In addition to three daytime excursions, they also do night dives. If only we’d had one more day :(



If snorkeling is more your thing, Green Island offers a plenty of it as well. There are two well-known snorkeling sites on the island: Shilang and Chaikou. Shilang is more popular as it’s the closest area to Nanliao. Of course, that also means that it’s the most crowded and girls might suffer an occasional butt grab. If you pay for a snorkeling tour, this is where it’ll be. It was cheap, fun and I’m glad we did it as it convinced my boyfriend to try diving with me, but I would NOT pay for another tour (butt grabbing d-bags).

Instead, rent your own gear and try going it alone. This way, you’ll get to check out both sites, have significantly more freedom of movement and save some money. Snorkeling tours cost around $400 NTD per person and last about an hour. At $250 per day, gear rental is a much more economic option.

Green Island: Taiwan's Best Adventure

Do it! It’s been difficult getting back to real life after this trip. We just keep daydreaming about star gazing from quiet cliff-side pavilions, racing (carefully) side by side down straight stretches of road and watching clown fish eat bread from our hands. Basically, this tiny, little four day trip on an island, with one 11 kilometer road, blew our minds.

Green Island has become a more popular tourist attraction in recent years, but still remains relatively off the map for most people. It’s far less crowded than Taiwan’s other main attractions, such as Sun Moon Lake, Taroko and Penghu. I seriously doubt it’ll stay this way much longer as more and more people realize how wonderful it is. Social media will be the ruin of many previously hidden places like this one. Then again, the island is also less crowded because traveling there and back from Taipei is a bit tricky. During weekends and holidays, getting on and off the island requires more than a little finesse and patience, but it’s worth it.

Nanliao, Zhongliao and Gongguan 

In its past Green Island (like mainland Taiwan) first belonged to the aboriginal tribes. Then Chinese fishermen found it and established the three main towns that still exist today: Nanliao, Zhongliao and Gongguan. As its home to the island’s harbor, Nanliao is where most of the food and action is. The main road is crowded with seafood restaurants, tourist shops and bars. Definitely eat at Mr. Hot Dog and Green Island Seafood (get the pineapple shrimp, but honestly everything is good). Poke your head in Sea Boy, a cute little dive shop with gear and cheap beach bum clothes. Just outside of Sea Boy, there’s a great grill stand with green pepper, chicken, pork, bacon and other delicious things to eat. Also, Nanliao is home to the island’s only 7-11 and ATM machine, which is located at the post office.

Located just down the road, Zhongliao and Gongguan are much quieter. We didn’t spend much time in Zhongliao, but our bed and breakfast was located in Gongguan. It’s home to an excellent diving outfit, Blue Safari, and a great little café that specializes in waffles. Let me brag about our awesome hostess and her sister: These two women and their dogs are living the island dream. Our hostess of course runs and operates the hotel, but her sister runs the café across the street. They mostly spend their days sitting on a front porch, drinking cold drinks, and occasionally organizing search and rescue for two foreigners with a broken down scooter on the other side of the island.

Green Island Lighthouse

Starting in Zhongliao, the first attraction you’ll come to is the lighthouse. Check it out both during the day and at night. It’s a beautiful spot to just sit and relax with some sticks of grilled green pepper that were picked up on the way. America gifted this lighthouse to Green Island when islanders rescued the crew of an American ship that had wrecked on the rocks nearby. Of course, if the lighthouse had been there to begin with, the wreck wouldn’t have happened in the first place.

Green Island Prison and Oasis Villa

Just down the road, the next attractions you’ll come to are Green Island Prison and Oasis Villa. The Green Island Prison is not to be confused with the Oasis Villa. This first is an actual prison that may or may not still be active with prisoners. All I know for sure is that it still has wardens, security and that no one is allowed inside. In the old days, it housed some of Taiwan’s most notorious criminals. The second is the actual political prison ruin that Green Island has become so famous for. Creepily named Oasis Villa, the prison housed political prisoners who were unfairly arrested while Taiwan was under martial law from 1949 to 1987. Some men were serving 30 year sentences for merely verbally insulting Chiang Kai-shek.

The prisoners have long since been released, but a museum has been constructed in their honor, preserving their memories and artifacts. Much of the old prison is open for visitors to explore, including the solitary confinement and main cell blocks. Take a friend; the buildings are truly deserted and not many visitors venture out of their way to explore them. With disintegrating floors, walls and the possibility of venomous snakes, I can’t say that I blame them too much.

Swallow Grotto

After the prisons, you’ll find yourself at the road leading to the aptly named Swallow Grotto. Go! This creepy not-so-little cave is absolutely beautiful. It’s not on any of the island maps we were given, but a sign is still up for it at least. On the way to the cave, the first thing you’ll see is an old prison cemetery that was used for prisoners who died of illness or injury while on the island. After the cemetery, walk across the beach and you’ll find yourself at the mouth of the grotto.

We went early in the morning and had the area completely to ourselves. Climb around, watch the swallows that nest in the cave and have fun. Inside the cave, keep an eye to the ground. We almost tripped over an old deer carcass and skull. The poor thing must have fallen in and injured itself. In fact, the eerie innards of the cave magnify its dark history. During the Japanese occupation, it was used for executions and in later years, it was used by prisoners as a place of entertainment. The raised platform in the back of the cave was built by them as a stage for performances.

Cow’s Head and Guanyin Cave

From Swallow Cave, continue on down to Cow’s Head and Guanyin Cave. One look at Cow’s Head and you’ll understand why they named it Green Island. The grasslands offer some of the most scenic views on the island and if you’re adventurous, bring a flashlight. The area is crisscrossed with old military tunnels. We did see SNAKES, so maybe bring a pitchfork too. The next stop, Guanyin Cave is much smaller than the neighboring Swallow Grotto, but very scenic with running water, stalagmites and stalactites. Currently, the cave doubles as a shrine to the Goddess of Mercy and it’s best to visit early in the morning to experience the space in solitude. After taking a minute to enjoy the smell of incense mixed with musty cave, it’s time to go waterfall hunting!

Youzihu

With hidden waterfalls, village ruins and natural giant arches, Youzihu is the best place for exploring on the island. To get there, follow the signs, take the side road down the hill and park. From here, make a left to get to Wangong Arch or a right to explore the abandoned fishing village and hunt down the waterfall. Wangong Arch is massive and very likely Taiwan’s largest natural arch formation. With giant, climbable boulders beneath it, the arch is also a great place to hide from the afternoon sun. Leaving the arch behind and heading back toward the village ruins, it starts to feel a bit like Jurassic Park and that something big is about to come out from behind the cliff corners. No such luck, but maybe one day I’ll get the time machine working.

As you exit the fishing village, keep going and head for the gap in the rocks at the end of the cove. Jump through this and you’ll land in a completely different cove. This separate cove is home to Green Island’s only waterfall. It’s very private and you should see a little stream rushing out to meet the ocean. Cross the stream and keep walking just a few feet. You’ll hear the falls before seeing them as they hide up in a grotto. Follow the sound until you’re climbing up a tiny rock scramble. It’s fun and easy. Wear good shoes and maybe bring a bathing suit.

Pekinese Dog, Sleeping Beauty and Confucius Rock

Continuing on from Youzihu, the island road beautifully snakes and winds toward a handful of locally famous rock formations: Sleeping Beauty, Pekingese Dog and Confucius Rock. However, you’ll first come to the Little Great Wall, which serves as the viewing platform for the princess and her loyal protector. From the pavilions, tourists have an unobstructed view of a lady sleeping on her back and the little dog guarding her. Show up early or after dark and you’ll have the pavilions to yourself. As mentioned in the introduction, it’s a great place for tracking down the Big Dipper, which for some reason was upside down. Further down the road, you’ll see a single column of rock standing apart from the cliffs; this is Confucius Rock. However, our personal opinion is that it could also be called “Resting Rhino.”

Across Mountain Trails

Next up, on your way around the island, are the two Across Mountain Trails. Between the two, everyone recommends the “ancient” one, saying that it has more shade and is a nicer walk. What we saw of it was very exposed and made entirely of steps. Not wanting to be sweaty messes for our 10 hour journey home, we made it about halfway up and then turned back, finding that some of the spider webs we had knocked down on the way up had already been replaced. Carry a stick, those jungle spiders don’t mess around. Along with spiders, you’ll hear plenty of lizards, snakes and insects scuttling around in the grass beside the path. At first, the constant sound of fleeing feet and flicker of disappearing tail was unnerving, but we got used to it quickly. Be careful, I promise you won’t see a snake until it moves at which point your only option may be to jump 10 feet off the ground into spider web. Sometimes I think it’s a wonder we’re still alive.

Jhaorih Hot Springs

Keep going down the road and at the tip of the heart shaped island, you’ll find Jhaorih Hot Spring Resort. This is one of only three ocean-fed hot springs in the world and definitely worth a visit. In addition to having a closed-in resort pool complete with water pressured massagers, the resort also has an array of open air pools by the shore. With the resort’s flexible hours, it can be a great place to relax with the stars after a long day of diving in cold water. Just remember to bring towels and shower caps (or you can buy them at the resort). Beside the resort, there’s another raised grassland that’s very similar to Cow’s Head, and best visited during the daytime as it provides great overhead views of the resort below. There are even a few abandoned army capsules up there that are fun to run around in.

Mati Bridge

Last, but not least on your trip around the island is Mati Bridge. You’ll see a pull-off from the road, take it and park. Next to the parking lot, there are two sets of stairs leading down to the area beneath the bridge. It’s the perfect private, quiet place for listening to the water and getting a few moody pictures. You can crawl right up under the bridge and sit on the supports, listening to the waves simultaneously roll in, out and crash against the exposed coral. We could have stayed for hours.

Sika Deer and Fireflies

The island is teeming with deer (and goats). Stay on the lookout as you make your way around and you’re sure to see some. Unlike certain places in Japan, Green Island deer are very shy, hard to find and usually come out around dusk (like normal deer). It’s not uncommon for people to ride through the Sika Deer Ecological Pack, combing the area with flashlights from the backs of their mopeds, in the hopes of seeing the cute animals. Locals, also, say that there’s an abundant firefly population on the island. We didn’t see any and I don’t believe them, but maybe you’ll have better luck.

Green Island Adventures 

As long as you book through Green Island Adventures, there’s minimal planning. The site is run by a retired New Zealander with great communication skills named Eddie. Using him, the only thing you’ll personally have to worry about is getting to Taitung; he’ll take care of everything else for you, including: ferry tickets, transportation to and from the train station, scooter rentals, snorkeling tours and accommodation. I highly recommend booking through him. Our trip wouldn’t have been the same without his help. When our scooter broke down halfway around the island and away from all civilization, he answered his phone of the first ring and contacted our hotel to arrange an impromptu rescue. Ultimately, thanks to Eddie and our great hostess, we were stranded for all of half an hour.

Final Thoughts 

Green Island is quite possibly the most beautiful place I’ve seen to date. With its green grassy slopes, coral beaches, caves, ruins and hidden waterfalls, it was just the quiet escape we needed from urban living. Be warned: there’s absolutely no protection from the sun on the island, and its effects are much stronger than in Taipei as there’s no pollution in the air to dilute them. Consequently, sunscreen and hats are absolute must haves for this trip. It’s, also, a good idea to pack wind breakers, good shoes and a go-pro if you have it. If this is the sort of thing you love, consider extending your trip to Lanyu (Orchid Island). You’ll need about a week to see both places. If we had had the time and the foresight, we definitely would have tried it.

Getting There

I’m not going to lie to you; travel for this trip was hell. From the time we stepped out of our apartment in Taipei till the time we walked into our hotel on the island took seven hours. There are several ways on and off the island. The best option is to take one of the express trains from Taipei to Taitung and then ferry across on a boat. Unfortunately, on weekends and holidays, getting a seat on the train is next to impossible because of all the urbanites trying to escape to Hualien, which is on the same route. If you can’t score yourself a ticket, don’t fear. As we learned, there are ways to get it done.

The next option is to take the high-speed rail from Taipei to Kaohsiung and from there, catch a local train to Taitung. It’s more expensive, but this way is less crowded and could even save you time. Of course, you could just FLY. Actually, this is the second best option as the flights are cheaper than the high-speed rail tickets, and the journey from Taipei to Taitung only takes half an hour. Also, you can purchase airline tickets well in advance, which saves you from having to make the mad-online-dash for train tickets when they go on sale two weeks before your desired departure date.

To get from Taitung to Green Island, you have two choices: a harrowing boat ride or harrowing flight. The ferry is the most popular choice of punishment as it’s the cheapest. Make no mistake, Green Island is not inside a nice protected bay, it’s in the rough terrain of the Pacific Ocean. Consequently, the first five minutes of your journey will feel like a really fun rollercoaster as the “too-small-for-this-crap” ship rocks violently back and forth. However, ultimately the journey resembles the fate of Trump supporters: an exciting first five minutes followed up by what seems like an eternity of uncomfortable retching. Take the plane; at least you’ll die on the ridiculously short runway in relative comfort.

You don’t even want to know how we got home. It was this weird mix of boat, express train, local train, bus and taxi that took a total of 10 hours to complete. However, the whole journey only cost us around $700 NTD per person. Basically, the trains were full from Hualien to Taipei, but we were at least able to book tickets from Taitung to Hualien. We disembarked at Hualien station and bought combo local train/bus tickets that would get us the rest of the way to Taipei. Our crazy plan worked and if needed, we’d happily do it again. Apparently, the combo tickets are a popular option on crowded weekends.