Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting There & Around
BICYCLE
The highway usually takes two days by bike from Taipei, with an overnight stop in Bal-
ing or Mingchi. Cycling is popular with many bloggers, so there's lots of information on-
line.
BUS
Cihu Route
To Daxi Old Street, Shimen Reservoir and Cihu. From Zhongli train sta-
tion exit the front, turn left and look for the Taoyuan Bus Company station a short dis-
tance down Zhonghe Rd. Buses run hourly on weekdays and every 30 minutes on week-
ends from 9am to 5pm to Daxi Old Street, Shimen Reservoir and Cihu. All-day passes
cost NT100.
Xiao Wulai Route
To Daxi Old Street, Cihu and Xiao Wulai. From the back of
Taoyuan train station, head up Yanping Rd 2 blocks to the Toayuan bus station on the
right. Bus 502 runs on weekends only. Day passes cost NT$150. See the website for
schedules.
CAR & SCOOTER
You can rent a car in Taipei or at the Taoyuan International Airport, or a scooter in Jiaoxi.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Cihu
Cihu (Cíhú, Lake Kindness) is a quiet, scenic park where the remains of Chiang Kai-
shek's body are entombed, awaiting a (hopeful) eventual return to China. It's also the site
of one of Taiwan's oddest tourism attractions: the
Cihu Memorial Sculpture Park
(Cíhú
Jìniàn Diāoxiàng Gōngyuán; 8am-5pm)
, where 152 unwanted Chiang Kai-shek
statues have been sent over the past decade to escape being melted down or smashed.
This sculpture safehouse is a hoot (surely unintentionally), with promenades of Chiang
busts and clumps of Chiangs standing facing each other as if in conversation. There are
storytime Chiangs reading books to shorter Chiangs, salesmen Chiangs bowed at the
waist and hat removed, avuncular Chiangs always smiling, and martial Chiangs, sword in
hand, ready to defend the nation.
