See the True Taiwan: an insiders guide

A short drive from Luodong is the Yi Nong farm, or 宜農牧場, a family friendly place to let your kids get up close and personal with some very cuddly farm animals. There is also a cafe and a little store on the grounds, as well as tables to enjoy a little rest during your trip through Yilan. If you've never been to a milk farm or fed animals it's a great visit, and it's good people watching with all the kids being cute and crazy around the animals. A taste of cold, hard steel. The farm can get busy on the weekend and holidays, especially the Chinese New Year, so don't be surprised if there is a bit of a crowd. There is free parking on site for cars and scooters, and it's close enough you can use pedal power to arrive too. The animals have been conditioned by all the visitation so they are as safe and tame as nature allows, but they're not shy in asking for food. Cute beggars. Adult visitors should pay 30NT to visit the farm, and payment ...

Nanfangao is only a bus ride away from Taipei city and is a perfect location for a day trip. It's a small fishing town which hosts a port and some naval hardware. Taiwanese folks seem to like to come here because it is only about 2 hours from Taipei but feels like you are much much farther away. The town is full of fresh fish, epic scenery, and a few memorable temples. The most comfortable way to get here from Taipei is to take the KuoKuang bus 1879 which usually features seat back televisions and starts its run at Yuanshan MRT station. It stops a few times along the way in the city, notably at the Nangang railroad station and also at the Nangang exhibition center MRT. The final stop is just outside the Nanfangao visitors center and is a great place to grab maps of the area. Be careful though, because the bus stop before Nanfangao is in Su'Ao which is the closest railroad station to the port, and is also where you'll be able to find scooters, cheap local food,...