[YST] Taipei South 9hr Tour

[Transportation]
Metro:
Start: Brown Line-Taipei Zoo Station;
Among Attractions: Walking & Gondola
End: Brown Line-Taipei Zoo Station

[Tour Style]
You will walk in these attractions and take gondola among them.

[Tour Time]9~10hr

[Suggestion Schedule]
09:00 Start-Metro Brown Line-Taipei Zoo Station
09:10 Taipei Zoo
12:30 Maokong Gondola (to Maokong)
13:00 Lunch in Maokong
14:00 Maokong
16:30 Chih Nan Temple
18:00 End- Metro Brown Line-Taipei Zoo Station

[How to go]
Metro
1.Take the Metro and transfer to Brown Line
2.Take Brown line to the last station, Taipei Zoo Station.

[How to go]
After leaving Taipei Zoo Metro Station, turn right and walk about 3mins, you could watch the Taipei Zoo.

[Introduction]
With the increase of social awareness concerning natural conservation and environmental education. Taipei City Government plan to build a modern zoo for Taipei and undertaken in 1973. The new zoo, located in the Muzha district in the southern part of Taipei, held its grand opening on 1987.1.1.
The Zoo’s combined area is 165 hectares, with 90 hectares being open to the public. The facilities comprise exhibition buildings (the Education Center, the Penguin House, the Koala House, the Amphibian and Reptile House and the Insectarium), as well as exhibition areas (the Formosan Animal Area, the Children's Zoo, the Asian Tropical Rainforest Animal Area, the Desert Animal Area, the Australian Animal Area, the African Animal Area, Bird World and the Temperate Zone Animal Area). There is also an outdoor nature observation area, a wetland park, and a special exhibit house.
Taipei Zoo has planned and executed several city-wide educational activities pertaining to wildlife conservation themes over the years. It has also hosted several international conferences on conservation-related topics. Taipei Zoo will continue contribute to conservation, education, research and recreation for all visitors in the future.

[Duration]
Suggest 3~4hr, you could take tourism bus to review whole zoo quickly. Or following 3 suggested tour.
 Encountering Formosan Animals Tour: Enter the Zoo and turn right → Formosan Animal Area → Insectarium → Education Center → Panda House → Asian Tropical Rainforest Animal Area → Children's Zoo → Goodbye!
 Discovering Tropical Rainforest Tour: Enter and turn left → Panda House → Asian Tropical Rainforest Animal Area → Desert/Australian Animal Area → African Animal Area → Bird World → Goodbye!
 Uncovering Antarctic Penguins: Enter and take the shuttle train → Bird World Station → Amphibian and Reptile House → Penguin House → Temperate Zone Animal Area → African Animal Area → Bird World → Water Garden → Panda House → Goodbye!

[Note]
 Panda Visiting
 Weekdays: Visitors may visit the Giant Panda House without drawing panda-visiting tickets on weekdays.
 Weekends and Holidays: Visitors who plan to meet giant panda Yuan Zai, Yuan Yuan and Tuan Tuan should draw a panda-visiting ticket at Taipei Zoo entrance, and then visit Panda House at the time shown on the drawn ticket.

[How to go]
1. After leave the Taipei Zoo, back to the Taipei Zoo Metro Station.
2. Take gondola in the station to maokong station.

[Introduction]
The Maokong Gondola is a gondola lift transportation system in Taipei, Taiwan. The facilities of the gondola were contracted to the French company Poma. Opened on 4 July 2007, the Maokong Gondola operates between Taipei Zoo and Maokong. The 4.3 km (2.7 mi) line has four stations including Taipei Zoo station, Taipei Zoo South Station, Zhinan Temple Station & Maokong Station.
On 2008.9.28, The heavy rains brought by Typhoon Jangmi.The Maokong Gondola would suspend service and carry out further assessment on 2008.10.1; and resumed on 2010.03.30.
On 2010.11.02, The new version of the Crystal Cabin - "Eyes of Maokong Gondola" was launched. The floor is made by glass, so you could see through the floor and watch the forest below the gondola. Passengers not only can enjoy the unbelievable panorama view of Maokong but also experience the sensation of soaring through the sky. Currently, there are 31 “Eyes of Maokong Gondola” Crystal Cabins.
The Maokong Gondola had already take over 10 million people on 2011. It will continue to serve all visitor in the future.

[Duration]
20min from Taipei Zoo Station to Maokong Station.

[Note]
If you don’t buy ticket before taking it, you could pay by easy-card to save time.

[How to go]
Take the maokong gondola to last station, maokong station.

[Introduction]
Maokong is in Wenshan District of Taipei, Taiwan. The area used to be the biggest tea growing area of Taipei. There are many intertwining footpaths which have been used to transport tea. Now, it is a popular place for tea culture and viewing the night scenery of Taipei City.

Because it sits on the edge of Taipei Basin, the entire city of Taipei can be seen from the mountain, especially on a cloudless day. There are many pathways for hiking such as from the National Chengchi University at the foot of the hill to the top of the mountain. On weekend, many people come to Maokong to go hiking and climbing.

Maokong still produces some tea, most notably tieguanyin tea. Many restaurants in the area offer both good tea and food. A combination of traditional tea culture, food, and scenery are the main reasons the area has become a popular tourist destination.

[Recommendation]
You could have lunch in Mao Kong a Yi Shi de Da Cha Hu Tea Restaurant. After lunch, you could walk a while in Maokong Jhangshu Trail or go to visit Taipei Tea Promotion Center for Tieguanyin and Baozhong.

[How to go]
１. After left Maokong and take gondola, stay in Chih Nan Station.
２. After Chih Nan gondola station, just follow the sign to the Chih Nan Temple.

[Introduction]
The Chin-Nan Temple, also known as Xiangong (Immortal Grandfather) Temple, is situated in a center of culture located in the Zhinan mountain just east of Muzha in Wenshan District. Chin-Nan Temple compound covers about 80 hectares in total, spreading out over the vast mountainside.

In the 8th year of Emperor Guangxu, Qing Dynasty, when the County Magistrate of Danshui Wang Bin-lin was coming to Taiwan to take up his appointment, he invited the establishment of Patriarch Lu’s holy spirit to be worshipped in Taiwan. Initially, He was worshipped at Yu Qing Shrine in Wanhua District (formerly known as Bangka). When many people living in Jingmei Street died of infectious diseases, local noblemen relocated the statue of Patriarch Lu to this community and the infections were eliminated.

As a form of thanksgiving to the blessings of Patriarch Lu, the local noblemen, therefore, successfully convinced a landlord Liu, who miraculously recovered from the infectious disease, to donate his private land for the building of a temple to worship Patriarch Lu. It was renamed the “Chin-Nan Temple”, referring to Patriarch Lu who resides at the Southern Palace in Heaven where a compass is needed to guide the people and save the world. In 16th year of Emperor Guangxu, Qing Dynasty, a thatched temple was initially constructed on a small piece of land. As the miracles of Patriarch Lu touched more people, as well as the conscientious effort of successive temple managers, the temple compound expanded with donations from the devotees.
During the period of 1963 to 1966, the construction of Lingxiao Hall was completed with a floor area of over 2,360 pings and is the tallest hall structure of Chin-Nan Temple. From 1973 to 1984, a 7-floor high temple – the Main Hall (Daxiong Baodian) was built with a floor space of more than 2,570 pings. From 1991 to 2000, the renovation work for the principal hall - Chungyang Baodian, was completed keeping the original appearance and foundation preserved, but used reinforced concrete instead to replace the original wooden beams and columns.

[How to back]
1.After left Chih Nan Temple, go back to Chih Nan Gondola station
2.Take gondola back to Taipei Zoo Station.
3.Transfer to Metro Brown Line and back to Taipei.

[Note]
The Gondola is not available until 21:00. Suggested go back before 20:30