Taichung - Tainan - Kaoshiung - Taipei.

*edited on 27/9/2015

I went for a summer exchange programme for 25 days at Asia University, Taichung. In this 25 days, I manage to travel the main attractions of the whole of Taiwan from Taichung - Tainan - Kaoshiung - Taipei. Below are the list of places I've been and I will update them from time to time. If you are really eager to travel the local-like experience I had, do drop me an email and I shall send you my personal itinerary or comments / opinions! :)

Places I visited so far:

*Places I visited more than once
#Places I did not visit but recommended since it is just nearby

Taichung

General:

Buses in Taichung are relatively cheap if not free. Basically, within 10km rides are free with an Easy Card. Basically, it's like our local Touch n Go, only used more commonly even in 7-11 and Family Mart. Hence, it's a card you must own if you are visiting Taiwan.

1. Whole day trip: Toroko National Park (Hehuanshan) - Qing Jing (Green Green Grassland) Basically, Hehuanshan is located at the peak of the mountains which is really cold but it has a great view. Mind you, if you are light-rider like me, it's gonna be a dizzy ride up there. As you head your way downhill, Qing Jing will be your stop and you will be pleased by fresh air and nature where sheeps will be freed by noon after the sheep show (There is 2 time slot for the show: 9am / 2.30pm local time) Overall, I visited these places by booking a driver with a car that able to fit 6 person (7 if tiny for 4000TWD
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Whole day trip: Grandpa Rainbow Village It's a small village painted by a retired uncle in rainbow colours. You will be able to spot the rainbow mask ranger very often whom is well-know for his selfie skills with tourists. - Dong Hai University Well know for its chapel architecture and it's very own dairy production. Must try: Yogurt, milk and ice cream especially if you are visiting during summer. - Shenxing Old Railway Station (Hakka Village) This place is pretty much like Shifen and Ping Xi , only without the lanterns but an addition of local hakka village. This place is pretty lively and you should head on to try their handmade muachi. - Gao Mei Shi Di A must visit place during the evening to witness a beautiful sunset by the beach accompanied by windmills. Overall, these places I manage to visit in a day by booking a driver with a car that able to fit 6 person (7 if tiny) for 3500TWD. The driver I had on this day was superbly kind. When we were at Dong Hai, he went over to the Art Street and bought us some local icy-cool desserts for free knowing that we are students. Unfortunately, I lost his contact :(
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Whole day trip: Sun Moon Lake - *Feng Chia Night Market This trip was sponsored by my university hence, I am unaware of the transportation cost. But as we were in a large group, we were unable to really enjoy Sun Moon Lake thoroughly. I will recommend you to go in small groups or probably, spend a night there to fully enjoy this place. It's recently rated number 1 place to visit in Taiwan. We visited Feng Chia after that on our way back to our university. Feng Chia is a paradise of food and shopping combined. If you walk around and spot the right shops, you will be able to buy clothes  for a very good quality and design at 100 yuan.Your routine shall adjust accordingly to where you stay.
   
   
   
   
4. Whole day trip: Lin's Family Garden Museum in Wufeng (I really enjoyed the Taiwanese version of red tea here! Cooling and refreshing, especially after the tour!) - National Science Museum - *Taichung Main Station (nearby attractions: Miyahara(sellings traditional biscuits and please be prepared to queue for their ice-cream, various shops selling Sun Biscuits) Yet another trip sponsored by my university hence, transportation cost remains unknown. Lin's Family Garden is quite well-known in Taiwan including the one in Taipei. Basically, you will have a tour guide guiding you around and you will have a tea session in between which I really enjoyed. National Science Museum entrance fees varies from what you want to enter.
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Whole day trip(Local-route): Xin Guang Shan Yue (Mall) - Lunch: Chun Yung Tsun (If you are there during the summer, MUST TRY: Dried Longan Congee which is cold and dessert-like to cool down your summer!) - Carrefour (just around the corner) - Walk over to *Feng Chia Night Market You will need to look for buses that will head out of central Taichung to go to Xin Guang Shan Yue (I took bus 51). For lunch, you need to look for this restaurant reachable by walking for about 15 minutues to Chun Yung Tsun to try their special delicacies during summer.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Half day trip: Chung You Bai Huo (A traditional looking yet luxury mall - Their themed toilets, I tell you..) - Chun Shui Tang - *Yi Zhong Night Market At Chung You Bai Huo, you can find the famous Chen Ping bookstores which really has a very book-ish environment, Shida Night Market famous polo bun (you will find it on the left of the main entrance) and do try the very worthy Sushi Express at the food court(basement) for 30 yuan per plate. It's really worth the money. Chun Shui Tang is the first bubble milk tea invented. While I find their pearls relatively chewy and soft, I don't find the drink fascinating. Finally, Yi Zhong Night Market is just nearby and the later it is, the livelier it will be. So if you are not rushing on buses, you can stay there till midnight. It is the 2nd largest night market at Taichung after Feng Chia and most of my friends really enjoyed the varieties at Yi Zhong.
   
   
   
7. Night: Dong Hai Night Market (Try to fit this into your day schedule if you are not going there as long as I am but there isn't much compared to Feng Chia and Yi Zhong. The specialty here is the cold chicken feet and the red bean ice cream!!)
   
   
   
   
   
   

Tainan - Kaoshiung - Beimen

1. Whole day trip: Anping District - Dadong Night Market Anping District is well known for its Anping Gu Bao(Anping Historical Site-Paid Admission) and Anping Old Street. Near Anping Gu Bao, you will be able to find many tourist attractions namely the Anping Treehouse(paid admission) and further down the road, it is the multi-colour Japanese salt house(free admission). Basically, all these admissions aren't superbly expensive and if you have a student card, you will be entitled to a discount. Dadong Night Market has a huge variety of food, way more than Yizhong and Feng Chia but it is not even the largest night market yet in Tainan. Thus, be patient, spot the ones that has long queue and looks different from others to satisfy your taste buds. One of them being the Pai Ku Su (Fried Slice Pork Chop) For a whole day, the transportation costs is less than 100TWD but mind you, buses are hard to get at Tainan. But don't worry, taxis are relatively cheaper.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Whole day trip: Alishan - Fenqihu - Chiayi Personally, I really enjoyed Alishan because I really love the weather and nature. As aforementioned, I am a light-rider which means the ride up hill makes me puke. However, once up there, the fresh breath just makes it worth it. The mini train at Alishan is 50 yuan per ride but I'd suggest you to take a stroll rather than cramping into the small train where there really isn't much to see. Also, if the entrance fees is about 100 yuan per person if you are a student and if I'm not mistaken, 200 yuan for adults. On your way down, Fenqihu is another famous old street in Tainan where its Railway Bento(Tie Lu Bian Tang) is the highlight. However, something contrary to Malaysian culture, if you dine in, you will have to pay an extra 20 yuan which makes the whole set of bento 120TWD (one of the most expensive I ate so far) But it was worth it. It has a whole chicken leg and a pork chop which was a huge portion. However, do make sure you got the original shop which is near the 7-11. Before heading off to Chiayi train station, you can head on to Chiayi shopping district as well as the famous waterfall chicken rice (Pen Shui Chi Qi Fan) We booked a car for half day for 3000TWD.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Whole day trip: Beimen Crystal Church - #Jingzaijiao Salt Field - Fo Guang Shan(Buddhist Monastery) - Dream Mall - #85 Sky Tower  This is another trip sponsored by my university hence, transportation costs is unknown. Basically, the church is close on any other days except for Sunday so you can only stand about 300m away to grab a pic. I didn't manage to visit the salt field but if you have the time, why not. It's really nearby but you probably need to ask around for the bus. The Buddhist Monastery is really huge and if you are a lover of culture, you probably need to spend lots of time here. Dream Mall is just another mall like those in KL, only with Taiwan fusion. If you want to, Sushi Express is available here too. As for the sky tower, it is another one that I missed.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Taipei

Transportation at Taipei is basically much costly but if you have a local student card, you are entitled to 20% discount on rides. Otherwise, if you are a tourist that travels to many places in one day, I will recommend you to buy a whole day unlimited pass.

1. Day 1: *Tamsui - *Wufenpu - Shi Da Night Market - *Ximending Tamsui is well-known for its old street facing the ocean. From Tamsui MRT, you can take a bus to the Fisherman's Wharf where the famous lovers' bridge is located. At Tamsui, it is highly recommended you try the Algae (Taufu stuffed with glass noodles), Hong Dou Bing (Dorayaki - The one at the entrance of Tamsui Old Street, beside the ice cream stall is the best!) and if you are a fan of cheap branded shoes, there is shoes shop that easily located at the corner where you will notice their Keds is always on sales. Other brand of running shoes there are relatively cheaper too. Wufenpu is a place to visit in the evening which you can choose to proceed to Raohe Night Market which is nearby. Mind you, this is a shopping paradise for girls but you will need patience to find the right fit for you. Shi Da Night Market is a place where the Ping Huo Polo (Ice Fire Polo Bun - Basically, a whole slice of cold butter insert into a freshly baked polo bun). Ximending is a paradise for anime lovers. While things here a pricier, you should definitely visit this place at night to experience its youthful vibes. Not forgetting, Taipei beauty stores such as Watsons sell a greater variety of brands of masks compared to the ones in Taichung and Tainan.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Day 2: Songshan Cultural Park - Gongguang Commercial Area - *Taipei 101 - *Shilin Night Market This park basically is like an outdoor exhibition centre which caters to various events such as new music industry up to Hello Kitty and Melody World Tour. Gongguang Commercial Area is basically a shopping district but the highlight is the brown sugar bubble milk tea. The long queue despite the heavy rain when I was there, you will not miss this shop. It has an old uncle face on the white signboard which is at the end/beginning of the long stretch F&B road. Being a lover for bubble milk tea, you gotta trust me when I said this is the best one I drank throughout my stay in Taiwan and it only costs 35yuan. Taipei 101 is the famous skyscraper in Taiwan which in my opinion, highly overrated. While the queue to the upper deck is long and expensive (around 550twd for adults and 450 for students), the view is just normal if you ever visited skyscrappers in KL or Bangkok. This is because Taiwan is well-known to being environmental friendly and night view there isn't exactly spectacular. But for experience sake, I went. Alternatively, I will recommend you to visit the Starbucks which near Taipei 101. It is situated at the office buildings where at entrance, you will see a few smokers and security guards. Head on the ATM machine look-alike and key in Starbucks, it will give you a token to head up to one of the highest Starbucks in the world. From there, you will be able to enjoy the view of Taipei 101 instead. Lastly, the very well-known Shilin Night Market which I highly DO NOT RECOMMEND on eating fruits from the first stall at the entrance. It charges an unreasonable price. As you walk on in, you will see several fruit stalls with price boards on them and you will regret. One of the famous chicken requires me to wait for about an hour but it's okay, you can walk around and come back for it later. The shop has chairs outsides for waiting and it is in black signboard. Don't worry about the name, you will notice it. The shaved ice is along a tiny road but you will find it by asking around just by saying 'zhi ping' (eat ice) and they will lead the way. Be prepare to queue!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Day 3: Jiufen - Shi Fen - #Ping Xi Jiufen in my opinion is overrated. It's just another old street although they do sell some good and famous nougat and hakka delicacies. Other than that, it's just an old street slightly up the hill which has a moderate view of sea and hill. Moving on to Shi Fen, the train is crazily crowded. The lanterns are crazily expensive. I will recommend you to head on to Ping Xi instead. They are less crowded there according to my friends and equally beautiful. We were forced to take a taxi back to Ruifang Train Station because the train to Shi Fen and Ping Xi only operates on hourly basis.

Just like ferris wheel, life keeps making rounds. 

Bali, Indonesia.

Bali is well-known for its beautiful beaches especially for surfers. Well, me, I am no where near a surfer but I still fell in love with the small island. On contrary to the popular belief that Bali is a honeymoon spot, I actually felt that you can simply enjoy it with family and friends too. It has more to serve than just romance. Besides, depending on how you travel, the travel can be reasonably cheap too. My expenses for 4 days 4 nights there was approximately RM 900.

*This is an itinerary especially catered for those who will be staying at Kuta

Accomodation:

JOCS Boutique Hotel, Kuta- 3 stars

I will recommend it especially for those who are on budget-comfort. I manage to grab the plane + room with breakfast promotion from Air Asia Go with just RM500+/- per pax for 4 days 4 nights trip (my plane arrives at night on the first day).

Their breakfast is repeating from 3 choices: American Big Breakfast, Continental and Asian. The portion is huge and it comes with various beverages so all you need to worry is to choose your favourite options the next few days if you book with their breakfast.

It comes with rooftop jacuzzi which operates from 8am - 8pm and bar.

Website: http://www.jocshotel.com/

Few general points:

• BARGAIN when shopping / ANYTHING ELSE. If they start their price as high as 100K, you can actually minimize it to 30K by saying you buy a few more pieces. Trust me, I did it.
• If you are going in a group of youths and seeking for an adventure/on budget, I recommend renting the BIKE/SCOOTER/MOTORCYCLE. The cost is greatly reduced as the driver + car costs about 500-800K / 10-15 hours and they will bring you to popular tourist place for dinner such as Jimbaran Beach with hidden costs. I compared it to the ones that went there by local tours and the one that I went by myself, it is huge difference. A day of full rental of a bike is 60K. Petrol(bensin) is around 15K for a full tank. You can get a local sim card with 2GB data for GPS purpose for 67K (BARGAIN). Basically, bike is really common in Bali so you don't really have to worry about safety but honks are common too. 

• I'm very cautious about water especially during travelling as I do not want to fall sick so I usually only drink mineral water. Of all the marts around such as Indomart, K Mart, Mini Mart etc, Indomart has the cheapest mineral water and Mini Mart sells it almost by double the price.
• SUNBLOCK & ALOE VERA GEL. If you are riding on a bike and following my itinerary, you'll be happy to have a jacket/cardigan.
• Try out their Magnum ice-cream. They have really good flavours compared to Malaysia. I personally love their Black Espresso.

*All NER is as of July 2015 10000 rupiah ~ RM 2.80

Day 1: Tanah Lot - Lunch: MG Bakmie - Nusa Dua Beach - Tirtha Chapel - Uluwatu Temple - Dinner: Jimbaran Beach (Lia's)

Tanah Lot - Beautiful pura (temple) by the beach. It is very well known which is slightly north from Kuta. Being a tourist, this is a why-not place!

Entrance fees: 15K / pax ~ RM 4.20

Bike's parking: 2K ~ RM 0.56

On the way back to Kuta, you will passed by Denpasar. If you are a noodles person, MG Bakmie is famous for the Indonesian noodles. It is most well-known for chicken mushroom bakmie (50K ~ RM14) and ginger tea (10K ~ RM 2.80)

MG Bakmie

Address: 108A, Jalan Raya Puputan (Google Map - MG Bakmie)

Nusa Dua Beach - I wouldn't recommend you to go here unless you are a surfer or you would love to enjoy a drink by the sunny beach(you can do it by Kuta Beach too so really, no need to travel so far). There is no water sports activities here. In Bali, you can only find water sports activities at Tanjung Benoa beach where you can get the packages from tours along the road. You will have more information on Day 3 for water sports activities.

Tirtha Bali Chapel - It is a famous place for weddings. No pictures are allowed here but if you have spare time, why not? It is indeed beautiful. Upon arrival, you will be asked to fill in a form where you can say maybe your relatives or even yourself is interested to held a wedding there. Then, you'll have a guide bringing you around. Mind you, it's beautiful.

Website: http://www.tirthabridal.com/

Uluwatu - Yet another beautiful pura by the cliff.

Entrace fees: 20K / pax ~ RM 5.60
Parking: 1K / bike ~ RM 0.28

Kecak Dance is at 6pm daily. Entrance fees is 100K ~ RM 28 / pax.

Here is a video that will give you an idea on how to explore the secret place in Uluwatu which I discovered.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzFoW2kQsQs

Dinner: Jimbaran Beach. This is a must try. Having a candle light dinner with stars to gaze over by the beach. I'd recommend you to come over here about 5.30pm - 6pm where you get to witness the sunset. If you would like to sit closer to the beach, for Lia's Cafe, you'd have to reserve in advance. They are one of the most famous cafe along the beach. Seafood package was reasonable at Lia's Cafe. For 10 big prawns, white squid, tuna fish, clams, rice, vegetables and 2 local coconuts, it only cost us about 275K ~ RM 77. Mind you, it costs way more if your driver or tour brings you here.

Total spent for Day 1: 644K ~ RM 180.32 for 2 person.

Day 2 - Pura Taman Ayun - Lunch: Kintamani - Krishna (Denpasar) - Dinner: Puri Bali Indah

Pura Taman Ayun - 50 mins ride from Kuta. It is average but has historic feeling if you are that type of person.

Time: 8am - 6pm
Entrace fees: 15K / pax ~ RM 4.20

Alternatively, you can opt to go to Pura Ulun Danau @ Bratan Lake which I did not go as it was the opposite direction of where I will be heading next.

Kintamani - Highly recommended but you will definitely need a sweater for this place especially if you are riding a bike. It's cooling like Malaysia's very own Cameron Highlands, only cooler with strong wind. I went there for a lunch buffet by Lakeview Restaurant with its magnificent view. 1.5 hours from Pura Taman Ayun.

Entrance fees: 30 K / pax ~ RM 8.40
Buffet lunch at Lakeview Restaurant: 100 K / pax ~RM 28

We were lucky to passby a local ceremony on our way back to Kuta. From the ceremony, you can see how united these people were.

On the way back to Kuta, you will pass by Pantai Lebih, If you are riding a bike, you'll probably need a break because it's another 1.5 hours back to Kuta from Kintamani.

Pantai Lebih
Parking: 2K ~ RM 0.56

Krishna - On the way back, you can drop by at Denpasar to visit Krishna which is a local store that you must visit. They sell all kinds of souvenirs, batik, clothes, food and basically everything else with a much cheaper price and you can save your time on bargaining. There are a few branches, the one that I went to is Denpasar and I passed by one on the way back to airport. You can google for the branches nearest to you. Be sure it's the Krishna you are looking for and not some mini marts as they have many shops named under Krishna. This is their website: http://krisnabali.co.id/

Dinner - Puri Bali Indah Restaurant, Kuta. They serve pretty good Chinese cuisines with reasonable price.

Address: Jalan Melasti, Kuta

Phone: + 62 361 751644

Operation hours: 11.30am - 10.30pm

Total spent for Day 2: 1.5mil~ RM 430 for 2 person. (inclusive of water sport activities reservation for Day 3)

Day 3: Water sports activities - Lunch: Lemongrass, Kuta - Ubud - Dinner: Naughty Nuri's Warung

Tanjung Benoa Beach - The only place for water sports activities at Bali to prevent their beaches from being contaminated. How smart of the authorities! I will recommend you have to visit this website: http://www.bali-water-sport.com/ to have a rough idea on the price list of various water sports activities you want before you head to bargaining with those tour people.

Tour package includes parasailing, donut, fly fish and transportation to-fro from hotel: 350K / pax ~ RM 98. It is much cheaper if you compared it to Malaysia's price. You can rent Go Pro camera at there or you can simply bring your phone with waterproof casing just like what I did. You wouldn't want to miss the camera moments!

Here is a video of my paragliding experience (Totally worth it!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C9_4WHhC3o

 Donut

Fly fish

Lunch - Lemongrass Restaurant, Kuta. This is a restaurant near my hotel which sells Thailand cuisines. Although the Tom Yam soup is just ordinary as I prefer the creamier ones, the food is actually recommendable. It is usually packed between 1pm-3pm and they are expanding so I guess it's worth a try.

Price: 200 K for one tom yam soup, one green curry pork, one banana juice, one pot of ginger tea and 2 pots of rice. ~ RM 56

Website: http://www.lemongrassbali.com/

Ubud- We then head on to Ubud which is well-known for the royal palace and SPA HEAVEN. There are 2 spas recommended namely Botanical Garden Spa and Zen Spa. As I went there during the summer break, both spa bookings were full for their famous massage + mandi lulur package. Fortunately for me, one of the customers bailed from Zen Spa and I manage to get in. Hence, you might want to consider reserving if you are going during the peak season. It is actually very happening here so you might consider coming here during the noon as I missed out a lot here especially the evening Ubud Market.

Zen Spa

Price: 200 K / pax ~ Rm 58 for 2 hours inclusive mandi lulur, Balinese massage, body scrub, yogurt moisturizer and fruits + ginger tea.

Website: http://www.zenbalispa.com/

Dinner - Naughty Nuri's, Ubud. Famous for it's ribs, THIS IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Price: 300 K for ribs, pork chop, banana juice and orange juice. (Their ribs and pork chop are of large portion so it is actually really worth it) ~ RM 84

Naughty Nuri’s Warung

Jl. Raya Sanggingan (Across the road from Neka Museum)

Ubud, Bali

Phone: (361)977547

8am-10pm daily

As I went back to Kuta, I was approach for a pedi-mani session by one of the therapist of many spa shops along the road. As I did not have chance for pedi-mani session that I wanted to do in Zen Spa, I thought why not and their price is really cheaper.

Price: OPI Pedicure and Manicure inclusive of 2 nail arts, polish, cleansing and hand/feet lotion is 150 K ~ RM 65.

This kind of spa shops can be easily located throughout Kuta. I will not really recommend this service. If you want to do it, book it from Zen or Botanical as they have trained therapists for these services. They are not really trained to do pedicure and manicure but rather massages. This is just another service for them to earn more. Their nail art is really bad too. They do not have a dryer and every time they accidentally scratch my fingers while doing the others, they had to reapply everything. Eventually they lose patience and the product ended real bad close up. 

Total spent for Day 3: 1.2mil~ RM 344 for 2 person.

Day 4: Kuta Town and Beach - Bali Cake, Denpasar - Airport

The final day was just walking around Kuta town and beach. I also finally had the chance to visit the jacuzzi of my hotel. 

Lunch- Bloody Sweet, Restaurant and Bar, Kuta

We just walked around and feeling hungry. The name of this restaurant attracted us and so, we walked in. It's basically a Indo-Chinese Restaurant with variety to choose from. If you are from PJ area and aware of a restaurant known as Piccadily, this is the Indonesian version of it.

Price: Approximately 200K includes a set of burger with chocolate milk shake and Indonesian soy sauce chicken rice with banana smoothies.~ RM 56

We then took a taxi to Bali Cake, Denpasar to buy the famous layer cake. The one that I bought is nothing fancy and it costs like 135K ~RM 40 per cake. Although the peanuts that they sell is quite amazing, I'd recommend you to explore others and let me know if you found the good ones! Apparently, Ixora is more famous over there so you might want to try that one.

Total spent for whole trip inclusive miscellaneous such as taxi to-fro airport, sim card & groceries: 5.5mil ~ RM 1600 for 2 person.

Alternative activities & to-be-back reason:

1. White water rafting

2. Sukawati Market

3. Sky Garden

4. Cliff Bar - Ayana Resort

5. Ubud Market & Town

6. Pura Ulun Danau @ Bratan Lake

7. Mt. Agung

8. Dolphin Tour

9. Restaurant Ibu Oka, Ubud - Opposite the Royal Palace (Selling the famous Babi Gulung)

10. Kopi Luwak

You just got to look around for a place where the sun shines so bright that it dims your worries.

Kg. Koh / Pangkor Island / Setiawan / Damai Laut (Perak)

Another travel to Perak but this time it's not Ipoh but rather the places less traveled by many even for locals. This is definitely a place for cheap seafood and those who just like to escape the urban life.

Kg. Koh - A Chinese village famous for its local made chili with garlic. Basically, you'll see every shops near Kg. Koh will be using their very own bottled chili.

Restaurant Liu Xiao Fu- A non-halal Chinese Dim Sum Restaurant at Kg Koh before I head to Pangkor Island which was famous for its dim sum and curry puffs. Although both of that tasted really nice, their 'Kai Woh Pau' (Loh Mai Kai wrapped in a pau) was really disappointing. No sweet sauce for children, only their proud Kg Koh Chilli Sauce.

Address: 14, Lorong Jati 1, Taman Jati (On google map, the location was slightly inaccurate. It should be further straight up from this road and the shop will be easily spotted on your left)

Pangkor Island - A small island surrounded by beach. You can pay for water sports activites by the beach and some really cheap seafood. Very little place to visit, basically it's just the fish satay factory and the famous lovers tree on stones (which requires some hiking or stones-hopping) near the temple. I've been here 2 years back so I only went in for a few hours. Souvenirs are cheaper near the town rather than the factory as it's very touristy. For ikan bilis, I'll advise you not to buy here  unless you have no choice as the price is more expensive compared to places like Setiawan. Also, there are 2 jetties to enter Pangkor. One is the Lumut Jetty (RM 10 for to and fro) per pax - 30 minutes , while the other is Marina Island Jetty (RM 10 for to and fro) per pax + RM 10 annual membership (at least one person need to sign up) - 10 minutes. Upon arrival, you are advised to rent a bike / car / van and don't worry, a whole bunch of people awaits you. You can easily tour the whole island in less than an hour (without stopping).

Pasar Malam Sri Manjung- A Malay-centred night market on Saturday and Sunday only from 5pm - 9pm/10pm. Mostly selling food and malay clothing.

Address: In front of Giant Sri Manjung. (Or you can simply google Pasar Malam Sri Manjung)

Sitiawan- Good yet super cheap food.

Pasar Awam Sitiawan - Here sells the cheaper rate of ikan bilis and local goods.

Address: Jalan Senawi, Sitiawan, Perak.

Sitiwan Cheong Gia Gong Pian - A traditional old shop which is very famous for its Gong Pian (A crispy biscuit filled with onions that is baked like a naan) priced at RM 1.10 each. Alternatively, you may want to try its red bean paste (hei) / lotus paste biscuits (bai) priced at RM 0.90. As for me, the best is the Hap Dou Sou biscuits, pre-packed and homemade from Kg Koh which costs RM 8.50 for 10 pcs. Highly recommended!

Address: 12, Jalan Tok Perdana, Sitiawan, Perak

Hei Huang Tornado Cafe - This cafe is famous for its Black Bean Tau Fu Fah (Bean Curd) and Soya Milk which are priced at Rm 2.50 and RM 3.00 respectively. Also, this shop serves really good seafood baked cheese rice at RM 13.80 which is really fulfilling and even has a huge mussel in it!

Address: 36 & 38, Jalan Lumut, Sitiawan, Perak.

ABC Kopitiam - One of the best iced coffee only at RM 1.60 while the noodle has a rather special texture, it's rather plain, only with a few slices of meat but still, it's only RM 3.20 for the standard size of small. The locals highly recommended this place for breakfast. Also, if you're wondering why is it called ABC Kopitiam, try ordering their ABC and be amaze of its height! I saw it although I didn't order.

Address: Jalan Lin Chen Mei, Sitiawan, Perak.

Restaurant Michelin Star - The best place you can find for a nice and comfortable dinner at a very reasonable price! Coming from KL, the food prices here are really cheap and this is a classy restaurant. The prawns are really fresh and it's only RM 9 / 100 g, Signature Fried Rice(comes with really huge scallops) is RM 12 for the smallest portion they have (It's sufficient for 3 or even 4 pax if you are a small eater) and RM 10 for a small portion of vegetable dish of your choice. Portions are reasonably huge. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Address: Lot 14781-A, Jalan Lumut Besar, Kampung Sitiawan, Perak.

Tua Pek Kong Temple - Before you leave Sitiawan, you may want to visit this place if you are a Buddhist or simply want an experience of local culture. These Gods are facing the ocean and its believed to bring good luck. Many came here to fill the miracle water flowing out of the God of Kuan Yin and wished for lucky jackpot numbers.

Address: Jalan Pasir Panjang, Kampung Pasir Panjang Laut, Kampung Sitiawan, Perak.

Damai Laut - I basically came here because I got a free room from the previous purchase at Matta Fair and I never regret the escape.

Swiss-Garden Beach Resort - It's located deep inside and require approximately 45 minutes of travelfrom Sitiawan. It has a nice private beach which was closed due to jelly-fish incident and a fun beach where you can play watersports activities. It's facilities are quite complete with golf course, swimming pool, sauna, jacuzzi, gym and other recreational activities. You can check it's daily schedule for complimentary or paid activities like hiking, archery or night fishing. Once you arrived here, you most likely will just stay there and enjoy the countryside. You may want to bring your own snacks as the convenient store is quite pricey. I had Thai Cuisine for dinner with my partner and it was RM 55.00 nett for a seafood tomyam soup, omellete, mixed vegetables and braised chicken with cashew nuts which I find really reasonable. Alternatively, you can choose to opt for a seafood buffett by the beach or western buffet by the pool. For breakfast, it's only buffet so you may want to call in earlier to get a better rate.

*All prices are as of April 2015 and you definitely need a car to travel to these places more conveniently.

Travel now, just make the money work.