The second leisure farm we are visiting after the lunch is Da Keng Leisure Farm located in Tainan SinHua Dist. We only arrived at night from Hua Lu Flower Leisure Farm because we travel from MiaoLi to Tainan.
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| The whole Tsai family portrait |
We eat as soon as we reach Da Keng and straight away gather at the dining area.
Ana doing funny faces in there. A must watch!
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| Salad |
All home cooked food for us! All of our meals are organic and from this farm. This farm is also part of the Tian Mama 田妈妈 program where farmer's wives are trained to cook healthy for guests. =)
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| Bamboo shoot |
I never thought that bamboo shoots taste that good and sweet in Taiwan. In Malaysia, I only eat it once a year and I dislike the smell.
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| Ginseng Chicken Soup |
Let me tell you a brief story about Dakeng:
A long time ago, Grandpa and Grandma of the Tsai family grew bamboo, fruits, vegetables, and bred chickens on hilly land.
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| Native farm chicken |
After Father Tsai and Mother Tsai took over the business, they operated a native chicken restaurant, which was one of the most 'popular' type of restaurant in those days.
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| Porridge |
The people of South Taiwan are attracted to Dakeng to eat fresh and delicious chicken and Mother Tsai's perfect culinary skills.
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| Bamboo shoot |
Three daughters of Tsai family were influence by what they constantly saw and heard at the restaurant. They worked in the restaurant as waitresses and cultivated excellent waitressing skills.
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| Charcoal Grilled Farm Chicken |
Father Tsai realized that times were changing and transformed the native chicken restaurant into a leisure farm, and the small dining hall made of bamboo weaving has changed to be the present appearance. All ingredients are produce right from this farm.
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| Charcoal BBQ Sweet Potatoes |
The girls also changed a lot from childhood to adulthood.
Chia-Ling is the best PR consultant working for the farm;
Chia-Ju has good culinary skills, and adds creativity into village food ingredients;
Chia-Yun has talent in management, and assumes personal command at the counter, just like army general.
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| This is Ka Mei, our nanny tearing the chicken apart for us! |
There are no luxury crystal lamps, but guest can feel the welcoming nature of southerners; no imported high-class tableware, but each cuisine is the product of legacy passed from Mother Tsai to daughter Chia-Ju, it is an innovation of mutual inspiration.
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| Excited much? |
We had a really big dinner with so much food! I really feel the warmth from the Tsai Family at Dakeng and each of them are really humble and friendly.
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| BBQ Taiwanese Sausage with Rosemary herbs |
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| Many bones small fish |
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| Stir-fry veggie |
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| Fried yam - sweet and tasty! |
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Fruits from the farm
- the middle one is an interesting fruit (available in Msia too) that I ate it first time with mayonnaise |
If you are a vegan in Taiwan, you can be rest assured that you can have delicious meal anytime. The following are vegan food.
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| Fried herbs and vegetables |
The fried vegetables and herbs were so good! *stole food from Ana*
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| Stir-fry veggie |
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| Marinated veggie |
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| Vegan chinese pasta |
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| Our drinks was awesome! Juicy! |
Next I take you around the farm area, let's start with the room.
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| Our room |
Calista, Ana and I all stayed in this room and I get to sleep on the double bed XD
We all stayed at European Holiday Villa which is a balcony on its own and let us feel like we are in the European garden and close to the pigeons outside.
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| I like the wooden decoration inside the room. |
The bed is comfy and I had a good night sleep in there.
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| Eluba Boat |
Eluba Boat House is southeastern Pacific style restaurant which is a cool place to chill and relax with Chia-Ling (a certified bartender) serving us with unique alcoholic drinks, hot pot, coffee and tea.
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| Peppermint milk tea |
I love the ambiance in Eluba Boat, so cozy and the lighting are lovely.
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| Chia-Ling lighting up the cocktails |
She's really skillful with mixing of the drinks and also lighting up the cocktails.
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I like burnt sugar on lemon from this drink. XD
The alcohol is just so-so because most of the alcohol was burned and evaporated. |
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Ana got molested? help from Ka Mei to detach the key from her pocket. |
Next morning at around 5am we went to CaoshanMoon World(草山越世界) to see sunrise!
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| Sun is hiding somewhere behind the fog |
It is a 10 minutes ride from the farm, majority sat in the back of the lorry to get to the area. Ana, Calista and I ride with Chia-Ju in 4WD. hehe
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| Quite foggy that morning so sun is not so visible |
Interestingly, many youngsters woke up or stay up until 5am to watch sunrise at Caoshan Moon World.
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| Almost out! |
According to Chia-Ju, it is healthy to sing Karaoke until wee hours in the morning and watch sunrise after that.
Majority of motorcyclist in Taiwan either use Scooter or those Harley Davison type of motorcycles.
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| Sun peeking out |
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| Tadah! Sun shows up |
We took another ride to see the entrance to another area.
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| All I see is grass XD |
We then head back to Dakeng and went to hike up to the Landscaping Tower while sight-seeing the forest and plantation in Dakeng area.
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| The Landscape Tower |
We huff and puff and up we go! Quite a steep road up there. The air on top is cooling and air is super fresh.
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| I did a jump! |
On our way down, I saw a lizard! So cute!
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| Credits to Ana |
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| Lizard~ |
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| Hold the tail to keep the reptile on my hand |
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| Credits to Shirley for the photo |
We then move on to the 'sky slider' and 'rope bridge'. I chose the sky slider!
The ride comes with a price, we have to drag/pull the rope back after someone slides to the other side.
Quite thrilling to ride over to the other side. XD
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| View on top of the Tower. |
Fun fact about Dakeng, almost everything is associated with the number 168.
Eluba sounds like 168 pronounce in mandarin 一六八.
Dakeng is located on the North 168 road.
Dakeng observation tower is 168m from sea level.
We then went to visit the Spa area, so cool to have such a big area for both adults and children to enjoy themselves at.
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| Spring Spa area |
Covering an area of 1650 m2, the SPA bath place is equipped with 6-meter-high flushing waterfall, sauna and Jacuzzi, energy chamber oven, swimming pool flume rides, parents and children' pool, fountains, as well as 1000-ton gain rock landscape, all of which can help cleanse your body and purify your mind as recharging for another new start.
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| Group photo during the hike |
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| This is Ruby! |
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| Group photo |
I had a lot of fun in Dakeng and hope to visit again to experience the spa, DIY and BBQ Piglet! Do visit them if you are coming to Taiwan!
Dakeng info:
Add: No.82, Dakeng Li, Sinhua Dist., Tainan City
Tel: +886-6-594-1555
Opening hours: 0800 - 2200
www.168big.com.twdaken@kimo.com
Places of attractions: Hutopi Reservoir, Sinhua Old Street, Caoshan Moon World
To get there:
By Car: National Highway No.3 -> Tainan Railway Station -> Singnan Ganglin and get off at Da-Keng Leisure Farm
Public Transportation: HSR Tainan Station -> Taxi -> Da-Keng Leisure Farm
This is a sightseeing farm and good learning experience for school children mostly and adults can learn something too. They started the farm mainly for duck eggs but over the years they decide to turn it into a learning experience farm to let children experience life at farms.
