Shiang Jing An (Xiang Jing) - 555 Zhong Xin Road, at the junction with Da Tong Road. This deals with freshwater fish and has very well-kept tanks.

05 2858446

He Jia Wen (Sherry) - manicures, eyebrows - 49, De Ming Road - have not used her services, but she's certainly a walking advertisement for them. Speaks some English. 10am-8pm.

05 2328866.

Rui Feng - 886 Xin Min Road, next to the petrol station. Rents out cars or 9-seater vans. I think Mr Guo's only got 1 of each. The car was under NT$2000/day. Chinese only. I was told by another car rental company that they will not accept the international driving licence in Chiayi though they may in other parts of Taiwan. You need to have a Taiwanese driving licence, but you can use the international licence to apply for that.

05 2293690

Shang Dian - 370, Si Wei Road - sells food ingredients in industrial packaging as well as cooking/baking equipment for the restaurant trade. A lot of items are not sold at Carrefour or in fact at the typical Taiwan supermarket. Chinese service. The local goods have Chinese labels, but often have pictures. There's also imported stuff.

02 2349175

Ji Mao - will petsit, breed, beautify as well as sell cat-related pet stuff. I haven't used them yet. 196 Zhongshan Road, someplace near the City Hall.

05 2237753

Novartis - If you want to order Program, the oral anti-flea solution, they don't sell it in Chiayi but will get their Pingtung retailer to mail it to you. You pay by going to the ATM and transferring money directly into the retailer's account, after which they mail it by express post - it arrives overnight. Taiwan Mu Chen - 13, Tan Tou Road, Jin Xin Chun, Chang Zhi Hsiang, Pingtung County.

08 7366905

Ping Ai - a vet that also sells IAMS cat food. 371, Xin Ye West Road. Their card says they will go to the house if required and have an ambulance to transport medium/large dogs.

05 2869535

Cuban Cigar - cigars, filter tips, rolling papers, Zippo lighters, as well as cigarettes - 88, Wufeng North Road. Chinese only.

05 2271762

Yun Jia - this is at the 11th floor of the She Ri Ta/Chiayi Tower, 46, Gong Yuan Road, right inside Chiayi Park. There is a great view of the city, but drinks are not cheap, NT$100 a pop plus an NT$20 charge to enter upstairs of the tower. The place is open from 10am to 11pm, up to 12am on some days.

05 2767016.

Xiao Jia Chen - Dr Hsiao (Xiao) seems ok. I did scaling there. 89, Bei Rong Street, which is off the fountain at Wenhua.

05 2221990

Huang Chun-Yuan - Dr Huang is a specialist recommended by Dr Hsiao, at the Chiayi Christian Hospital. He was able to pull off a tricky job on my husband's teeth. 539, Chongxiao (Chung Hsiao) Road.

05 2765041 ext 3241 or 3242

Chu Lu - 45, Fuzhou 2nd Street - I ordered 5 cases of Zhonghua lemon ai yu canned drinks from here (I'm not sure if they will do it for fewer cases). You can give them a range of times to come. They also do milk and other drinks, but I haven't been down to see what they have. Chinese only; I spoke to a Mr Si.

05 2353251-3

Jia Xiang - 229, Zhong Xin Road - This is off You Ai Road. I ordered 5 cases of 1.5l water from here, which was sent to the home. Each case cost NT$80 (that's 12 bottles), and the shop prefers if you order more stuff as it's not very much money. I'm going to try the NT$90/case water next time. They have other drinks like Qoo and Nestle lemon tea, but most of them aren't the common brands. Chinese only.

05 2341931/2341936

Jin Che (Kingcar) - 133-1, Lane 715, Bei Gang Road - these people do the Mr Brown coffees. They don't normally service homes, but put me in touch with a salesperson, Mr Weng. I ordered Green Time Tea from them, 5 cases, and he delivered to the home the next day. It's NT$20/can retail, but NT$330 for a case of 24 cans. He speaks Chinese.

05 2378220/2378221.

Mr Weng: 0931513433

Zhonlian - has a lot of reels, line, bait. Chinese only. 292 ShrShian Road Section 4, and 504, Wenhua Road.

05 2833833, 2334548

Bali Impressions - 24 hours, which can be convenient; exotic ambience; but relatively expensive at over NT$250 for a set including a drink. Chinese menu and service only. You tick what you want on the separate drink and food menus, then go to the counter and pay up, after which the order is delivered. 362 You Ai Road. They now have a loyalty card - get a chop every time you order; 10 chops can be exchanged for some kind of member card.

05 2345000

Geng Du Yuan - very pretty classical surroundings, with a huge carp pond in the middle; food is enjoyable depending on what you order. Chinese menu/service. The place is open till 2am but there are specific times for lunch and dinner; after that, the food choices are limited. There is a charge per person, outside of the cost of the tea itself, if you want to brew tea.

Pictures of the place at

http://community.webshots.com/scripts/editPhotos.fcgi?action=viewall&albumID=68426306

Pictures of tea-brewing at the place at

http://public.fotki.com/Shimmertje/anna_at_chiayi_teahouse/

05 2349629

Zhu Ju - 275, Da Ya Road Sec 2- even bigger than Gengdu Yuan, this is one of 2 teahouses along Da Ya and said to be the better one. The food is nicer. Chinese menu/service. Set times for lunch/dinner.

05 2715001

Papaya Milk Shake joint (says MichaelZ) - doesn't have a name, just a sign that reads "500 cc". This tiny joint is directly across the alley from the very famous chicken rice that is actually turkey, not far from the train station just past (going away from the train station) the circle on Zhong Shan Road. The Papaya Milk Shake place serves other fruit drinks and fruit plates too. Try the tomatoes and plum powder. The "secret" ingredient in their Papaya Milk Shake, which distinguishes it from all others, says Mrs MichaelZ, is banana oil. They also have a good lotus seed soup (lianzi tang).

Calgary Deli - very good Western-style sandwiches, run by a former English teacher. Also sells Western foods not easily found in Chiayi, and European style breads. English menus and service. 11am-11pm. 229 Zi Yu Road.

05-2329060

Calgary Pub - part of the Calgary chain. Open evenings, from 6pm to 2am, and very popular with foreigners. Has a dart board and a pool table, as well as a live band on weekends. The food can range from good to very good but varies in quality from day to day. 19, lane 351, Guo Hua Street. This is best accessed via what looks like a railway track off Guohua Road near the swimming pool. English menus and service.

05 2271626

Chi Chu Yuan Wei - 510 You Zhong Road - this is at the junction between You Zhong, Bei Gang and I think You Ai Roads, and looks like a typical seafood restaurant. There is a small restaurant at one side where they do a kaiseki-like meal for NT$500 per person. The quality is high but the portions rather small for $500. You can choose whether to have raw stuff or not. Chinese service only, no menus. Email me if you want to know what I had.

05 2316790

Man Long - 386 Min Quan Road - this place is off the Zhong Zhen park and next to a mechanic with a big Yamaha sign. The best ramen in Taiwan we've had so far, and we've been trying various shops in Taipei for a year. They have the usual cha shao ramen etc flavours, but with 5 different soups: miso; curry; soy sauce; pork bone; and ma la (spicy Taiwan style). You can have udon instead of ramen. Chinese menu and service.

05 2290573 (This is actually if you want them to deliver).

Xiao Shan - 126 Wu Feng North Road - superb sashimi, sushi, fried noodles, fried clams, deepfried tofu. Chinese menus and service, and be prepared to wait for your food as there is only 1 cook and full house even on weekdays. Stays open even after the standard lunchtime.

05 2228631

Ah Hong - 511, You Zhong Road - there's raw seafood at a counter and you can point and ask for it to be cooked. There's a huge covered playroom for kids, and low tables where people sit outside. Pretty crowded. Chinese menus and service. Picture at

http://www.worldisround.com/articles/18157/index.html

05 2810012

See also Chi Chu Yuan Wei.

Hsiao Tung Yi - 390 You Ai Road - this is along the same road as Bali Impressions. Choose your main course from the menu, and salads, assorted dishes, drinks and dessert from the buffet. The Taiwanese-style ribs and the pork fillet are nicely done. A soup is included in the set. The Taiwanese seem to translate 'medium' as 'rare', so asking for 'well done' may be better. Sets range from NT$400 onwards. There is another place like this at the basement of Far East 21 which looks more expensive but I haven't tried that yet. There is an English menu.

05 2811390

Hong Ji - Wenhua Road past a bridge, next to a stall selling lu rou fan. Their namecard doesn't carry a number. The best beef stomach and beef noodles in Chiayi that we've found so far. Wonderful fried beef noodles, full of pepper; the beef fried rice has also got very tender beef strips. Chinese menu and service only. Open 11am to 10pm.

05 2340542

Jia Nan - this place has 2 types of beef noodles, with a clear soup (qing dun) or red-stewed (hong shao). Both have a nice soup. The noodles are handmade, very chewy and include some kinda cereal (quan mai). The shop claims their food contains no MSG. Chinese menu and service.

05 2789587

Ming Fu - this place is in Ming Xiong on the highway heading towards the Christian Hospital. Its namecard doesn't carry an address. Very tender beef.

05 2211968

Tuo Jiang - has xiao long bao as well as beef noodles. Both are ok, but be sure to order niu rou mian and not niu rou tang mian, which isn't so good. Roughly the corner of Guo Hua Street and Bei Rong Street, facing the Zhong Zhen park. Chinese menu and service.

05 2245933

Pu Ti Shu - this is a buffet place that is only open for lunch and dinner. It's NT$99, all you can eat of prepared dishes, as well as make-your-own hotpots that you can simmer at your table. They also have an organic food shop at the entrance. The veggies are way more expensive than non-organic stuff at the supermarket. 229, Sz Wei (Si Wei) Road.

05 2342489

Sheng Xin - Mr Wu was willing to deliver immediately. Simple furniture; don't expect aesthetics.

05 2329293

Dong Bao - 149 Ba De Road (Bache Road) - This guy came to the house and did our locks. It was an OK job. Chinese only.

05 234 0725.

Chinatrust - pretty good service. 257, Wenhua Road.

05 2292233

Alishan House - this just happened to be the 1st hotel on the map provided by at the Alishan park entrance. It was under NT$2000 for a room for two on a weekday, and we got upgraded. The hotel is within the park itself so you have to park in the main carpark and a free shuttle comes to get you. It's possible to walk in but not with the luggage. 16, West Alishan, Shan Lin Village, Alishan Hsiang, Chiayi County.

05 2679811-6

Miss Huang Pao Jane - speaks English, will translate, and will help with all kinds of requests even after the sale.

05 233 9668/0931900983

Morrison Academy, Chiayi Satellite School - this is actually in Mingxiong on the campus of a local school, for children with foreign passports. Shuttles are provided for students. While the principal says Morrison was set up to educate missionary children, the school accepts all religious denominations and follows an American curriculum.

07 3561190 x 14, or sue.chang@mca.org.tw

Jian Fang - 105, Bei An Road - We got our scooter from here. Chinese only.

05 2329268

Budai - there is a temple, a seafood market - mostly oysters - and some small, crowded seafood restaurants. There are buses leaving at set times from the bus station next to the train station. The buses leave from the bus stop facing the main road - you may need to ask someone if the bus is going to Budai as the signage will be in Chinese. Pictures at:

http://community.webshots.com/album/66583983GLEfWw

Chiayi Stone Museum - 336 Hu Zi Nei Road - keep going southwards on Min Sheng North Road, till you get to Min Sheng South Road. MSS Road will veer to the right towards Shui Shang. Keep going straight instead; you will be on Hu Zi Nei Road, things will look more rural, and stop when you see a flash of dinosaurs on your side of the road. The entrance is not clearly marked so it just looks like you're passing an industrial yard. Fossils, dinosaurs, minerals, statues, one Egyptian mummy, and quite a nice selection of souvenirs. It costs NT$50 to get in, but you can get an NT$50 discount with the ticket if you buy NT$300 worth of souvenirs. If you go in a group you can get in for NT$30 each but I'm not sure of the minimum size of a group. The owner and assistants speak Minan. Pictures at

http://public.fotki.com/Shimmertje/chiayi_stone_museum/

05 2355333/2353033.

Alishan - You can go up by taxi, bus or train. The train is NT$399 one-way and there are 2 a day, a 3.5h ride. The train people don't sell same-day return tickets as it would only give you half an hour at Alishan - both trains leave between 1 and 2pm. The bus, from the terminus next to the train station, is under NT$200 one-way and the last bus is 3.30pm. You can only buy tickets for the Chiayi to Alishan journey at Chiayi, and the Alishan to Chiayi journey at Alishan. Tickets with seats are preferable as it's quite a long journey. A taxi will bring you up for NT$399. I've not tried taxis.

An overnight stay is recommended as there are trails to wander through and temples to visit. Many people watch the sunrise. You have to wake at 3+am to take the trains at 4.10am or 4.20am to Zhu Shan, earlier if you care to walk up. The trains do the return journey at 5.50am and 6am. You can walk down instead.

If you like flowers, May is foxglove season, and February is cherry blossom time.

Pictures at:

http://public.fotki.com/Shimmertje/overnight_at_alisha/

http://public.fotki.com/Shimmertje/alishan_sunrise/

http://public.fotki.com/Shimmertje/chiayi_to_alishan/

Guohua Shuishang Shijie - 25m swimming pool, herbal pools, jets of water everywhere, bubbling seats, 3 slide systems for kids, outdoor seating area, canteen. NT$200/entry, NT$130 if you get a book of 30 coupons. 375 Guohua Street, walking distance from the Calgary pub. Pictures at:

http://www.public.fotki.com/shimmertje/guohua_swimming_complex/

05 2233338

Xin Jianan Jing Shijie - there are posters advertising this place. Its logo is a whale with an island on it. There is a coconut palm and an umbrella on the island. Water slides, jacuzzis, a 25m pool, saunas. NT$200 per adult on a weekend - Zhongpu (Jhongpu) Xiang, He Lu Chun, 390, Zhong Hua Road. Head out of Chiayi City towards Baihe. Pictures at:

http://public.fotki.com/Shimmertje/jianan_water_entert/

05 2306098.

Please see the 'Others' guide on Nantou, Taichung, Tainan

Please see 'Others' guide on Hualien, Pingtung, Taipei, Taitung

PS: You can get a whole list of taxi services when you take a taxi from the Idee Dept Store. They probably all speak Chinese though.

Steve Lee - 24 hours, caters specially to foreigners and speaks English. Will do tours, arrange the sale of used goods, or drive you to the Chiayi/Kaohsiung/Taipei airport (NT$thousands depending on the distance).

0933617416/0956651622

Shang Qing - 24 hours, 05 2836100. Chinese only. This is a private service and may charge less than the metered taxis.

Wan Quan - 24 hours, 05 2851660. Chinese only. I normally phone them from Carrefour and they come within 10 minutes. You will need to know your present location, and your destination, in Chinese. They will mention a number, which will be painted on the taxi body (it's not the licence no.). There is no extra charge for the call, and they go by the meter.

Fei Yang - 125, De An Road - newly opened, and will go to the home for consultations. Also offers boarding services. Have not tried Dr Li yet.

05 2336588/0937654270

Bao Dao - 425 Zhong Shan Road. This shop takes care of Rolex watches but also carries other brands, mostly luxury types.

05 223 9291