This Little Season

December 2025

We were really glad we went for Hsu Noodle Making. Tucked in the mountains en route to Yilan, it felt like a meaningful pause from the city — and turned out to be one of the most memorable family activities of the trip.

When we arrived, it was crowded, but impressively organised. You simply wait for your group to be called, and once it’s your turn, you’re assigned a “noodle master” who guides you through the entire process step by step. Everything moved smoothly, even with many families there at the same time.

What really surprised us was how skilled the instructors were — not just at making noodles, but at taking photos too! They captured so many great shots of us from different angles, mid-action and mid-laughter, without ever breaking the flow of the session. Amazing!!!

The experience itself was hands-on and genuinely fun for the kids. Rolling the dough, stretching it into long ropes, and then — the highlight — using the noodle strands as skipping ropes had everyone laughing. It was playful, tactile, and wonderfully unpolished, the kind of activity that naturally brings a family together.

The flowing noodles were a must-add — and honestly, the kids enjoyed this even more than pulling the noodles. We were efficiently assigned a table to ourselves, and the moment the noodles started sliding past, it turned into pure excitement. Everyone was laughing and scrambling to grab them before they slipped away.

It wasn’t unhygienic at all. We were given communal chopsticks for grabbing the noodles and individual chopsticks for eating. I had also brought kids’ chopsticks along, which really helped the children join in confidently (we’re a family that doesn’t stress too much about these things). The noodles themselves were plain, served simply with brotha and a side of pickles/cucumbers].

At the end of the session, the kids received certificates — they were delighted to fill in their names and stamp it themselves. We were also given packets of dried noodles — not made by us during the session, but specially prepared in advance (ours were specially for Singapore visitors and were meant to be keep for up to two weeks). It felt like a nice, practical way to bring the experience home with us.

This was such a great way to break up the journey through the mountains.

A stroll through Shiding

Before heading to the noodle-making session, we made a short stop in Shiding. We could have gone to Shenkeng Old Street instead — which is better known for its busy old street and tofu-focused food stalls — but Shiding suited our vibe more that day.

Shiding felt quieter and more spacious, tucked into the mountains. We wandered around slowly and browsed tea shops. It wasn’t particularly exciting for the kids, but the grown-ups appreciated the calm, the greenery and the slower pace before moving on to something more hands-on.

We actually made a special stop by hiking all the way up to Xu Family Handmade Malt Candy (許家手工麥芽糖). To get there, you either have to climb a very long and steep staircase or walk up a winding mountain road — both of which proved quite challenging for our kids. In hindsight, we should have asked our driver to drop us closer to the top and then walked down instead.

Still, we were glad we made the effort. At the shop, we got to see how traditional malt candy is made — slowly cooked over a fire throughout the night, using old-school methods that have barely changed. We tasted the malt candy on the spot and bought some to bring along.

There were three versions available: the original, a ginger-flavoured one, and a herbal blend that included ingredients like loquat paste (pipa gao) and other traditional components commonly used to help with coughs and respiratory discomfort. It felt reassuring to bring these home for the kids — both as a treat and as something rooted in tradition.

One small highlight for the kids was buying fish pellets nearby and feeding the fish. It was simple, low-key, and didn’t take long, but it gave them something concrete and fun to do.

We didn’t stay very long in Shiding, just a quick stop to take in the mountain air before moving on to Hsu’s Noodle and Yilan!