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Quick Facts
Capital Taipei
Government Multiparty democratic republic with a popularly elected president and unicameral legislature
Currency New Taiwan dollar (TWD)
Area total: 35,980 km2
water: 3,720 km2
land: 32,260 km2
Population 22,858,872 (July 2007 est.)
Language Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese, Hakka
Electricity 110V/60HZ (USA plug type)
Country code +886
Internet TLD .tw
Time Zone UTC+8

Taiwan (Traditional Chinese: 台灣 or 臺灣, Simplified Chinese: 台湾 tái wān) [1] is an island nation of about 36,000 km² located off the coast of southeastern mainland China, southwest of Okinawa and north of the Philippines. The island is offically known as and governed by the Republic of China (中華民國 Zhōnghuá Mínguó) or ROC. Shaped roughly like a sweet potato, the nation is home to more than 23 million people and is one of the most densely populated places in the world. Besides its crowded cities, Taiwan is also known for steep mountains and lush forests. In addition to the island of Taiwan, the Republic of China also governs the tiny Pescadores (Penghu), Quemoy (Kinmen/Jinmen), and Matsu.



Taiwan boasts some very impressive scenic sites, and Taipei is a vibrant center of culture and entertainment. The island is also a center of Chinese pop culture with a huge and vibrant entertainment industry. Taiwanese cuisine is also highly regarded. The Japanese enjoy taking short trips to come over and stay and enjoy its neighboring hospitalities. Lately with the relaxation of restrictions there is an increasing number of mainland Chinese visiting the Island nation.


National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

Taiwan has been populated for thousands of years by more than a dozen non-east Asian aboriginal tribes. Written history begins with the partial colonization of Taiwan by the Dutch and then the Portuguese in the early 17th century. (The old name of Taiwan, Formosa, comes from the Portuguese Ilha Formosa for "beautiful island".) Han Chinese immigrants arrived in significant numbers with the onset of European trade. Although controlled by the Dutch, the Ming loyalist Koxinga defeated the Dutch garrisons and set up Taiwan as a rump Ming Empire with the hope of reconquering Qing China. His son surrendered to the Qing in the late 1600s. Although contact between China and Taiwan dates back thousands of years, it was not until larger numbers of Han residents arrived during the Qing dynasty that Taiwan was formally integrated into the rest of China as part of Hokkien (Fujian) province. It became a separate province in 1885. Defeated by the Japanese, the Qing Empire ceded Taiwan to Japan under the terms of the treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895. Japan ruled the island all the way until the end of World War II in 1945, and exerted profound influences on its development. The island's entertainment and pop culture was and still is heavily influenced by that of Japan. Much of the Japanese-built infrastructure can still be seen on the island today, and has been in fact continuously used up to the present day (e.g. rail-road crossing gates, administrative buildings, and the old port at Kaohsiung).

In the early 20th century, the Nationalists (Kuomintang, KMT 國民黨) and Communists fought a major bloody civil war in mainland China. Although the two sides were briefly united against Japan during World War II, they quickly began fighting again after the war was over. Eventually, the Communists were victorious in 1949. The Nationalist government, the remnant of their army, and hundreds of thousands of supporters then fled to Taiwan. From Taipei, they continued to assert their right as the sole legitimate government of all China. Initially very repressive, the government began to loosen control in its fourth decade under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek's son, Chiang Ching-kuo. Taiwan also experienced rapid economic growth and modernisation under the leadership of Chiang Ching-kuo, becoming one of the world's richest and most modern economies and earning it a place as one of the East Asian Tigers. Taiwan still remains a leader in consumer electronics and is home to well-known computer brands such as Acer, Asus, Garmin, Gigabyte and HTC. Democratization began in earnest through the 1980s and 1990s, culminating with the first direct presidential elections in 1996, and the first peaceful transition of power between two political parties in 2000.

Taiwanese politics remain dominated by the issue of relations between Taiwan and the People's Republic of China, which still claims Taiwan as a "renegade province" and regularly threatens military action if Taiwan attempts to break away from the current awkward One China status quo, where both sides agree that there is only one Chinese nation, but disagree on whether that one nation is governed by the PRC or the ROC. To summarize a very complex situation, the Pan-Blue (泛藍) group spearheaded by the KMT supports eventual unification with the mainland when the political climate is right, while the Pan-Green (泛綠) group led by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) supports eventual independence under the name "Taiwan". The split extends down to trivial issues like Chinese romanization — the KMT prefers the mainland's Hanyu pinyin, the DPP prefers a Taiwan-made variant called Tongyong pinyin — and political demonstrations and rallies, always turbulent, on occasion even turn violent.


Taiwan was originally populated by indigenous tribes that spoke various Austronesian languages, which are related to Malay, Tagalog and Indonesian. Today the remaining tribes make up only about 2% of the population, while the other 98% are considered ethnically Han Chinese. The ethnically Han Chinese are further split into Taiwanese, who make up about 84% of the population and whose culture is derived from people who migrated during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, as well as mainlanders, who make up about 14% of the population and whose families fled to Taiwan from the mainland after the communist takeover in China in 1949. Among the Taiwanese group, Hoklo (Minnan) speakers form the majority, which is about 70% of the population while the remaining 14% are largely Hakka speakers. There is also a sizeable Japanese community, with many of its members working in the entertainment industry.

It should be noted that the Taiwanese (who make up 84% of the Taiwan's population and are culturally Chinese) are to a large extent the descendents of immigrants from the mainland in recent centuries who intermarried with indigenous people. As a result, the genetic makeup of the Taiwanese is noticeably different from that of the mainlanders. In recent years there are also Vietnamese, Indonesian and Filipino migrant workers living harmoniously with other Asian minorities as well as Mainland Chinese immigrants. As for the 14 millions post 1949 immigrants, they come from every province and consist of many non-Han residents.


Lowland Taiwan has a marine tropical climate during the summer, with sweltering, humid weather (above 30°C, 86°F) from Jun-Sep. In the winter the weather is influenced by the nearby continent, and in the northern areas the temperature can go as low as 8°C at night. The best time of year to visit is from Oct-Dec, although even then occasional typhoons can spoil the fun. Spring is also nice, although it rains more than during autumn. During the typhoon season, the east coast bears the brunt of the damage as it is facing the Pacific Ocean.

On the other hand, when you head into the mountainous regions you will encounter more moderate temperate conditions. Rapid weather change can endanger unprepared visitors, so advice on proper preparation should be obtained before visiting those areas. In fact, it snows every year on Taiwan's highest mountains and occasionally even on mountains like Alishan.

Taiwanese calendar

The Minguo (民國) calendar, counting years from the establishment of the ROC (1911), is commonly used in Taiwan. To convert a Minguo date to A.D., just add 1911. Months and days are according to the standard Gregorian calendar. 2012 is 101st Minguo. However, most locals also keep track of Lunar calendar for holidays.


Lunar New Year dates
The year of the Horse started on 31 Jan 2014

  • The year of the Goat will begin on 19 Feb 2015
  • The year of the Monkey will begin on 8 Feb 2016
  • The year of the Rooster will begin on 28 Jan 2017




Cliffs meet the eastern coast of Taiwan, Hualien County

Taiwan is largely mountainous with a chain of mountains running from north to south at the centre of the island. The west coast is largely plains and unsurprisingly is where most of the population is concentrated, and is where all the larger cities like Taichung and Kaohsiung are located. The east coast also has some plains but are more sparsely populated due to the higher typhoon risk, but is also home to the cities of Hualien and Taitung with significant populations.



Besides baseball, basketball also has a sizeable following in Taiwan and is quite popular among teenagers. When the class is over, the basketball courts inside schools are not only open to students but also the public.




Map of Taiwan with regions colour-coded
Northern Taiwan (Hsinchu, Hsinchu County, Keelung, New Taipei, Taipei, Taoyuan County, Yangmingshan National Park)
the capital city, main airport and technology hub of the island
scenic mountains and lakes and major national parks
Eastern Taiwan (Yilan County, Hualien County, Taitung County, Taroko Gorge, Hualien, Taitung)
A couple of small islands that are popular getaway destinations with the locals. Some of them very far offshore and near Mainland China.


Taiwan has many large cities and towns. Below is a list of ten of the most notable. Other cities are listed under their specific regional section.

Taipei - the capital of Taiwan
  • Taipei (臺北 or 台北) is the seat of government of Taiwan ROC and its center of commerce and culture. Taipei is home to the world's second tallest skyscraper, Taipei 101.
  • New Taipei (新北) is the most populous city of Taiwan. The area includes a substantial stretch of Taiwan's northern coastline and surrounds the Taipei Basin.
  • Hsinchu (新竹) is a center of hi-tech industry, and one of the world's leading manufacturers of hi-tech components. Hsinchu Science Park [2] is the home to many hi-tech companies.
  • Hualien (花蓮) is located near Taroko Gorge, and is considered one of the most pleasant of Taiwan's cities.
  • Jiufen (九份) - this former gold mining town located on the northeast coast is now a popular tourist destination.
  • Kaohsiung (高雄) is the second-largest city on the island. It has one of the busiest sea ports (the Port of Kaohsiung) in the world and it has the island's second-largest airport, Kaohsiung International Airport (KHH) [3].
  • Keelung (基隆) is the a center of transshipment in the north, and is located about a thirty minute drive or a twenty minute bicycle ride from downtown Taipei.
  • Puli (埔里) is located at the geographical center of the island, and it serves as a good base for exploring the central mountains and Sun Moon Lake.
  • Taichung (臺中 or 台中) is the third largest city in Taiwan, and has an abundance of interesting cultural amenities and activities.
  • Tainan (臺南 or 台南) is the oldest city in Taiwan and was the capital during imperial times. It is famous for its historic buildings.

Other destinations

Mountain trail in Alishan
Taroko Gorge



Get in

Visa Information

Foreign nationals of the following 41 countries can enter Taiwan visa-free as a visitor provided that their passports are valid for at least 6 months upon entry:

For up to 90 days: All 27 European Union member states, Canada, Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and the Vatican City

For up to 30 days: Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and the United States






Detailed information about visas is available at the website of the Bureau of Consular Affairs [7].

By plane

Taiwan's main international gateway is Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport near Taipei (台北), with Kaohsiung (高雄) a distant second and very limited international services to Taichung and Hualien.

  • Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (台灣桃園國際機場) (formerly Chiang Kai-Shek International Airport 中正國際機場) [8] (TPE) is Taiwan's main international airport. Located 40km to the southwest of Taipei, it has good connections to major Asian cities and North America. The airport has direct buses to Taipei, Taichung and other nearby cities. Alternatively, the U-Bus company operates shuttles to HSR Taoyuan station (台灣高鐵桃園站) for high-speed train connections to Hsinchu (新竹), Taichung (台中), Chiayi (嘉義), Tainan (台南), and Kaohsiung (高雄); and to Jhongli (中壢)Transit Station, for mainline TRA (Taiwan Railways Administration 台灣鐵路管理局) train and southbound bus connections to Tainan, Hsinchu (新竹)etc.
  • Songshan Airport (松山機場) [9] (TSA) in downtown Taipei serves mostly domestic flights only, plus limited daily charter flights to mainland China. Flights to Tokyo's Haneda airport have commenced recently.
  • The Kaohsiung (高雄) [10] (KHH) domestic and international airports are located in the same complex. International flights are only to other Asian cities, as well as charter flights to mainland China.
  • Taichung Airport (台中機場)(RMQ) serves domestic flights as well as international flights to Hong Kong and Vietnam and cross-strait charters to mainland China.
  • Hualien Airport (花蓮機場)[11] (HUN) serves domestic flights as well as some international charter flights to Japan, South Korea (ROK) and Macau. It is also one of the airports designated to serve cross-strait direct flights.



Major airlines

The main Taiwanese carriers are China Airlines (中華航空)[12] and EVA Air (長榮航空) [13].

  • AirAsia
  • ANA All Nippon Airways
  • Asiana Airlines (to/from Seoul Incheon)
  • Cathay Pacific - 2715 2333
  • Cebu Pacific (to/from Manila)
  • China Airlines - 2715 1212
  • Delta Air Lines (to/from Tokyo Narita)
  • Eastar Jet (to/from Seoul Gimpo)
  • EVA Airways - 2501 1999
  • Jetstar Asia (LCC) (from/to Singapore and Osaka).
  • KLM Asia - 2711 4055
  • Korean Air (to/from Seoul Incheon)
  • Malaysia Airlines
  • Silkair
  • Singapore Airlines - 2551 6655
  • Thai Airways - 2509 6800
  • Tiger Airways
  • T'way Air (to/from Seoul Gimpo)
  • United Airlines
  • Vietnam Airlines


By boat

As of 2008, all scheduled passenger ferry services between Taiwan and Japan have been suspended. Star Cruises [14] operates limited cruise services from Keelung (基隆) and Kaohsiung (高雄) to Hong Kong and various Japanese islands.

From Fuzhou (福州), China, there are two daily ferries to Matsu (馬祖). Take bus 69 from Fuzhou train station to Wuyilu, then bus 73 to the end station Mawei harbor (馬尾港). The ferry costs RMB350 from China and TWD1300 from Taiwan. The trip takes two hours. The old website [], appears to be down. From Matsu, there are two daily ferries to Keelung in Taiwan. TWD1050 includes a bed, as the trip takes 10 hours. Bookings can be made at +886 2 2424 6868.


There are also several ferry services between Xiamen and Quanzhou on the mainland and the island of Kinmen (金門). Now there also is one weekly ferry from Dongdu Harbor (東渡碼頭) in Xiamen to Keelung, that leaves on Thursdays at 6PM starting at less than RMB500, as well as one to Taichung leaving on Tuesdays. Call 0592-2393128 for information or 0592-6011758 for bookings from China. You can also check here for news [15].

Get around

Domestic plane, Taiwan

By plane

Taiwan's main domestic carriers are Mandarin Airlines [16], a China Airlines subsidiary; UNI Air [17], controlled by EVA; and TransAsia Airways [18]. Flights are frequent, and it is usually unnecessary to book flights in advance. Taipei and Kaohsiung have regular services and links to most other domestic airports; however, it may not be possible to fly from one domestic airport to another. The popularity of the high-speed train has drastically cut flights on the once popular west coast sectors, with eg. Taipei-Kaohsiung flights only a shadow of what they once were.

If you want to visit Taiwan's smaller islands, the plane is still the best option, and is the only practical option of travelling to Penghu, Kinmen or Matsu. Fares are not too expensive, and local planes are very good. The domestic airport in Taipei is Song Shan Airport [19], which is in the north of the Taipei and easily reached by Taxi. Domestic destinations include Kaohsiung, Tainan, Chiayi, Taichung, Pingtung, Taitung, Hualien, Makung (Penghu / Pescadores), Kinmen, Hengchun, Nangan and Beigan. Travelers heading to Kenting can avail themselves of the direct and frequent bus service from Kaohsiung airport that connect with flights arriving from Taipei.

By train

In mid-sized and smaller cities, your main reference point is going to be the train station. If you're having trouble finding English speaking people, try looking for college or high school students.

Taiwan High Speed train
Map of Taiwan High Speed Rail


The new train backbone is Taiwan High Speed Rail (HSR, 高鐵 gāotiě) [20], a bullet train based on Japanese Shinkansen technology that covers the 345 km (215 mi) route on the West Coast from Taipei to Zuoying (Kaohsiung) in 90 min. Other stops on the route are Banqiao, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Taichung, Chiayi and Tainan, but note that many THSR stations have been built a fair distance from the cities they serve (e.g. a taxi from downtown Tainan costs up to NT$400, but there's a free shuttle bus). A one way ticket from Taipei to Kaohsiung costs NT$1,490 in economy or NT$2,440 in business class, but economy seats have plush seats and ample legroom, so there's little reason to pay extra. All signage and announcements are in English as well, making navigation a snap. Bookings are accepted online and via phone up to two weeks in advance at +886-2-6626-8000 (English spoken), with payment required only when you pick up the tickets. Credit cards are accepted. Bookings can be easily made by internet, and you can pay online or pay and pick up your tickets at almost every Familymart and 7-11. The stations and platforms are wheelchair-friendly and all trains include a wheelchair-accessible car (wider doors, ample space, accessible bathroom). Note that the official English guide for online reservations distinguishes between "senior or disabled tickets" and "handicap-friendly seats"; while it's possible to buy a ticket for the former online ("correct passenger ID" required), a ticket for the latter has to be reserved by calling the ticketing office on the phone.

Mainline trains are run by the separate Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA, 台鐵) [21], whose services are generally efficient and reliable. Reserving tickets well in advance is recommended when traveling with the train on weekends, especially for long distance travel. Slower (but more frequent) commuter trains without reserved seating are also available. Train timetables and online booking [22] (up to 2 weeks in advance) are available on the TRA website; however, the online services only work between 8AM and 9PM or thereabouts and there is a small charge, $7, for online bookings. Note that booking online only establishes a reservation as there is no Internet payment option. You must pay for the tickets you reserved at your local train station or post office to actually receive it. Children under 115 cm (45 in) height go free, and taller kids shorter than 145 cm (57 in) and under 12 years of age get half-price tickets. If you get return tickets there is a small discount depending upon travel distance. There are also vending machines at the larger stations.



Aside from THSR, the fastest train is Tzu-Chiang, and the slowest is Pingkuai (Ordinary/Express). There is often little to choose between prices and destination times for adjacent train classes, but the gap can be quite large between the fastest and the slowest.

  • Tzu-Chiang (自強 ziqiang): The fastest (and most expensive). Assigned seating. Non-reserved (standing) tickets are also sold at full price.
  • Chu-Kuang (莒光 juguang): Second fastest. Assigned seating.
  • EMU (Electric multiple unit, 電車 dianche) and DRC (Diesel railcar / 柴客): Short to medium distance commuter train, stops at all stations. No assigned seating.
  • Express / Ordinary (普通 putong): Stops at all stations, no air conditioning, most inexpensive. No assigned seating. Some Express trains (the light blue ones running on West Trunk Line) are air-conditioned while others (dark blue ones) are not equipped with air conditioners.
  • Diesel Express: Only available on East Trunk Line and South Link Line. Mainly serve as commuter trains. No air conditioning. Tickets are the same price as Express and Ordinary.

For travel to nearby cities, you can travel on electric dianche (電車) commuter trains . These arrive very frequently (about once every ten to fifteen minutes). In addition, "standing tickets" may be purchased on trains with assigned seating that have no available seats. Standing tickets are 80% the original ticket price and may be useful for last minute travelers. The downside is, of course, that you will be required to stand during your entire trip.

Also, do try to get your destination station written in Chinese and try to do some "mix and match" with the system map as well as looking out for the matching Chinese characters written on the station. Unfortunately for foreigners, announcements are only made in Mandarin, Taiwanese and Hakka so English would not be of much help in the train. Therefore, be alert and always be on the lookout for your destination station, or you risk missing it.

By bus

Intercity buses are called keyun (客運), as opposed to gongche (公車) which run within the county and city. Buses run by private companies are generally more luxurious (often boasting wide, soft seats, foot-rests and individual video screens) than those run by government-owned companies. Still, even the government-owned buses are comfortable, punctual, and maintain clean facilities on board.

Bus stop in Taipei
In major cities, bus transportation is extensive. Route maps, however, are almost entirely in Chinese, though the destinations indicated on the front of buses are in English. If you're staying at a hotel, have the clerk suggest some routes for you, and circle your destination on the map. Show this to the bus driver, and he/she will hopefully remember to tell you when to get off. In smaller cities, there is often no local bus service, though the out-of-town buses will sometimes make stops in the suburbs. There are taxi ranks at all airports and bus terminals.


In Taiwan you need to hail the bus you want as you see it coming - much like hailing a taxi. Both end points of the route are listed on the front of the bus in Chinese and sometimes English, so it is important to make sure the bus you get on is going the right direction. In Taipei, you sometimes pay getting on the bus and sometimes getting off (whether with cash or the ubiquitous Easy Card). As you get into the bus there will be an illuminated sign opposite you. If the first character is 上 pay as you get in, if it is 下 pay as you get out (or just watch the other people).

By metro

Taipei MRT

Taipei has an excellent, fairly comprehensive subway system called the MRT that makes traveling around the city a snap, and Kaohsiung's metro finally opened in March 2008. Prepaid travel cards such as the EasyCard (悠遊卡) in Taipei for bus and metro travel are available at metro stations. In KaoHsiung, it's called 一卡通. They are read via proximity sensors so you do not need to remove the card from your wallet or purse. The MRT is very clean as there is no eating, drinking, or smoking inside of the stations or subway trains. There is also a special waiting area that is monitored by security camera for those who are concerned about security late at night. Stations and trains are wheelchair-friendly, but note that when there are multiple exits from a single station, usually only one of these is equipped with a lift.

By taxi

Betel nut beauties (檳榔西施)



Taxis are visibly metered (starting point priced at NT$70), and cab drivers are strictly forbidden from taking tips. A maximum of four people can ride in one cab, and for the price of one. Relative to American taxicabs, Taiwanese cabs are inexpensive.

Although taxi drivers in Taiwan tend to be more honest than in many other countries, not all are trustworthy. An indirect trip might cost you half again as much. A cab driver using night-time rates during the daytime will cost you 30% more (make sure he presses the large button on the left on his meter before 11PM). Avoid the especially overzealous drivers who congregate at the exits of train stations. Also, stand your ground and insist on paying meter price only if any driving on mountain roads is involved - some drivers like to tack on surcharges or use night-time rates if driving to places like Wenshan (圓山) or Wulai (烏來). Such attempts to cheat are against the law.

From Taoyuan Airport (TPE), buses are a much more economical option but if you want a direct route Taoyuan airport drivers are the best choice. They're quite comfortable and get you to your destination as quick as possible. All the TPE taxi drivers are interlinked by radio so they could be forewarned if there are police. Sometimes, if there are traffic jams and no police around, the driver will drive in the emergency lane. Taxis from TPE to destinations in Tao Yuan, parts of Taipei county and some other destinations are 'allowed' to add an additional 50% to the meter fare.

The badge and taxi driver identification are displayed inside and the license number marked on the outside. You must also be wary that the driver turns on his meter, otherwise he might rip you off - in such a case, you aren't obliged to pay; but make sure you can find a police officer to settle the matter. If there are stories of passengers boarding fake taxis and being attacked by the driver, it is best not to be paranoid about it. Drivers may be more worried about passengers attacking them!




Taxi drivers are known for their strong political opinions. Many are supporters of the pan-green coalition and Taiwanese independence, spending all day listening to Taiwanese political talk radio. Drivers also have negative connotations as being former prisoners. Be careful about your opinions on sensitive political subjects (including, but not necessarily limited to cross-strait relations); also be careful of describing your destination which may be perceived politically (such as the President's Office or Chiang-Kai-Shek Memorial Hall). Also watch out for drivers who discriminate against other cultures such as taping "No Korean passengers" on their cars. This is sometimes unavoidable as some drivers provoke such discussion.In addition, if you see what looks like blood spewing from the driver's mouth, or him spitting blood onto the street - not to fret, it's merely him chewing betel nut (see box). Keep in mind, however, that betel nuts are a stimulant.

Taxi drivers are generally friendly towards foreigners, and a few of them take the opportunity to try their limited English skills. They are most likely to ask you about yourself, and are a patient audience to your attempts at speaking Mandarin. If you are traveling with small children, don't be surprised if they are given candy when you disembark.

Women are sometimes warned not to take taxis alone at night. This is not an extreme risk, although there have been incidents where women have been attacked. To be more safe, women can have the hotel or restaurant phone a cab for them (ensuring a licensed driver), have a companion write down the license number of the driver (clearly displayed on the dashboard), or keep a cell phone handy. Do not get in if the driver doesn't have a license with picture clearly displayed in the cab.

By scooter or motorcycle

Scooters with an engine size of 50cc require a license to drive, and should be insured and registered in the owner's name. Foreign nationals with stay less than 30 days do not have a easy way to get a scooter license. Until 2003 it wasn't possible to get a scooter above 150cc. Many of the scooters within cities are only 50cc and incapable of going faster than 80 km/h (50 mph). The more powerful versions known as zhongxing (重型) (heavy format) scooters are now quite common and can be rented for short-term use, or found for sale used at English In Taiwan [24] if you're going to need it for a while. They are not allowed on freeways even if they are capable of going faster than 100 km/h (62 mph) unless used for certain police purposes, but that just means you have to take the scenic route.





By car


The numbered highway system is very good in Taiwan. Most traffic signs are in international symbols, but many signs show names of places and streets in Chinese only. Nevertheless, almost all official directional signs will be written in both Chinese and English. However, the non-standardized Romanization means that English names can vary between road signs, making it rather confusing. The highways are in excellent shape with toll stations around every 30 km (19 mi). Currently a car driver pays $40 when passing each toll station on a highway. Prepaid tickets may be purchased at most convenience stores and at the "cash" toll-boths themselves, allowing faster passage and eliminating the need to count out exact change while driving.


By thumb


By bicycle


In recent years, the government has been promoting bicycling as a method of clean recreation. Several designated bicycle paths have been built throughout Taiwan (especially along riverside parks). Additionally, long distance rides, including through the Central Mountain Range, and along the coastline around the main island have become popular [28]. For long distance trips, bicycles can be shipped as is using standard freight service from the Taiwan Railway Administration between larger stations. A price table is available at: [29] (Chinese language only). Non-folding bicycles may also be transported aboard the Taipei and Kaohsiung rapid transit systems if loaded at specific stations, during off peak hours (usually 10AM-4PM on weekdays, check with your local station personnel to confirm).

  • Taipei MRT Bicycle Information: [30]
    • Taipei MRT Route Map, bicycles may be loaded at designated stations: [31]
  • Kaohsiung MRT Bicycle Information (passengers traveling with non-folding bicycles are assessed a flat rate NT$60 fare irrespective of distance): [32]

Giant Bicycles Corporation operates a large network of bicycle retail stores that offer rentals for as little as NT $100 per day, if requested one week in advance [33]. Public shared bicycles are also available for rent at automated kiosks in Taipei's Hsinyi District, and in Kaohsiung. Rental fees in Taipei may be paid using the rapid transit EasyCard system, but require a deposit paid via credit card.


Further cycling references:


You say Zhongshan, I say Chungshan...





All public announcements in the transportation system will be made in Mandarin, Taiwanese and Hakka, with the exception of the Matsu islands, where announcements are made in Mandarin and the Mindong dialect.

Especially in Taipei, younger people generally speak a basic conversational level of English. The children often understand more English than their parents, especially with the emphasis on English language education today, and English being a compulsory subject in Taiwanese schools. However, attempts to speak Mandarin or Taiwanese will be met with beaming smiles and encouragement, by and large.

Quite a few people, especially in Taipei, are proficient in Japanese due to the high number of Japanese visitors. Staff for tourist attractions such as the Taipei 101, museums, hotels, popular restaurants and airport shops speak Japanese in addition to English, Mandarin and other local languages. In fact, if you are a visitor of East Asian descent who cannot understand Chinese, when a worker realizes this he or she may try speaking to you in Japanese before trying English. In addition to this, some older people still understand and speak Japanese having lived through the fifty year period of Japanese rule.



Entrance to Taroko Gorge

Many people think of Taiwan as a grimy, densely populated industrial island full of hard disk factories, and you may well maintain this perception if you only stick to the densely populated West Coast. However, for those who take time to venture to the more sparsely populated East Coast will quickly find that Taiwan is actually home to some stunning landscapes. The Taroko Gorge (太魯閣) near Hualien in particular is very impressive, and should not be missed. Most of Taiwan is covered with mountains which offer breathtaking views, so hiking opportunities are very diverse.


  • Spring Scream (春天吶喊) - A three day outdoor rock concert in Kenting, held every year. In 2011, it will take place on 1-4 April. Tickets are $1,400 for all days, all venues; $650 for one day, one venue. Kenting's entire area gets swarmed by young people coming to party for 3 days, and Taiwanese TV heavily reports on the latest bikini fashions seen on the spot.[35]




The currency of Taiwan is the New Taiwan Dollar (NTD, but also referred to as TWD) (新臺幣 or just 臺幣), with one unit known locally as NT, yuan (元 or more formally 圓) when written in Chinese or colloquially in Mandarin as the kuai (塊). One unit is known colloquially as the kho͘ (箍) in the Taiwanese dialect. All $ prices in this guide are in New Taiwan Dollars.

As of March 2011, the exchange rate for US$1 is around $29, or €/$41. Easy rules of thumb are that $100 roughly equals US$3/€2.5; $1000 roughly equals US$30/€25. Coins come in denominations of $0.50, $1, $5, $10, $20 and $50. The $0.50 coin is rare because of its small value and has very little practical use. Banknotes come in denominations of $100, $200, $500, $1000 and $2000. Perhaps due to counterfeiting problems, the $200 and $2000 banknotes are rarely seen.

Taiwanese currency is fully convertible and there are no restrictions on taking currency into or out of the island. Currency exchange is possible internationally, although you will get a much better rate if you wait until you arrive at the airport to exchange currency at the 24 hour window. Most banks in Taipei and Kaohsiung will also exchange money or offer cash advances on credit or debit cards. Should you bring American currency, please be sure to bring newer bills as the banks and exchange-centers (such as in department stores) will only accept the newer bills (bills from 1996 and 2003 are not accepted at most places, due to a high proportion of forgeries bearing these years). Bills which are torn or damaged will probably not be changed, and old-style small-bust bills are not accepted. Taiwan National Bank will take older bank notes and bank notes that are wrinkled or torn for exchange. Department stores will not exchange bills older than 1997. Don't forget to show your passport!

If you've forgotten to bring any money at all, but have your credit or debit card handy, there's no need to fret. Taiwan's banking system is light-years ahead of most other countries, with the ability to use any of the abundant 24-hour ATMs to withdraw cash from anywhere in the world using the Plus or Cirrus systems. Certain banks' ATMs will even tell you your available balance in your own currency or in NT$. There is a per transaction limit of $20,000 for ATM cash withdrawals (HSBC Global Access customers may withdraw $30,000 from HSBC ATMs). Visa debit cards are not accepted in many places, but can be used at ATMs in Chinatrust banks (but not those in 7-11s).



Taiwan is fairly expensive by Asian standards, though still significantly cheaper than Japan. For a budget traveller on a bare bones budget, NT$1000 will get you by for a day, but you'll probably want to double that for comfort. A meal at a street stall may cost NT$50 or less, a meal at a Western fast food restaurant will run you about NT$150 and at the fanciest restaurants, you can expect a bill in excess NT$1000. On the high end of the spectrum, hotel rooms at a swanky hotel might cost NT$5000 or more.


Tipping is generally not practised in Taiwan, with the possible exception of bellhops in high end hotels. Full service restaurants typically impose a service charge and that is usually considered to be sufficient. Tipping is also not expected in taxis and drivers would usually return your change to the last dollar.








What to buy

Popular things to buy include:

  • 'Iron eggs (鐵蛋) irresistible delicacy



Stinky tofu

Taiwanese beef noodle soup
Lemon aiyu jelly



  • Beef noodles (牛肉麵 niúròu miàn), noodle soup with chunks of meltingly soft stewed beef and a dash of pickles




Places to eat





As with Chinese cuisine elsewhere, food in Taiwan is generally eaten with chopsticks and served on large plates placed at the center of the table. Often times, a serving spoon or pair of chopsticks (公筷 gongkuai) is usually accompanied with the dishes and guests do not use their own chopsticks to transfer food to their plates.


Dietary restrictions

All Mahayana Buddhists, which account for the majority of adherents in Taiwan, aspire to be pure vegetarian in deference to the Buddha's teaching of non-violence and compassion. So, vegetarian restaurants (called su-shi 素食 tsan-ting 餐廳 in Mandarin, and often identified with the 卍 symbol) can be found in abundance all over the island, and they run from cheap buffet style to gourmet and organic. Buffet styled restaurants (called 自助餐, which means "Serve Yourself Restaurant") are common in almost every neighborhood in large cities, and unlike the 'all-you-can-eat' buffets (which charge a set price, usually ranging from $250-350 including dessert and coffee/tea), the cost is estimated by the weight of the food on your plate. Rice (there is usually a choice of brown or white) is charged separately, but soup or cold tea is free and you can refill as many times as you like. $90-$120 will buy you a good sized, nutritious meal.


Although vegetarian restaurants in Taiwan do not aspire to vegan principles, due to the fact that Taiwanese do not have a tradition of eating dairy products, almost all non-dessert dishes at Chinese style veggie restaurants will actually be vegan. Ensure that your dish does not contain eggs, however.


Drinks vending machine in Taiwan



As a general rule, with the exception of Kaohsiung, tap water in Taiwan is safe for drinking after boiling. Any water or ice you are served in restaurants will already have been processed. Water fountains in Taiwan always incorporate filters, and they can be found in practically every lodge or hotel as well as (for example) larger museums and Taipei MRT stations. You can refill and reuse your bottles at these fountains as well. If you can't find one, then you should buy bottled water.

Note that in Kaohsiung, most people do not drink the tap water, even after filtering or boiling, since the water contains trace amounts of arsenic that is detrimental to health. Whether the trace amounts are dangerous or not is debatable, especially if you're just passing through, but the locals obtain potable water using pumps that look like gasoline pumps that are strewn throughout the residential areas. For tourists, most hotels would provide 2 bottles of mineral water in each room and you should use that as your drinking water. If that is not enough, there are many 24 hours convenience stores around so you can get additional bottled water from there.

In most other places in Taiwan it is advised to not drink tap water. In fact, warnings about this can be found in most hotels, particularly the international tourist hotels. Although some Taiwanese do so, even the majority of them prefer to drink boiled water. In some parts of the country (Yunlin County (雲林縣), etc.) the water is often filtered to remove sediment and minerals from the ground water prior to boiling.



Taiwan's legal age to consume alcohol is 18 years of age. Minors caught drinking can face fines ranging from $10000 to $50000. Traditional alcoholic drinks in Taiwan are very strong. Kaoliang (高粱酒) is the most famous alcoholic drink. A distilled grain liquor, it is extremely strong, usually 140 proof or more, and often drunk straight.



Tea and coffee

Pearl milk tea and pudding milk tea, Chiayi


One should also try Lei cha (擂茶; léi chá) a tasty and nourishing Hakka Chinese tea-based beverage consisting of a mix ground tea leaves and grain. Some stores specialize in this product and allows one to grind their own lei cha.



Soft drinks





The Grand Hotel, Taipei

Taiwan doesn't sleep - just look at the number of 24-hour stores out there. But since you have to....

For the budget-minded, there are hostels in Taipei and most other sizable cities. Camping is also available in many areas.

Motels (汽車旅館) can be easily found in suburbs of major cities. Despite the name, these have little if anything to do with the cheap functional hotels that use the name elsewhere; in Taiwan, motels are intended for romantic trysts and can be quite extravagant in decor and facilities. Many feature enormous baths with massage jets, separate massage showers, marble tiles, and so forth. Suites come with flat screen TVs as well as centrally controlled sound systems. During the daytime, most offer "rests" (休息) of a few hours, and indeed check-in times for overnight stays (住宿) can be as late at 10 PM. Taichung is considered the motel-capital of Taiwan.


Many hotels in Taiwan have both Chinese and Western names, which can differ radically. Find out and bring along the Chinese name (in Chinese characters), as locals will usually not be able to identify the English ones. Especially when you visit the regions less traveled by westerners (mostly because there is no business there), don't be shy to walk in on the more pricey hotels, especially off-season. The Ceasar (凱撒大飯店), the Chateau (夏都沙灘酒店) and the Howard Beach Resort (福華大飯店) at Kenting, for example, located at one of the nicest beaches of tropical Taiwan, can be of exceptional value if you stay there during wintertime, as the rooms not yet let for the night are offered far below their normal price at last minute.



Taiwan is home to several good universities, many of which have exchange agreements with various foreign universities, and these are a good way to experience life in Taiwan. The most prestigious university in Taiwan is the National Taiwan University.

Mandarin Chinese

Some universities in Taiwan have Chinese Promoting Programs (華語文推廣中心) that offers Chinese lessons to foreigners who wish to live in Taiwan or to learn Mandarin Chinese as their second or foreign language. The romanisation system taught here nowadays is Hanyu (漢語) Pinyin (拼音), whereas in the past they taught Zhuyin (注音), or BoPoMoFo (ㄅㄆㄇㄈ). The writing system taught is Traditional Chinese.

Martial arts


Styles include Ba Gua (八卦), Tai Chi (太極), Wing Chun (詠春), Praying Mantis (螳螂), Shway (水) Shiao and various weapons systems. Many of the students are westerners in these classes, which has led to the rise of several NHB Allegra [36] schools, as well as Ju Jitsu and Aikido from Japan.










A lot of the illegal teaching work that the majority of English teachers partake in is simply through private student tuition with payment being cash-in-hand. You can find a lot of private students around universities that have a Chinese-teaching department - look for the areas where all the foreign students will be and check the noticeboards. Because the majority of adult private students want to practise English conversation, you won't need to have any Chinese ability. However, it is definitely a selling point and, if you do have Chinese-speaking ability, it's worthwhile mentioning that in any advertising of your services. Also, once you have some regular students, remember that in Taiwan, as in most Asian countries, 'connections' or 'guanxi' are very important - if your students like you, they will in all likelihood recommend you to their family and friends.




Stay safe


Sign of the Taiwan Police




A Police Station in Taiwan




Emergency Phone Numbers

  • Police: 110
  • Fire/Ambulance: 119

For those who need assistance in English, the Taiwanese government[39] has a 24-hour toll-free foreigner service hotline at 0800-024-111, which you may call for assistance.

Natural hazards





Local drivers have a well-deserved reputation for being extremely reckless and downright immoral. It is possible (even normal) to obtain a driving license in Taiwan without ever having driven on the roads, and this may be a reason (along with the overcrowded roads) why courteous or defensive driving is definitely not the norm. The guiding principles seem to be that the right of way belongs to the larger vehicle, i.e. trucks have the right-of-way over cars, cars over motorcycles, motorcycles over people, etc. Despite traffic's chaotic appearance, it is viscerally intuitive to yield the right-of-way to a much larger vehicle barreling towards you. It is advisable to use slow and smooth movements over quick or sudden ones. Local drivers regularly cut in front of moving traffic into spaces that seem too small, try to change lanes regardless of the fact their destination is already full, etc. Be aware that during busy traffic (i.e. nearly always) two-lane roads will spontaneously become three-lane, an orange light will be interpreted as 'speed up', and the smallest moment's pause in oncoming traffic will result in everybody that's waiting trying to turn across it. Drivers routinely enter a junction when their exit is blocked, and are therefore frequently still there long after the lights change, blocking traffic traveling in other directions. Many motorcycle riders also have a tendency to zip through any space, no matter how tiny. Also be aware that motorcycles often travel through areas typically considered as pedestrian-only spaces, like the night-markets.



Stay healthy

Eating and Drinking





Taiwan has both Chinese physicians and Western doctors, both of which are taken equally seriously. However, as a foreigner, the assumption would generally be to direct you to a Western doctor. The quality of the hospitals in Taiwan is excellent and on par, if not better, with those found in the West. Taiwan's health care program is considered as one of the best health care in the world. Legal residents with a National Health Card can avail themselves of the very convenient and efficient national health service, which covers treatment and medication using both Western and traditional Chinese medicine. However, this service is not available to short term visitors on tourist visas; nor does it cover major hospitalization expenses. Still, hospital visits and medicine in Taiwan tends to be far less expensive than in the west. For minor ailments and problems (flu, broken bones, stitches, etc). Note that outside the major cities, it might be difficult to find a doctor who speaks English, so try to learn some basic Mandarin before heading off the beaten track.





Taiwan shares several cultural taboos with other East Asian nations.

  • Do not write people's names in red. This again has connotations of death. When writing someone's English name, this is not a problem, but avoid writing Chinese names in red.
  • Do not point at cemeteries or graves. This means disrespect to the deaths.
  • You are not expected to tip in hotels, restaurants and taxis, though bellhops may still expect 50 TWD or so for carrying your luggage.


Taiwanese society is rather polarized by allegiance between supporters of the two major political blocks informally known as "Pan-Blue Coalition" and "Pan-Green Coalition", although there are large numbers of people who are either centrist or who don't care. To simplify a very complex situation, pan-blue supporters tend to be more favorable toward the idea of (re)unification or maintaining a status-quo with China and pan-green supporters tend to be more favorable toward the idea of establishing a formally independent Republic of Taiwan, among other differences.



Some Taiwanese will get very offended if you imply that Taiwan is part of China. Others will get very offended if you imply that Taiwan is not part of China. Referring to the PRC as "mainland China" (中國大陸 zhōngguó dàlù) rather than simply China will tend not to offend anyone as the term is generally used to exclude Hong Kong and Macau as well, making it less subjective. Referring to the Republic of China as a whole as "Taiwan Province" will draw a negative reaction from most Taiwanese. "Greater China" may be used in certain business contexts. Keep in mind however, that there are so many subtleties and complexities here that if you are talking about these things, you've already wandered into a minefield.

However, simply referring to the island as 'Taiwan' is fine, as that is the name used by the locals, regardless of their political persuasion. Titles such as 'Republic of China' are reserved for official matters only.

Gay and lesbian travelers




Getting Online

Internet cafes are plentiful, although you may have to wander around before finding one. Rather, Internet cafes in Taiwan should be called gaming cafes. These are often found on the first or second floor of a building, and equipped with very comfortable chairs and large screens. Although people do surf the Internet, most people primarly go there for a smooth experience of online gaming. Each hour of Internet access/game play is cheap, coming in at around $20. Some machines in the internet cafes are coin operated. For free internet access in big cities, try out the local libraries. In addition, a wireless internet accessing net covering all of Taipei City is available (it was free before May 2006 and is now payable at convenient stores in Taipei City) and Kaohsiung City is currently under construction; it already works in some huge MRT stations and on some special points. You will need some sort of login. There is also a common wifi network available at every McDonald's. The login is partly in English.

If you want an internet connection to your smart-phones, you can purchase a prepaid 3G data sim card from Chunghwa Telecom at a cost of TWD250 for 3 days, or TWD450 for 7 days. Just walk in to any official Chunghwa Telecom office counters to apply. They need your passport and identification documents of your country of origin. (Driving license or identification card)







Other news sources:

  • Central News Agency [43]
  • Government Information Office's periodicals [44]
  • RTI (Radio Taiwan International) [45]
  • the Taiwan Economic News [46]
  • Taiwan Headlines [47]
  • Taiwan Journal [48]
  • [49]
  • Taiwan Sun [50]

Free magazines:

  • Highway 11 Magazine [51] - A free east coast travel & lifestyle magazine in Hualien County - bilingual
  • Xpat [52] - a magazine dedicated to promoting Arts and Culture in Taiwan - English.
  • Taiphoon [53] - a magazine dedicated to promoting peace and environmental awareness in Taiwan - bilingual.
  • Journey East [54] - a travel & lifestyle magazine for northern Taiwan - bilingual.


Foreign Missions

As the People's Republic of China (PRC) does not allow other nations to have official diplomatic relations with both itself and the ROC in Taiwan, many of the world's major nations do not have official embassies or consulates in Taiwan. However, as the PRC allows recognition of Taiwan as a separate economy, many nations maintain a "Trade Office", "Institute" or something of similar nature such as American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) or European Economic and Trade Office and these usually perform limited consular activities such as issuing visas. For more information, visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs [55] web-site.

  • Russian Federation (Representative Office in Taipei for the Moscow-Taipei Coordination Commission on Economic and Cultural Cooperation): 15 Fl., Aurora Building, No. 2, Sec. 5, Hsin-Yi Road, Taipei, Taiwan. Tel.: (+886-2) 8780-3011 Fax: (+886-2) 8780-2511
  • United States of America (American Institute in Taiwan): No.7, Ln. 134, Sec. 3, Xinyi Rd., Da-an Dist., Taipei City 106-59. Tel: +886 (02) 2162-2000

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