Before you venture to this beautiful island nation, prepare yourself with these top travel tips for Taiwan!
Taiwan is a beautiful island nation with a rich and diverse history. A sovereign state only partially recognized around the world as separate from China, I had a blast exploring and learning about the vibrant culture and gathering my top travel tips for Taiwan to share with all of you. There are truly many beautiful things to see and enjoy in Taiwan!
So in typical life of brit fashion – here are my top 15 travel tips for Taiwan to help make your trip as smooth as possible!
15 Travel Tips for Taiwan
1. The water is safe to drink, but people still choose to drink bottled water.
Locals and travelers have concerns about the pipes in some locations – they may be old and polluting the water – so if you’re worried, it’s better to be safe and opt for the bottled water.
2. Taiwan is largely cash based.
Most of the budget accommodation in the city didn’t accept credit cards and only wanted cash payment. Most local merchants also only accepted cash.
3. ATMs are plentiful and I had no trouble finding ones that accepted my foreign card.
However, if you’re going to more rural places like Taroko National Park, you may want to arrive prepared. I recommend taking out enough cash to last the duration of your time there just in case.
4. Hold on to your train tickets, they are often checked at the end of your ride.
I managed to lose my ticket on one of our journeys and it was a little embarrassing. The guard basically made my dump out my whole bag to prove I didn’t have it before finally taking mercy on my soul and letting us through!
5. Prepare to eat lots of delicious food.
This country is famous for their delicious grub, so I recommend researching what the best noms are ahead of time.
Some foods you’ll definitely want to try include; bao, beef noodles, bubble tea, pineapple cake, ice cream burritos, pepper buns, snake, dim sum and boba milk. You should even check out the best Taiwanese 7-Eleven foods because the convenience stores in Asia actually serve up some tasty and cheap goodies!
6. Take public transportation and pick up an EasyCard.
If you’ll be visiting for a week or longer and plan to travel on the buses, trains and subway, the EasyCard is an easy way to pay for public transportation in Taiwan. The card itself costs 100 TWD / $3.44 USD and you can load it with 100 – 500+ TWD / $3.44 – $17.20+ USD. You can pick it up when you arrive at the airport. For more information, click here.
Or better yet, consider biking in Taiwan, a popular way to get around for many backpackers.
7. Taiwan is very safe for all solo travelers.
I spent the first half of my trip traveling around Taipei solo and it was a breeze! I felt very comfortable walking around on my own.
8. Learn a few survival phrases.
There are a few languages spoken in Taiwan today, but the majority of the population speaks Mandarin Chinese. Manners are very important in this culture as well, so if you come armed with a few key phrases, you’ll be sure to impress!
Hello – 你好 – nĭ hăo/ nĭn hăo – nee how / neen haow
Thank you – 謝謝 – xièxie – hsieh hsieh
I’m sorry/excuse me – 不好意思 – bù hǎo yìsi – boo haow eeh si
Goodbye – 再见 – zài jiàn – zi gee’en
You’re welcome – 不用谢 – bú yòng xiè – boo yong sheh
Right / correct – 对 – duì – dway
I don’t understand – 聽不懂 – tīng bù dǒng – teeng boo dong
Where is the bathroom? – 廁所在哪裡? – Cèsuŏ zài nǎli? – Tse sue-oh zeye nah lee
How much is it? – 多少錢 – Duō-shǎo-qián? – Doo oh show chee an?
9. The plug sockets in Taiwan are the same shape and voltage as American plug sockets.
That means the voltage is 110 V and 60 Hz and is the two prong type A and B sockets – the same as the United States, Canada and most South American countries. This is the first country I’ve visited abroad that matched my electronics from home!
10. If you plan to go hiking, you may need to purchase hiking permits and train tickets in advance, season depending.
One of the most popular hiking trails in Taroko National Park, the Zhuilu Old Trail, requires a permit and registration to hike. You’ll need someone living in Taiwan to sponsor you and to pay a small fee. There are a limited number of permits released a day. For more comprehensive information, check out this website.
11. Know the seasons before you travel to Taiwan.
Figuring out the best time to visit Taiwan is an important first step when planning your adventure. The country experiences four seasons, although they aren’t very distinct other than the extreme summer days compared to the mild and rainy winter days.
Summer sees very hot and humid temperatures, and winter days can be cloudy and wet. Be sure to pack accordingly and consider traveling during the fall for best temperatures and low rainfall.
12. Taiwan lies in a seismically active zone, so earthquakes occur quite frequently.
Most earthquakes in Taiwan are harmless, but it never hurts to learn what to do in case of one and to check to see if there’s been one recently. If you’re coming to hike, some trails may be closed due to recent earthquakes or bad weather.
13. Know your visa requirements.
Depending on where you’re from, you may need to apply for a visa before arriving in Taiwan or you may be exempt for either 30 or 90 days. Americans, Brits and Australians are eligible for the visa exemption program. For more detailed information, check out Taiwan’s informational page here.
14. English seems to be widely spoken, especially amongst young people.
Although many restaurant menus were only in Chinese. Ask locals for help if needed!
15. WiFi is fairly plentiful in Taipei.
I didn’t bother picking up a SIM card and I didn’t have much issue. However if you’re in need of one, check out this awesome guide to where you can find them and what pricing you can expect here.
What are your favorite Taiwan travel tips? Comment below!
Love this – travelled all over Taiwan as a solo woman for two months! Beautiful country.
Thank you so much!! It really is – I wish I had had more time to see Taiwan!