Taiwan is a breeze to go to. Transportation is handy, shops and eating places hit the spot surprisingly usually, and the native saying, “Taiwan’s best magnificence lies in its individuals,” is just not true, as a result of a lot right here is at the least equally beautiful.
That stated, it doesn’t harm to know a number of issues earlier than you go. Listed below are some suggestions from a Taipei resident of seven years.
E-book lodging early
Taiwan’s sweeping vary of lodgings means you’ll be able to dwell like a multimillionaire or a monk, or wherever in between, although it is on the midrange hostels and B&Bs that you just’ll get one of the best offers.
Rooms promote like dumplings throughout summer season, Lunar New Yr and nationwide holidays. E-book at the least two months out. In Kenting, Jiufen and Alishan, spots favored by native vacationers and glampers, early reservation is vital. Apart from pitching a tent, the most cost effective sleeps are at temples with visitor rooms.
To hike Taiwan’s highest mountains, you’ll want a allow or two, and the method can take weeks. If you wish to keep within the cabins, you’ll want to use as nicely. The method might not be a stroll within the park, however Taiwan’s breathtaking excessive mountains will reward you generously.
Make restaurant reservations
Consuming shall be an vital a part of your journey. Apart from ensuring you have got 5 stomachs, reservations are strongly suggested for weekend eating. A couple of days will do for many eating places, although Michelin-starred tables, equivalent to RAW and Le Palais, should be reserved a month or two prematurely. E-book by cellphone or on Fb. A rising variety of locations may also allow you to reserve with Google. For walk-in-only scorching spots, get there early or get able to see Taiwan’s well-known queue tradition in motion.
Dinner service begins at 5:30pm and begins winding down in lower than three hours. This implies your restaurant choices develop skinny after 8pm—however no worries, the evening markets beckon.
Faucet and go together with EasyCard or iPass
EasyCard is Taiwan’s contactless good card that you just “beep” on the metro, native buses and trains (besides high-speed rail), in addition to comfort shops and supermarkets. You’ll additionally want it (and an area cellphone quantity) for Youbike, Taiwan’s digital bike-sharing service. The cardboard itself prices NT$100, and you’ll prime up at any metro station or comfort retailer. Any unused cash is refundable, so don’t lose your card.
iPass is Kaohsiung’s model of Easycard, which is issued by Taipei. The 2 are interchangeable.
Obtain these transportation apps
The federal government’s bilingual apps are great for checking routes, fares, arrival and departure occasions and whether or not you’ll be able to convey your cello on board. You should buy digital prepare tickets through T Express (for high-speed rail) and 台鐵e訂通 (for railway), or just use the apps for info and purchase tickets on the counter.
Taiwan’s metro programs are easy, however apps like Taipei’s 台北捷運Go may also help you make higher choices about whether or not to get the day move or whether or not you need to simply bus it. Taiwan’s bus apps give comparable info to Google Maps, however with extra correct arrival occasions.
Comfort shops are little retailers of wonders
Ditch all of your preconceptions: Taiwan’s comfort shops allow you to purchase pay as you go cellphone playing cards, print and photocopy, purchase prepare and live performance tickets, ship packages domestically and choose up packages despatched domestically. And you are able to do most of this on an automatic kiosk whereas basking within the aroma of tea-infused eggs, roasted candy potatoes or no matter decent-tasting rice or pasta dish a fellow buyer occurs to be reheating for indoor seated enjoyment.
Thoughts you, not all kiosks have full English translations. Ask a workers for assist if there isn’t a line behind you. Oh, and did I point out ATMs and bathrooms?
Pack sufficient prescription meds on your journey
If you happen to’re on a particular antidepressant drug, blood-pressure treatment or contraceptive tablet, convey sufficient with you to be secure. If you happen to want flu and chilly drugs, head over to Watson’s or Cosmed for Tylenol or its native equivalents.
Sanitary merchandise could be simply bought from supermarkets and drugstores. Some cafes and eating places even present them without spending a dime within the girls’s bathrooms.
Don’t convey medication
It’s punishable by dying or life imprisonment.
Be thoughtful on public transport
The metro and buses have precedence seating that is a special shade from the opposite seats. Most Taiwanese who will not be aged, pregnant or bodily challenged would ever consider sitting there, however in recent times, detractors have been questioning whether or not age and look are correct reflections of want, arguing that it’s nice for anybody to make use of the seats till somebody needier comes alongside. No matter you select to do, it helps to pay attention to these dynamics.
Taiwanese metro commuters take the “no consuming and consuming” rule very severely. Chewing gum and sips of water are frowned upon. Carriages are additionally quiet. Your possibilities of overhearing somebody’s life story is disappointingly low.
Tipping is just not customary (however it’s appreciated)
You aren’t anticipated to tip at eating places, whether or not or not they levy a ten% to fifteen% service cost (many do). Taxi drivers don’t count on suggestions, however you might hear a brighter “xie xie” should you spherical as much as the following greenback. It’s courteous to offer the porter at higher inns NT$100. If you happen to’re proud of a therapeutic massage or a tour information, add 10% to the invoice.
Put on no matter you want, however costume respectfully at temples
Whereas middle-aged Taiwanese have a tendency to decorate conservatively, younger urbanites in Taipei and Kaohsiung are sartorially fairly open-minded. That stated, a crop prime remains to be extra more likely to appeal to curious glances right here than in London or New York. It’s laborious to invest, all else being fixed, whether or not a halter would garner extra consideration than a see-through shirt, however summers listed below are scorching, so you might as nicely put on no matter you need – so long as you don’t thoughts the occasional stare.
It’s a special story if you go to a temple, the place modest costume is considered an indication of respect. As a rule of thumb, your apparel ought to cowl the thighs, shoulders and midriff.
Take off your footwear when coming into properties
Taiwanese don’t put on out of doors footwear inside their properties. In case your host affords you a pair of slippers, settle for or suggest to go together with socks.
It isn’t customary to take away footwear earlier than coming into a temple, particularly city temples, although the rule could also be enforced in a specific corridor housing a sacred relic or a fragile heritage constructing.
You may get by with out a lot Chinese language
Most Taiwanese within the main cities know at the least some English. Naturally, the additional you go from the metropolitan areas, the much less prevalent the language is. However with the friendliness and hospitality of the Taiwanese, and a few assist from good outdated Google Translate, you may get fairly far.
Carry your reusable water bottle
Taiwan’s faucet water is formally deemed secure to drink; nevertheless, it’s laborious to know for positive if the pipes in a specific constructing are as much as par.
BYOB is by far the most cost effective, greenest and most secure method to hydrate. There are water fountains in all metro and prepare stations, public amenities, equivalent to info facilities, libraries and museums, and even temples. When checking in at your lodging, ask reception the place the water dispenser is.
Taiwan is affected by frequent pure disasters
This consists of earthquakes, typhoons, floods and landslides. Keep away from mountainous areas after quakes and heavy rains. Sturdy winds usually mess up crusing schedules to and from Taiwan’s islands, and cross-island buses might cease operating after a landslide. Test with the related authorities earlier than heading to the station or pier along with your umbrella.
Be cautious of the place you smoke
Smoking is banned in all indoor public locations, equivalent to inns, eating places, buying malls, and metro stations, and that is strictly enforced. Smoking at alfresco cafes is frequent.
Solo girls vacationers are secure in Taiwan
Taiwan has a really low crime charge. That stated, be wise and take precautions, equivalent to avoiding strolling alone in a darkish alley at evening. Some prepare and metro stations have nocturnal women-only wait zones.
Taiwan is a welcoming place for LGBTIQ+ vacationers
The primary nation in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage, Taiwan is pleasant and progressive, particularly Taipei, residence of the Chinese language-speaking world’s most vibrant Pleasure Parade. Kaohsiung, which has its personal Pleasure, comes an in depth second. When it comes to nightlife, nevertheless, Taipei wins fingers down. Helpful assets embody Utopia, Taiwan Tongzhi (LGBTQ+) Hotline Association and Taiwan LGBT Pride.
Taiwan is implausible for bathrooms
Free and often spotlessly clear amenities are in all places. Whereas most public bathrooms are the squat type, there are often at the least one or two stalls with sit-down amenities. They usually even have rest room paper. Western-style bathrooms are commonplace in inns and flats. Many eating places ask you to not flush used rest room paper however put it within the wastebasket beside your throne.
