Taiwan was first populated 30,000 years ago by an Australo-Melanesian group known as the Negrito. The Negrito were eventually assimilated and displaced 5,000 years ago by Proto-Austronesians who arrived from the east coast of mainland Chinapredominantly from what is now Fujian province. It has been suggested that these people were the ancestors of Austronesian speakers across Southeast Asiathe Pacificand even Madagascar. Recorded history began with the partial colonization of Taiwan by the Dutch and then the Portuguese in the early 17th century. (The old name of TaiwanFormosacomes from the Portuguese Ilha Formosa for "beautiful island".) Many pro-independence Taiwanese consider the establishment of Dutch colonial rule in 1624 to be the birth of the Taiwanese nation.

Han Chinese immigrants arrived in significant numbers with the onset of European trade. 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 grandson surrendered to the Qing in the late 1600s. Although contact between China and Taiwan dates back thousands of yearsit was not until larger numbers of ethnic Han residents arrived during the Qing dynasty that Taiwan was integrated into China as part of Hokkien (Fujian) province. It became a separate province in 1887. The years of Han Chinese settlement during the Qing Dynasty were marred by conflict between the Han settlers and the indigenous peoplebetween the Minnan and Hakka speakers among the Han settlersand between the Quanzhou and Zhangzhou immigrants among the Minnan speakers. All these resulted in Minnan speakers largely occupying the fertile lowlands along the coastthe Hakkas being forced to occupy the middle elevations in the mountainsand the indigenous people being forced to higher elevations in the mountains and the more typhoon-prone east coast.

Defeated by the Japanesethe Qing Empire ceded Taiwan to Japan under the terms of the treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895. Japan ruled the island until the end of World War II in 1945and 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 infrastructure built by the Japanese can still be seen on the islandand has been in continuous use up to the present day (e.g. railway crossing gatesadministrative buildingsand the old port at Kaohsiung). During World War IImany Taiwaneseboth indigenous and Han Chineseserved in the Imperial Japanese Armymany of whom have been enshrined in the controversial Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo. Like their counterparts in Korea and other occupied territoriesmany Taiwanese women were forced to serve as "comfort women" (i.e. sex slaves) in Japanese military brothels.

Upon the resumption of Chinese rulethe Kuomintang (KMT國民黨) under Chiang Kai-shekalso known as the Nationalistswas suspicious of the locals in Taiwanbecause many Taiwanese had served in the Japanese military and civil service during World War II. Moreoverthe Japanese had sought to turn Taiwan into a model colony. Despite having been discriminated againstmany locals had seen their standards of living improve under Japanese ruleand were disillusioned by the corruption and incompetence that plagued the Kuomintang at that time. Tensions between the new Kuomintang government and the locals culminated in the 228 incident on 28th February 1947when many locals revolted against Chinese ruleand the Kuomintang responded with a brutal crackdownmassacring thousands of pro-independence protesters and Japanese-educated intellectuals. Taiwan was placed under martial law following the incidentwhich was not lifted until 1987; this period is known to the Taiwanese as the "White Terror" (白色恐怖). Discussion of the incident was banned under the years of martial lawbut was brought back to the fore once again following democratization in the 1990sand it remains a key impetus behind the Taiwan independence movement.

In the early 20th centurythe Nationalists and Communists fought a bloody civil war in mainland China. Although the two sides briefly united against Japan during World War IIthey quickly began fighting again after the war was over. The Communists emerged victorious in 1949. The Nationalist governmentremnants of their armyand hundreds of thousands of supporters then fled to Taiwanbut also retained control of several offshore islands of Fujian. From Taipeithey continued to assert their right as the sole legitimate government of all China. Initially very repressivethe government began to loosen control in its fourth decade under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek's sonChiang Ching-kuo. Taiwan also experienced rapid economic growth and modernisation under the leadership of Chiang Ching-kuobecoming one of the world's richest and most modern economies and earning it a place as one of the East Asian Tigers. TodayTaiwan is generally regarded as a moderndeveloped economyand is the world's largest producer of semiconductor chips. Democratization began in earnest through the 1980s and 1990sculminating with the first direct presidential elections in 1996and 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 (PRC)which still claims Taiwan as a "renegade province" and regularly threatens military action if Taiwan attempts to break away from the awkward One China status quowhereby both sides agree that there is only one Chinese nationbut disagree on whether that one nation should be governed by the PRC or the Republic of China (ROC). To summarize a very complex situationthe Pan-Blue (泛藍) group spearheaded by the KMT supports eventual unification with the mainland when the political climate is rightwhile the Pan-Green (泛綠) group led by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) supports eventual formal independence under the name "Republic of Taiwan".

Although mainland China has been Taiwan's most important trading partner since 2008many Taiwanese were fearful that deepening economic ties would lead to the Chinese Communist Party using this economic dependence to coerce democratic Taiwan into unifying with mainland China under communist rule. Things came to a head when student protesters stormed the Legislative Yuan on 18th March 2014forcing the government to abandon ratification of a trade deal with mainland Chinamarking the first time the Taiwanese legislature had been occupied by civilian protesters. The protestspopularly known as the Sunflower Movementare today considered a watershed moment in Taiwanese political historyas they led to the political awakening of much of the formerly apolitical younger generationgalvanized a distinct Taiwanese identityand united most of the younger generation behind the pro-independence camp.

Taiwan is a presidential republic modelled after the American system of governmentwith influences from the traditional Chinese system of government as envisioned by Sun Yat-senthe founding president of the Republic of China. It has a separation of powers into five branches of government instead of threeas is typical in Western presidential republics. The President is popularly elected every four years for up to two termsand is the head of state. The President has the sole authority to appoint members of the executive branchknown as the Executive Yuanwhose leaderknown as the Premierserves as the head of government.

The legislative branch is known as the Legislative Yuanoften referred to as the "Parliament"which is elected every four years in parallel with the presidential elections. Taiwan is a vibrant democracy known for its exceptionally dramatic parliamentary sessionswith physical fights between legislators on the floor being a regular occurrence.

The other branches of government are the Judicial Yuanwhich serves as Taiwan's constitutional court and leads the judiciary branchthe Examination Yuanwhich administers civil service examinationsand the Control Yuanwhich is responsible for auditing the government.

The three main parties in Taiwanese politics are the Kuomintang (KMT)the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)and the Taiwan People's Party (TPP). Generally speakingthe main distinction between the three parties is their attitude toward China: While the KMTwhich professes Chinese nationalismfavors friendlier ties with Chinathe DPPwhich professes Taiwanese nationalismtakes a tougher stance against China and favors closer ties with Japan and the United States. The TPP attempts to sidestep the China issue by instead focusing on bread and butter issues and populist agendas. The older generation is politically split between the KMT vs the DPPwhile the younger generation is split between the DPP vs the TPP. Typical "left-right leaning" supporters in the West may exist in any party.

Taiwan was first populated by indigenous peoples (原住民 yuán zhù mín) that spoke various Austronesian languageswhich are related to MalayTagalogIndonesian and most languages of the Pacific island nations. Today the remaining indigenous peoples make up only about 2% of the populationwhile the other 98% are considered ethnically Han Chinese. The Han Chinese are further split into Taiwanese (本省人 běn shěng rénlit. "people of our province")who make up about 84% of the population and whose ancestors migrated to Taiwan during the Ming and Qing Dynastiesand mainlanders (外省人 wài shěng rénlit. "people of other provinces")who make up about 14% of the population and whose families fled to Taiwan from the mainland after the communist takeover in 1949. Among the Taiwanese groupHoklo (Minnan) speakers form the majoritywhich is about 70% of the populationwhile the remaining 14% are largely Hakka speakers.

In modern timesTaiwan is also home to immigrants from elsewhereespecially other Asian countries such as Malaysia (most of whom are ethnically Chinese)JapanSouth KoreaThailandVietnamthe Philippines and Indonesia. The post-1949 Chinese immigrants come from every province and include many non-Han residents.

Taiwanese culture is largely based on traditional Chinese cultureparticularly that of Fujian provincebecause most Taiwanese are Han Chinese whose ancestors migrated to Taiwan from that region. Howeverin the 20th centuryTaiwanese culture diverged from that of mainland China. Substantial Japanese influences can be seen in modern Taiwanese culture because of 50 years of Japanese ruleand this can be seen in its cuisine and in its pop culture. In additionthe Japanese introduced baseball and hot-spring bathing to Taiwanand these remain popular pastimes for the Taiwanese to this day. Kuomintang refugees fleeing the mainland in the aftermath of the Chinese Civil War also brought their cultures with themand their influence is most visible in Taiwan's cuisine. As Taiwan was spared from the Cultural Revolutionthe Taiwanese have also retained some elements of traditional Chinese culture that have been lost in mainland China.

Indigenous Austronesian or "Formosan" culture has greatly suffered under multiple different waves of colonial rule. It is having a resurgence todayand efforts are being made to revive the culture through the introduction of the Formosan languages into the school curriculum. Howevermany aspects of it have been lost foreverwhich is evident in how the majority of the Formosan languages are extinct or moribund. Numerous indigenous Taiwanese have had successful careers in the entertainment industryperhaps the most famous example being the singer Kulilay Amitbetter known by her Chinese name Chang Huei-meiwho is of Puyuma ethnicity. The indigenous people of Taiwan are separated into Lowland groups who lived on the plains and Highland groups who lived in the mountains. The Lowland groups were the first to come in contact with the Dutch while the Highland groups were only truly subjugated by the Japanese. The Lowland groups receive limited indigenous recognition today due to having largely culturally assimilated into the Han Chineseand suspicion from Highland groups on whether they truly qualify as "indigenous".

Lowland Taiwan has a marine tropical climate during the summerwith swelteringhumid weather (above 30 °C86 °F) from Jun-Sep. In the winter the weather is influenced by the nearby continentand 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-Decalthough even then occasional typhoons can spoil the fun. Spring is also nicealthough it rains more than during autumn. During the typhoon seasonthe east coast bears the brunt of the damage as it is facing the Pacific Ocean.

In the mountainous regions you will encounter more temperate conditions. Rapid weather change can endanger unprepared visitorsso advice on proper preparation should be obtained before visiting those areas. In factit snows every year on Taiwan's highest mountains and occasionally even on mountains like Alishan.

The Minguo (民國ROC) calendarcounting years from the establishment of the ROC (1911)is commonly used in Taiwan. To convert a Minguo date to A.D.just add 1911. 2026 is Minguo 115. Months and days are according to the standard Gregorian calendar for almost everything except traditional holidays and religious matterswhich use the traditional Chinese lunar calendar.

As Taiwan is majority Han Chinesetraditional Chinese festivals are celebrated in Taiwan. Among the most notable are:

• Chinese New Year (春節). This is the most important festival for the Taiwanese and many shops and restaurants close on the first three days so it is not an ideal time to visit. Howeverthe days leading up to the festival and the fourth to fifteenth days are ideal for soaking up the atmosphere and listening to Chinese New Year songs.
• Tomb Sweeping Day (Ching Ming Festival清明節). This is when many Taiwanese pay respects at their ancestors' gravesdo maintenance on those gravesand generally have a day long picnic in the cemetery.
• Dragon Boat Festival (端午節). This festival honors Qu Yuana patriotic official from the state of Chu during the Warring States period of Chinese history who committed suicide by jumping into a river when Chu was conquered by Qin. To prevent the fishes from eating his bodyvillagers threw rice dumplings into the river to feed the fishes and rowed dragon boats with drums being beaten on them to scare away the fishes. Since thendragon boat racing has been carried out on this day and rice dumplings are also eaten.
• Hungry Ghost Festival (Ghost Month中元節). This festival runs throughout the seventh month of the Chinese calendar. It is believed that the gates of hell open during this period and hungry ghosts are allowed to roam freely into our world. In order to appease the ghosts and prevent misfortunemany Taiwanese offer food and burn joss paper for them. In additiontraditional Chinese performances such as Chinese opera and puppet shows are held to appease these wandering spirits.
• Mid-Autumn Festival (Moon Festival中秋節). Legend has it that on this daya woman known as Chang E swallowed some divine pills to prevent her power hungry husband from becoming immortal. Afraid of being killed by her husbandshe fled to the moon and it is believed that the moon shines brightest on this day. This is when many lanterns are put up for decoration in various parks and shopswhich is quite a beautiful sight. Mooncakes are also eaten on this day so it would be an ideal time to try some. Many Taiwanese have barbecue with family or friends as part of the celebration.

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

• Taiwan Tourism

• Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (Taipei) (臺灣桃園國際機場formerly Chiang Kai-Shek International Airport 中正國際機場) (TPE ^IATA) is the primary international airport of Taiwan. Located 40 km west of Taipeiit has good connections to neighbouring countries and North Americaand decent connections to Europe and Oceania. It is a major air hub for people travelling between North America and Southeast Asia. The airport has a MRT (metro/subway) connection to Taipeiand direct buses to TaipeiTaichung and other nearby cities. Alternativelythe MRT train and U-Bus company shuttles reach HSR Taoyuan station (台灣高鐵桃園站) for high-speed train connections to other cities; and to Zhongli Station (中壢車站) for mainline TRA (Taiwan Railways Administration 台灣鐵路管理局) train and southbound bus connections to TainanHsinchu (新竹) etc.
• Kaohsiung International Airport (高雄國際機場also known as Siaogang Airport 小港機場) (KHH ^IATA) is the largest airport in southern Taiwan near downtown Kaohsiungwith decent connections to neighbouring countries and domestic destinations. The airport has a MRT (metro/subway) connection to Kaohsiung to HSR Zuoying station (台灣高鐵左營站) and TRA Kaohsiung station (台鐵高雄車站).
• Songshan Airport< about="#mwt156" data-mw='{"name":"templates","attrs":{"src":"Dead link/s.css"},"parts":[{"template":{"target":{"wt":"Dead link","href":"./Template:Dead_link"},"params":{"date":{"wt":"September 2024"},"bot":{"wt":"InternetArchiveBot"}},"i":0}}]}' data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r5167228" id="mwAb8" typeof="mw:Extension/templates mw:Transclusion">.mw-parser-output .error-deadlink{color:red;background:yellow;display:none;white-space:nowrap}^{[dead link]} (臺北松山機場) (TSA ^IATA) is a smaller airport in downtown Taipei which serves mostly domestic flights with some flights to mainland ChinaTokyo Haneda Airportand Seoul Gimpo Airport.
• Taichung Airport^{[dead link]} (臺中機場also known as Ching Chuan Kang Airport 臺中清泉崗機場) (RMQ ^IATA) is the only airport in central Taiwan. It is in Shalu (沙鹿)a suburb area in Taichung. It serves domestic and international flights to mainland ChinaHong KongJapanMacauSouth Koreaand Vietnam. The only public transportation connection to downtown Taichung is buses.
• Hualien Airport (花蓮機場) (HUN ^IATA) located on the eastern coast of Taiwan which serves mostly domestic routesbut also an international flight from South Korea.

The main Taiwanese full-service carriers are EVA Air (長榮航空)flag carrier China Airlines (中華航空)and Starlux Arilines (星宇航空). While China Airlines used to have a poor safety recordthings have improved greatly since 2003and todayit is just as safe as the major Western European airlines. The only Taiwanese low-cost carrier is Tigerair Taiwan (台灣虎航) under the China Airlines Group.

As of 2024there are no regular ferries between Taiwan and Japan. Howeverlocal travel agencies in Taiwan and Japan can book some regular cruises between Keelung and Okinawa. Consult them if considering cruises.

Taipei's EasyCard (悠遊卡 Yōuyóukǎ) and Kaohsiung's iPass (一卡通) are the main public transportation smart and electronic payment cardsand replace the need to buy separate tickets for most nationalregional and city busesmetro (MRT)as well as train services (TRA) all over Taiwanand they can be used at retail establishments that display the respective signlike convenient stores (7ElevenFamily Mart)parking lots and some restaurants and shops. Though originally accepted only in their respective citiesthe two cards can now be used interchangeably at most (but not all) locations.

Besides saving you the hassle of having proper change ready for your ticketit mostly always gives discount on the chosen journeys. For instancethe price for any train (TRA) is calculated based on the price of a local train and a 10% discount. Thusyou can even take the faster trains with it (but not THSR) like the Tzu-Chiang limited express. The only disadvantage is that you will not have a reserved seatwhich however is not an issue except on Saturday morning/noon and Sunday afternoon. The EasyCard also provides discounts on Taipei's public transportation networkand likewise with the iPass on Kaohsiung's network.

The EasyCard can be bought at the airportin any of stations of Taipei MRT and most convenient stores. As of 2025 the price was NT$500consisting of a non-refundable fee of NT$100 and NT$400 in electronic cash. If you want to add money onto the cardyou can do so in MRT stations (including Kaohsiung MRT)TRA stationsand the common convenient stores. The card can hold amounts up to NT$5,000. Student IC cards with even deeper discounts are also available for purchasebut only upon request at a desk and a recognised student ID like ISIC.

Whether the card needs to be tapped only once or twice on city buses (on entry or on exitsee below) depends on which city you are in and sometimes how far you travel. Do not forget to tap twice (on entry and exit) when necessaryespecially on regional and national buses outside of cities (and some unstaffed railway stations). Otherwiseyour card will be blocked with "incomplete journey" (for all bus companies)and you will have to settle this issue with the responsible bus company. This can be a problembecause bus companies only serve certain regions. When leaving that regione.g. by trainwhich is still possible with a (bus) locked cardno-one will be willing to unlock your cardeven though also other bus companies are able to do so. Be insistent and with the help of the tourist information center tell them that you cannot go back to fix the problemor that you tried and they did not solve the issue even though they told you so. Make sure that it is really unlocked (with a different bus company) and do not just trust them – it seems some cannot operate their machines properly. If you forget to tap the second timeyou will only be charged a small initial fee instead of the whole journeybut unless you are at the end of your vacation to Taiwan or possess a second cardyou should avoid having your card blocked. That saidmost bus drivers and railway staff pay close attention to the tappingso it is hard to miss.

It costs NT$14 to get in and out of the same railway station within an hourin case you instead decide to take the bus. At the end of your traveldo not put too much money onto your cardbecause it can only be given back and cashed-out at certain locationslike some THSR stations. In addition to the NT$100 purchase feethere is a NT$20 fee for returning the card within 3 months.

Taiwan's train system is excellentwith stops in all major cities. Train stations are often in the centers of most cities and towns and serve as a convenient hub for most types of transportation. In additionthe train system allows you to bypass the highwayswhich can become extremely crowded on weekends and national holidays. The main downside is the lack of cross-island routes between the East Coast and West Coast; for instancethere is no rail line from Taichung to Hualienso you will have to either driveflyor take a major detour via Taipei or Kaohsiung.

Taiwan has an extensive bus networkrun mostly by private bus companies. Traveling by bus is generally cheaper than by trainespecially for long-distance trips. Howeveron holidaystravel time may be much longer and tickets are more likely to be sold out. There are two categories: intercity buses (客運) and local buses (公車).

Taiwan Tourist Shuttle is a set of distinctly branded bus routes (some intercitysome local) that serve tourist sitesand are generally easier to use than regular routes. The official website offers route mapstimetables and recommended itinerariesbut is somewhat confusing to navigate. There ishowevera toll-free number for inquiries. There are also information desks at major transport hubs.

Many cities have local buses. They are managed by local governmentstherefore information can generally be found on the websites of the respective transportation bureaus. Drivers are usually happy to helpbut may not speak English or any other foreign language. Route maps at bus stops are mostly in Chinese. For visitorsit may be helpful to have your hotel or accommodation host suggest some routes for you and circle your destination on a mapthen show it to the bus driver to make sure you're on the right bus. Announcements are in Englishbut hopefully the driver will remember to tell you when to get off in case you miss it. Most buses accept either cash (no change) or IC cards (like the EasyCard). Minor cities and towns do not have local busesbut have intercity routes that make frequent stops. These can be found using the method in the previous paragraph.

Occasionally a bus driver might stop a bus away from the curb at a bus stop. Sometimes it is due to a vehicle illegally parked at a bus stop. (Taiwanese traffic law and regulation prohibit vehicles from stopping or parking within 10 m (33 ft) of a bus stop.) Howevera bus driver might stop a bus away from the curb just because he or she does not want to wait for overtaking traffic while leaving a bus stop. Thereforebe much more careful when getting on or off a bus stopped away from a curbas many motorcyclesmotor scootersand bicycles will definitely be tempted to overtake on the right side of the stopped bus where people get on and off! (As traffic drives on the right side of the road in Taiwanbuses have doors on the right side.) In Taiwan you need to hail the bus you are taking as you see it coming—much like hailing a taxi. Be assertive when hailing the busotherwise it may not stop. The terminal stop of the route is listed on the front of the bus in Chinese and sometimes Englishso it is important to make sure the bus you get on is going the right direction.

For city busessometimes you pay when boardingsometimes when alightingsometimes both (whether with cash or an IC card). As you get on the bus there will be an LED sign indicating thatopposite the entrance. Sometimes it's only in Chinese: 上 means on boarding下 means on alighting (or just watch other people). In some cities such as Kaohsiung and Taichungfailing to swipe your card correctly will result in a locked card.

The following areas are served by metroalso known as MRT:

• Taipei and New Taipei by Taipei Metro
• Linkou PlateauNew TaipeiTaoyuan International Airport and Zhongli District in northeastern Taoyaun City from Taipei Main Station by Taoyuan Metro. Separate access points from the Taipei Metro at the Taipei Main Station.
• Taichung by Taichung MRT
• Kaohsiung by Kaohsiung MRT

It is prohibited to eatdrink or smoke in all metro systems past the fare gates. If multiple journeys are to be madeone can purchase a rechargeable IC card. There are 4 cards: EasyCard (悠遊卡)iPASS (一卡通)icash and HappyCash. For basic MRT transport purposes there is little difference between them.

All metro systems are reliablesafeclean and accessible. Disruptions are rare. The Taipei Metro in particular is widely lauded as one of the world's most reliable and efficientand is often held up as a gold standard for other Metro systems around the world to emulate. Nearly all stations have toiletselevators and info desks. There are also special waiting areas that is monitored by security camera for those who are concerned about security late at night.

Taxis are very common in major Taiwanese cities. You do not need to look for a taxithey'll be looking for you. The standard yellow taxis scour roads looking for potential riders such as lost foreigners. It is possible but generally unnecessary to phone for a taxi. To hail onesimply place your hand in front of you parallel to the ground. But they'll often stop for you even if you're just waiting to cross the street or for a bus. In less heavily trafficked areas further out from the transit hubstaxis are always available by calling taxi dispatch centers or using mobile apps.

Drivers generally cannot converse in English or any other foreign language (such as FrenchGermanJapaneseetc.) or read Westernized addresses (except for special Taoyuan airport taxis). Get the hotel staff or a Taiwanese friend write out your destination in Chineseand also take a business card from the hotel. Show the driver the Chinese writing of where you are going.

Taxis are visibly metered (starting point priced at NT$70)and taxi drivers are strictly forbidden from taking tips. A maximum of four people can ride in one caband for the price of one. Compared to European or American taxisthose in Taiwan are inexpensive.

Although taxi drivers in Taiwan tend to be more honest than in many other countriesnot 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 23:00). Avoid the especially overzealous drivers who congregate at the exits of train stations. Alsostand 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 (文山) 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. Sometimesif there are traffic jams and no police aroundthe driver will drive in the emergency lane. Taxis from TPE to destinations in Tao Yuanparts 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 meterotherwise he might rip you off. In such a caseyou 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 driverit is best not to be paranoid about it. Drivers may be more worried about passengers attacking them!

If you do call a taxi dispatch centeryou will be given a taxi number to identify the vehicle when it arrives. Generallydispatch is extremely rapid and efficientas the taxis are constantly monitoring dispatch calls from the headquarters using radio while they are on the move. This is also the safest way to take a taxiespecially for women.

Taxis are also a flexible although relatively expensive way to travel to nearby cities. They have the advantage over the electric trains in that they run very late at night. Drivers are required to provide a receipt if askedthough you might find them unwilling to do so.

Taxi driversas elsewhere in Asiaare not keen on exchanging large notes. Try to keep some smaller denomination notes on hand to avoid the hassle of fighting with the driver for change.

Taxi drivers are known for their strong political opinions. Many are supporters of the pan-green coalition and Taiwanese independencespending 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 (includingbut 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 additionif you see what looks like blood spewing from the driver's mouthor him spitting blood onto the street—not to fret–it's merely him chewing betel nut (see box). Keep in mindhoweverthat betel nuts are a stimulant.

Taxi drivers are generally friendly towards foreignersand a few of them take the opportunity to try their limited English skills. They are most likely to ask you about yourselfand are a patient audience to your attempts at speaking Mandarin. If you are traveling with small childrendon'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 riskalthough there have been incidents where women have been attacked. To be more safewomen 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.

Scooters with an engine size of 50cc require a license to driveand should be insured and registered in the owner's name. Foreign nationals with stay less than 30 days do not have an 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 useor found for sale at English In Taiwan 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 purposesbut that just means you have to take the scenic route.

If you're just learning to drive a scooter on the streets of Taiwanit would be a good idea to practice a bit on a back road or alley until you have a feel for the scooter. Attempting to do so in the busier cities could easily be fatal. Certainlythings can get pretty hairy on Taiwanese roads and Taipei in particular has narrower more congested roads than many other cities. Howeverif you know what you're doingit's the perfect way to get around in a city.

It should be possible to rent a scooter by the dayweek or monthdepending on the city in which you're staying. One Taipei motorcycle and scooter rental service with English language service is Bikefarmwhich is run by a very friendly and helpful English guy called Jeremy. In TaichungForeigner Assistance Services In Taiwan F.A.S.T offers a rental service for foreign visitors. Otherwisescooters are generally easy to rent in most major citieswith many such places being near railway or bus stations. Most usually require some form of identification even ifin some casesit consists of your expired Blockbuster video card! The average price you may expect is NT$400 for 24 hoursthis includes one or two helmets.

Another option is to rent a motorcycle. Many foreigners swear by their 125cc Wild Wolf (野狼) motorcyclesand a trip around the island on a motorcycle can be a great way to see the island up close.

It is to be mentioned that since 2007scooters and motorcycles over 550cc are allowed to go on expressways providing that they have a red license plate. They are however to be considered as carsand as such cannot be parked in scooter parking spaces.

An international driving license is required for driving in Taiwan and may be used for up to 30 daysafter which you'll need to apply for a local permit. Some municipalities may impose additional restrictionsso check ahead with the rental shop. VIP Rentals in Taipei is quite happy to rent cars to foreignersand will even deliver the car to a given destination. A deposit is often requiredand the last day of rental is not pro-ratedbut calculated on a per-hour basis at a separate (higher) rate.

The numbered highway system is very good in Taiwan. Most traffic signs are in international symbolsbut many signs only show the names of places and streets in Chinese. All road directional signs are written in both Chinese and Englishthough the non-standardized Romanization means that English names can vary between road signsmaking it rather confusing. The highways are in excellent shape with toll stations around every 30 km (19 mi). Tolls are charged electronically and you pay the rental company when you return the car. Traffic moves on the right in Taiwan.

Parking in cities is generally charged. An attendant will put a payment slip under your windscreen wiperyou can pay at convenience stores.

While driving may be the best way to get around the countrysidein larger citiestraffic jams are a problem as is the difficulty of finding a good parking spaceespecially during the rush hour and traffic tends to get chaotic. In Taipei and Kaohsiungyou can better off relying on public transport. Other larger citiessuch as Taichungcan be a tricky case - while the downtown traffic may as chaotic as in Taipei and Kaohsiungtheir public transportwhich usually relies on busesisn't as convenient as in Taipei and Kaohsiung. For such citiesa scooteror public transport with rental bicycles is a choice in downtown. In the suburbsa car is a better choice than public transport.

While Taiwanese themselves don't generally hitchhikeforeigners will have it very easy to find a hitch. Howeverin rural areas people may not recognize the thumb in the air symboland you may try pointing your hand to the ground and waving towards you. It is very easy to flag down a car in rural and mountain regions. Soinstead of waiting for that one bus a day that goes byjust hitch a ride.

Flagging down a car might work on a country lane with little or no public transportationbut doing so on a major road might lead to confusionwith the driver assuming that you are in trouble. A signespecially one in Chinesewould therefore be of great help. The East coast around Hualien and Taitung enjoys a reputation for being especially good for getting rides. Taiwanese people are very friendly and helpfulso striking up a conversation with someone at a transport café or freeway service station may well see you on your way.

Although Taiwan is known for being a major player in the bicycle industry (through companies such as Giant and Merida)bicycles used to be considered an unwanted reminder of less prosperous times. This has changedand bicycling is again on the riseboth as a tool for commuting and recreationand support infrastructure is slowly being put into place. Several bike paths have been builtand recreational cycling has become quite popular amongst localsespecially on weekends. Howeveryou should also be aware that local drivers have a well deserved reputation for recklessness. As suchyou should exercise extreme caution when cycling outside of designated bicycle lanes and trails.

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). Additionallylong distance ridesincluding through the Central Mountain Rangeand along the coastline around the main island have become popular. The government maintains web-site dedicated to long-distance cycling in which you can search for trailsthe centrepiece of which is the Taiwan Cycle Route No. 1 (環島1號線) that circumnavigates the entire islandcovering about 968km. For long distance tripsbicycles can be shipped using the standard freight service from the Taiwan Railway Administration between larger stations. Non-folding bicycles may also be transported aboard the Taipei and Kaohsiung rapid transit systems if loaded at specific stationsduring off peak hours (usually 10:00-16:00 on weekdayscheck with your local station personnel to confirm).

• Taipei MRT Route Mapbicycles may be loaded at designated stations
• Kaohsiung MRT Bicycle Information^{[dead link]} (passengers traveling with non-folding bicycles are assessed a flat rate NT$60 fare irrespective of distance)

Giant Bicycles Corporation operates a large network of bicycle retail stores that offer rentals for as little as NT$100 per dayif requested one week in advance. Generallythe day rate is around NT$300 for a modern bicycle. Alsorented bicycles can be picked up at one station and given back another station. This can be convenient if you want to go down the quiet east coast with a bicycle and back up the busy west coast with the train/bus. A one week finesse bike including bags costs as little as €100.

Public shared bicycles are also available for rent at automated kiosks in most Taiwanese cities. Rental fees are usually paid using the rapid transit EasyCard or iPass system. There is YouBike in Taipeiwhich are available all over the city and even 30 km out – see Taipei for more details.

Additionallymany local police stations provide basic support services for cyclistssuch as air pumpsand as a rest stop.

Domestic air travel in Taiwan is primarily for outlying islandsas Taiwan is fairly compact with a modern and efficient rail network. There are also routes that connect the east and west coastssince there is a geographical barrier between the two. There are no longer any west coast only routes as high speed rail has made them redundant.

The main carriers are Mandarin Airlinesa subsidiary of China Airlines; and UNI Airowned by EVA. Fares for domestic flights are not too expensive. The domestic airport in Taipei is Songshan Airport^{[dead link]}which is in the north of the Taipei and easily reached by MRT or taxi. Other domestic airports include those in TaitungHualienMakung (Penghu/Pescadores)KinmenTaichungNangan and Beigan. Travelers heading to Kenting can use the direct and frequent bus service from Kaohsiung airport that connect with flights arriving from Taipei.

If you want to visit Taiwan's smaller islandsthe plane is still the best optionand is the only practical option for traveling to Kinmen and the easiest method of reaching Penghu and Matsu. For travel to Green Island and Orchid Islandthe plane from Taitung saves several hours over taking the ferry which is notorious among Taiwanese for its rough ride.

Ferries connect the main island of Taiwan with some of the outlying islands. There are ferries from Keelung to the Matsu islandsfrom Kaohsiung to the Penghu islandsand from Taitung to Orchid Island and Green Island. There are no passenger ferries from the main island of Taiwan to Kinmen.

Taiwan is an excellent place for hiking and trekkingproviding many interesting and picturesque trails in its mountainous centeror just northeast of Taipei. For reliable mapsGPS navigationcomprehensive trails and map informationconsult OpenStreetMapwhich is also used by this travel guideand by many mobile Apps like OsmAnd or Mapy.cz. Or just download the according GPX or KML files through Waymarked Trails for such trails on OpenStreetMap. (Noteyou just need to change the OpenStreetMap relation ID to download additional GPX or KML files through the same link.)

Some people think of Taiwan as a grimydensely populated industrial island full of hard disk factoriesand you may well maintain this perception if you only stick to the densely populated West Coast. Howeverfor 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 impressiveand should not be missedwith a side trip to the rugged shores at Shihtiping (石梯坪) as a worthwhile detour. Hehuan Mountain and Sun Moon Lake are beautiful natural attractions near Nantouwhile the huge and ancient trees in Lalashan make for great hikes near Taoyuan. In factmost of Taiwan is covered with mountains which offer breathtaking viewsso hiking opportunities are very diverse.

Taiwan's geographical location between an oceanic trench and volcanic system makes it an ideal hot spring (溫泉 wēnquán) vacation spot. There are several hot springs destinations throughout the countryincluding Beitou (北投)Wulai (烏來) and Yangmingshan (陽明山). Hot spring bathing was introduced by the Japanese during the colonial periodand remains firmly entrenched in the local culture to this day. At traditional establishments segregated by sex (often lablled 大眾裸湯 dàzhòng luǒ tāng) you will be required to bathe nude. Howevermany other placesparticular those geared for foreignersare unisex and require a bathing suit. If you do not feel comfortable getting naked in front of strangerssome hot spring resorts may offer private baths at an extra costwhere you and your group have the entire bath to yourselves. Many Taiwanese hot spring resorts also offer traditional Chinese massagewhich will cost extra on top of the admission fee.

All hot springs will have shower areas where you must wash yourself and rinse off all the foam before entering the pool; not doing so is a major faux pas even if you are a foreigner.

Taiwan is an island of huge mountains (more than two hundred peaks over 3,000m) and there are many hiking opportunities. Taroko Gorge is popular for its incredible sceneryand serious hikers can trek Yushan or Wuling Sixiuamong many others. Even in Taipei and New Taipei there are a variety of trails to suit hikers of any level.

Serious trekking is rather complicated due to an advance booking requirement (usually 7 days) and lodging lottery—see http://np.cpami.gov.tw/%5Bdead+link%5D. Permits are required for many trailsespecially remote or multi-day hikes and some (though not all!) in national parks. Neverthelessthere are also many trails available that do not need an application. They are mostly day hikesbut you can always put together your trip sections as preferred—consult apps that use OpenStreetMaplike OsmAnd or Mapy.cz. They have comprehensive and reliable tracks available.

Popular locallyand gaining traction with foreign tourists due to YouTube and travel bloggersis the pastime of indoor shrimp fishing. For an hourly rate (around NT$300/hr)you will be provided with a fishing rod and a seat at an indoor shrimp pool that is regularly stocked with large live Thai prawns. While drinking beer and enjoying the laid back environmentyou will be afforded an opportunity to catch dinner with locals. Almost all locales have a few indoor shrimp fishing pools to seek out. Almost all double as restaurants with tables and ovens available for useallowing you to cook your catch on-site and order additional dishes as needed.

Baseball was brought to Taiwan by the Japanese during the colonial period. Its popularity rose greatly when the Taiwanese baseball team finished second in the Japanese national championships. Todaybaseball retains a strong following and remains by far the most popular spectator sport in Taiwan. Several Taiwanese players have also gone on to successful careers in the U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB) and Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB)and the Taiwanese national team is considered to be one of the strongest in the world. The top baseball league in Taiwan is the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL)which features six teams. CPBL teams are sponsored by and named after large Taiwanese and Japanese corporations.

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

Billiards is another popular sport in Taiwan. It's easy to find billiard rooms throughout the country and there are also many championship-winning players in Taiwanmost of whom started training when they were still teens.

Other sports which are popular include taekwondobadmintontable tennistennis and golf.

In international sporting competitionssuch as the Olympic GamesTaiwan is called "Chinese Taipei" (中華臺北) for political reasons.

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• Buddha's Birthday (佛祖誕辰) – Colorful but simple ceremonies are held at Buddhist monasteries that generally consist of washing a statue of the Buddha and a vegetarian feast. It is appropriate to make offerings to the monks and nuns at this timethough it is not mandatory. Lunar Calendar 8th day of 4th month.
• Dragon Boat Festival (龍舟賽) – A festival to commemorate the death of the Chinese patriotic poet Qu Yuan (born 340 BC)who drowned himself in a river out of despair that his beloved countryChuwas being plundered by a neighboring country as a result of betrayal by his own people. The festival falls on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month (25 June 2020)and is marked by races of colorful dragon boats at various locations throughout the island.
• Cherry Blossom Season (櫻花季) – Every springin Yangmingshan (陽明山).
• Mazu Festival (媽祖生) – Festival commemorating the traditional birthday of Mazua traditional Chinese goddess who is popularly worshipped in Taiwan. The biggest celebration is an eight-day long "inspection tour" of a Mazu statue from the Zhenlan Temple in Taichung to the Chaotian Temple in Beigang and backthough many other temples throughout Taiwan's main island and the outlying islands also conduct their own festivities. Lunar Calendar 23rd day of 3rd month.
• Taiwan Music Festival (台灣祭) – It is usually held in April in Pingtung.

Generally speakingtraditional Chinese games such as Go (圍棋 wéiqí) and Chinese chess (象棋 xiàngqí) are popular in Taiwan too. Both games are played at the professional level in Taiwanand there are numerous tournaments that visitors may watch.

While gambling is illegal in Taiwanmahjong (Mandarin: 麻將 májiàng; Taiwanese: 麻雀 moâ-chhiok) remains popular. The Taiwanese version of the game derives from the Fujianese formwhich differs significantly from the better-known Cantonese and Japanese versionsmost notably because a hand consists of 17 tiles instead of the 14 used in other versions. Mahjong in Taiwan is mostly a family and friends affairand is usually played at social gatherings in people's houses. Mahjong clubs generally cater to groups of friends or family members looking to play togetherthough they can often assist in helping you find other players if you show up alone. While playing for money is not allowed at mahjong clubs due to Taiwan's anti-gambling lawsthey will often allow you to exchange the points you win for various prizes.

Glove puppet shows (布袋戲) originated in Fujian province on mainland Chinaand were brought to Taiwan by the first Han Chinese immigrants. Neverthelessthey have since been somewhat modernised and taken on some uniquely Taiwanese characteristics.

Another traditional Taiwanese type of performance is Taiwanese opera (歌仔戲)which originated in Yilan based on traditional Chinese opera s.

Taiwan had long been a major centre of Chinese pop culturebut this has diminished significantly since the 2010sas most of the top Taiwanese singers and actors have relocated to mainland China where they can make a lot more money. NeverthelessTaiwan continues to have a substantial local entertainment industrythough these days it tends to have more of a niche followingincluding numerous political works that would not pass the censors in mainland China.

The currency of Taiwan is the New Taiwan dollardenoted by the symbol "NT$" (新臺幣 or 臺幣ISO code: NTDbut also referred to as TWD). The NT dollar is known locally as yuán (元 or more formally 圓) when written in Chinese or colloquially in Mandarin as the kuài (塊). One unit is known colloquially as the kho͘ (箍) in the Taiwanese dialect. One dollar is divided into 100 centsknown as a 分 (fēn) in Chinese. 10 cents is formally known as a 角 (jiǎo)and colloquially as a 毛 (máo) in Chinese. Any $ sign you see in Taiwan or this article refers to NTD unless it includes other initials (e.g. US$ for U.S. dollars).

Banknotes come in denominations of NT$100NT$200NT$500NT$1,000 and NT$2,000while coins come in denominations of NT$½NT$1NT$5NT$10NT$20 and NT$50. The NT$½ coin is rarely seen or accepted because of its low valueand the price of raw materials used to make the coin is more than the face value of the coin. The NT$20 cointhe NT$200 banknoteand the NT$2,000 banknote are not as common as others. The 20200and 2000 are legal currencies that should be acceptedbut stores that are unfamiliar with them sometimes do not accept them.

Taiwanese currency is fully convertible. Howeverto prevent money launderingyou can only take cash under $100,000 NTD$20,000 RMBand (currencies calculated independently) $10,000 USD into or out of the island. Currency exchange is possible internationallyalthough 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 exchange money or offer cash advances on credit or debit cards. Should you bring American currencybring newer bills as the banks and exchange centers (such as in department stores) will only accept the newer notes (notes from 1996 and 2003 are not accepted at most placesdue to a high proportion of forgeries bearing these years).

Notes which are torn or damaged will probably not be changedand old- small-bust notes are not acceptedincluding the US$2 bill no matter when it was printed. Taiwan National Bank will take older bank notes and bank notes that are wrinkled or torn for exchange. Department stores will not exchange notes older than 1997. Don't forget to show your passport!

Costs in Taiwan are generally lower than in JapanSouth Korea and Hong Kongbut higher than in Southeast Asia and mainland China. For a budget traveler on a bare-bones budgetNT$2,000 will get you by for a day (as of 2026)but you'll probably want to double that for comfort. A meal at a street stall may cost NT$50-75a meal at a Western fast food restaurant will run you NT$150-250 and at the fanciest restaurantsyou can expect a bill in excess of NT$1,000. On the high end of the spectrumhotel rooms at a swanky hotel might cost NT$5,000 or more. Costs diminish significantly the further you go out of the big cities. Taxis are quite reasonable and are metered starting at about NT$100 at flag fall. To some destinations there may be a set costs so ask and haggle if possible.

Tipping is generally not practiced in Taiwan. Bellhops in high end hotels and porters at airports are an exception and should be given NT$50 per bag. Alsotipping to show appreciation for exceptional service is not uncommon. Tipping is also not expected in taxis and drivers would usually return your change to the last dollar.

In place of tips is a 10% service charge when dining at most full-service restaurants which is automatically added to the bill.

As in many Asian countriesnight markets are a staple of Taiwanese entertainmentshopping and eating. Usuallythey are open-aired on a street or alleywaywith vendors selling all sorts of wares on every side. In larger citiesyou will have a night market every night and in the same place. In smaller citiesthey are only open certain nights of the week and may move to different streets depending on the day of the week.

Every city has at least one night market; larger cities like Taipei may have a dozen or more. They are crowdedso remember to watch out for your wallet! Shops selling the same items tend to congregate in the same part of the city. If you want to buy somethingask someone to take you to one shop and there will probably be shops selling similar things nearby.

There are many shopping centers in Taipei where prices are usually fixed and goods are genuine. Otherwiseshopping streets in larger cities like Kaohsiung and Taichung can also easily get you what you want. And of coursethere is the trendy Ximending (西門町) in Taipeiwhere you can find pretty much anything associated with the youth at fixed prices. Computer chain shops and department stores normally have fixed pricesbut at least in department storesyou may get a "registered member discount" if you're shopping a lot.

Prices at smaller stores and even some hostels are normally cash prices. If you like to use a credit cardthe seller normally wants to add anything up to 8% to the price as a "card fee" etc. The fee consists actually of the credit company's commission and also the local sales tax/VAT. If you pay cashyou might not get an official receiptas then the seller would have to report and pay their taxes in full. If you ask for a Unified Invoice (統一發票tongyi fa piao)you will get it but you may need to pay 3-5% more.

Larger stores (andin factsome very profitable small shops) usually provide a Unified Invoice with a bigunique number on it. The numbers can be used for the Uniform Invoice lotteryan award encouraging people to ask for the invoices so the government can collect taxes. The drawing has been held on the 25th of every odd-numbered month for the past two months (for exampleMarch 25th for invoices provided in January and February). Donating to local charities is fine if you don't need thembut if some strangers ask for themtreat it as begging. In additionpeople can apply for an E-Invoice (電子發票dianzi fa piao) on a carrier (載具zai ju). Stores offer Unified Invoicesthereforewill ask if you have a carrier on E-Invoice by saying "發票要存載具嗎？" (fa piao yao cun zai ju ma?). If you don't have onesay no and take a paper invoice.

Many stores also ask customers for a GUI number (統一編號tongyi bianhaoor 統編tongbian)a unique number for companies in Taiwan so employees can declare expenses to their companies. If local companies pay your fee and they need a Uniform Invoice with a GUI numbergive the GUI number to the store.

Foreign visitors may claim a VAT refund if they spend a minimum of NT$2,000 per day per participating store. To do thisyou will need to show your passport and obtain a tax refund application form from the store. When departing Taiwanbring the form to the tax refund counter or automated kiosk and follow the relevant instructions. You can either get your refund in cashor to your credit card. If choosing to get your refund in cashyou will be issued a receipt that you will need to bring to the bank counter after your have cleared departure immigration to receive your refund.

Keep your receipts! Every receipt is a lottery ticket with a chance to win cash prizes drawn every two months

Whilst bargaining was OK in the past and expected in night markets as well as smaller storesnowadays most prices are fixed. Taiwan has become a sophisticated and wealthy country where most Taiwaneseespecially from the citiesgenerally do not request discounts and any such are likely to receive a friendly No. Neverthelessyou will encounter different pricese.g. cut fruits will cost NT$30 at the Night Marketbut NT$80 in tourist areas.

Howeverit is possible to get a discount of NT$20-100 when renting a motorbike/bicyclesearching for accommodation or suchdepending on the circumstances and time of day. While you might miss a general bargaining culture and be bewildered by the general bargain inflexibility of Taiwaneseit can on the other hand be calming to know that no one will try to rip you off as it is common in other less-developed Asian countries.

Popular things to buy include:

• Jade. Although it can be hard to know for sure if the item you're buying is real jade or notsome beautiful objects are sold. Most cities have a specific jade market dealing in jade and other precious stones. Taiwan produces some jade domesticallyespecially in the area around Hualienbut the most prized jades are imported from Myanmar
• Computers. Taiwan designs and produces a lot of desktopslaptopsand PC peripherals. Travelers might be interested in visiting the large Information Technology Market at Taiwan for the best prices. Desktop computers and components tend to be the same price in Taiwan as in other areas of the worldthough peripherals such as cables and adapters tend to be noticeably cheaper. If you're buying domesticit's best to go to tourist hangouts to buy your stuff as you might be saddled with Chinese documentation otherwise. Alsolaptops are typically only available with a Chinese Bopomofo and English keyboard.
• Lingzhi (靈芝). A type of bracket fungus that is often used as a Chinese herb. It supposedly has many health benefits with an apparent absence of side effectsearning it a high reputation in East Asian countries and making it rather expensive. Taiwanese lingzhi is particularly famous for being of the highest quality.
• Tea. Taiwan is particularly famous for its oolong tea (烏龍茶) due to the island's predominant Fujianese culture; it is available at many tea shops. Tea tasting in Chinese culture is akin to wine tasting in Western culture and you will find many grades of this same type of teawith different methods of treating the tea leaves.
• Iron eggs (鐵蛋) irresistible delicacy

In order to protect the environmenta government policy rules that plastic bags cannot be given freely at stores in Taiwanbut have to be bought (at a flat rate of NT$1)—bakeries being an exception as the items need to be hygienically wrapped. Re-usable canvas and nylon bags are sold at most supermarkets.

If you're on a budgetthe cheapest food can be found in back-alley noodle shops and night market stallswhere you can get a filling bowl of noodles for around NT$35-70.

Most Taiwanese people enjoy their breakfast in breakfast bars (早餐店)which are almost everywhere. They can provide various foods for an enjoyable breakfast - from traditional shaobing youtiao with soy milk to American hamburgers with cola. Soy milk restaurants (豆漿店)which sell soy milk and foods that can match soy milkare a popular variant of breakfast barsbut they usually open from night to morning. While prices may vary depending on the region or type of foodNT$100 can generally buy a meal in breakfast bars.

The Taiwanese love to snack and even many restaurants advertise xiaochi (小吃)literally "small eats"the Taiwanese equivalent of Cantonese dim sum. There are also the standard fast food places such as McDonalds (a standard Big Mac Meal costs NT$140)KFC and MOS Burger. In additionthere are large numbers of convenience stores (such as 7-Eleven and Family Mart) that sell things like tea eggssandwichesbento boxes (便當) and drinks.

Night markets are also a good place to try some delicious local Taiwanese fare at attractive prices. Examples would be the Shilin Night Market (士林夜市) in Taipei and the Ruifeng Night Market (瑞豐夜市) in Kaohsiungeach of which has its own special dishes not to be missed.

Also consider buffet (自助餐) restaurantswhichunlike in the Westare not fixed-price all-you-can-eat restaurants (which are called "吃到飽"meaning "eat until you are full"in Taiwan). Such restaurants are self-servicewith the dishes laid out in a common areaand customers are given a pair of tongs to pick dishes from the spread to accompany some rice. Prices are usually not displayed; after you have finished picking your dishesyou go to the cashierand the boss will estimate by eye and charge you based on the quantity of each dish that you pick. These are popular with working-class Taiwaneseand typical prices for a meal should fall between NT$100-150; you can save some money by picking only vegetableswhile picking fish/meat will drive the price up. Prices also tend to increase during and just after a typhoon due to the increased cost of ingredients.

As with Chinese cuisine elsewherefood in Taiwan is generally eaten with chopsticks and served on large plates placed at the center of the table and shared among multiple people. Oftentimesa serving spoon or pair of communal chopsticks (公筷 gōngkuài) accompanies the dishes and guests do not use their own chopsticks to transfer food to their plates.

The usual traditional Chinese taboos when eating with chopsticks apply in Taiwan as well. For instancedo not stick your chopsticks straight up or into your bowl of rice. This is reminiscent of incense sticks at a templeand has connotations of wishing death upon those around you. When putting down chopstickseither place them on the provided porcelain chopstick rest (at fancier restaurants) or rest the chopsticks across the top of your bowl. Alsodo not use your chopsticks to spear your food or move bowls and plates.

See Chinese table etiquette for more details. Although there are minor differences between Taiwanese and mainland Chinese etiquettemuch of traditional Chinese table manners apply to Taiwan too.

Taiwan's legal age to consume alcohol is 18 years of age. Minors caught drinking can face fines ranging from NT$10,000-50,000. Traditional alcoholic drinks in Taiwan are very strongalthough the Taiwanese themselves are fairly light drinkers compared to the rest of East Asia.

Kaoliang (高粱酒) from Kinmena type of Chinese baijiuis Taiwan's national liquor. A distilled grain liquorit is extremely strongusually 140 proof or moreand often drunk straight.

Taiwan also produces many types of Shaoxing (紹興酒)rice winewhich are considered by many as being some of the best in the world.

While a relatively newcomer to the sceneTaiwanese whisky (威士忌) has been making waves in the 21st centurywith local whiskey brand Kavalan having emerged from obscurity to win numerous prestigious international awards.

Taiwanese people enjoy beer on ice. A wide variety of imported beers are availablebut the standard is Taiwan Beer (台灣啤酒)produced by a former government monopoly. It is brewed with fragrant penglai rice in addition to barley giving it a distinctive flavor. The beer is served cold and recognized as an especially suitable complement to Taiwanese and Japanese cuisineespecially seafood dishes such as sushi and sashimi.

Taiwan Beer has won international awardsincluding the International Monde Selection in 1977 and the Brewing Industry International Awards in 2002.

Beer on tap is uncommon in Taiwanand most places serve beer in bottles. For a special and rare treatask for the Taiwan Draft Beer (台灣生啤酒)which comes in a plain green bottle. This has a 2-week expirationso it can only be found at the breweries (there are a few scattered around Taiwan) or at select stores and restaurants in the vicinity.

A typical place for Taiwanese people to have drinks with friends is known as rè chǎo (熱炒)literally "hot stir fry"an informal restaurant serving mostly wok-fried Taiwanese dishes along with beer to go with the dishes.

Taiwan's specialty teas are High Mountain Oolong (高山烏龍Gao-shan wulong)a fragrant light teaand Tie Guan-yin (鐵觀音)a darkrich brew. Enjoying this teaserved in the traditional way using a very small teapot and tiny cupsis an experience you should not miss. This way of taking tea is called lao ren cha (老人茶)'old people's tea'and the name is derived from the fact that only the elderly traditionally had the luxury of time to relax and enjoy tea in this way. Check the small print when visiting a traditional tea house though: in addition to the tea itselfyou may be charged a cover (茶水費literally "tea-water fee") for the elaborate process of preparing it and for any nibbles served on the side. Taiwan is an excellent place to experience the elaborate Gongfu tea ceremony (工夫茶)a tradition it shares with the South Fujian and Chaoshan regions across the strait in mainland China.

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

As is true elsewhereChinese teas in Taiwan are always drunk neatwithout the use of milk or sugar. HoweverTaiwan is also the birthplace of pearl milk teawhich uses sugar and milk.

Pearl milk tea (珍珠奶茶 zhēnzhū nǎichá)aka "bubble tea" or "boba tea"is milky tea with chewy balls of tapioca addeddrunk through an over-sized straw. Invented in Taiwan in the early 1980s and a huge Asia-wide craze in the 1990sit's not quite as popular as it once was but can still be found at nearly every coffee or tea shop. Look for a shop where it is freshly made. There are two cafes that maintain rival claims to having invented the drink: Chun Shui Tang (春水堂) in Taichung and Hanlin Tea Room (翰林茶館) in Tainan.

The cafe culture has hit Taiwan in a big wayand in addition to an abundance of privately owned cafesall the major chainssuch as Starbuckshave a multitude of branches throughout major towns and cities.

Taiwan is a great place for fruit drinks. Small fruit-juice bars make them fresh on the spot and are experts at creating fruit-juice cocktails (non-alcoholicof course). zong-he (mixed) is usually a sweet and sour combination and mu-gwa niou-nai (木瓜牛奶) is iced papaya milk. If you don't want ice (though it is safe in Taiwaneven at road side vendors) saychu bing (去冰) and no sugar (wu tang (無糖)). Winter melon punch (冬瓜茶) is a popular unique local drink in Taiwan.

Soy milkor doujiang (豆漿)is a great treat. Try it hot or cold. Savory soy milk is a traditional Taiwanese breakfast dish. It is somewhat of an acquired taste as vinegar is added to curdle the milk. Both sweet and savory soy milk are often ordered with you-tiao (油條)or deep fried dough crullers. There are a lot of pseudo health drinks in Taiwanese supermarkets and convenience stores. Look out for asparagus juice and lavender milk tea for example.

• For the budget-mindedthere are hostels in Taipei and most other sizable cities. Some hostels are under table which mean they don't have valid license.
• Motels (汽車旅館) can be easily found in suburbs of major cities. Despite the namethese have little if anything to do with the cheap functional hotels that use the name elsewhere; in Taiwanmotels are intended for romantic trysts and can be quite extravagant in decor and facilities. Many feature enormous baths with massage jetsseparate massage showersmarble tilesand so forth. Suites come with flat screen TVs and centrally controlled sound systems. During the daytimemost offer "rests" (休息) of a few hoursand indeed check-in times for overnight stays (住宿) can be as late at 22:00. Taichung is considered the motel-capital of Taiwan.
• Taiwanese hotels range in quality from seedy to very luxurious. Most Western hotel chainssuch as MarriottHiltonand Hyattoperate in Taiwanas do Asian chains Mandarin OrientalOkura Hotels and Shangri-Laand local Taiwanese chain Evergreen Hotels. Independent hotels not part of any chain can often provide better ratesbut their quality varies widely; do some research before you book.
• A uniquely Taiwanese form of accommodation is known as the minsu (民宿 mínsù)small family-run operations where guests are personally served by the ownerssimilar to Bed and Breakfast in the UK. Many are designed around a specific theme (like fairy tale castlenature lodge). Accommodation at a minsu typically includes breakfast the next morningand some may also include dinneroften featuring local specialities. The downside is that most minsu are either in the suburbssmaller towns or the countrysidemeaning that transportation is typically less convenient than at more centrally-located hotelsand the availability of wi-fi can be hit-or-miss. In additionmost minsu advertise in Chinese onlyand the hosts may not be proficient in English. Howeveras the hosts are usually locals from the areaif you can get past the language barrierthey are usually an excellent resource to learn more about the local culture and life. Typicallyyou and your party will get your own bedroombut other facilities like the living room and dining room will be shared with other guests. If you want the entire house/unit to yourselflook for minsu that advertise 包棟 (bāodòng).
• Camping does not seem to be an issue in Taiwan and is available in many areaseven in national parks like Kenting National Park. Althoughin Taroko Gorge (National Park) you will have to pay for the camp ground. In generala small fee may apply at official camp grounds. Inquire with the local tourist information center where it is possible to camp and where not. Alsobe aware there are "poisonous snakes and wasps" signs all over the country. Somake sure you know where you are campingand how to keep out "unwanted guests". Consult a map like OpenStreetMapwhich many mobile Apps like OsmAnd or Mapy.czuseto find existing camp grounds or good locations.
• Some Buddhist temples provide accommodation to pilgrimsbut you will be expected to follow a strict schedule and participate in the temple activities while you are there. Chinese language ability is usually requiredas most monks and nuns are unable to speak Englishbut one place that is set up to accommodate foreign pilgrims with English-speaking monks and nuns is the Fo Guang Shan Monastery near Kaohsiung.

Nowadayswalk-ins are often more expensive than online bookingsespecially with bigger hotels. It often seemsthey cannot even beat their own online prices and you might need to book online instead of paying in cash on-sight—they will even courteously offer their WiFi for you to do that. Either wayit is advisable that you know what is the actual price onlinewhich gives you a good bargaining ground. Sometimes they will quote a higher pricesometimes they will give you NT$50 lessbut often it is just the online price. If you are still in need of a discountsend the ho(s)tel an email or WeChat/Line message quoting the online price. Some will give you 10 % discount on the online price this wayespecially for same day short notice bookings. Generallyshort notice bookings will give you a better pricesince hotels are trying to sell their stock at a bargain price last-minute. Howeverdo not try this for Saturday/Sunday or Holiday/Holiday bookingsthis will leave you with bad or no options.

Many hotels in Taiwan have both Chinese and Western nameswhich 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.

Hotel beds in Taiwan are generally much harder than in the West because of the old Asian tradition to sleep on a wood board. Modern mattresses can be found in most hotelsbut only in the most upscale Western hotels will you find beds in a real western .

Many accommodations are not staffed 24/7but they will leave a contact at their door. Often this will be a LINE (a Japanese messaging app similar to Whatapp) contact. You should download and set up an account on LINE before traveling to Taiwan.

Agoda seems to list more accommodation options than Booking for Taiwan. HoweverAgoda's way of claiming additional fees and stating dorm bed availability is a little dodgy. It often says "1 person in a dorm" but then "Occupancy: 2 adults". Sobetter to book each person separately just in case. Alsonever choose the option to get charged in you credit card's home currency (€US$or so). This will give you a very bad exchange rate. Always select "TWD" as charged currency—in this case your home bank is indeed your friend. Or just get the displayed address/GPSwhich is always fully displayedand walk into the hotel.

m²Starting 2025hotels are legally banned from providing single-use amenities (toothbrushesrazors) in rooms. Bring your own toiletries or purchase them at the front desk.

Some universities in Taiwan have Chinese Promoting Programs (華語文推廣中心) that offer 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 Pinyin (漢語拼音)whereas in the past they taught Zhuyin (注音)or BoPoMoFo (ㄅㄆㄇㄈ). The writing system taught is Traditional Chinese and the form of Mandarin is based on the Beijing dialect but the Taiwanese accent is quite noticeable.

There are many s of kung fu (功夫) taught in Taiwanlargely by masters who came here with the Kuomintang in the late 1940s.

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 classeswhich has led to the rise of several NHB Allegra^{[dead link]} schoolsand Brazilian Ju JitsuRussian SamboJapanese Aikido.

Some of the more famous teachers will provide you with the paperwork needed to extend a student visa twice.

Taekwondo is also extremely popular and is often a mandatory part of school children's physical education.

It is illegal to work without a work permit and an ARC (or Alien Residency Permit)and legal work requires a university degree and usually a long (over two month) application process. Alternativelyif you have a lot of moneyyou can obtain an investor visa by investing a large sum of money in a local businesswhich allows you to work for that company in a management capacity.

Illegal employment is easy to find with employers willing to pay under the table for short durations. If caught or reportedyou risk criminal charges and could be deported. The government tends to waver from being very lax on this issue under one administration to suddenly taking action under the nextbut it only takes one disgruntled student to report you and have you fined and deported. Consider your options carefully!

The rules for getting an ARC do change often and each administrative part of Taiwan has its own ways of handling themso it is best to check the pages of the website Forumosa and find out what the experiences of others are in your area.

Keep in mind that you can only get an ARC for English teaching if you are a 'citizen of a native English speaking country'. Taiwan's government defines these countries to be only the U.S.Canadathe UKAustraliaNew ZealandIreland and South Africa. Almost all teachers apply for an ARC through their employers only after starting work and it is tied to their ongoing employment with that school. Thereforeif the teacher wishes to leave their employmentthey will have to quickly find an alternative employer or lose their ARC and hence be required to leave Taiwan. Alsovery few schools will arrange an ARC without at least a year-long contract being signed. Franklywith all this inflexibilityit's no wonder so many teachers opt for the non-legal route. That and tax evasion.

Citizens of GermanyAustraliathe United KingdomBelgiumIreland and Canada aged 18–30 can apply for a working holiday visa. For more informationvisit the Bureau of Consular Affairs website.

After living in Taiwan continuously for 5 yearsyou may apply for permanent residency. If grantedit allows you to live and work in Taiwan indefinitely without restrictions.

Employers of English teachers are notorious for racial discrimination. White people are much more likely to get better offers than those of other racesregardless of ability - On papera big issue is also made about accentswith the North American English accent being heavily favored over BritishAustralian and South African accents in many language schools' sales marketing. In practicemany schools that advertise 'American English' and claim that their teachers are all from Canada or the United Statesactually employ teachers from anywhere. Age is a factorwith applicants in their 20s seemingly being preferred.

More than anythingappearance is probably the major factor in finding employment with most schools— Do you 'look Western'? — and reliability and turning up on time for work are the major factors for keeping your job. Thereforeif you look the partit is very easy to find a school willing to take you on for at least a few days. The 'look Western' point has quite a bearing. UnfortunatelyTaiwan is hardly a great promoter of equal opportunities. In many schoolsthere is a prejudice against teachers applying for jobs who are not of white appearanceseen as the typical Western appearance in Asian countries. This is independent of whether or not the teacher has relevant teaching ability and citizenship of one of the permitted ARC countries. Many parents who send their children to schools to be taught English expect the teacher to look like they are from the U.S.Canadathe UKAustraliaand so onand so the decision on the part of the school managers is mainly about economics.

For those affected by thisit's a sad fact of Taiwan that is unlikely to change shortly. Good employers without such prejudiced requirements do existbut greater perseverance is needed when looking for them.

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 with a Chinese teaching department — look for the areas where all the foreign students are and check the noticeboards.

Because most adult private students want to practice English conversationyou don't need Chinese-speaking ability. Howeverit is definitely a selling pointand Chinese speaking ability is worth mentioning in any advertising of your services. Alsoonce you have some regular studentsremember that in Taiwanas in most Asian countriesconnectionsor ratherguanxiare very important. If your students like youthey will likely recommend you to their family and friends.

Teaching English in Taiwan can be lucrativeas the salaries are very high compared to the cost of livingtypically ranging NT$500-650 per hour before deductions in most language schoolswith anything between NT$500-1,000 per hour being negotiable for private students. In the past few yearsthe flow of would-be teachers into Taiwan has increased dramaticallyresulting in stiffer competition for jobs and a general drop in wagesand this trend may continue.

Aside from English teachingother common kinds of employment available for mainly native English-speaking travelers include such tidbits as small acting parts for TV and filmvoice talent (video gamesdubbing tracksetc.)editing and even writing educational materials. Many of these jobs are advertised on billboards in Chinese language-teaching institutes and universitieswhere there are likely to be many foreign students.

Low-paying jobs are also availablecommon fields are production and elder care. Usuallylabour-exporting countries' agents - mostly in Southeast Asia - will arrange the businessbut direct hiring provided by the Taiwanese government is also available.

If after traveling and living thereyou find you are serious about working in Taiwanthe most lucrative employment to be had is if you are employed by a multinational companyperhaps in a high-paying country like the UKU.S. or Australiaand you are sent across to their office in Taiwan. Many foreigners end up doing the same job as their colleagues who were employed in the Taiwan office but for perhaps 3 or 4 times their pay.

Taiwan is very safe for touristseven for women walking down the street alone at night. This is not to sayhoweverthat there is no crimeand you should always take the usual precautions. In crowded areas such as night markets or festivalsfor examplepickpockets are a known problembut violent crime and muggings are very rare. In additionit is also very unusual to see drunks on the streetday or night.

Like anywhere else in the worldwomen should be cautious when taking taxis alone late at night. Although they are generally safeit's a good idea to arrange to have a friend call you when you get home and to be seen making the arrangements for this by the cab driver. It also helps if a friend sees you being picked up as taxis have visible license numbers.

Police departments in most jurisdictions have a Foreign Affairs Police unit staffed by English-speaking officers. When reporting a major crimeit is advisable to contact the Foreign Affairs unit in addition to officers at the local precinct. Police stations are marked with a red light above the door and display a sign with the word "Police" clearly printed in English. For more information see the National Police Agency website.

Foreign victims of a major crime in Taiwan are also advised to report the matter to their government's representative office in Taipei.

Alsoremember that you call 110 for police in Taiwanand 119 for fire department or medical help. Most of the public telephone booths allow you to call 110 or 119 for free. See the "Emergency Phone Numbers" section below.

Taiwan is home to many triads (Chinese organized crime syndicates)although they almost never target the average person in the streetand most tourists will not encounter them. They are mostly involved in the drug tradeprostitutionillegal gambling and loansharking; avoid these and they will not bother you.

Phone fraud is an issue in Taiwanbut scammers only target Chinese speakers. Be careful about receiving any unfamiliar callseven if they call themselves law enforcement. Do not send your money to someone else in any way unless you are very certain who is sending for and what you are doing. If you are not surecall 165 to confirm.

Taiwanese drug laws are far stricter that what most Westerners might be used to back home. Recreational use of all drugshard or softis a crimeand even smoking marijuana can result in a prison sentence of up to 3 years. Drug trafficking is a serious offence that could result in the death penalty.

While smoking marijuana is illegalthe cannabis product cannabidiol (CBD) is legal provided you have a doctor's prescriptionand it contains no more than 10 ppm (0.001%) tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)the psychoactive component that gives you the "high".

E-cigarettes are banned in Taiwan. Importing them can incur up to a NT$50 million fine.

The Taiwanese military organizes regular civil-defense exerciseknown as Wan-an Exercise (萬安演習). Air raid sirens are activated for 30 minutes during the exerciseand you are required to follow any evacuation orders made by the military and police.

• If you are in a buildingyou should close all windows and doors and turn off lights.
• If you are drivingyou must pull over your vehicle and make a complete stop. Vehicles must not enter any motorwaysbut must leave the motorway and pull over your vehicle in exits. Traffic police will give proper instructions to drivers and regulate traffic flow.
• If you are taking a train/metroyou must not enter the train or leave the stationand should follow evacuation orders given by railway staffthe military and the police.

Failure to comply with instructions can result in a heavy fine.

• Police: 110
  • Scam enquiry: 165
• Fire/Ambulance: 119

The police and fire/ambulance offer service in English.

Immigration and foreigner assistance can be reached at ☏ 1990 (domestic). The hotline provides 24-hour MandarinEnglish and Japanese serviceas well as VietnameseIndonesianThaiand Khmer service from 9AM to 5PM on working days.

Taiwan often experiences typhoons (颱風) during the summer months and early fallespecially on the East Coast. Heavy monsoon rainfall also occurs during the summer. Hikers and mountaineers should be sure to consult weather reports before heading into the mountains. A major hazard following heavy rainfall in the mountains is falling rocks (土石流) caused by the softening of the earth and there are occasional reports of people being killed or injured by these.

Taiwan is also on the Pacific Ring of Firewhich means that earthquakes are a common occurrence. Most earthquakes are barely noticeablethough the effect may be slightly amplified for those in higher buildings. While the local building codes are extremely strictgeneral precautions should still be observed during an earthquakeincluding opening the door to prevent it from being jammedtaking cover and checking for gas leaks afterwards. While most newer buildings have been built according to strict codes that enable them to withstand major earthquakessome of the older buildings were not constructed to such high standards and therefore are vulnerable to serious damage or collapse in the case of a strong tremor.

Taiwan's wild areas are home to a variety of poisonous snakesincluding the bamboo viperRussel's viperbanded kraitcoral snakeChinese cobraTaiwan habuand the so-called "hundred pacer" (百步蛇). Precautions against snake bites include making plenty of noise as you hikewearing long trousers and avoiding overgrown trails. Most snakes are scared of humansso if you make noise you will give them time to get away. Walking quietly means that you may suddenly startle them around a corner when you appearand trigger an attack. The Russel's viperone of the most dangerous snakes in Taiwanis an exception: it generally prefers to take a stand against threats.

Local drivers have a well-deserved reputation for reckless driving. It is possible (even normal) to obtain a driving license in Taiwan without ever having driven on the roadsand 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 vehiclei.e. trucks have the right-of-way over carscars over motorcyclesmotorcycles over peopleetc. Despite traffic's chaotic appearanceit 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 smalltry to change lanes regardless of the fact their destination is already fulletc. Be aware that during busy traffic (i.e.nearly always) two-lane roads will spontaneously become three-lanean 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 blockedand are therefore frequently still there long after the lights changeblocking traffic traveling in other directions. Many motorcycle riders also have a tendency to zip through any spaceno matter how tiny. Also be aware that motorcycles often travel through areas typically considered pedestrian-only spaceslike the night-markets.

If you drive a car or a motorcyclethe obvious rule is that if someone turns in front of youyou should be the one to adapt. To avoid collisionsdrivers need to be extremely vigilant for other vehicles creating hazards and always be willing to adjust speed or direction to accommodate. Do not expect drivers to yield wayor respect traffic lights in many areasespecially in central and southern Taiwan. Sounding the horn is the usual way a Taiwanese driver indicates that they do not intend to accommodate a driver trying to encroach on their laneetc.and does not necessarily imply the anger or criticismas it does in other countries.

Be extra careful when crossing the roadeven to the extent of looking both ways on a one-way street. When crossing at a pedestrian crossing at a T-junction or crossroadsbe aware that when the little green man lights up and you start crossingmotorists will still try to turn rightwith or without a green feeder light. Even on roads where traffic is infrequent and the green light is in your favorbike riders are still strongly advised to check the opposite lane.

In Taiwan most traffic lights have countdown timers to alert drivers when light will change from red to green.

Taiwan is generally a safe destination for gay and lesbian travelers. There are no laws against homosexuality in Taiwan and unprovoked violence against gays and lesbians is almost unheard of. Same-sex marriage was legalised in Taiwan on 24 May 2019making it the first Asian jurisdiction to do so. Howeverfor gay and lesbian foreigners to get married in Taiwanthey either must be marrying a Taiwaneseor both partners must be citizens of countries where same-sex marriage is legal. Same-sex marriage between a mainland Chinese and a Taiwanese is also forbidden.

Taiwan is also the first East Asian jurisdiction to have enacted anti-discrimination laws on the basis of sexual orientation in the areas of education and employment. There is an annual gay pride event called Taiwan Pride. Taipei is home to a vibrant gay sceneand there are also gay bars in some of Taiwan's other cities like Taichung and Kaohsiung.

Acceptance among the Taiwanese public tends to be measuredand homosexuality is still considered to be somewhat of a social tabooparticularly by the older generation. Openly displaying your sexual orientation in public is likely to draw stares and whispers from some people. Neverthelessattitudes are changing and homosexuality tends to be more accepted by the younger people.

They can be a problem in remote and rural regionsalthough they are far less numerous than in Thailand and Myanmar. If they get too close to youpicking up a stone or having a big stick is usually a sufficient deterrent. Indigenous Taiwanese hold dogs in higher regard than Han Chinese do. Many indigenous communities have dogs freely running around their communities.

Air pollution can be significant with the highest ratio of scooters per person in the world and a high west coast urban density. You can check air quality real time monitoring on this page. For reference the USA standard for fine particles (PM2.5) over 24 hours should be below 35 µg/m³. It is a good idea to use a mask that can filter fine particles (how to choose a mask)especially when traveling with the elderly or children.

Water quality in Taiwan varies depending on location and time. According to the sole water company of Taiwantap water is in general safe to drink. Howevermost locals prefer to boil the tap water before drinking in order to eliminate residual chlorine and bacteria.

Taiwan is prone to typhoons and earthquakeswhich adversely affects water quality. Some buildingsparticularly older onesmay have poorly maintained water towers and/or pipesresulting in poor quality that is beyond the control of the water company. Depending on the severityone might either filter the water in addition to boiling or avoid the taps altogether. Alternative options include buying bottled water or going to a "water station" where water is sold through a metered tap. Water from these sources is licensed to be safe for drinking. Bottled water can be bought in 24 hour convenience stores.

Water quality in Kaohsiung used to be very poor. As a resultmost people today use alternative sources. Howeverthere is little evidence that this is necessary today as the quality has improved drastically. In additionthe mentioned alternative sources today are mostly filtered tap water and do not circumvent the historical source of contamination.

Medicines are available for minor ailments at drug stores. You may also find common drugs requiring a prescription in the west (like asthma inhalers and birth control pills) cheaply available from drug stores without a prescription.

Taiwan has both Chinese physicians and Western doctorsboth of which are taken equally seriously. Howeveras a foreignerthe assumption would generally be to direct you to a Western doctor. The quality of the hospitals in Taiwan is excellent and on par withif not better than those found in the West. Taiwan's healthcare system is considered to be one of the best in the world. Legal residents with a National Health Card can avail themselves of the very convenient and efficient national health servicewhich covers treatment and medication using both Western and traditional Chinese medicine. Howeverthis service is not available to short term visitors on tourist visas; nor does it cover major hospitalization expenses. Stillhospital visits and medicine in Taiwan tends to be far less expensive than in Western countries. Most Taiwanese doctors are able to communicate in at least basic Englishand in factmany of the top ones have obtained their medical qualifications in the US and are able to speak English fluently. Howeveryou may find the nurses to be more of a challenge.

Watch out for mosquito bites when hiking in the mountains. Especially in the summerthe humid and hot weather makes mosquitos very active. Most mosquito bites only cause skin irritation and itchingbut in some areas of Taiwan it's possible to contract dengue fever or Japanese Encephalitis (though they are both rare in Taiwan). Mosquito/insect repellent spray can be found at convenience stores (such as 7-Eleven and FamilyMart) and local pharmacies. If you are bitten by mosquitosapply a small amount of ointment for irritation relief.

Taiwan shares several cultural taboos/guidelines with other East Asian nations:

• When giving and receiving business cardsalways do it using both hands and with a slight bow of the head. Giving or receiving a business card with only one hand is very disrespectful.
• Some Taiwanese are superstitious about anything connected with dying – unlucky things should never be mentioned. The number 4 (fourpronounced 'si') sounds like the word for death in Mandarin.
• Do not write people's names in red. This again has connotations of death. When writing someone's English namethis is not a problembut avoid writing Chinese names in red.
• Do not whistle or ring a bell at night. This is an "invitation to ghosts".
• Do not point at cemeteries or graves. This is disrespectful to the dead.
• Unlike in some other parts of East Asiabowing to greet people has fallen out of custom as handshakes and waves have become more common.
• There are numerous taboos dictating that certain objects shouldn't be given to othersoften because the word for that object sounds like another unfortunate word:
  • Clocks. The phrase "to give a clock" (送鐘 song zhong) in Mandarin has the same sound as the word "to perform last rites." If you do give someone a clockthe recipient may give you a coin in return to dispel the curse.
  • Shoes. Never ever offer shoes as a gift to old peopleas it signifies sending them on their way to heaven. This is acceptable only if by mutual arrangement it is nominally soldwhere the receiving party gives a small payment of about NT$10.
  • Knives or sharp objectsas they are made for or could be used to hurt the person.
  • Umbrellaswhich in Mandarin sound the same as the word for "break up". Friends should therefore never give friends umbrellas. Insteadfriends will euphemistically "rent" each other umbrellas for a tiny amount (NT$1for example).
• The Taiwanese are certainly not puritanical and enjoy a drinkespecially the locally brewed Taiwan Beer and Kaoliang. HoweverTaiwan does not have a culture of heavy drinking like in Northern China and it is rare to see anyone drunk on the streets. While over indulging in alcohol is not a social taboo as such (and some people do so at weddings)it is considered a sign of lack of self-confidence and immaturityand doing so certainly won't gain you any respect among Taiwanese friends.
• Like in most other East Asian countriesyou are expected to remove your shoes before entering a house. You will find some slippers to be worn by visitors next to the entrance door. It is likely to be the same ritual for bathrooms and balconies where you will be expected to remove your slippers to wear a pair of plastic sandals (though it is less shocking not to use the sandals by then).
• As you will get along with Taiwanese peopleyou are very likely to receive small presents of any sortsuch as drinksfood or little objects. These are a very convenient way to lubricate social relations for Taiwanese peopleand are especially common between friends in their 20s. You should reciprocate any such presents with something similarbut it does not need to be immediate or specially tailored to that person (i.e.keep it simple). As a teacher you are not expected to offer anything in returnas long as the relationship stays formal. Howeverbeware of the sometimes overly generous parents who can go as far as offering presents running in the thousands of NT$ and who will then expect you to take special care of their child (understand that their expectations will be considered fair in Taiwanese culture).
• You are not expected to tip in hotelsrestaurants and taxisthough bellhops may still expect NT$50 or so for carrying your luggage.
• Much like the mainland Chinese"saving face" is also a major value in Taiwanese culture. In generalyou should avoid pointing out other people's mistakes in order to avoid causing major embarrassment and if you really have tocall the person to one side and do it in privateand try to do it in a polished manner.
• If you should need to use a temple's washroombow to any statues of deities you see on the way whether or not you believe in them. While most people will not mind you using the temple's washroomthey expect you to treat their place of worship with respect. If you plan to offer gifts (such as simple fruits) to the statues of deities in the templeit is expected that you wash the fruits and your hands prior to offering. In additionupon entering and leaving a templedo take and avoid stepping directly on the raised threshold: always try to step over it. You should also never point to the status of deities with your index finger; use your thumb or an up-facing open palm instead.
• You will often see priority seats (博愛座) on public transportation in Taiwan. These are reserved for the elderlydisabled peoplepregnant women and women carrying young children; do not sit in them unless one of those situations applies to you.
• Cultural identity is a complex and sensitive issue in Taiwan. While most Taiwanese people are ethnically Chinesemany peopleespecially the youthseek to distance themselves from China with a distinct Taiwanese identity. Many Taiwanese are of the view that Taiwanese culture was violently suppressed by Chiang Kai-shekwho then proceeded to forcibly impose Chinese culture on Taiwanin an act of cultural genocide.
• Eatingdrinkingor chewing gum is strictly prohibited in MRT stations and trains after passing the ticket gate. Fines are enforced.

Most Taiwanese people follow a mix of traditional Chinese folk religions and Buddhismand it is common to visit temples to offer prayers during important festivals or life events. That saidcontemporary Taiwanese society is largely secular in daily lifeand religion in general does not play a significant role in people's work or political affiliations. Neverthelessyou are still expected to dress and behave respectfully when visiting temples.

As in other Asian countriesswastikas are commonly seen in Buddhist temples as a religious symbol. They emphatically do not represent Nazism or anti-Semitism.

When visiting templesbe sure to enter using the right gate and exit using the left gate (facing inwards). The larger middle gate is traditionally reserved for deities and the Emperor of Chinaa bit like the central archway of London's Admiralty Arch. Also be sure to avoid pointing at the statues of deities with your index fingeras it is considered to be very disrespectful. Use your thumb or an up-facing open palm instead.

The most popular traditional Chinese deity in Taiwan is Mazua Fujianese shamaness who is believed to have ascended to godhood and now protects sailorsas the Fujianese were largely a seafaring people.

Christianity is the dominant religion among the indigenous Taiwanesewith Presbyterianism and Roman Catholicism being the main denominations. There is also a small Christian minority among the Han Chinese.

Taiwanese people are generally tolerant of different religionsand people of all faiths can usually practice their religion without any major problems. The Falun Gong religion which is banned in mainland China is allowed in Taiwanthough attitudes towards them from the local Taiwanese people tend to be very mixed.

Although there are some correlationsit is highly unwise to assume anything about a particular person's political beliefs based on what you think you know about their background. Alsothis very brief sketch of Taiwanese politics obscures a large amount of complexity. Traditionallymainlandersindigenous peopleHakka people and people from Kinmen and Matsu tended to be strongly pan-bluewhile Taiwanese speakers from Central and Southern Taiwan tended to be strongly pan-greenthough this distinction has largely disappeared among the younger generationwho overwhelmingly identify as "Taiwanese" rather than Chinese although they are still generally in favor of the status quo rather than outright independence.

Unless you know your listener wellit is unwise to say anything (either positive or negative) about the current governmentabout historical figures in Taiwanese historyabout Taiwan's international relationsor about relations with mainland China. Some political figures such as Sun Yat-sen (who is also popular in the PRC and with the Chinese government) and Chiang Ching-kuo are generally seen positivelybut others (Chiang Kai-shekLee Teng-huiChen Shui-bianand Ma Ying-jeou) arouse very polarized feelings.

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 anyoneas the term is generally used to exclude Hong Kong and Macau as wellmaking 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 mindhoweverthat there are so many subtleties and complexities here that if you are talking about these thingsyou've already wandered into a minefield.

Howeversimply referring to the island as "Taiwan" is fineas that is the name used by the localsregardless of their political persuasion. Titles such as "Republic of China" are reserved for official matters only. People from Kinmen and Matsu do not identify as Taiwanese and instead identify as Kinmenese/Matsunese or simply Chinese. When in Kinmen or Matsuyou should call the country the "Republic of China"and use "Taiwan" only to refer to the island of Taiwan.

Relations with mainland Chinaas well as the Hong Kong protestsare sensitive issues; tread carefully on these topics.

Despite the deep mistrust many Taiwanese have of the communist Chinese governmentmost locals bear little to no animosity towards individual mainland Chinese visitors. As long as you avoid political discussions and behave yourself properlyyou should not run into any problems.

In contrast to other Asian countriesTaiwanese feelings towards the Japanese occupation (1895-1945) are generally positiveand most Taiwanese regard the legacy of Japanese colonial rule as an integral part of their national and cultural identitythough there are exceptions. People who lived through the period of Japanese rule often bear a certain degree of nostalgia for that timealthough there was strong resistanceand massacres of both Han Chinese and indigenous people were carried out throughout the occupation. Neverthelessmany Taiwanese bear a sense of gratitude towards the Japanese for modernizing Taiwanand Japanese colonial rule is generally regarded more favorably than the subsequent Kuomintang rule under Chiang Kai-shek.

Japanese visitors can expect a particularly warm welcome as most Taiwanese admire Japanese cultureand modern Taiwanese culture continues to be heavily influenced by that of Japan. In particularmany shops and tourist attractions are based on a theme of colonial nostalgia.

The standard prefix for international calls from Taiwan is 002though some other companies may use alternative prefixes at lower rates. Check with your telecom operator for more details. Calls to mainland ChinaHong Kong or Macau require international dialling. The country code for calls to Taiwan is +886. Most payphones work with telephone cards (電話卡)which are available at all convenience stores.

Numbers Starting With 0800 are commercial toll-free numbersjust like the 1-800 numbers in North America.

Mobile phone coverage is generally excellent in Taiwanexcept in some remote mountainous areas. Among the major providers are Chunghwa Telecom (中華電信)Taiwan Mobile (台灣大哥大)and Far EasTone (遠傳電信). Taiwan has both 5G and 4G networksand inbound roaming agreements are in place between most international providers and at least one of these four (but check with your operator before departure). The last 3G networks were shut down in February 2025.

The internationally popular messaging app WhatsApp is not popular in Taiwan. Most Taiwanese use the Japanese messaging app LINE instead.

Taiwan has a very free and liberal press. Taiwan's main newspapers are the Chinese-language Liberty Times (自由時報)China Times (中國時報) and United Daily News (聯合報). Liberty Times is pro-independencewhile China Times and United Daily News are pro-reunification. The Economic Daily News (經濟日報) and Commercial Times (工商時報) focus on financial and business news.

The sole English-language print newspaper is the Taipei Times (founded in 1991). Its main competitor Taiwan News (founded in 1949 as China News) is no longer available in printand now is exclusively published online. Both newspapers have adopted a pro-independence editorial stance.

Other news sources:

• Central News Agency
• TaiwanPlus
• Taiwan Today
• The News Lens
• TaipeiNews.net
• Taiwan Sun

Free magazines:

• Taiwan Fun (Compass) - A life magazine. You can use it to find delicious food and interesting activities in Taiwan.

Radio:

• ICRT (short for "International Community Radio Taipei") is an English-language radio station available island-wide on FM 100. The programming consists mostly of popular music. There are news bulletins every hour on the hour 07:00–20:00 M–F and 10:00–18:00 on Sa.

Every 7-Eleven and Familymart has cloud printers available for printing documents and even pictures. But for the latter you might be better off with a professional shop. The instructions are in Chinese or English. Costs: NT$1 per document pageplus NT$1 processing fee.

Taiwan has an efficient and reliable postal system run by Chunghwa Post.

For electrical socketsTaiwan uses the same Type A two-pin and Type B three-pin electrical sockets as the United States and Japan. Electricity is supplied at 110 V at 60 Hz.

See Cope section in Taipei guide

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