Things you should know
We’ve put together a useful list of things you might wish to consider before travelling to Taiwan. What to expect and be aware of. To better prepare for your trip, check out the list below.
Safety
Taiwan is relatively safe country to visit. The rate of violent crimes is very low and there is no recent history of terrorism in Taiwan. Pickpocketing and bag-snatching can occur. There is a risk from typhoons which can cause road blockages and landslides. Earthquakes can also occur in Taiwan.
Taiwan weather and climate
Most of the country has subtropical climate which means that summers are hot and long lasting from April to September. But this is also the season of tropical cyclones (typhoons).
Typhoon season normally runs from May to November and it might be resulting in local flooding. In case a cyclone occurs while you are in Taiwan, listen to Typhoon alerts on radio stations or monitor the following websites to find out the current weather conditions:
Health
Before going to Taiwan make sure to pack prescriptions from your doctor for any medicine you take for your personal use. The prescriptions should cover the exact amount of medicine you are bringing into Taiwan.
Malaria is not present in this country, but there are other mosquito borne diseases like dengue fever, which is mostly concentrated in the south of the country including the cities of Kaohsiung and Tainan. You should avoid mosquito bites at all times by wearing long sleeves and using repellent on exposed skin.
Confirm that primary courses and boosters are up to date as recommended in your home country. Usually no special boosters are advised for Taiwan.
Please note that you can’t bring cannabis oil and cannabis derived medication into Taiwan. Even if they have been legally prescribed elsewhere.
Check out what is in our travel medical kit and how to prepare yours.
Which side of the road
Traffic in Taiwan follow the right side of the road similar to the United States and most of the European countries. If you travel from or to Australia, Thailand, Hong Kong or Singapore be aware of this change. Road conditions in Taiwan are generally good, but the big cities are congested with cars and motorbikes almost everywhere. In fact, there are 15 million registered scooters in Taiwan!
Traffic safety
Unlike other Southeast Asia countries Taiwanese people mostly follow the rules of driving and even with such an amount of cars and scooters we felt quite safe to navigate through Taipei without any delays or dangerous moments. But still there are lot of traffic accidents during the year. Before crossing the road carefully watch the traffic around you and don’t use your phone when crossing the street in Taiwan. Drivers of automobiles and motorcycles can be sometimes very disrespectful of pedestrians.
Make sure to get your travel Insurance before you go to Taiwan. We highly recommend World Nomads for adventurous travellers.
Which month is the best to visit Taiwan
The best time to visit Taiwan is in early summer or between September – November, when the weather is still pleasant, and the tourist season is after its peak. Not many people visit Taiwan at winter time. But if you prefer to avoid tourist and also save some money on off season discounts you can’t do wrong by visiting Taiwan between December and March. The coldest month of the year is January with average low and high temperatures between 13 °C to 16 °C.
Which adapter to bring for Taiwan
Taiwan has the same electrical socket as US and Canada which contains 2 vertical slots. However many places including hotels and airports have international sockets and USB chargers. Anyway we recommend to bring international adapter because the sockets my differ from place to place.
Where to buy electronics
Electronics are not necessarily cheaper in Taiwan. It depends what country you are coming from and what type of electronics are you looking for. Computer parts and other small gadgets like USBs and power banks are generally cheeper there. You can find electronics stores in any mall in Taiwan. You will often need to search for a mall that sells electronics and find the correct floor, because the shops are usually not separated.
Where to exchange money in Taiwan
The official currency of Taiwan is the Taiwanese Dollar with abbreviation TWD. No other currencies are accepted in Taiwan so you will need to exchange your money. It’s easy, as many banks, hotels and department stores allow you to exchange major currencies into TWD. For the convenience of tourists the banks in Taipei and Kaohsiung keep very long opening hours. You should wait with exchange until arrival because you will most likely get better exchange rate at the airport in Taiwan than in the country you are coming from. Also if you manage to save some money before leaving Taiwan make sure to exchange it there for a different currency. Exchanging Taiwan’s currency abroad can be difficult, even in other Asian countries.
Where to stay in Taipei
We recommend to choose a location for your stay really close to the centre or some other place of interest, like local night market. You will save significant amount of money and time. Also check where is the nearby MRT metro station, cause this is the fastest and most convenient way of transport in Taipei. We stayed at Cheers Boutique Hotel close to Taipei Main Station and the Zhongshan MRT Station and we highly recommend it!
Planning a trip to Taiwan? Check out the most beautiful temples in Taipei you should add to your itinerary.
Can Taiwan use WhatsApp and other social media
In mainland China, you cannot access foreign websites without a different VPN. In Taiwan, you can. There are no official restrictions on access to the Internet or any reports that the authorities monitor your search or messages. YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Google and other websites are not accessible from China but can be freely accessed from Taiwan. The constitution provides freedom of speech and press.
Cockroaches
Unfortunately cockroaches are very abundant on Taipei streets. Especially at night they are crawling from all the places and every morning you can see many dead cockroaches smeared all over the streets. We also saw many of them during the day. If you are afraid or disgusted by them we recommend not to walk outside at night or at least avoid porches and covered pathways. We never had any problem with seeing them inside of the room, so you should be safe at your hotel. For us it is a reason plus to choose a better accommodation when travelling in Asia! If necessary there is also a special roach glue which will eventually kill them.
Taiwanese vs. Chinese people
Chinese people are very rushed and seem to live in kind of chaos. Wherever you go there, people really don’t care about others. The are not very helpful and don’t want to bother so you have to watch out for yourself. In Taiwan you feel a lot more like in Japan, its more organised, people are also in a hurry but it’s not in a rude way. In general people were very nice and tried to help us solve every problem we had.
Visas
Many countries don’t need any visas to visit Taiwan but your passport should be valid for a minimum period of six months from the date of entry into Taiwan.
The following passport holders are allowed a 90 day visa-free stay: USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan (日本), South Korea (대한민국), Germany, France, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Eswatini, Finland, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Marshall Islands, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, North Macedonia, Norway, Palau, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tuvalu, Vatican City State.
For more information check the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
There is also an option to apply for an e-visa, check for eligibility here.
We hope that the information we shared in this article will help you better plan your trip to Taiwan and make your stay enjoyable. Feel free to share your tips and experience with us.
With love,
Jelena and Luke
Like this post? Then make sure to pin it!
Note: this post may contain affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase through them we will get a small percentage fee which comes at no extra cost to you, but will help us maintain this blog and deliver you free quality content.