Taiwan travel guide

Taipei 101

Taipei

Observatory with city views; Elephant Mountain trail for the classic photo

Taroko Gorge

Hualien

Marble canyon — some trails remain closed after the 2024 earthquake, so check before going

Sun Moon Lake

Nantou

Cycle the lakeshore or ride the ropeway

Alishan

Chiayi

Mountain forest railway and sunrise over a sea of clouds

National Palace Museum

Taipei

World-class collection of Chinese imperial art

Jiufen Old Street

New Taipei

Teahouses and views — go on a weekday

Kenting National Park

Pingtung

Beaches and coral coast at the southern tip

Longshan Temple

Taipei

Busy, ornate temple in Wanhua district

Taipei

Capital of night markets, Taipei 101, temples and hot-spring suburb Beitou

Guides in Taipei →

Tainan

Oldest city — temples, forts and Taiwan’s best street food

Guides in Tainan →

Taichung

Laid-back city with Rainbow Village and gateway to Sun Moon Lake

Guides in Taichung →

Kaohsiung

Southern port with the Pier-2 art district and Lotus Pond

Guides in Kaohsiung →

Hualien

East-coast base for Taroko Gorge and the Pacific coast

Guides in Hualien →

Jiufen

Hillside old town of teahouses and lantern-lit alleys

Guides in Jiufen →

✈️ Taipei — Taoyuan (TPE)

• Taoyuan Airport MRT express to Taipei Main Station in about 35–40 minutes
• Buses to Taipei and to the High-Speed Rail at Taoyuan
• Taxis from the official rank

✈️ Taipei — Songshan (TSA)

• Inside the city on the MRT Brown (Wenhu) Line
• Flights to Japan, Korea, mainland China and domestic islands

✈️ Kaohsiung — Kaohsiung International (KHH)

• Kaohsiung MRT Red Line to the city centre
• Taxis from the official rank

🚆 Getting around

• Taiwan High Speed Rail runs the west coast from Taipei to Kaohsiung (Zuoying) in about 1.5–2 hours
• Taiwan Railway (TRA) trains serve the east coast, including Hualien and Taitung
• Metro systems in Taipei, Kaohsiung and Taichung; pay with an EasyCard or iPASS, which also works in convenience stores
• Scooter rental is common outside cities, but you need an International Driving Permit and a valid licence

🙏 Culture & etiquette

• Don’t eat or drink on the MRT or in stations — fines apply
• Leave priority seats (dark blue) for those who need them
• Don’t stick chopsticks upright in rice
• The number four sounds like “death” — avoid it in gifts

📍 Places, scams & seasons

• Typhoon season runs roughly July–October — follow Central Weather Administration warnings
• Earthquakes are common; learn the safety advice in your hotel
• Mountain roads and trails can close after landslides — check before travelling
• Check the UK Foreign Office or your government’s advisory for current warnings

⚖️ Laws & restrictions

• Drug penalties are severe
• Importing meat products (including pork from African swine fever areas) brings very large fines
• E-cigarettes and heated tobacco are tightly restricted
• Drink-driving laws are strict, including for scooters

💬 Words & topics to avoid

• Cross-strait relations and Taiwan’s status are sensitive — listen rather than lecture
• Don’t assume people from Taiwan identify as being from mainland China
• Use respectful, neutral language about politics and history

Taipei

Zhongzheng (near Taipei Main Station), Ximending (young and lively), Da’an (quieter, cafes)

Stay near an MRT station

Tainan

Central West District, near the old temples and food streets

Hualien

Near the train station or in Hualien city centre

Base for Taroko Gorge tours

Budget idea

Hostels in Taipei and Tainan

Check that the place is licensed

Shilin Night Market

Taipei

Taipei’s biggest night market

Raohe Street Night Market

Taipei

Pepper buns at the temple gate

Garden Night Market

Tainan

Huge weekend-only night market

Liuhe Night Market

Kaohsiung

Seafood and papaya milk

Beef noodle soup

Braised beef with chewy noodles in rich broth

Bubble tea

Milk tea with tapioca pearls — invented in Taiwan

Xiaolongbao

Soup dumplings, made famous by Taipei restaurants

Lu rou fan

Braised minced pork over rice

Oyster omelette

Night-market classic with sweet-savoury sauce

Pineapple cake

Buttery pastry with pineapple filling — a popular gift

Lunar New Year

January/February

Island-wide

Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival

Lantern Festival (February/March)

Pingxi, New Taipei

Mazu Pilgrimage

Spring (lunar calendar)

Dajia, Taichung and central Taiwan

Dragon Boat Festival

May/June

Rivers island-wide

Ghost Month

August/September

Island-wide, especially Keelung

Mid-Autumn Festival

September/October

Island-wide — barbecues in parks

Double Tenth Day

10 October

Taipei

📱 SIM & eSIM

• Main networks: Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, FarEasTone
• Tourist prepaid SIMs at Taoyuan Airport counters (passport plus a second ID needed); eSIMs also work

📶 Coverage & Wi-Fi

• Fast 4G/5G almost everywhere, including the HSR
• Free iTaiwan public Wi-Fi in many public places

🔌 Power plugs

110V, 60Hz — plug types A and B (US-style)