And can you blame them? For 400 years communists, capitalists, imperialists and everyone in between have fought over its mist-shrouded forests, soaring peaks and plunging coastal cliffs. These days it’s definitely a case of ‘come for the adventure, stay for the stir-fries’, with some of the best fusion cuisine around, top road cycling, excellent mountain trekking and world-class coffee to boot. Also variously known as the Republic of China and Chinese Tapei, Taiwan is a destination that has most definitely come into its own.
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Ride around the shores of Sun Moon Lake - the paths are perfect for cycling.
Modern and on the move, Taipei is where all Taiwan adventures should start
The 18km marble-walled gorge is Taroko National Park's must-see attraction when you're hiking its trails.
The former mining town Jiufen is full of fascinating snack stalls and teahouses on its old steep streets.
TAIWAN VISA
Nationals of most countries are eligible for the visa exemption program, which permits a duration of stay of 30-90 days. Please check with your nearest consulate for your specific eligibility.
Tipping is not really common practice in Taiwan, except perhaps in the more high-class hotels. Most restaurants have a service charge built into the price, and taxi drivers will usually return your change to you.
As one of Asia’s more tech-savvy destinations, cyber cafes are common in the major cities. Free Wi-Fi can also usually be found at the local library.
Mobile phone coverage is excellent in Taiwan, apart from some of the more remote mountain areas. Ensure global roaming is activated before leaving home if you wish to use your mobile while travelling.
Modern flushing toilets are commonplace in Taiwan, although it can be hard to find a public toilet in the large cities.
Beer = 50 TWD
Simple lunch at a cafe = 60 TWD
Dinner in a restaurant = 150 TWD
Street meal = 40 TWD
Train ticket = 20 TWD
Bottle of water = 19 TWD
Water in Taiwan is usually filtered, and therefore safe, but use your common sense. Restaurants will generally filter their water, as will most of the drinking fountains. If you can’t find these in the more rural areas, bring some purification tablets to treat the water.
Most hotels and department stores accept VISA and Mastercard, but Diners and AMEX are not usually accepted. For restaurants and small stores, cash is the normal form of payment.
ATM access in Taiwan is exceptional, with most of their ATMs able to withdraw money from anywhere in the world using the Plus or Cirrus system. There is usually a TWD 20,000 limit for cash withdrawals.
Absolutely. All passengers travelling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of your trip. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.
For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance
For a current list of public holidays in Taiwan go to: http://www.worldtravelguide.net/taiwan/public-holidays
We’re committed to making travel accessible for everyone, regardless of ability or disability. That’s why we do our best to help as many people see the world as possible, regardless of any physical or mental limitations they might have. We’re always happy to talk to travellers with disabilities and see if we can help guide them towards the most suitable itinerary for their needs and where possible, make reasonable adjustments to our itineraries.
Taiwan generally has accessibility in mind when building new infrastructure, however as a mountainous place there are many natural barriers to those with limited mobility. Outdoor activities such as hiking or visiting national parks are common on itineraries and may be off limits to wheelchair users or travellers for who steps or uneven ground are an issue. Wheelchair accessible tour buses may be able to be booked in advance and taxis are good value. MRT trains have accessible facilities. Many hotels and guesthouses will have barrier free rooms, but often cafes and restaurants have seating on upper floors without lifts. Outside Taipei and Kaohsiung cities and towns can lack sidewalks.
Learn more about Accessible Travel with Intrepid
Intrepid is committed to travelling in a way that is respectful of local people, their culture, local economies and the environment. It's important to remember that what may be acceptable behaviour, dress and language in your own country, may not be appropriate in another. Please keep this in mind while travelling.
In Taiwan, we stay in locally run accommodation including guesthouses, smaller-scale hotels and homestays in an effort to support the local economies. We also visit locally-run restaurants and markets where travellers will have opportunities to support local businesses and purchase handicrafts created by local artisans.
