Taiwan · AsiaTaiwan
Night markets, Taroko Gorge, warm hospitality, and the world's best bubble tea
from $40/day Extremely safefoodnature
Quick Facts
Capital
Taipei
Best airport
Taiwan Taoyuan International (TPE)
Visa
Visa-free for 90 days for most Western nationals
Population
23 million
Avg temp (Taipei)
15–33°C / 59–91°F (hot humid summers)
Safety
Extremely safe
Vibes
foodnatureculturebudgetunique
Best Time to Visit
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Best months This month
Daily Budget
Backpacker
$40
per day
Mid-range
$90
per day
Luxury
$250
per day
Top Experiences
🍜$10–20 for dinner
Shilin Night Market, Taipei
Taiwan's largest night market: stinky tofu, oyster omelettes, and a thousand steam-filled stalls
🏔️Free; guided treks $30
Taroko Gorge
A 19km marble-walled gorge with turquoise rivers, suspension bridges, and cliff-hanging temples
🏮Free
Jiufen Old Street
Spirited mountain village of red lanterns and teahouses - said to inspire Spirited Away's Bathhouse aesthetic
Must-Try Food
Beef Noodle Soup
Taiwan's comfort dish - slow-braised beef shank in spiced soy broth with hand-pulled noodles and bok choy
Scallion Pancake
Crispy pan-fried flatbread layered with green onions and folded with egg - night market essential
Bubble Tea (Boba)
Invented in Taiwan in the 1980s - original tapioca pearl milk tea from any of a thousand specialist shops
Getting Around
🚇
MRT (Taipei Metro)$0.75–2/ride
Spotlessly clean metro system - EasyCard works on metro, bus, and bike shares across Taiwan
🚄
Taiwan High Speed Rail$30–55
The HSR zips the length of the island in 90 minutes - book online and get the window seat
🚲
YouBike$0.50–2
Public bike share with 12,000+ bikes in Taipei - $0.50 for the first 30 minutes with EasyCard
🛵
Scooter rental$15–25/day
Essential for exploring rural areas and smaller towns - international licence required; traffic is dense
Cultural Tips
Taiwan is one of Asia's friendliest destinations - don't be surprised if strangers offer to guide you
MRT rules are strictly enforced: no eating, drinking, or chewing gum; give priority seats to elderly
Ghost Month (7th lunar month, usually August) - avoid starting new ventures, weddings, or swimming in the sea
Tipping is not customary and can sometimes cause confusion - service charge is already included
Learn to say 謝謝 (xièxiè) - 'thank you' - and Taiwanese will light up
Taiwan's toilet paper goes IN the toilet, not the bin (unlike mainland China and SE Asia)
Hidden Gems
Qingjing Farm - high-altitude sheep farm in Nantou with misty mountain views and rolling green meadows
Yehliu Geopark - bizarre mushroom-shaped sea-eroded rock formations on the North Coast
Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival - small mountain village where thousands of paper lanterns are released into the sky
Going beyond the trip?
Explore the Taiwan country profile
Cost of living, visas, healthcare, taxes, expat life and everything you'd need to actually move and stay long-term.