Find a Travel Partner in Taiwan
Everything you need to plan Taiwan with a travel partner - key facts, current tourism trends, live local data, and exactly what your passport needs to enter.
๐น๐ผ Taiwan at a glance
- Capital
- Taipei
- Largest city
- Taipei
- Official language
- Chinese
- Area
- 36,193 kmยฒ (13,974 miยฒ)
- Population
- 23.4 million2024 ยท National statistics
- Currency
- New Taiwan dollar โ TWD ($)
- Region
- Eastern Asia
- Time zone
- Asia/Taipei
- Calling code
- +886
- Plug type
- Type A, B
Data updated: weather just now ยท rates 47 min ago ยท sources: Open-Meteo, ExchangeRate-API
About Taiwan
Taiwan is one of Asia's most rewarding and underrated destinations - a green, mountainous island that packs world-class food, dramatic nature and genuinely heart-melting friendliness into a compact, easy-to-travel package. Taipei, the capital, is the gateway: the bamboo-shaped Taipei 101 (once the world's tallest), the treasure-house National Palace Museum (the greatest collection of Chinese imperial art anywhere, carried over in 1949), serene temples wreathed in incense, hot-spring suburbs at Beitou - and, above all, the night markets. Shilin, Raohe, Ningxia: these neon-lit food carnivals are the soul of Taiwanese life, where xiaolongbao, beef noodle soup, oyster omelets, stinky tofu and the bubble tea the island invented are devoured shoulder-to-shoulder for pocket change. The nature is a genuine surprise to first-timers. Two-thirds of Taiwan is mountains, rising to nearly 4,000m, and the Taroko Gorge - a marble canyon of sheer cliffs, tunnels and a turquoise river on the east coast - is one of Asia's great natural sights. Sun Moon Lake mirrors forested hills in the center; Alishan's sea of clouds and sunrise railway draw the dawn faithful; the Northeast and East coasts deliver surf, cycling and whale-watching; and the offshore islands (Penghu, Green Island, Kinmen) add reefs and history. For travel partners Taiwan is almost frictionless: superb high-speed rail and metro, an EasyCard that taps you onto everything, visa-free entry for most, and a safety and helpfulness level that's legendary (lost travelers get personally walked to their destination). It's affordable for what you get, the food alone justifies the trip, and sharing a night-market grazing crawl and a Taroko hike makes it one of the most joyful, easygoing trips in Asia.
Tourism in Taiwan
International tourist arrivals over the most recent years with available data - roughly #15 of 31 in its continent by reported arrivals (sources vary by country).
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Create your tripBest time to visit Taiwan
October-November and March-April are the sweet spots: mild, drier, comfortable for city-and-mountain combos, with autumn especially pleasant. May-September is hot, humid and the typhoon season - storms can disrupt a day or two (well-managed, but build flexibility), though it's also lush and good for the high mountains which stay cooler. Winter (December-February) is mild in the south but cool, grey and drizzly in Taipei and the north - low season, good for hot springs and fewer crowds, with occasional snow on the high peaks. Lunar New Year (late Jan/Feb) sees many businesses close and domestic travel peak - plan around it. The Pingxi sky-lantern (Lantern Festival) and Dragon Boat festivals are spectacular.
Top places & experiences in Taiwan
Taipei
Taipei 101 and its observatory, the unmatched National Palace Museum, Longshan Temple, Beitou hot springs - and night markets (Shilin, Raohe) that are the city's beating heart.
Taroko Gorge
A marble canyon of sheer cliffs, swallow-grotto tunnels and a turquoise river on the east coast - one of Asia's most jaw-dropping natural sights.
Sun Moon Lake
A serene mountain lake ringed by temples, cycling paths and tea plantations in the island's center - mist, boats and pagoda viewpoints.
Jiufen
A lantern-lit former gold-mining town of tea houses and stepped alleys overlooking the sea - all atmosphere, especially in the evening mist and rain.
Alishan
A forest railway, ancient cypress giants and a famous sea-of-clouds sunrise - misty high-mountain tea country reached by narrow-gauge train.
Tainan
The historic old capital - the island's oldest temples and forts, and arguably its best traditional food, from coffin bread to milkfish.
Budget & costs
Estimates in USD for planning only - your style and season change everything. Use the live exchange rate above for local-currency budgeting.
Getting around
Taiwan's transport is a joy. The High-Speed Rail (HSR) runs down the populous west coast - Taipei to Kaohsiung in ~1h40 - while the scenic TRA railway loops the whole island, including the gorgeous east coast to Hualien (for Taroko). Get an EasyCard (or iPASS) on arrival: it taps you onto metros, buses, trains, bike-share (the excellent YouBike) and even convenience-store purchases island-wide. Taipei and Kaohsiung have clean, easy metros. For Taroko, Alishan and Sun Moon Lake, buses or day-tours connect from the rail hubs; renting a scooter or car helps on the east coast and in rural areas (an international permit is needed). Taxis are metered and honest; ride-hailing (Uber) works in cities. It's one of the easiest countries anywhere to get around independently.
Money & connectivity
Taiwan uses the New Taiwan dollar (TWD). It's still a fairly cash-friendly society - night markets, small eateries and temples want cash, so carry some, though cards and the EasyCard are increasingly accepted and convenience stores (everywhere, 24/7) double as ATMs, bill-payers and lifesavers. Tipping isn't customary - don't worry about it. SIMs/eSIMs (Chunghwa, Taiwan Mobile, FET) are cheap with excellent island-wide 4G/5G and tourist unlimited-data plans at the airport; the open internet works normally. Free public Wi-Fi (iTaiwan) is widespread. Most nationalities get visa-free entry for 30-90 days. The EasyCard is the single best travel purchase you'll make here.
Health & safety
Taiwan is one of the safest places in the world to travel - crime against visitors is very low, the streets feel secure at any hour, and the legendary helpfulness means any problem gets solved fast (people will walk you to where you're going). The genuine risks are natural: typhoons (June-October - heed warnings; the island handles them well), earthquakes (Taiwan is seismically active - know basic drop-cover-hold guidance, but buildings are well-built), summer heat and humidity, and mountain weather if you hike high (the peaks need permits and respect). Traffic - especially the swarms of scooters - is the everyday hazard; cross carefully and look every way. Tap water is technically safe but most boil or drink bottled. Healthcare is excellent and cheap. Emergency number: 119 (fire/ambulance), 110 (police).
General guidance, not medical or security advice. Check your own government's latest travel advisory and a travel-health clinic before you book.
Culture & etiquette
Taiwanese culture is warm, polite and remarkably considerate - quietness on the efficient MRT (no eating or drinking on it, a strictly enforced rule), orderly queues, and a gentle helpfulness that defines the place. At temples, dress modestly, don't point at deities, follow the incense-and-bow etiquette if you join, and step over (not on) door sills. Chopsticks never stand upright in rice. Receive business cards and gifts with two hands. There's a deep food culture - sharing dishes is the norm, and praising the food is always welcome. Be sensitive about cross-strait politics: let locals lead, and recognize Taiwan's strong sense of its own identity. Useful Mandarin: "Nว hวo" (hello), "Xiรจxie" (thank you), "Duลshวo qiรกn?" (how much?), "Hวo chฤซ!" (delicious!) - and a smile and a "thank you" go a long way in this exceptionally courteous society.
Visa & entry requirements for Taiwan
Every nationality is different - pick your passport for a personalized answer, or open our Visa page for assisted help applying.
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Trains
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Car Rentals
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Tours & Attractions
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