Asia

Taiwan

A wooden teahouse hung with red lanterns on a green hillside in Jiufen

Night markets, marble gorges and mountain tea villages on an island you can circle by train.

Taiwan is one of the easiest places in Asia to travel. Trains loop the whole island, Taipei’s night markets are some of the best in the region, and the people are famously helpful to lost travellers.

Head down the wild east coast to Hualien and Taitung, then up the west side through Tainan’s temples and snack streets. Save time for the mountains too: Alishan and Sun Moon Lake are a cool break from the heat.

Good to know

Time zone
GMT+8
Plugs
Types A and B, 110V
Emergency numbers
110 police, 119 fire and ambulance
Tap water
Drink bottled or filtered
Traffic drives on the
Right
Tipping
Not expected; sit-down restaurants often add a 10% service charge to the bill.
SIM cards
Chunghwa Telecom and Taiwan Mobile sell tourist SIMs with unlimited data for about 300–500 Taiwan dollars for five to ten days at Taoyuan Airport.

When to go to Taiwan

Best months to go: March to April and October to November. Pick a month to see what it’s like.

Bars show rainfall; numbers are the average daytime high. Amber marks the best months to go.

September

Still some typhoon risk, but crowds thin out. Hot and sunny on the east coast.

Daytime high
31°C
Rainfall
360 mm
Crowds
Quiet

What Taiwan costs

Work out a budget for your trip, then check what everyday things cost.

How do you travel?

Dorm beds, street food and public transport.

14 days

$616for 14 days, about $44 a day (NT$18,500 in total)

Bed$18$252
Food and drink$12$168
Getting around$7$98
Things to do$4$56
Everything else$3$42

Per person, in US dollars. Flights and insurance not included.

What things cost

  • Bowl of beef noodle soupNT$180, about $6
  • Bowl of braised pork riceNT$40, about $1.33
  • Bubble teaNT$60, about $2
  • Can of Taiwan Beer from 7-ElevenNT$45, about $1.50
  • Night market snackNT$70, about $2.33
  • Hostel dorm bed in TaipeiNT$650, about $22
  • Taipei MRT rideNT$25, about $0.83
  • High-speed train, Taipei to KaohsiungNT$1,490, about $50

Routes through Taiwan

Where to go and how long to stay, for the time you’ve got.

14 nights, 6 stops

An anticlockwise loop of the island by train: Taipei, the wild east coast and the old capital of Tainan.

  1. Taipei

    4 nights

    Night markets, Taipei 101, temple visits and a hike up Elephant Mountain.

  2. Jiufen

    1 night

    A lantern-lit hillside town of teahouses, best after the day trippers leave.

  3. Hualien

    3 nights

    Taroko Gorge and the coast. Parts of the gorge are still closed after the 2024 earthquake, so check which trails are open.

  4. Taitung

    2 nights

    Hot springs, surf beaches and a slower pace on the east coast.

  5. Kaohsiung

    2 nights

    Harbour bars, the Pier-2 art district and Lotus Pond’s temples.

  6. Tainan

    2 nights

    The oldest city in Taiwan, full of temples and snack streets. Take the high-speed train back to Taipei.

Getting around

  • Train

    $3–50 depending on the train

    Local and express trains circle the island, and the high-speed rail runs down the west coast. Book east coast express trains early at weekends.

  • Bus

    $3–15 for most trips

    Intercity buses are cheap and comfortable, and reach places the trains do not, such as Sun Moon Lake and Alishan.

  • Motorbike

    $10–20 a day for a scooter

    Handy in Kenting, Taitung and Green Island. You need an International Driving Permit to hire one legally.

  • Bicycle

    Under $1 for a short ride

    YouBike share bikes are everywhere in the cities, and cycle paths run along the east coast.

  • Ferry

    $15–30 each way

    Boats run from Taitung to Green Island and Orchid Island, weather permitting.

What to eat and drink

  • Beef noodle soup

    Rich braised beef and chewy noodles in a deep, spiced broth.

    NT$180, about $6

  • Lu rou fan

    Rice topped with soy-braised minced pork. Cheap, filling and everywhere.

    NT$40, about $1.33

  • Xiaolongbao

    Soup dumplings filled with pork and hot broth. Bite, sip, then eat.

    NT$150, about $5

  • Gua bao

    A soft steamed bun filled with braised pork belly, peanuts and coriander.

    NT$70, about $2.33

  • Stinky tofu

    Fermented tofu, deep fried and served with pickled cabbage. Smells worse than it tastes.

    NT$70, about $2.33

  • Bubble tea

    Milk tea with chewy tapioca pearls, invented in Taiwan in the 1980s.

    NT$60, about $2

Say it like a local

A few words go a long way. Tap “Hear it” to listen, where your browser can.

  • Hello

    你好

    nee how

  • Thank you

    謝謝

    shyeh-shyeh

  • How much is it?

    多少錢？

    dwor-shaow chyen

  • I’d like this one

    我要這個

    woh yow jay-guh

  • Not spicy, please

    不要辣

    boo yow lah

  • Delicious

    好吃

    how chir

  • Excuse me

    不好意思

    boo how ee-suh

  • Cheers!

    乾杯！

    gahn bay

Questions travellers ask

Do I need cash?

Yes. Night markets, small restaurants and many hostels are cash only. ATMs in 7-Eleven stores accept foreign cards, and an EasyCard covers trains, buses and convenience stores.

Is Taroko Gorge open?

Partly. The 2024 earthquake closed many trails and parts of the road through the gorge, and they are reopening in stages. Check the national park website before you plan your days in Hualien.

Will I get by in English?

In Taipei, mostly. Signs and transport announcements are in English, but menus often are not, so a translation app with a camera mode is very useful.

What happens in a typhoon?

Trains, ferries and flights can stop for a day or two and shops close. Follow the local news, stock up on snacks and stay indoors until it passes.

Is Taiwan expensive?

Beds in Taipei cost more than in Southeast Asia, but food is cheap and excellent. Eat at night markets and local noodle shops and you can live well on a modest budget.