Taiwan, also known as Formosa, Beautiful Island. This is what a group of Portuguese sailors, said to have been the first Westerners to lay eyes on the island, uttered upon seeing Taiwan for the first time. We imagine they must have been pretty enamored. While not every Westerner has the same love-at-first-sight reaction to Taiwan, our Portuguese seafaring friends were just the first of many. With the lush mountains of Wulai, pulsating cities like Taipei, the stunning basalt cliffs of Penghu, excellent hiking in Taroko Gorge, not to mention some of the world’s best hot springs (we especially like the Taian Hot Springs), Taiwan cuts a figure as one of the most diverse destinations in Asia.
Check the current validity of your passport.
Make sure your passport has blank Visa pages.
Confirm if transit visa is required for any connections.
P.S. Taiwan tourist visa and Taiwan business visa are not required for citizens of United States for a stay up to 30 days.
The system of transportation in Taiwan is well developed and provides unbound service to the people from time immemorial. The roads, railways along with the important ports are major means of transport in Taiwan.、
Road Transport
Buses are one of the important means of road transport system in Taiwan. Local buses as well as the long route buses are at service and there are certain bus corporations that require you to reserve your tickets 14 days ago. Hired cars and 6taxis are also available.
The Highways in Taiwan are divided into national Highways, County routes, township routes and Provincial Highways. These are considered as the freeways and the travelers are warned not to hire any of the unlicensed vehicles on the highway.
Railway Transport
The railway network system in Taiwan is developed especially in the western region which has a dense population. The railway network was developed during the Qing Dynasty.
The long distance railways were established to connect the major cities and the urban regions of Taiwan. The passenger trains are looked after by the Taiwan Railway Administration. Taiwan High Speed Rails are another important transport and is based on the technology of Shinkansen.
Along with the urbanization of Taiwan, the development of rapid transit system also occurred. Some of these transit systems are Taipei Rapid Transit system, the Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit System and others.
Air Transport
There are two important airports in Taiwan, the Kaohsiung Airport and the one located in Taipei. There are nine heliports in Taiwan and all of them provide a good service to the nation.
Ports and Harbors
There are certain important ports and harbors in Taiwan like the Hualien Port, Kaohsiung, Taichung, Keelung, Budai and some others. 235 ships are available in these ports among which 38 are passenger ships.
Climate
Taiwan's climate is marine tropical. The northern part of the island has a rainy season that lasts from January through late March during the northeast monsoon, and experiences meiyu in May. The entire island experiences hot, humid weather from June through September. The middle and southern parts of the island do not have an extended monsoon season during the winter months. Natural hazards such as typhoons and earthquakes are common in the region.
Sightseeing
Taiwan is known for its towering mountains, and is reputable as a "Mountainous Island". The island is spotted with numerous mountains over 3,000 meters. It is also home to the Northeast Asia's tallest mountain, Yushan, which is nearly 4,000 meter in height. Besides mountains, beautiful coastal scenes are also part of Taiwan's great natural asset. Starting from the northern tip of the island is the North Coast & Guanyinshan National Scenic Area and Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area that features various sorts of coastal geography. Traveling all the way down from here, one will first arrive at the scenic East Coast National Scenic Area and East Rift Valley National Scenic Area, and then the Dapeng Bay National Scenic Area blessed with sunshine and tropical touch. Alongside the mountainous areas is the Maolin National Scenic Area, where a lot of aborigines live and place one can check out the world of butterfly, Rukai stone-made houses and Natural scenes in Taiwan. Legendary tales depict subtle beauty of Alishan National Scenic Area , where you can enjoy the relaxing scene of sunrise & cloud sea. Natural setting of Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area, eagle-spotting at Bagua Mountain, home of fruit-Lishan can sacred Buddhist sanctuary- Lion’s Head Mountain, can bring to you the many faces of the island's beauty.
Penghu National Scenic Area, comprising of ninety islets, scattering around the Taiwan Strait. Flat landscape makes it different from Taiwan Island. It is blessed with the most spectacular view in Taiwan. Located in southeast of Taiwan, Orchid Island and Green Island offer the enjoyment of nature environment, such as whale spotting and scuba diving. Matzu National Scenic Area comprises four townships on five islands. Most of the tourist sites are located in Nangan. Beigan has its stone houses and fish noodles. Juguang has its fishing port, as well as a lighthouse designated as a Class 2 historic site. In Dongyin one will find fantastic rock formations and the Dongyin branch of the Matzu Distillery. Southwest Coast National Scenic Area is the 12th national scenic area. Natural and cultural attractions abound at the Siraya National Scenic Area in southern Taiwan's Tainan County. In addition to five scenic reservoir areas (Cengwen, Wushantou, Baihe, Jianshanpi, and Hutoupi), the scenic area embraces the geologically fascinating Caoshan Moon World, the Zouzhen archaeological site, and the skin-pampering mud springs of Guanziling. Colorful aboriginal events and tasty local specialties also await you at Siraya. The scenic area's main attraction is a varied coastline that consists of sand dunes, sand banks, marshes and wetlands, offering precious ecological habitats for wildlife.
Taiwan now has 7 National Parks - Yangmingshan National Park in Taipei suburban, which is famous for its volcanic landscape; the Xueba National Park, acrossing Hsinchu & Miaoli counties and famous for special fish species- Formosan Oncorhynchus Masou; locating in Hualien county adjacent to Liwu creek, Taroko National Park is known for its lofty canyon landscape; acrossing many counties in central Taiwan, Yushan National Park is famous for its bright sunshine; locating in south tip, Kending National Park gives you a total touch of Southeast Asia; last on the list is Kinmen National Park which is known for legacies from the war decades ago. In addition to the beautiful natural setting provided, above six National Parks also offer great ecological environment for tourists. The Dongsha Atoll Marine National Park was established in January 2007 at the north tip of the South China Sea, marking the southern portal to the Taiwan Strait. The atoll has a unique white sand landscape formed of coral and shell.
Besides, National Palace Museum, located in outskirt of Taipei City, is home to essence of the five-thousand-year Chinese history. It has the finest collections of Chinese Arts, providing an eye-opening experience of Chinese culture. Taiwan is somewhere you can experience the amazement of Chinese culture.
Time zone
GMT + 9
Language
Mandarin, Taiwanese Hokkien
Essentials
Electricity & Voltage
Taiwan uses electric current of 110 volts at 60 cycles, appliances from Europe, Australia or South-East Asia will need an adaptor or transformer. Many buildings have sockets with 220 volts especially for the use of air conditioners.
Helpful Numbers
Crime Reporting & Police 110, Fire and Medical Service 119, Information Service - International call +886-2-2717-3737, English-language Directory Assistance 106
Medical
Taiwan Adventist Hospital
Address: No. 424, Sec. 2, Bade Rd., Taipei City
Tel: +886-2-2771-8151
Official Website: http://www.tahsda.org.tw/en/
China Medical University Hospital
Address: No. 2, Yude Rd., Taichung City
Tel: +886-4-2205-2121
Official Website: http://www.cmuh.org.tw/htdocs/english/e_index.htm