Practical Taiwan
The small things, sorted.
Taiwan is an easy country to travel once someone has told you the handful of systems that run it. These are the ones that matter on a first or second trip.
Money
The New Taiwan dollar (NT$) is the currency. Cards work in hotels, department stores and most city restaurants, but night markets, small eateries, temples and rural Taiwan still run on cash, so carry small notes and coins. ATMs are everywhere, including every convenience store. The EasyCard is the other wallet: it pays for metros, buses, local trains, YouBikes and small purchases, and it is sold and topped up at every station and convenience store.
Staying connected
A data eSIM is the painless route: buy before you fly, land connected, and use the data for maps, translation and timetables. Tourist SIMs from Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile and Far EasTone are sold at the airport arrival halls if you prefer a physical card. Coverage is good in cities and towns; the high mountains and the east coast tunnels are the exceptions.
Plugs and power
Taiwan uses 110 volts and flat two-pin plugs (Type A, with Type B three-pin sockets also found): the same plugs as the United States and Japan. Travellers from 220 to 240 volt countries need a converter for heating appliances, not just an adapter; phone and laptop chargers are almost always dual voltage.
At the border
Many nationalities enter visa-free for a set period that depends on nationality: check yours with the Bureau of Consular Affairs before you fly, and carry proof of onward travel, which airlines may ask for at check-in. The arrival card can be completed online in advance on the National Immigration Agency website. Bring no fresh fruit, meat products or plants: Taiwan's quarantine rules are strict, enforced with dogs and heavy fines at the airport.
Weather that changes plans
Typhoons reach Taiwan mainly between July and September, and the north east monsoon brings the winter wind that rearranges Penghu and Matsu plans. The Central Weather Administration's warnings are the source that matters: when a land warning is issued, island ferries stop, mountain areas close, and events are postponed or cancelled, in that order. Build a spare day into island trips in season.
Customs that catch people out
Temples are working places of worship: dress modestly, keep voices down during ceremonies, and follow the entry and exit doors the regulars use. Queues are real and respected, for trains, bakeries and famous stalls alike. On metros, no eating or drinking, including water: the rule is enforced and fined. Tipping is not expected; hotels and restaurants add a service charge where they charge one.
Emergencies
Police on 110, fire and ambulance on 119. Hospitals in the cities are excellent and used to travellers, and many have international patient services; travel insurance that covers medical care and the activities you plan (scooter hire and surfing above all) is the one piece of paperwork worth arranging properly. Riding a scooter without a licence that covers it at home means riding uninsured here too.