When traveling to a new place, the most important thing is knowing what to watch out for, especially for those going abroad. Destination-specific tips are undoubtedly one of the most closely watched aspects before a trip. So, what are the things to note when traveling to Taiwan?
1. Essential Items to Bring: Taiwan Travel Permit, Taiwan Entry Permit (issued by the tour guide at the airport; independent travelers must check carefully before departure), ID card, umbrella, sunscreen, swimsuit and swim cap, slippers, towel, insulated water bottle, common medications especially motion sickness pills, and those over 70 years old should bring a health certificate.
2. In case of single male or female travelers, room sharing or splitting of couples’ rooms may be required.
3. Prohibited Items on Flights: Fruits, dairy products, eggs, knives, and scissors.
Regarding Documents: Apart from personal safety, the most important thing when traveling is document security.
1. To travel to Taiwan, you must hold the “Mainland Resident Travel Permit for Taiwan” along with the travel endorsement and Taiwan Entry Permit (issued by the tour guide at the airport; independent travelers should carry and keep them by themselves). Group tours require returning together as a group, and the maximum stay upon first entry is 15 days (you must return on the 15th day). 2. Travelers must properly safeguard their personal travel documents, and make photocopies (or take photos) as backups. Keep copies along with a photo of the document holder separately from the original documents. In case of loss or theft, immediately report to the tour guide and also file a police report and notify the Association for Tourism Exchange Across the Taiwan Straits.
Regarding Immigration
1. Arrive at the airport two hours early for check-in. Airports are crowded, so keep your belongings safe.
2. Luggage
● Checked luggage should not exceed 20 kg; carry-on luggage is limited to one piece per person, not exceeding 7 kg in weight or 115 cm in total dimensions.
● Valuables (such as various documents, cash, jewelry, etc.) should not be placed in checked luggage; alcoholic beverages, fruit knives, small scissors, and nail clippers cannot be carried on board and must be checked; lithium batteries and 3C products cannot be checked; lighters are not allowed either in carry-on or checked luggage. Any plants or animals (including fruits, seeds, etc.) are not permitted on flights.
● If you have emergency medication for the trip, try to carry whole tablets or sachets (do not carry liquid medications such as syrups or tonics. According to customs regulations, liquids over 100 ml must be checked). If taking measured medication, only carry the necessary dosage on board, and pack the rest in your checked luggage.
● Clearly write your full name (both Chinese and English) and phone number on the luggage tag. After handing over checked luggage to the airline, be sure to keep your luggage claim tag and check that the flight number and destination on the tag match your flight and destination for the day (if you have fragile items, you can request a fragile label).
● It’s recommended to carry 1000–2000 RMB (bring according to your personal needs; carrying large amounts of cash is not advised) and a bank card under your name with the UnionPay logo (credit or debit cards are both acceptable; most malls in Taiwan accept UnionPay). Upon arrival in Taiwan, exchange for NT dollars, with an approximate exchange rate of 1:4.7 (subject to daily rates).
3. Departure
● Customs: If you are carrying items such as video cameras, cameras with detachable lenses, or laptops, you should declare them to customs.
● Carrying Foreign Cash: According to national regulations, each person may carry up to 5000 USD. Carrying more than this amount will result in personal responsibility if detected.
● If your travel endorsement was processed by a travel agency, please follow the tour guide’s arrangements and proceed with departure procedures in the order listed on the “Departure List,” as per unified instructions.
4. Entry into Taiwan
● All internationally prohibited items are strictly forbidden, including fresh fruits and vegetables, and cured fish or meat.
● Duty-free items include 1 bottle of alcohol, 200 cigarettes, a small amount of perfume, and a reasonable quantity of personal care items.
Regarding Accommodation and Dining
1. Tap water in hotels is not drinkable; please boil it before drinking.
2. Please keep your personal belongings safe; valuables can be stored at the front desk or in the in-room safe.
3. Taiwan uses 110-volt power, which generally does not affect the use of mobile phones or laptops, but charging may be slower.
4. Taiwan uses flat two-pin plugs; cylindrical plugs and three-flat-pin plugs are not usable in Taiwan. It is recommended to buy an adapter in advance. Adapters are available for rent at hotel front desks.
5. Most hotel bathrooms are equipped with towels, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, etc. If you find items like towels or ashtrays to be of commemorative value, you can purchase them directly from the hotel. Hotels generally provide 2 free bottles of mineral water, 2 coffee packets, and 2 tea bags; some hotels also offer free candies, fruit, etc. The refrigerator can be used for free, but if you consume any beverages or food inside, you’ll need to pay at the front desk upon check-out. Some hotels have pay channels; if you watch any, payment is required at check-out.
6. Groups dine at designated restaurants, where most prohibit smoking; breakfast is usually served at the hotel. For buffet-style meals, please take only what you can eat and avoid waste. If you need drinks during meals, those provided by the restaurant are self-paid; bringing your own alcoholic beverages may incur a service charge.
7. Hotels in Taiwan generally use a "flower" rating system, but not all hotels participate in the rating. A five-star (五花) hotel in Taiwan is roughly equivalent to a five-star hotel on the mainland. However, due to different evaluation criteria, it is not a perfect match and may be slightly lower than the mainland standard.
8. After group sightseeing activities, when engaging in free time, please stay with your companions and avoid traveling alone or going to secluded areas. When leaving the hotel, return your room key at the front desk and carry the hotel’s business card in case you get lost.
9. Regarding hot spring hotels: Staying at a hot spring inn allows you to use the on-site hot spring bath facilities for free. When experiencing the hot spring, you need to wear a swimsuit and a swim cap. Upon entering the hot spring area, you should first rinse your body at the shower area before entering the hot spring pool. Scrubbing your body or wringing out towels in the hot spring pool is considered extremely impolite—please be sure to avoid this. The elderly and children should not soak for long periods and must be accompanied by family or friends. Entry is prohibited for those who are intoxicated, have heart conditions, or are in weak health.
10. When checking out, settle your private phone charges, beverage costs, and return the room key at the front desk.
11. Taiwanese cuisine is relatively light and tends to be sweet.
About Sightseeing
1. Group tour participants, please remember your bus number and group name to avoid boarding the wrong bus. Please keep in mind the meeting times and locations during the trip. If you get lost locally, call your local guide’s mobile phone for assistance.
2. Smoking is strictly prohibited inside the tour bus, and please keep the vehicle clean.
3. According to regulations, individual tourists are not allowed to leave the group without permission and must follow the group activities.
4. Language: Mandarin is the main language, although there are more dialects in central and southern Taiwan. Generally speaking, there is no language barrier. Be mindful of your words—avoid certain sensitive terms. Also, remember that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. Avoid saying things like “you Taiwanese, us Chinese” as it is incorrect. Please be very careful with your wording.
5. Transportation and Order: Transportation in Taiwan is convenient, but there are many people who use motorcycles. Following traffic rules is essential for your safety. Taiwan, like the mainland, drives on the right. Violating traffic rules will result in fines. Smoking is prohibited on any form of transportation during the trip. In tourist areas or during free time, littering and spitting on the ground will also incur fines. When staying in hotels, avoid making loud noises that might disturb other guests. Taxis: Most cities in Taiwan offer convenient taxi services. Major city taxis operate on a meter system, starting at NT$70 for the first 1.25 km, then NT$5 for every additional 250 meters. From 11:00 PM to 6:00 AM, there is an additional NT$20 surcharge on the total fare.
About Shopping
1. When shopping, a 5% consumption tax is added to the product price. In large comprehensive shopping malls, if you purchase goods over NT$3000 that are eligible for tax refund, you can go to the tax refund counter to process the refund on the spot. You can also apply for a tax refund at the airport. For detailed refund procedures, please consult your local guide.
2. When purchasing electrical goods, please pay attention to voltage, format, instruction manuals, and whether they can be used on the mainland (it is not recommended to buy electrical appliances from Taiwan to bring back home, as the voltage on the mainland is 220V).
3. In Taiwan, transactions are generally made in New Taiwan Dollars (NT$). The denominations of NT$ bills are 2000, 1000, 500, 200, and 100, with the 2000-dollar bill being less commonly circulated. Coins come in denominations of 50, 20, 10, 5, and 1 dollars. You may carry Renminbi (RMB), and upon arriving at a Taiwanese airport, there are dedicated exchange counters where you can convert RMB to NT$. Keep the receipt you receive during the exchange, as you will need to show it if you want to convert unused NT$ back to RMB before departure.
4. When shopping, please keep all purchase receipts (some shops or counters may issue more than one), certificates, and vouchers properly.
About Climate
Taiwan has a tropical and subtropical climate, with an average annual temperature of about 22°C. The average minimum temperature is around 12–17°C, and the summer maximum temperature is about 35°C. Summers are long and winters are short. It’s best to bring rain gear, and if you’re visiting Alishan, bring a light jacket.
Bring extra changes of clothes, ideally one set per day, and keep a jacket in the car as the air conditioning can be quite cool. Regarding communication, you can directly dial 002 for international access from public phones or hotel phones.
For related information, you can call the telecommunications bureau at 02-23212535. To call the mainland, dial 002+86+city code (e.g., Beijing is 10)+the recipient’s phone number. If you have further questions, you can call the toll-free number: 0800-080-100.
Your mobile phone can be used in Taiwan after activating international roaming service. The cost for making and receiving calls is approximately NT$0.99 per minute. Sending a text message costs NT$0.49 per message, and receiving is free. Any data plans purchased on the mainland are not valid in Taiwan. Free Wi-Fi and computers are available in hotel lobbies. Taiwan SIM cards are sold at convenience stores (NT$100 or NT$200), typically costing around NT$5 for half a minute of usage.
Images and text are from the internet.
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