Taipei
Travel Guide

Asia - Taiwan, Province of China[a] - Taipei

Taiwan is one of the most interesting Asian countries to visit. Its population is a fusion of Chinese, indigenous and Confucianist traditions and cultures, that with the years, they have been reclaiming their own traditions. One surprising fact of this island is that the modern style combines perfectly in harmony with the most ancient traditions, something which gives a very special energy to the place.... Taiwan is also known as the Beautiful Island, because the people fall in love with its streets.The city of Taipei is the most populated city and the capital of Taiwan, also known as the Republic of China. The city is located on the Taipei Basin (valleys between Keelung and Xindian rivers). Taipei is a city full of food vendors in the streets, with 9555 neighbourhoods, 456 villages and a population of 2,7 million.In the Taiwanese capital, you can experience the ancient Chinese history visiting for example the Taipei’s National Palace Museum. Also, you can try the pearl milk tea and enjoy the famous and charming Lantern Festival. Taipei has a very special and unique night market and the street food is delicious. It is also very worth to go hiking, in the city you have the Elephant Mountain, just a short distance from Taipei 101, perfect spot for Instagrammers. Also a bit further (just a short car ride from Taipei), there are many other natural sites, being the nearest the Yangmingshan National Park.

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Taipei Overview

Language

The official language in Taipei (Taiwan) is the Standard Chinese, but there are also the following recognised national and regional languages: Formosan languages, Hakka, Matsu dialect and Taiwanese Hokkien. It’s not very common to find a person who can speak fluently in English in Taiwan and so in Taipei neither, but some young people will know and understand it.

Weather

The weather in Taiwan is generally warm during the whole year. You won’t need to bring many winter clothes but an umbrella must-bring. There are thpoons frequently from July to September (tropical zone), so it is recommended to visit the country and the city during the rest of months.

Money

The official currency in Taipei (Taiwan) is the New Taiwan dollar (TWD). More or less, 1$ is 30 TWD. In the airort you can exchange your money to have some for the first days, but it is better to exchange the money later in Taipei city. In the banks and hotels they usually have higher taxes. There are also some ATMs throughtout the city, being Chinatrust and CTBC Banks two of the best places where you do it.

When to go

Probably the best time to visit Taipei is between October and January, when there are less rains and the sky is more blue, despite they aren’t the warmest months. Even it is winter time, the temperatures are nice (it is also recommended to always bring some winter clothes, because the weather can rapidly change).

Days

It is very recommended to spend 3 days in the city and then spend some more to explore the region. In 3 days you have enough time to see the most remarkable sites of Taipei and get a general idea of the city.

Surroundings

Tainan
Beitou Hot Springs
Hualien
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Park
Wulai

Store Hours

The opening hours are in theory from 9h to 18h, but in the reality they aren’t exactly like this. It is very common that the taiwaneses shops open longer than the legal times, during the weekdays and during the weekends as well. Many shops use to open at 10h and close at 22h and the shopping centres from 11h to 22h. The banks open from 9h to 15:30h, Saturdays closing earlier.