Visited

Taiwan

Night markets, mountain trails, and some of Asia's best hospitality.

Taiwan is compact enough to circle in a week but rewards lingering — Taipei's night markets, the Jiufen hillside teahouses, and Taroko Gorge's marble canyons all sit within a few hours of each other.

Capital

Taipei

Currency

New Taiwan dollar

Timezone

CST (UTC+8)

Daily budget

~$85/day

Language

Chinese

Best seasons

Autumn (Oct–Dec)

Safety

Extremely low crime; night markets are comfortable to walk alone after dark.

Getting around

Taipei MRT is clean and simple; High Speed Rail reaches Kaohsiung in under 2 hours.

Internet & SIM

Cheap tourist SIMs at the airport; EasyCard covers transit, convenience stores, and bike share.