Travel Tips

I have mainly posted a lot on what to eat and do in Taiwan, but here are some key travel tips that you may not have known about. In addition, I will mention things that you should be aware of when traveling in Taiwan. 

Hand sanitizer: While Taiwan is increasingly becoming more modernized, some parts of it may not be as cleanly as other western countries. So it is a good idea to carry around a travel size hand sanitizer because bathrooms don't always have soap readily available. It is also difficult to find a sink to wash your hands. Taiwan is also a very heavily populated country and regular cleaning/maintenance isn't as strict in certain areas. The hand sanitizer is good to prevent the spread of germs and to protect yourself from germs.

Squatty Potties: It is heavily advised that you get used to using what my friends and I call the "squatty potty.  I'm not going to lie, it is pretty much a hole in the ground that you literally squat over to do your business and flush after you're done. In homes and hotels you will find the standard western toilet, but most public restrooms do not offer them and prefer the squatty potty (maybe sometimes you'll find one or two standard toilets but it isn't as sanitary, in my opinion). It is a little weird at first, but its a good idea to get used to it because chances are that you'll need to use one in between your travels.  

Tissues: The squatty potties bring me to my next issue of tissues. Like the hand sanitizer, I carry around mini packets of tissues. More often than not, I have been saved by my own pack of tissues when going to the restroom, because either A. the restroom ran out and rarely replaces new toilet paper and/or B. there was none offered to begin with. If you had to pick hand sanitizer or tissues, I would go with tissues.

Umbrellas: Regardless of whether or not it is raining, you will definitely see locals using umbrellas. This consider very strange to non-asians, but it has logic. First off, the sun over in Taiwan (and most of Asian) is VERY strong. You will get burnt if not tan. So the umbrella is really more so like the old fashioned parasol to shield from the sun's harmful rays. So feel free to blend in and use an umbrella under the sun if you burn easily, trust me, no one will give you weird looks in Taiwan. It is also a way to stay "pale" and not get tan. Asians for some reason, find that the paler your skin, the more attractive (so a lot of females use umbrellas extensively). In addition, Taiwan is right on the Circle of Fire, which means that it faces a lot of typhoons which brings in heavy rain. It is convenient to be protected from both the sun and the rain with your umbrella. Umbrella stores are very common and inexpensive and you can even find some in 7-elevens. 

Sunscreen: Along with the use of umbrellas under the sun, treat your trip to Taiwan like you would a trip to the beach. USE SUNSCREEN! Even though you'll most likely be in the cities, the sun is just as harmful as the beach, if not worse. 

Tipping: Tipping is not a common practice in Taiwan with the exception of bellhops in high end hotels. Full service restaurants automatically put a service tip on the check. Even in taxis, tipping is not needed.

Driving/Traffic: Is crazy. The end. No seriously. Drivers in Taiwan are reckless. Be very careful when crossing the streets. I do not advise anyone to try driving a moped or car in Taiwan, stick to public transportation! If you really do want to try driving a moped around, I would go to a really small town or one of the tourist islands where traffic is not abundant. 

Taxis: Taxis are generally pretty safe, but be careful that some don't purposely take you around for an extra loop just to get more money on the mileage. Use your gut instinct when picking a cab driver. They are for the most part honest like most locals. But, like anywhere else in the world, women should be cautious when taking taxis alone late at night. 

Currency: Know your currency conversions! From US dollars to NTD is roughly $3 to 100NT. It is just important to know when making purchases. On another note, name brands are more expensive in Asia so save your money on that (unless of course the brand is Asian to begin with ;) ). 

Bargaining: Most outside vendors will allow you to haggle for a lower price. I personally am terrible at it, but give it try to save even a little bit. Example: Ticket price or seller's price is 400NT, haggle to 350NT. I typically won't go more unless you feel you are being cheated. Note: if a piece of clothing is listed as 100NT do not haggle. That is the cheapest price for clothing. Don't haggle with food either. Bargaining is typically when buying from independent stores/street clothing vendors. It is a bit confusing but stick to this rule of thumb: haggle when buying: accessories, clothes, cell phone cases, hats, jewelry, and at night markets/markets in general. Instead of listing a price, you can even just ask the boss "can sell it to me cheaper?" or "is there a discount?" Typically they'll knock off a few digits. 

Wary of sympathy/guilt tricking: You will most likely see a disabled, blind, or a beat up person begging for money or selling gum, lottery tickets, or little items on the streets or the side of the night market. I'm going to sound heartless for saying this but DO NOT BUY OR GIVE MONEY TO THEM. I repeat: DO NOT. It is tough to ignore a person in need (who often times looks like they came back from a war zone). I understand that, but chances are they are being used by the mafia and you aren't helping them out, you're helping the mafia. If you finance their heartlessness, they'll only increase it by maiming and injuring more innocent people. While that is not to say that all of the disabled people selling things are controlled by the mafia, it is difficult to tell. It is like when you give money to homeless people in America: Are you feeding their habit of alcohol/drugs? Or are you really helping them get back up on their feet? 

Sales People: On a lighter side of guilt tricking, when you're out shopping, if you want something: buy it. If you don't: just leave. The vendors often times are beautiful, young, cute girls who will flatter, beg, and essentially trick you into buying something you don't really need or want. Don't be fooled!! Just leave if you don't like the fit of a shoe or something. Don't listen to their pleadings. Trust me, you won't hurt their feelings. It is a manipulative business/just part of their job to sell as much as they can. Be executive with your decisions and actions not suspicious. So don't go around thinking you'll be tricked everywhere you shop :). Though the vendors might particularly try to sell things to you if they know you are a tourist, just be aware. 

Also, the sales people will follow you around the store, advertise everything you lay your eyes on, and persuade you to buy things. Just smile and nod, and look for what you want. Again, this is part of their job/service. You'll feel overwhelmed by all the attention, but it is all in good nature. You'll also hear them say in Chinese "welcome in" when you enter the store and "please walk slowly" or "thank you for coming in" when leaving. 

Liquids: The types of drinks you can get in Taiwan are ENDLESS, which I will post about in the future. As a general note, don't drink the tap water until it has been filtered or boiled. Most restaurants offer complimentary self serve tea or juice. Chose juice over water. Stick to bottled water in public, just remember to recycle!

Crime: Taiwan is SUPER safe for tourists, even for women at night. There is still some crime here and there though, so don't be stupid. In crowded areas such as night markets or festivals, pickpockets can be a problem. Though I have never experienced it, it is still a good idea to keep an eye on your belongings. Muggings are rare and so are violent crimes. I think if you are a non-Asian, you are ESPECIALLY safe, because they fear any western embassy repercussions. In general, crimes are within the same race as the offender, so don't worry if you're a foreigner. 

Public Drunkenness: Is an unusual occurrence whether it be day or not. The drinking age in Taiwan is 18. They are generally pretty lax about this though and it isn't a huge issue like it is in America. Exercise caution, be smart, don't be an embarrassment to your home country.

Homosexual Travellers: Fear not! Taiwan is pretty liberal compared to its neighbors when it comes to sexual preference! The country does not have laws against homosexuality, though same-sex marriages are not recognized. Violence against gays and lesbians rarely occurs. The youth of today is open to the idea, however, the older crowd might be a bit disturbed (but hey, that's the generation gap). Though I do warn that openly displaying your sexuality in public might draw some stares and whispers. But there are gay bars/pubs as well as the many entertainers who are known to be gay or transsexual. 



Let me know if I missed anything or if there are any dying questions you want to ask!