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These storms can bring intense rainfall, high winds, and flooding, posing a serious risk to both infrastructure and agriculture. The eastern coast and southern regions are often the hardest hit, but the entire island can experience the effects of these storms, which can disrupt daily life and cause extensive damage. Despite the deep mistrust many Taiwanese have of the communist Chinese government, most locals bear little to no animosity towards individual mainland Chinese visitors. As long as you avoid political discussions and behave yourself properly, you should not run into any problems.
Where it is not available, there exist related WiFis that offer an iTaiwan login option, or there are other independent but free options like .1.Free Wi-Fi that require clicking an advertisement to get online. At some free WiFi spots, like in railway stations, there is a power and USB plug to charge your electronic devices. Although there are some correlations, it is highly unwise to assume anything about a particular person’s political beliefs based on what you think you know about their background.

International status and relations

The post-1949 Chinese immigrants come from every province and include many non-Han residents. Japanese, Hongkongers and Southeast Asians enjoy taking short trips to Taiwan to enjoy its neighborly hospitality. Taiwan is home to some well-known international companies such as Acer, MSI, Asus, HTC, TSMC and Giant Bicycles, whose technologies are some of the most advanced in the world. However, Taiwan is under de facto self-administration (the ROC), and to the traveller is effectively a separate country.

Language

Many motorcycle riders also have a tendency to zip through any space, no matter how tiny. Also be aware that motorcycles often travel through areas typically considered pedestrian-only spaces, like the night-markets. Most Taiwanese people enjoy their breakfast in breakfast bars (早餐店), which are almost everywhere. They can provide various foods for an enjoyable breakfast – from traditional shaobing youtiao with soy milk to American hamburgers with cola.

Cities

  • Most hotels and department stores accept credit and debit cards, generally Visa, MasterCard, and JCB.
  • Other domestic airports include those in Taitung, Hualien, Makung (Penghu/Pescadores), Kinmen, Taichung, Nangan and Beigan.
  • Taiwan’s climate varies from tropical in the south to subtropical in the north.
  • Additionally, English is widely taught in schools and spoken in urban areas, especially among younger generations and in business contexts.
  • When leaving Shanghai, show your Hong Kong and Macao Travel Permit to the immigration officer and declare your destination is Hong Kong.
  • Therefore, if you look the part, it is very easy to find a school willing to take you on for at least a few days.
  • Costs in Taiwan are generally lower than in Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong, but higher than in Southeast Asia and mainland China.

Taiwanese pop music (Mandopop) is widely popular across Asia, with queenwin casino artists like Jay Chou and A-Mei achieving international fame. Traditional music, including Chinese opera and indigenous music, is also an important part of the country’s cultural heritage. As of recent estimates, Taiwan has a population of approximately 23 million people, making it one of the most densely populated countries in the world.

Government agencies

Most earthquakes are barely noticeable, though the effect may be slightly amplified for those in higher buildings. While the local building codes are extremely strict, general precautions should still be observed during an earthquake, including opening the door to prevent it from being jammed, taking cover and checking for gas leaks afterwards. Police departments in most jurisdictions have a Foreign Affairs Police unit staffed by English-speaking officers.
In contrast to the mountainous regions, Taiwan’s western plains, especially in the central and southern parts of the island, are home to the majority of the population and are fertile agricultural areas. The plains are characterized by rolling hills and lowlands, where the majority of the island’s agriculture, including rice, sugarcane, and vegetables, takes place. The eastern side of the island is dominated by coastal areas and the Pacific Ocean, where dramatic cliffs meet the ocean. If you want an Internet connection to your smartphone, you can purchase a prepaid 4G unlimited data sim card from Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, or Far EasTone at a cost of NT$300 for 3 days, or NT$500 for 7 days (other periods are available as well).

Words in native languages

  • The island is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Taiwan Strait to the west, and the Bashi Channel to the south, which separates it from the Philippines.
  • Same-sex marriage between a mainland Chinese and a Taiwanese is also forbidden.
  • The highways are in excellent shape with toll stations around every 30 km (19 mi).
  • Your card will be directly charged NT$; LINE Pay does not automatically convert to your account currency.
  • In contrast to the mountainous regions, Taiwan’s western plains, especially in the central and southern parts of the island, are home to the majority of the population and are fertile agricultural areas.

The most widely spoken native language is Taiwanese Hokkien (also known as Taiwanese), a Southern Min dialect, particularly in the southern and central regions. Hakka, another Chinese language, is spoken by the Hakka people, primarily in the western part of the island. Taiwan is part of a larger archipelago that includes several smaller islands and islets. These include the Diaoyu Islands, also known as the Senkaku Islands, which are claimed by both Taiwan and Japan, and the Orchid Island (Lanyu) and Green Island, located off Taiwan’s southeastern coast.
In the 2004 Olympics, Chen Shih-hsin and Chu Mu-yen won gold medals in the women’s flyweight event and the men’s flyweight event, respectively. Subsequent taekwondo competitors have strengthened Taiwan’s taekwondo culture. Most health providers operate in the private sector and form a competitive market on the health delivery side. However, many healthcare providers took advantage of the system by offering unnecessary services.

Otherwise, your card will be blocked with “incomplete journey” (for all bus companies), and you will have to settle this issue with the responsible bus company. When leaving that region, e.g. by train, which is still possible with a (bus) locked card, no-one will be willing to unlock your card, even though also other bus companies are able to do so. Be insistent and with the help of the tourist information center tell them that you cannot go back to fix the problem, or that you tried and they did not solve the issue even though they told you so. Make sure that it is really unlocked (with a different bus company) and do not just trust them – it seems some cannot operate their machines properly.
They are not allowed on freeways even if they are capable of going faster than 100 km/h (62 mph) unless used for certain police purposes, but that just means you have to take the scenic route. This is not an extreme risk, although there have been incidents where women have been attacked. To be more safe, women can have the hotel or restaurant phone a cab for them (ensuring a licensed driver), have a companion write down the license number of the driver (clearly displayed on the dashboard), or keep a cell phone handy. Do not get in if the driver doesn’t have a license with picture clearly displayed in the cab. Taxis are also a flexible although relatively expensive way to travel to nearby cities.
Two island groups controlled by the ROC government, Matsu and Quemoy, lie just off the coast of China’s Fujian (Fukien) province. In the East China Sea, the ROC claims the group of islands it calls Diaoyutai, which also are claimed by Japan as Senkaku and by the People’s Republic of China as Diaoyu. Ancestors of Taiwanese indigenous peoples settled the island around 6,000 years ago. In the 17th century, large-scale Han Chinese immigration began under Dutch colonial rule and continued under the Kingdom of Tungning, the first predominantly Han Chinese state in Taiwanese history. The island was annexed in 1683 by the Qing dynasty and ceded to the Empire of Japan in 1895.
While drinking beer and enjoying the laid back environment, you will be afforded an opportunity to catch dinner with locals. Almost all double as restaurants with tables and ovens available for use, allowing you to cook your catch on-site and order additional dishes as needed. Some people think of Taiwan as a grimy, densely populated industrial island full of hard disk factories, and you may well maintain this perception if you only stick to the densely populated West Coast. However, for those who take time to venture to the more sparsely populated East Coast will quickly find that Taiwan is actually home to some stunning landscapes. The Taroko Gorge (太魯閣) near Hualien in particular is very impressive, and should not be missed, with a side trip to the rugged shores at Shihtiping (石梯坪) as a worthwhile detour.