country
Taiwan臺灣
First trip: 5–7 nights with Taipei as the one base, land at Taoyuan (TPE) before 22:00 for the airport MRT, and add the east coast only with 3 more nights.
Taiwan is compact but its geography is a wall: the mountains split the west (fast high-speed rail) from the east (slower rail, more weather risk). The trips that fail try to do Taipei, Taroko, Sun Moon Lake and Kaohsiung in a week. Keep Taipei as the base, add one region by rail, and follow the typhoon, cash and entry rules below.
All regions, cities and parks in Taiwan (Atlas) →
Regions
Hualien and Taroko Gorge by train
2–3 nights
Tainan and Kaohsiung by high-speed rail
2–4 nights
Capital and major cities
Go to Kaohsiung for a warm, relaxed port city with art zones and night markets; 2 nights, 1.5 hours from Taipei by high-speed rail.
Use Taichung as a mid-island base for Sun Moon Lake and the mountains; 1–2 nights, 1 hour from Taipei by high-speed rail.
Choose Tainan for temples, old forts and Taiwan's best-known street food; 2 nights, walkable and easy by high-speed rail.
Routes that work
Taipei only, 5 nights
Keep one bed; leave the big bag and use a day pack for Jiufen or Beitou.
Taipei + Hualien, 8 nights
Hualien is planned data only; Taipei is published.
- Do the east coast on clear days: typhoon and landslide closures hit Hualien and Taroko first.
- Avoid Lunar New Year (Jan–Feb): shops close for days and rail seats are sold out weeks ahead.
- Keep the Taipei bed and go out by MRT or train for one night at most; luggage storage at Taipei Main Station is easy.
Arrive
TPE
Taoyuan International
Airport MRT to Taipei Main Station, about 40 min
TSA
Songshan (Taipei)
Planned
KHH
Kaohsiung International
Planned
Time math
- 3 days
- Taipei 3: Longshan and Ximending, Chiang Kai-shek Hall and Xinyi, one day trip
- 5 days
- Taipei 4 + Jiufen or Beitou half-day + one slow day
- 8 days
- Taipei 5 + Hualien 3 (planned data)
Country rules
- Check visa-exemption length, passport validity and the arrival-card rule on the official sites before you fly.
- An EasyCard (or iPASS) covers MRT, buses, trains in the north and many convenience-store purchases; buy one at the airport or a station.
- When a local government declares a typhoon day, transport and sights can close for the day; follow the official notice, not the forecast alone.
Etiquette
- Queue in lines on MRT platforms and stand on the right of escalators.
- Eating and drinking are banned in the paid area of the MRT, with fines.
- Public bins are scarce: carry litter until you find a bin or a convenience store.
- Take shoes off where there is a shoe rack; use both hands for cards and gifts.
- Lunar New Year (Jan–Feb, moves yearly)
- Many shops close for days; rail and flights sell out.
- Typhoon season (Jul–Oct)
- Trains, flights and mountain roads close at short notice; typhoon days close offices.
- Ghost Month (lunar month 7, about Aug–Sep)
- Temples hold offerings; some locals avoid moving or swimming. Sights stay open.
- Tomb Sweeping (early Apr), Dragon Boat, Mid-Autumn
- Long weekends; rail and hotels are full.
Money & passes
Cash necessity: 3/5
- Night markets, breakfast shops and many small restaurants take cash only; carry NT$1,000–2,000 in small notes.
- ATMs in convenience stores (7-Eleven, FamilyMart) accept most foreign cards; fees vary by bank.
- Amounts on this site are in New Taiwan dollars (NT$). Tipping is not expected.
EasyCard / iPASS
Not a pass: a stored-value card that pays MRT, bus and local train fares.
Before you fly: eSIM before you fly · Visas and entry
Safety
- Earthquakes are common. If one starts, drop, cover and hold on; then follow phone alerts and staff instructions.
- Typhoon season runs Jul–Oct; heat and humidity peak Jun–Sep. Plan indoor stops every 90 minutes.
- Scooters share the pavement in older districts; cross at signals and watch for bikes on arcades.
- Some governments publish notes on cross-strait tension; check your own government's travel advice.
- Emergency: 110 police, 119 fire and ambulance; the Tourism Administration runs a 24-hour helpline (0800-011-765).
Taiwan is one stop on the East Asia line: plan it as its own trip, with a flight to Japan or Korea, not a rail link.
Sources
- Bureau of Consular Affairs (visas and entry) (official)
- National Immigration Agency (official)
- Taiwan Tourism Administration (official)
- Wikivoyage - Taiwan (secondary)