Minor cities and towns do not have local buses, but have intercity routes that make frequent stops. Train stations are often in the centers of most cities and towns and serve as a convenient hub for most types of transportation. In addition, the train system allows you to bypass the highways, which can become extremely crowded on weekends and national holidays. The main downside is the lack of cross-island routes between the East Coast and West Coast; for instance, there is no rail line from Taichung to Hualien, so you will have to either drive, fly, or take a major detour via Taipei or Kaohsiung. However, Turkish citizens whose place of birth is listed as mainland China must proof that they reside in the passport-issuing country (i.e., Turkey) and are not citizens of mainland China.
- Taiwan’s cuisine is renowned for its diverse flavors and wide range of ingredients.
- As long as you avoid political discussions and behave yourself properly, you should not run into any problems.
- If you learnt Mandarin in mainland China, you might have heard people using the term 臺妹 (táimèi) to refer to young Taiwanese women.
- Taxis are quite reasonable and often have a set fare for common destinations, so ask in advance and haggle if you disagree.
- There are also special waiting areas that is monitored by security camera for those who are concerned about security late at night.
- The Taiwanese dialect is a variant of Minnan, which is similar to the dialect spoken across the Taiwan Strait in South Fujian.
Water
Holders of a valid APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) except those issued by mainland China or Hong Kong may visit Taiwan for up to 90 days without a visa. There has been an increasing usage of Korean by tourism boards due to the large number of Korean people visiting Taiwan. An enthusiasm for Korean-language education is also gaining momentum due to the popularity of South Korean dramas and pop music. If you learnt Mandarin in mainland China, you might have heard people using the term 臺妹 (táimèi) to refer to young Taiwanese women. However, in Taiwan, it is a derogatory term used to refer an uncultured young woman from the countryside, and Taiwanese women will not be impressed if you use it to refer to them. In modern times, Taiwan is also home to immigrants from elsewhere, especially other Asian countries such as Malaysia (most of whom are ethnically Chinese), Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia.
Japanese rule (1895–
- In addition, there are large numbers of convenience stores (such as 7-Eleven and Family Mart) that sell things like tea eggs, sandwiches, bento boxes (便當) and drinks.
- Upon the resumption of Chinese rule, the Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) under Chiang Kai-shek, also known as the Nationalists, was suspicious of the locals in Taiwan, because many Taiwanese had served in the Japanese military and civil service during World War II.
- Since then, foreign ministries on both sides have lodged serious protests with the other, with Beijing summoning the Japanese ambassador.
- Japan acquired Taiwan in 1895 following the first Sino-Japanese War, and it became a colony.
- You will need to bring your passport and UI number in order to open an account.
- In the northern part of the island, the soils in arable areas are primarily acid alluvials and latosols; in the south, areas of arable land have neutral to weak-alkaline and planosol-like alluvial soils.
If you get return tickets there is a small discount depending upon travel distance. Though originally accepted only in their respective cities, the two cards can now be used interchangeably at most (but not all) locations. Taiwan is largely mountainous with a chain of mountains running from north to south at the center of the island. The west coast is largely plains and unsurprisingly is where most of the population is concentrated, and is where all the larger cities like Taichung and Kaohsiung are located. The east coast also has some plains but they are more sparsely populated due to the higher typhoon risk, but is also home to the cities of Hualien and Taitung with significant populations. Taiwan was first populated by indigenous peoples (原住民 yuán zhù mín) that spoke various Austronesian languages, which are related to Malay, Tagalog, Indonesian and most languages of the Pacific island nations.
The rules for getting an ARC do change often and each administrative part of Taiwan has its own ways of handling them, so it is best to check the pages of the website Forumosa and find out what the experiences of others are in your area. Taekwondo is also extremely popular and is often a mandatory part of school children’s physical education. Some of the more famous teachers will provide you with the paperwork needed to extend a student visa twice. Many accommodations are not staffed 24/7, but they will leave a contact at their door.
International law organization participation
The Republic of China, which had overthrown the Qing in 1912 under the leadership of Sun Yat-sen, assumed control following the surrender of Japan in World War II. But with the loss of mainland China to the Communists in the Chinese Civil War, the government moved to Taiwan in 1949 under the Kuomintang (KMT). The official language of Taiwan is Mandarin Chinese, also known as Standard Chinese. However, many Taiwanese also speak a variety of other languages, reflecting the island’s cultural diversity.
Largest cities and counties
Taiwan was first populated 30,000 years ago by an Australo-Melanesian group known as the Negrito. The Negrito were eventually assimilated and displaced 5,000 years ago by Proto-Austronesians who arrived from the east coast of mainland China, predominantly from what is now Fujian province. It has been suggested that these people were the ancestors of Austronesian speakers across Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and even Madagascar. Recorded history began with the partial colonization of Taiwan by the Dutch and then the Portuguese in the early 17th century. (The old name of Taiwan, Formosa, comes from the Portuguese Ilha Formosa for “beautiful island”.) Many pro-independence Taiwanese consider the establishment of Dutch colonial rule in 1624 to be the birth of the Taiwanese nation.
One of the intermediate stations, Fenqihu, is famous for its local version of the railway bento. The Taiwan High Speed Rail issues a THSR Pass for use on the high speed rail trains. These cost NT$2,400 for a regular 3-day pass, or NT$3,200 for a flexible 3-day pass. While a regular 3-day pass must be used in 3 consecutive days, the 3 days in a flexible 3-day pass may be spread out over any 7-day period. The 5-day joint passes allow for unlimited rides on the high speed rail for 2 days within a 5 day period, and unlimited rides on TRA lines within the same 5-day period.
Travelers heading to Kenting can use the direct and frequent bus service from Kaohsiung airport that connect with flights arriving from Taipei. Flagging down a car might work on a country lane with little or no public transportation, but doing so on a major road might lead to confusion, with the driver assuming that you are in trouble. The East coast around Hualien and Taitung enjoys a reputation for being especially good for getting rides. Taiwanese people are very friendly and helpful, so striking up a conversation with someone at a transport café or freeway service station may well see you on your way.
Military exercises
Rice, noodles, and seafood are staples of the diet, while vegetables and fruits are abundant due to the island’s fertile land. Taiwanese cuisine is known for its emphasis on fresh ingredients, bold queenwin casino flavors, and creative preparation techniques, making it one of the most beloved culinary traditions in Asia. Indigenous festivals, such as the Harvest Festival and the Orchid Island Ceremony, are also celebrated by Taiwan’s indigenous communities, reflecting their unique cultural practices and spiritual beliefs.
So, vegetarian restaurants (called su-shi 素食 tsan-ting 餐廳 in Mandarin, and often identified with the 卍 symbol, in this context a Buddhist symbol) can be found in abundance all over the island, and they run from cheap buffet style to gourmet and organic. Vegetarian buffet restaurants (素食自助餐) will typically cost you NT$ for a good sized, nutritious meal. Also consider buffet (自助餐) restaurants, which, unlike in the West, are not fixed-price all-you-can-eat restaurants (which are called “吃到飽”, meaning “eat until you are full”, in Taiwan). Such restaurants are self-service, with the dishes laid out in a common area, and customers are given a pair of tongs to pick dishes from the spread to accompany some rice.
Unlike mainland China, QR code based mobile wallet payments are not quite ubiquitous or essential to the point that a visitor would have a hard time without one. In addition, Taiwan’s mobile wallet apps generally require foreigners to register with an ARC, limiting the ability of visitors to use it. Taiwan’s geographical location between an oceanic trench and volcanic system makes it an ideal hot spring (溫泉 wēnquán) vacation spot. There are several hot springs destinations throughout the country, including Beitou (北投), Wulai (烏來) and Yangmingshan (陽明山). Hot spring bathing was introduced by the Japanese during the colonial period, and remains firmly entrenched in the local culture to this day. At traditional establishments segregated by sex (often lablled 大眾裸湯 dàzhòng luǒ tāng) you will be required to bathe nude.