Taiwan

Taiwan is compact, friendly, and surprisingly easy to navigate, making it a great first step into East Asia. Taipei’s skyline, anchored by Taipei 101, sits alongside leafy temples like Longshan Temple and lively neighborhoods such as Ximending and Da’an. Outside the capital, bullet trains zip you to surf beaches in Taitung, misty tea fields in Maokong, and dramatic cliffs along the Taroko Gorge.

English signage is common on trains and in major tourist areas, but having key phrases in Mandarin or Taiwanese Hokkien saved offline is useful in smaller towns. Many places still prefer cash, yet contactless cards are growing; convenience stores like 7-Eleven and FamilyMart become your best friend for snacks, ATMs, and easy meals.

Staying connected makes everything smoother: order a Hello eSIM before you fly, activate it on landing, and you can instantly pull up bus times, temple hours, or your Hello trip planning notes without hunting for Wi‑Fi. Locals are generally polite and helpful; a smile and a simple "ni hao" go a long way. Taiwan is also regarded as very safe, with vibrant night markets and late-night tea shops open well past midnight.

Taiwan’s transport network is one of its biggest travel perks. The Taipei MRT and Kaohsiung MRT are clean, intuitive, and labeled in English. Pick up an EasyCard or iPASS from any MRT station or convenience store to tap in and out of metros, most buses, and even some convenience store purchases.

For longer distances, the Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) runs along the west coast, linking Taipei with Taichung, Tainan, and Zuoying (for Kaohsiung) in under two hours. Reserve seats in advance for weekends and holidays. Slower TRA trains cover the scenic east coast to Hualien and Taitung; book early if you’re visiting Taroko National Park during peak seasons.

Many smaller attractions, like Jiufen, are best reached via a combo of train and bus. Use your Hello eSIM data to check live routes on local map apps and to keep your Hello trip planning itinerary updated if you change plans on the go. Taxis are plentiful in cities and reasonably priced, and ride-hailing apps operate in major areas, but be sure to have your destination written in Chinese to show the driver.

Taiwan’s food scene is reason enough to visit. Start at night markets like Shilin and Raohe in Taipei, Liuhe in Kaohsiung, or Fengjia in Taichung. Come hungry and graze your way through stalls instead of committing to just one. Look out for:

• Beef noodle soup (niú ròu miàn)
• Xiaolongbao and other steamed dumplings
• Gua bao (braised pork belly bun)
• Oyster omelette
• Bubble tea, born in Taiwan, with endless flavors

Most individual dishes cost NT$50–200 (roughly US$1.50–6), so it’s easy to sample lots of bites. Night markets can be cash-only, but larger stalls and cafes increasingly accept cards and mobile payments.

If you’re traveling with friends, Taiwan’s sharing culture suits groups well. Use Hello’s expense splitting to keep track of who paid for what at snack stalls, hot pot dinners, and tea houses. Combine that with Hello’s budget tracking in New Taiwan dollars to see how your food spending is adding up over several nights of feasting.

Taiwan uses the New Taiwan Dollar (NT$). ATMs that accept international cards are common in convenience stores and major banks. Many everyday items are affordable: a metro ride might cost NT$20–40 (US$0.60–1.20), a simple lunch NT$120–200 (US$4–6), and a decent mid-range hotel room from around NT$2,000–3,500 (US$60–110) per night, depending on location and season.

Cash is still important, especially for night markets, small temples, and rural areas. Cards are standard in hotels, major shops, and chain restaurants. To keep your spending under control, log purchases in Hello’s budget tracking, which records costs directly in NT$ and gives you a clear overview of daily expenses.

Mobile data is inexpensive and fast. Installing a Hello eSIM before departure lets you avoid airport SIM queues and roaming fees: once you land, you can call your accommodation, check public transport, or rebook tickets immediately. Staying always online also helps you use translation apps for menus, hail taxis, and access your Hello trip planning details anytime, so you can focus more on night markets and mountain trails than on logistics.