Taiwan

Taiwan packs dramatic mountains, neon cities, and coastal villages into a compact island that’s surprisingly easy to explore. For many travellers, Taipei is the natural starting point: a city where incense-filled temples sit beneath the sleek silhouette of Taipei 101, and where every alley seems to hide a noodle stall or bubble tea shop.

Timing matters. October–May generally brings more comfortable temperatures and clearer skies, while summer can be hot, humid, and occasionally disrupted by typhoons. If you’re around Lunar New Year or the Lantern Festivals in Pingxi or Taichung, book transport and accommodation early—trains sell out, and popular hotels fill quickly.

Before you land, set up Hello eSIM connectivity so you can order airport transfers, check train timetables, and message guesthouses as soon as you touch down, without hunting for Wi‑Fi. Use Hello’s trip planning tools to sketch out a classic first route: a few days in Taipei, then on to Jiufen, Taroko Gorge near Hualien, Sun Moon Lake, and the southern city of Kaohsiung. Taiwan’s scale means you can see a lot in 7–10 days without feeling rushed, especially if you group sights by region and factor in at least one slower day in the mountains or by the sea.

Food is one of Taiwan’s biggest joys, and the easiest way to dive in is at a night market. In Taipei, start with Raohe, Shilin, or Ningxia for classics like pepper buns, oyster omelettes, beef noodle soup, and stinky tofu (worth trying at least once). In Tainan, seek out dan zai noodles and mango shaved ice; in Taichung, visit Fengjia Night Market for endless street snacks.

To keep things simple:

• Look for stalls with short menus and long queues.
• Many dishes run NT$50–150 (about US$1.50–5), so it’s easy to sample widely.
• Carry a reusable chopsticks set or spork if you want to cut down on disposable utensils.

If you’re travelling with others, use Hello’s expense splitting to divide shared food costs at the end of each night market run, instead of tracking who paid for which skewer. Turn on budget tracking in the app to monitor how those “just one more snack” stops add up across your trip.

Don’t miss:

• Xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) at a dedicated dumpling shop.
• Breakfast shops serving egg crepes, soy milk, and fan tuan (rice rolls).
• Tea shops for high-mountain oolong or a classic bubble milk tea between sightseeing stops.

Taiwan’s public transport is efficient, clean, and traveller-friendly. The High Speed Rail (HSR) zips along the west coast, linking Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, and Kaohsiung in a few hours. For mountain towns and the east coast, you’ll use regular TRA trains or buses. Booking ahead on weekends and holidays is wise, especially for popular routes to Hualien (Taroko Gorge) or back to Taipei.

Pick up a stored-value transit card like EasyCard or iPASS at convenience stores or metro stations. You can tap onto the Taipei Metro, buses, and even some smaller rail lines, saving time on buying individual tickets. In cities, the metro signs are bilingual and announcements are in multiple languages, so navigating is straightforward.

Having Hello eSIM ready before you land is a practical upgrade: you can check live train schedules, use maps in smaller towns, and translate signs or menus without worrying about roaming costs. When planning multi-city trips, use Hello’s trip planning features to keep HSR bookings, hotel details, and must-see stops—like Sun Moon Lake, Jiufen, or Kenting National Park—in one place. This makes it easier to spot gaps, add day trips, or shuffle plans if the weather changes.

Taiwan uses the New Taiwan Dollar (TWD or NT$), and cash is still widely used, especially at night markets, small eateries, and rural guesthouses. ATMs are common in 7‑Eleven, FamilyMart, and banks; many accept international cards, but not all, so it’s wise to withdraw when you see a machine that works for you.

Typical daily costs vary by style, but many travellers find that a comfortable mid-range day might include:

• Street food and casual meals: NT$300–700 (US$10–22)
• Metro and buses in a city: NT$80–200 (US$2.50–6.50)
• Museum or temple donations/entry: often free to NT$200

Intercity HSR tickets can be the biggest single expense; for example, Taipei to Kaohsiung can be around NT$1,500 (roughly US$45–50) one way in standard class, depending on promotions and time.

Hello’s budget tracking helps you log spending in NT$, which is useful when mixing card payments, cash, and ATM withdrawals. You can set a daily budget in the app and see quickly if night-market splurges or bar tabs are creeping up. When sharing taxis, hot pot, or karaoke rooms, use Hello’s expense splitting to settle up instantly, avoiding the end-of-trip “who owes what” headache and letting you focus on planning tomorrow’s adventure instead.