Discover Taiwan

Taiwan is an island a hundred and eighty kilometres off the Chinese coast, and it is far more vertical than most visitors expect: a central mountain range runs almost its whole length, with more than two hundred peaks above three thousand metres and Yushan, at 3,952 metres, the highest mountain in north-east Asia.

Almost everyone lives on the flat western third. Taipei sits in a basin in the north, ringed by hills and hot springs; Taichung and Tainan — the old capital, with the island’s oldest temples — are down the western corridor, linked by a high-speed line that puts them ninety minutes apart. The east coast is the opposite: a thin strip between mountains and the Pacific, with Taroko Gorge cut through solid marble, and a coastal highway that is one of the great drives in Asia.

The south around Kenting is tropical, with reefs and a national park; Sun Moon Lake sits in the middle of the country in Thao indigenous territory; and the outlying islands — Penghu, Green Island, Orchid Island, and Kinmen and Matsu just off the mainland Chinese coast — are each quite different again. Sixteen recognised Indigenous peoples, Austronesian and related to populations across the Pacific, give the island a cultural layer entirely separate from its Chinese one. Night markets, cheap excellent food and a rail loop around the whole island make it unusually easy to travel.

Train or plane? Train, for everything on the main island. The HSR does Taipei to Kaohsiung in ninety minutes, and the conventional loop reaches the east coast, which is where the scenery is. Domestic flights are for the outlying islands.

What card do I need? An EasyCard or iPASS, bought on arrival. It works on metros, buses, trains, ferries, bike share and in convenience stores nationwide.

Can I drive on my own licence? Not on its own. You need a 1949 international driving permit obtained before you leave home, and then you must have it validated in person at a Taiwanese Motor Vehicles Office with your passport and a passport photograph. It is then valid for up to twelve months.

Can I bring my CBD oil? No. Cannabis oil and cannabis-derived medication cannot be brought into Taiwan even if legally prescribed where you live. For other prescriptions, bring the doctor's prescription showing personal use, with quantities matching.

How serious are the drug laws? As serious as they get. Smuggling, trafficking, possession or use — including in airport transit — can bring a severe prison sentence or, in some cases, the death penalty.

What are the emergency numbers? 110 police, 119 fire and ambulance, 118 coastguard, 113 for domestic abuse and sexual assault. 0800-024-111 is the 24-hour tourism hotline in English, Japanese and Korean for anything that is not an emergency. Note that an ambulance crew will not usually include a paramedic.

Do I need travel insurance if healthcare is cheap? Yes for anything serious. Hospitals are pay-as-you-use, and while a consultation may cost less than your excess, you need accessible funds at the time and cover for repatriation.

When should I avoid? July to September is peak typhoon season, and May and June bring the meiyu plum rains. Winter is the season to go south: Taipei is grey and damp around 15°C while Kaohsiung and Kenting are warm and dry.

Is dengue a concern? In the south, yes — there has been a significant increase in cases including in Kaohsiung and Tainan, so take mosquito precautions there.