Taiwan

Understand

Taiwan is home to more than 24 million people (2022). Although the vast majority of the population is ethnically Han Chinese, the indigenous Austronesian inhabitants maintain their own cultures, and the legacy of Japanese colonial rule still pervades much of Taiwanese life.

Japanese, Hongkongers and Southeast Asians enjoy taking short trips to Taiwan to enjoy its neighborly hospitality. Taiwan is home to some well-known international companies such as Acer, MSI, Asus, HTC, TSMC and Giant Bicycles, whose technologies are some of the most advanced in the world.

See

Perhaps due to its political ambiguity and lack of global presence, Taiwan has traditionally not been a significant destination for Westerners, though this is changing. Nevertheless tourists from Japan and Hong Kong have been visiting Taiwan in droves for a long time, and they are being joined by an increasing number of Koreans and Southeast Asians. The island is home to many cultural attractions, with an excellent selection right in the capital. Taipei is a bustling and modern metropolis, with ancient yet lively streets, and world-famous landmarks like Taipei 101. However, it's also home to the National Palace Museum, Zhongshan Hall, Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall and the beautifully restored Bao'an Temple. Bao'an is just one of many striking temple complexes worth a visit. For more, try the Zushi Temple in Sanxia or the Mazu temple in Makung. The large Longshan Temple in Lukang and the Confucian Temples of Changhua and Tainan are fine choices too. Tainan is the oldest city in Taiwan and therefore full of historic sites, especially colonial buildings, and including the Anping "Tree House" that's being slowly reclaimed by banyan trees. If you're looking for some deeper insights in Taiwan's history and culture, there's a wide range of museums to be explored, pretty much wherever you go.

This island is home to bustling cities with modern, high-tech infrastructure, and good transportation infrastructure means that getting around is easy. For those who have grown weary of the hus…

Eat

thumb|Taiwanese beef noodle soup thumb|Lemon aiyu jelly

Taiwan is a food lover's paradise, and a popular culinary tourism destination for East and Southeast Asian tourists. While not as highly regarded as the food from Hong Kong due to the traditionally high status Cantonese cuisine holds in Chinese culture, Taiwanese food has become more respected.

Generally speaking, the foods of Taiwan are derived from mainland Chinese cuisines. Because most Taiwanese trace their ancestry to Fujian, it comes as no surprise that much of Taiwanese cuisine was derived from the cuisine of Fujian. It is also possible to find Sichuan () food, Hunan () food, Dongbei () food, Guangdong () food and almost every other Chinese cuisine on the island, because many famous chefs from the mainland fled to Taiwan after the communist victory in 1949, and many of the Nationalists brought their family recipes with them when retreating from the mainland. That being said, the mainland Chinese cuisines found on Taiwan are not necessarily "authentic" as Taiwanese cuisine has absorbed substantial local influences, and significant Japanese influences because of 50 years of Japanese colonial rule, giving it a unique character that distinguishes it from its mainland Chinese counterparts. The Taiwanese are also passionately in love with eggs and seafood. Fruits are another famous part of Taiwanese food. A wide range of fruits can be found at local fruit shops and stations. The subtropical climate allows different fr…

Drink

thumb|Drinks vending machine in Taiwan

As Taiwan is a subtropical island with the southern part in the tropics, it cannot hurt to drink a lot, especially during the summertime. Drink vending machines can be found virtually everywhere and are filled with all kinds of juices, tea and coffee drinks, soy milk and mineral water.

Bringing a water bottle is helpful in Taiwan for drinking. Water dispensers/fountains are ubiquitous in Taiwan, allowing you to refill your water bottles. Many drinking shops also provide at least NT$5 off for filling their drink with your water bottles to encourage people to use fewer disposable drink bottles.

Sleep

thumb|250px|The Grand Hotel, Taipei

Respect

The Taiwanese are generally a warm and polite people, having been strongly influenced by Confucianism. As Taiwanese culture places a strong emphasis on respect for elders, elderly visitors will find most Taiwanese to be very helpful and accommodating.

Naming customs and modes of address are generally the same as in mainland China. See the Respect section of that article for details.