Smart Self-Managed Tours

Country guide

Taiwan

A photograph of Taiwan
Photograph · Man Ng · CC BY 2.0

Taiwan is 394 km long and 144 km wide, and mountains take the eastern two-thirds of it — more than two hundred peaks above 3,000 m, the highest of them Yushan at 3,952 m. The 23,299,132 people counted in December 2025 are pressed into the western third, which is where the railway runs and where every city a visitor is likely to open sits: Taipei with New Taipei and Keelung at the north end, then Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung down the plain. The east coast is the other trip entirely, reached by crossing the ranges rather than skirting them.

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Practical information

Language spoken
Mandarin Chinese; Taiwanese Hokkien and other languages are widely used
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+886
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
New Taiwan dollar (TWD)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
110 police · 119 fire and ambulance
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type A and B · 110 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
No verified nationwide visitor drinking-water statement was recorded

Planning a visit

  1. January: no seasonality data recorded
  2. February: no seasonality data recorded
  3. March: no seasonality data recorded
  4. April: no seasonality data recorded
  5. May: no seasonality data recorded
  6. June: seasonal closure recorded
  7. July: no seasonality data recorded
  8. August: no seasonality data recorded — this month
  9. September: no seasonality data recorded
  10. October: no seasonality data recorded
  11. November: no seasonality data recorded
  12. December: no seasonality data recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Thermal Valley Thermal Valley
    02 45 min

    Thermal Valley

    Thermal Valley, known locally as 地熱谷, is a geothermal landscape in Taipei's Beitou District. It forms part of the Beitou hot spring area, one of Taiwan's most concentrated geothermal zones.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Taipei
  2. Daan Forest Park Daan Forest Park
    03 1 hour

    Daan Forest Park

    Daan Forest Park is a major urban park in Taipei's Daan District, known locally as 大安森林公園. The park serves as significant green space within the dense metropolitan environment.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Taipei
  3. 228 Peace Memorial Park 228 Peace Memorial Park
    04 1 hour

    228 Peace Memorial Park

    228 Peace Memorial Park is a public memorial park in central Taipei, Taiwan. The site carries profound historical significance as a space dedicated to remembrance and reflection on the events of February 28, 1947.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Taipei
  4. Taipei Botanical Garden Taipei Botanical Garden
    05 1 hour

    Taipei Botanical Garden

    Taipei Botanical Garden is a public botanical garden in Taipei, Taiwan, bearing the local name 臺北植物園. It functions as a green space for plant conservation, research, and public education.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Taipei
  5. Guandu Nature Park Guandu Nature Park
    06 1 hour

    Guandu Nature Park

    Guandu Nature Park is a protected wetland area in northern Taipei, known locally as 關渡自然公園. The park occupies a significant ecological zone where the Tamsui River meets the sea, creating a habitat of international importance for migratory birds.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Taipei
  6. 芝山文化生態綠園 芝山文化生態綠園
    07 1 hour

    芝山文化生態綠園

    Zhishan Cultural and Ecological Garden is a Taipei city attraction listed in the official municipal visitor inventory. The site combines cultural heritage elements with ecological preservation, situated in the Zhishan area.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Taipei
  7. Xinzhongshan Linear Park Xinzhongshan Linear Park
    08 1 hour

    Xinzhongshan Linear Park

    Zhongshan Linear Park, known locally as 心中山線形公園, is a linear urban park in Taipei. The park follows a narrow corridor through the Zhongshan district, creating green space within a dense commercial and residential area.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Taipei
  8. Bihu Park
    13 1 hour

    Bihu Park

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Taipei
  9. Dahu Park
    15 1 hour

    Dahu Park

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Taipei
  10. Milk Lake
    26 1 hour

    Milk Lake

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Taipei
  11. Bade Park
    28 1 hour

    Bade Park

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Taipei
  12. Big Lake
    67 1 hour

    Big Lake

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Taipei
  13. 41 Park
    93 1 hour

    41 Park

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Taipei

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to Taiwan be?

Seven to ten days can combine three or four days in Taipei with Tainan, Taichung or Kaohsiung on the western rail corridor. The east coast, central mountains and offshore islands require slower connections and should replace, rather than merely extend, that compact route.

What entry documents are needed for Taiwan?

Taiwan’s National Immigration Agency provides the current entry and online-arrival requirements. Check passport eligibility and permitted duration there, with consular guidance where relevant; do not assume a transit permission or previous visa exemption covers a different journey.

What is the best way to travel around Taiwan?

Taoyuan Airport connects to Taipei by airport metro, and high-speed rail makes western cities straightforward to combine. Conventional rail and buses reach the east and smaller places, but mountain roads take longer and are more vulnerable to weather disruption.

When is a practical time to visit Taiwan?

Spring and autumn often suit city and rail travel, while summer brings heat, heavy rain and typhoon risk. Mountain conditions can diverge sharply from Taipei or Kaohsiung, so check the Central Weather Administration outlook for the specific route.

What money and payment basics apply in Taiwan?

New Taiwan dollar is the recorded currency. Transit stations and urban shops increasingly support electronic payment, yet night markets and small regional businesses may prefer cash; withdraw TWD through recognised banking channels and verify any foreign-card fee.

What practical safety details should I save for Taiwan?

Use 110 for police and 119 for fire or ambulance; Taiwan uses Type A and B sockets at 110 V. Tap-water guidance is Not recorded here, and typhoon or earthquake instructions should be taken from official alerts rather than social-media summaries.