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
  9. September: no seasonality data recorded — this month
  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. Chi Nan Temple Chi Nan Temple
    02 30 min

    Chi Nan Temple

    指南宮

    Zhinan Temple, known locally as 指南宮, stands as a significant religious site in Taipei's Wenshan District. Perched on the slopes of Zhinan Mountain, this Taoist temple complex serves as an important center of worship and pilgrimage.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Taipei
  2. Guandu Temple Guandu Temple
    03 30 min

    Guandu Temple

    關渡宮

    Guandu Temple, known locally as 關渡宮, stands as one of Taipei's significant religious landmarks. The temple holds established recognition within Taipei's official city attraction inventory, confirming its status as a meaningful destination for visitors exploring the capital's cultural heritage.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Taipei
  3. Dalongdong Baoan Temple Dalongdong Baoan Temple
    04 30 min

    Dalongdong Baoan Temple

    大龍峒保安宮

    Dalongdong Baoan Temple, known locally as 大龍峒保安宮, is a historic temple in Taipei recognized in the official city attraction inventory. The temple represents a significant cultural and religious site within the Dalongdong district.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Taipei
  4. Hsing Tian Kong Hsing Tian Kong
    05 30 min

    Hsing Tian Kong

    行天宮

    Xingtian Temple, known locally as 行天宮, is a prominent religious site in Taipei. It serves as a significant place of worship dedicated to Guan Yu, the deity of war and righteousness in Chinese folk religion.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Taipei
  5. Ciyou Temple Ciyou Temple
    06 30 min

    Ciyou Temple

    松山慈祐宮

    Songshan Ciyou Temple, known locally as 松山慈祐宮, is a significant religious site in Taipei's Songshan district. The temple holds established standing in the city's official attraction inventory, confirming its relevance to visitors exploring Taipei.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Taipei
  6. Taipei Grand Mosque Taipei Grand Mosque
    07 30 min

    Taipei Grand Mosque

    臺北清真寺

    Taipei Grand Mosque is Taipei's principal Islamic house of worship and a significant cultural landmark in Taiwan's capital. Established to serve the Muslim community, it represents one of the most important Islamic institutions in the country.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Taipei
  7. Manka Qingshan Temple Manka Qingshan Temple
    08 30 min

    Manka Qingshan Temple

    艋舺青山宮

    Qingshan Temple, known locally as 艋舺青山宮, is a historic religious site in Taipei's Wanhua District. The temple stands as a significant cultural landmark within the old Bangka neighborhood, one of Taipei's oldest settlement areas.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Taipei
  8. Chungshan Church
    18 30 min

    Chungshan Church

    臺灣基督長老教會

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Taipei
  9. Shandao Temple
    26 30 min

    Shandao Temple

    善導寺

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Taipei
  10. Jing Fu Temple
    50 30 min

    Jing Fu Temple

    景福宮

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Taipei
  11. 北安宮
    62 30 min

    北安宮

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Taipei
  12. 228 Park Fude Temple
    63 30 min

    228 Park Fude Temple

    二二八公園福德宮

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Taipei
  13. Bishanyan
    68 30 min

    Bishanyan

    碧山巖開漳聖王廟

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Taipei
  14. Ci Guang Temple
    70 30 min

    Ci Guang Temple

    慈光寺

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Taipei
  15. Cihsyuan Temple
    71 30 min

    Cihsyuan Temple

    新店慈玄寺

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Taipei
  16. Difu Yingong Temple
    74 30 min

    Difu Yingong Temple

    古亭地府陰公廟

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Taipei
  17. Jiantan Temple
    81 30 min

    Jiantan Temple

    劍潭古寺

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Taipei
  18. Juexiu Temple
    85 30 min

    Juexiu Temple

    覺修宮

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Taipei
  19. Kui Xing Temple
    86 30 min

    Kui Xing Temple

    魁星宮

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Taipei
  20. Nanshan Fude Temple
    90 30 min

    Nanshan Fude Temple

    烘爐地南山福德宮

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Taipei
  21. Ping-an Pagoda
    92 30 min

    Ping-an Pagoda

    艋舺平安寶塔

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Taipei
  22. SanYu Temple
    94 30 min

    SanYu Temple

    三玉宮

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • Taipei
  23. SiXin Temple
    97 30 min

    SiXin Temple

    十四張斯馨祠

    • Notable
    • Place of worship
    • 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.