Taiwan 101 - Guide to Visiting Taiwan
Taiwan is a Republic of China but has it's own government (facebook is also allowed), it is a pretty progressive country. Unlike the Phillipines (where Im from), it doesn't boast of a white powdery beach, but it does have beautiful beaches with deep-blue hues and a surfing paradise, scenic mountains and of course the ever romantic sunrises and sunsets (these are everywhere right?). According to a lady I met there, Taiwan is even more beautiful in the winter (because I can wear boots to my hearts content) and in the Spring because like Japan it has cherry blossoms.
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This is one famous Tourist destination in the Northern part of Taiwan - Yehliu Geopark
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| Sunset in Kenting (South), not an excellent photo because I took it from a bus and you can see the reflections. |
- Free Wifi
That's right, the city is really connected and if you are a tourist they will give you free access to the each city's Wifi. You can get the password at the Tourist Information while other Cities like Kaoshiong does not require one.
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| Here's a photo of me and the bike I rented in Kaoshiong along the Love River |
- Bikes
One way to save up on your Taiwan trip is taking advantage of their bike rental programs. The rental process varies from every cit. In Kaoshiong Bikes are rented by the Government and the first hour is free, you do not have to buy their City's Easy Card (the one you can siwpe at train stations, buses and stores) as you can use your credit card. In Kenting, establishments rent Bikes and they require cash while in Taipei they said that you have to use the City's issued Easy Card.
- Tourist Information
This is where you can talk to someone who can surely converse with you in English and ask for help/instructions. Their crew are really helpful and will advise you on the right thing to do if you ask them, like choosing where to go next or choosing which one to visit.
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| Locker differs in every Station as to the price and sizes. |
- Lockers
Train stations in Taiwan have lockers at reasonable prices so if you are planning on dropping by a city and spend the night on a bus ride to another city the locker is of great help to make your journey more pleasurable. Don't worry if you are taking the bus, bus stations are located just next to a train station unless the city doesn't have trains yet - these cities are those that are on the southernmost part usually past Kashiong, like in Kenting. The key as always is ask.
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| Taipei Main Station, ain't it big? |
- Train Stations
Train Stations are your safe haven when traveling to Taiwan, even with very few locals able to speak in English it is easy to navigate if you get help from the right place - the Train station. This is where you can access the Free Wifi and find the Tourist Information Center (they open at 9:00 and closes at 18:00) where you can find someone who can speak English and give you directions including what specific bus to ride, where and how far is the walk and where you can rent a bike. This is where you can browse for travel brochures and choose where to go if you haven't planned your trip, plus it can serve as your nearby mall to do your last minute shopping.
Here's my unsolicited advice,
There are destinations where you can only get to by either walking or riding a bike from the train/bus station unless you ride a taxi and Taxis in Taiwan are very expensive so make sure to get a detailed direction from the information center because unlike the Philippines they don't have those jeepneys and tricycles that takes to your specific destination.
When choosing whether to take the bus or the train you need to consider whether you want to be fast or save up on the fare. Always ask which is cheaper and how long the trip will be, though in some cities some destinations are only reachable by a train and at times just by the bus (southern part).
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