Located about 100 nautical miles from the southeast coast of China, most of the territory here is covered by mountains and forests. In addition, Taiwan is known as the culinary capital, a famous shopping center of Asia, worthy of being an entertainment paradise for young people. There are many famous, unique and special tourist destinations here. This is what makes Taiwan attractive to travel enthusiasts from all over the world.
Taiwan is considered a hidden gem of East Asia, home to an eclectic mix of Chinese, Japanese, European and indigenous cultures.
One of the most endearing things about this country is the sheer friendliness of the Taiwanese people. You will often encounter acts of kindness from the locals throughout your trip, making traveling to Taiwan simple and safe as most people will always be willing to help.
Types of tourist visas in Taiwan
To set foot in Taiwan, you only need a passport to apply for a visa to this territory. The procedure for applying for a Taiwan visa is not difficult, prepare a complete application and a little experience in applying for a Taiwan visa and you will have a "passport" to take you to this beautiful country.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan, from October 13, 2022, Taiwan has reopened visa processing for Vietnamese citizens for normal tourism and business purposes with two types of visas: Single-entry tourist visa valid for 90 days, with a maximum stay of 14 days per entry. Multiple-entry tourist visa valid for 2 years, with a maximum stay of 30 days per entry.
The regulations for applying for a visa to travel to Taiwan are quite simple.
Tourists should note that the cost of a Taiwan visa is USD. A single-entry visa is about 50 USD, and a multiple-entry visa is about 100 USD. Most of the time, applying for a Taiwan tourist visa is quite simple, you will not need an interview, but if there is a request from the Embassy, you should carefully study some necessary information on the website of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office to be able to answer the interview in the best way.
The best time to travel to Taiwan
The climate in Taiwan is very similar to the climate in the North of our country. Cities located in the mountainous areas, the Central and Southern regions often have nicer weather than Taipei.
In spring, from March to April, the hills and mountains with flowers and trees are full of life, the scenery is very poetic with the cool climate will make your vacation extremely pleasant. In summer, the hot and humid weather will be suitable for visiting the islands here. But the most beautiful season is autumn from September to November. The blue sky, cool and airy climate, blooming flowers make Taiwan more pure and romantic. Winter here lasts from December to February of the following year. The weather is cold and freezing, sometimes there is snow. Especially you should not come here in July and August because this is the rainy and stormy season, not suitable for tourism.
The climate in Taiwan is very similar to the climate in the North of our country. Cities located in the mountainous areas, the Central and Southern regions often have nicer weather than Taipei.
Round-trip airfare to Taiwan is usually quite high. To save on travel costs, you can book your flight 2-3 months in advance. After the pandemic, Taiwan is a destination with strong tourism promotion, so don't miss out on promotions to get the best deals.
Notes on currency and payments in Taiwan
Currency exchange is also something you need to prepare for your trip. In Taiwan, the currency unit is currently the Taiwanese Dollar, abbreviated as NT or $. You can go to banks or foreign exchange transaction points on Ha Trung Street, Luong Ngoc Quyen with an exchange rate of 1 NT$ equal to about 730 - 750 VND.
If you already have USD from Vietnam, you can bring it to Taiwan and exchange it at banks such as Mega Bank, Chinatrust, Bank of Taiwan at the airport, you will be exchanged at the listed exchange rate. Note that banks in Taiwan do not accept exchanging Vietnamese currency to Taiwanese dollars.
Actually, you don’t need to exchange too much money because carrying a lot of cash is very inconvenient. In Taiwan, most payments are made by card, you can use EasyCard to pay almost everywhere. Therefore, tourists only need a little cash to take the train, pay for food, or shop in small neighborhoods.
Taiwan is mostly card payment, you can use EasyCard to pay almost everywhere
Means of transportation when coming to Taiwan
Coming to Taiwan, you will see that the public transportation system here is extremely developed, everything is very professional and arranged very reasonably. Especially in big cities in Taiwan, you can rest assured to use these means of transport because of its convenience and diverse routes. Prices in Taiwan are also relatively lower than most other developed countries, so the cost of transportation here is also very suitable for tourists to travel to visit many places.
- MRT subway
In Taipei and Kaohsiung, the subway is the most popular form of public transportation. You can buy an EasyCard at the airport to travel around the city for only 15,000 - 50,000 VND. The subway operates from 6:00 - 24:00, so pay attention to the time if you have late trips.
In Taipei and Kaohsiung, the subway is the most popular means of public transport.
- Train
Trains are considered a convenient and “cheap” means of transportation when traveling to Taiwan. Each train will be about 5 to 10 minutes apart and spread across the land. There are 4 types of trains: Local, Tze Chiang Express, Chu Kuang and Taro. Each train will have different conveniences and prices.
- THSR high-speed train
With speeds up to 300km/h, the price of experiencing the high-speed train will also be a bit more expensive than the train. Train tickets cost from 30,000 VND or more. You can buy a short-term unlimited combo ticket to save more during the trip.
- Bus
The bus is the cheapest means of transport, with only 12,000 VND/person, you will have a bus ticket for each leg. The bus operates all day, from 05:00 - 24:00, and can be paid for with EasyCard. In addition, Taiwan also has a double-decker bus tour to visit the city.
Bus is the cheapest means of transport, with only 12,000 VND/person, you can have a bus ticket for each leg.
Things to note when coming to Taiwan
The streets in Taiwan are often very crowded, with many people passing by. You should not leave important items in the same place. You should keep your personal documents, money, and phone carefully to avoid theft.
When you get off the plane, you should buy a sim card from a Taiwanese network operator for convenience in communication or using the internet to find directions and watch news. If you want to call Vietnam by mobile, you need to follow the syntax 00-84 + phone number, when dialing the mobile number, you need to remove the 0 before the 9, for example, if you need to call 0978 888 888, you will dial 00-84-978 888 888
In Taiwan, three-prong sockets are often used, so before you go, you should bring an adapter to charge your electronic devices.
You should not smoke or litter in public places, especially places with no-smoking signs, because you will likely be fined because the laws here are quite strict.
You should also switch your watch or phone to local time for convenience in daily life as well as sightseeing activities.
If you intend to buy medicine, jewelry, gemstones or valuable items, you need to check carefully to avoid buying fake goods.
Goods in Taiwan are very rich and diverse, prices between supermarkets and markets vary quite a bit, when shopping you should choose carefully because prices here are often quoted higher than their actual value.
