Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Taiwan+Destination+Guide Compressed
Taiwan+Destination+Guide Compressed
VIETNAM TRAVEL
DESTINATION
TRAVELERS GUIDE
HISTORY
POPULATION
23 million
TIME
Taiwan is +16 hours PST, +15
hours MST, +14 hours CST, +13
hours EST and does not
practice daylight savings time.
VISAS
All travelers will need a
passport valid for at least six
months following your
departure date from Taiwan.
For all USA passport holders a
Taiwan tourist visa is not
required for stays up to 90
days.
INSURANCE
It is strongly advised that the
traveler purchase travel
insurance prior to departure to
cover any sickness or illness
that may arise during their
travels.
THE PEOPLE
The larger part of the island's
inhabitants are the descendants
of immigrants from the various
provinces of mainland China,
but in particular from the
southeastern coastal provinces of
Fujian and Guangdong. Because
the different ethnic groups have
fairly well integrated together,
differences that originally
existed between people from
different provinces have
gradually disappeared. About
360,000 indigenous people, the
original inhabitants of Taiwan,
still live here.
LANGUAGE
The official language of Taiwan is Mandarin Chinese, but because
many Taiwanese are of southern Fujianese descent, Minnan (the
Southern Min dialect or Heluo) is also widely spoken. The smaller
groups of Hakka people and indigenous tribes have also
preserved their own languages. The most popular foreign
language in Taiwan is English which is part of the regular school
curriculum.
COMMON PHRASES
Ni Hao or Ni Hao Ma? - How are you? Hello.
Nien Hao - A formal, polite greeting reserved for seniors or
bosses.
Xie, Xie (or sometimes romanized as hsieh, hsieh) - Thank you
(use this often, Taiwan people are very polite)
Bu Ke Chi - You are welcome
Mayo wen ti - no problem (or don't worry)
She So Jian - Bathroom
"Bu Hao E Tze" or "dway bu chee" - sorry, pardon
RELIGION
Taiwan is a country of various religious beliefs. There are
currently thirteen registered religions on the island practiced by
nearly half the residents of Taiwan. These religions include
Buddhism (the most popular), Taoism, Catholicism,
Protestantism, Hsuan-yuan Chiao, Islam, Li-ism, Tenrikyo, Baha'i,
T'ienti Teachings, Tien Te Chiao, I-Kuan Tao, and Mahikarikyo.
CURRENCY
Taiwans unit of currency is the New
Taiwan Dollar (NT$), which has five
denominations in notes and five in coins.
The notes come in NT$2000, NT$1000,
NT$500, NT$200, and NT$100
denominations. Coins are in NT$50,
NT$20, NT$10, NT$5 and NT$1
denominations.
Foreign currencies can be exchanged at
government designated banks and
hotels. Receipts are given when currency
is exchanged and must be presented in
order to exchange unused NT$ dollars
before departure.
CREDIT CARDS
Major credit cards such as American
Express, Master Card, Visa, and Diners
Club are accepted and traveler's checks
may be cashed at foreign exchange
banks, some tourist-oriented businesses
and most international tourist hotels.
TIPPING
Service charges of 10% are often added to
bills in most leading hotels and
restaurants. Where it is not included, a
tip of 10-15% of the bill would be
appropriate.
Airport porter/hotel bellboy:
$1.00 - $ 2.00 US per bag.
Your tour guide:
$10.00 - $ 12.00 US per person per day.
Driver/assistants:
$ 6.00 - $ 7.00 US per person per day.
CLIMATE
THE LAND
FOOD
Taiwan is home to an ethnic and cultural diversity that affects its
dietary culture as well. Taiwanese cuisine has been strongly
influenced by foods rooted in mainland Chinas Fujian province,
and also by the cuisines of Fuzhou, Chaozhou and Guangdong.
During Taiwans half-century of Japanese colonial rule, Japanesestyle cooking techniques also began to color Taiwanese food. Such
classic Japanese foods as fried prawns and raw fish have been
transformed into Taiwanese specialties. Hostess club cuisine
which developed in the Beitou area at social clubs and
entertainment venues, and bando culture, a form of boisterous
eating around a round table in an open space, were significant in
the development of Taiwanese cuisine. When the Republic of
China government relocated to Taiwan, Taiwanese cuisine began
to incorporate the hometown dishes of people who arrived from
the various mainland Chinese provinces, resulting in a still greater
diversity. With a rich array of dishes, Taiwanese cuisine offers a
style unique in the Chinese-speaking world.
Taiwanese foods place an emphasis on ingredients original flavor.
A light taste and fresh ingredients are their main features. As
Taiwan is an island, seafood is in ready abundance and has
become a major focus of Taiwanese dishes. As to cooking styles,
sauting and stir-frying are used widely as they have been found
to best preserve ingredients freshness and nutritional goodness.
From past to present, Taiwanese cuisine has continued to
incorporate the essence of dishes introduced from abroad and to
absorb the influences and flavors of Western dishes. The
Taiwanese cuisine of today is the fruit of a long, continuous
process of evolution and innovation
WATER SAFETY
All water should be regarded as being potentially contaminated.
Water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should
have first been boiled or otherwise sterilized. Bottled water is
widely available and usually well priced; most of the hotels
provide water for guests as a matter of course. Milk is unpasteurized and should be boiled. Powdered or tinned milk is
available and is advised. Avoid dairy products which are likely to
have been made from un-pasteurized milk such as ice cream. It is
best to only eat well-cooked meat and fish served hot. Vegetables
should be cooked and fruit peeled.
HEALTH
Pack medications in their original, clearly
labeled containers. A signed and dated letter
from your physician describing your
medical conditions and regular medications
(use generic names) is also a good idea.
When carrying syringes or needles, be sure
to have a physicians letter documenting
their medical necessity. If you have a heart
condition bring a copy of your ECG taken
just prior to traveling.
If you take any regular medication bring
double your needs in case of loss or theft. In
Taiwan it may be difficult to find some of
the newer drugs.
VACCINATIONS
The following are recommended
vaccinations for visiting Taiwan; however, it
is wise to consult with your personal
physician for the best recommendation
based on your current health history and
past immunization record.
Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Tetanus,
Diphtheria, Measles/Mumps/Rubella,
Typhoid and Japanese Encephalitis. The
Yellow Fever vaccine is required for
travelers arriving from a Yellow Fever
infected country.