LEAGUE GOTHIC

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 history of Taiwan can be

traced back at least 7000 years.
Between 7000 and 400 years ago,
Austronesians, the ancestor of
the island's indigenous people
arrived in small groups and
became the earliest known
inhabitants of Taiwan. During
the age of discovery in the 16th
century, Western sailors arrived
in the Far East to set up colonies
and conduct trade.
In the first half of the 17th
Century, the Dutch established a
presence at Anping (in modernday Tainan city). They conducted
missionary activities, trade and
production of various goods.
They also recruited many Han
Chineseimmigrants from the
China coast leading to a multicultural history of Taiwan. The
number of Han Chinese
immigrants in Taiwan steadily
increased during the short lived
Cheng (Koxinga) regime and
Qing period over the next 200
years, creating a primarily Han
society in Taiwan.
In the late 19th century, the wave
of imperialism touched the
shores of Taiwan. The island
became a colony of Japan
andremained under Japanese
rule for 50 years during which
time it evolved from a traditional
society into a modern one. At the
end of World War II in 1945,
Taiwan was liberated from
colonial rule. Since then, the

island has experienced an

economic miracle and
introduced political democracy
achievements that have attracted
the world's attention.
Today Taiwan boasts an
excellent infrastructure,
convenient transportation
system, and high quality
communication services. It also
has accomplished, in the face of
several international energy
crises and economic downturns,
a remarkable record of economic
development and political
democracy by virtue of the
perseverance and unremitting
efforts ofits people.

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

Taiwan enjoys warm weather all year round.

Weather conditions fluctuate during spring and
winter, whilein summer and autumn the weather
is relatively stable. Taiwan is extremely suitable for
traveling, as the annual average temperature is a
comfortable 71F (22C) with the lowest temperatures
on the lowlands generally ranging from 54F to 63F
(12C-17C). Therefore, with the exception of a few
mountain areas where some traces of snow can be
found during winter, no snow can be seen in
Taiwan. During raining season (March to May),
continuously drizzling rain will sometimes fall on
Taiwan. When visiting Taiwan during this period
remember to carry an umbrella at all times. During
the summer time (June to August) typhoons
sometimes approach ormake landfall.

The island of Taiwan, Republic of China, in Eastern

Asia is about 100 miles (161 kilometers) away from
the southeast part of mainland China, and about 300
miles (483 kilometers) north of the Philippine island
of Luzon. The East China Sea forms the northern
border of Taiwan; the Taiwan Straits are to the west,
the Philippine Sea to the south, and the Pacific Ocean
on the east coast. The territory is slightly smaller
than the combined area of Maryland and Delaware
and occupies a total area of 13,892 square miles
(35,980 square kilometers). Its capital city is Taipei in
the northeast and is the most densely populated area
in the territory.
Taiwan lies on the western edge of the Pacific "rim of
fire" and continuous tectonic movements have
created majestic peaks, rolling hills and plains,
basins, coastlines and other natural landscapes.
Taiwan's tropical, sub-tropical and temperate
climates provide clear differentiation between the
different seasons.

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.