Taiwan <div style="float: right; margin: 0 0 1em 1em"> <table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="border: 1px solid #9866FF; background-color: #f3f3ff" width="200"> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; border-bottom: 1px solid #C9AFFF; background-color: #ddddff">Flag</td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; padding: 2px">Image:tw-flag.png</td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; border-bottom: 1px solid #C9AFFF; border-top: 1px solid #C9AFFF; background-color: #ddddff">Quick Facts</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Capital'''</td><td>Taipei</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Government'''</td><td>multiparty democratic republic headed by popularly elected president and unicameral legislature<br/></td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Currency'''</td><td>new Taiwan dollar (TWD)</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Area'''</td><td>''total:'' 35,980 sq km <br>''note:'' includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy <br>''water:'' 3,720 sq km <br>''land:'' 32,260 sq km</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Population'''</td><td>22,548,009 (July 2002 est.)</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Language'''</td><td>Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Religion'''</td><td>mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%</td></tr> </table> </div>  '''Taiwan''' is a state located across the Taiwan Strait from mainland China. The island is home to more than 22 million people, so it is generally quite crowded. Taiwan also can refer to the '''Republic of China''' ('''ROC'''): the political entity currently governing Taiwan, the Pescadores, Quemoy, and Matsu. ==Regions== The Taiwan Area can be divided into six regions: *The Central Region (Taiwan)|Central Region (Central Mountains (Taiwan)|Central Mountains and central western coastal area)- This region includes the scenic Sun-Moon Lake. *The East Coast (Taiwan)|East Coast - This area, cut off from the rest of the island by mountains, contains Taiwan's most striking natural scenery, including the famed Taroko Gorge|Tailuge Gorge. * The North (Taiwan)|North - There are some great beaches at the coasts here, as well as the Yangming Mountains. * The South (Taiwan)|South. This area is more tropical than the rest of the island, with many beaches and coconut palms. * The outlying islands of Penghu (the Pescadores), Matsu, Kinmen and Green Island. ==Cities== Image:tw-map.png|frame|Map of Taiwan * Taipei is the seat of government of the Republic of China and its center of commerce and culture. Taipei is home to the world's currently tallest skycraper, the Taipei 101. * Hsinchu is a center of hi-tech industry. [http://eweb.sipa.gov.tw/en/index.jsp Hsinchu Science Park] is the home to many hi-tech companies. * Hualien is located near Taroko Gorge, and is considered one of the most pleasant of Taiwan's cities. * Jioufen is a former gold mining town, now a tourist destination, on the northeast coast. * Kaohsiung is the second-largest city on the island. It is a major port and has the second-largest airport, [http://www.kia.gov.tw/english/e_index.asp Kaohsiung International Airport (KHH)]. * Keelung is a center of transshipment in the north. It is located to the northeast of Taipei. * Puli is a mountain town located at the geographical center of the island. * Taichung is the third largest city in Taiwan, and has an abundance of interesting cultural amenities and activities. * Tainan is the oldest city in Taiwan and was the capital during imperial times. It is famous for its temples and other historic buildings. * Taitung is home to many aboriginal people, and is located in one of Taiwan's most unspoilt areas. * Taoyuan is the location of Taiwan's main airport, [http://www1.cksairport.gov.tw/english/ CKS International Airport (TPE)]. ==Understand== Taiwan has been populated for thousands of years by more than a dozen aboriginal tribes. Written history begins with the partial colonization of Taiwan by the Netherlands|Dutch and the Spain|Spaniards in the early 17th century. (The old name of Taiwan, ''Formosa'', comes from the Portuguese for "beautiful".) Han Chinese immigrants arrived during this period and continued for the next few hundred years. The Qing Empire ceded Taiwan to Japan, which ruled the island between 1895 and 1945, and exerted profound influences on its development. In the early 20th century, the Nationalists and Communists fought a major civil war in China. Although the two sides were briefly united against Japan during World War II, they quickly began fighting again after the war was over. Eventually, the Communists were victorious. The Nationalists and hundreds of thousands of their supporters fled to Taiwan. From Taipei, they continued to assert their right as the sole legitimate government of all China. Since the 228 Incident (1947), there has been a movement, initially in exile, which sees Taiwan as more separate, and the current government tends to be independence-leaning. ==Get in== ===Visa Information=== Citizens of the following countries may enter Taiwan visa-free for thirty days provided that their passports do not expire within six months: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, USA. For further information check the web site for the [http://www.boca.gov.tw/english/ Bureau of Consular Affairs]. ===By plane=== There are international flights into the Chiang Kai Shek (CKS) International Airport in Taoyuan, and to a lesser extent, to the airport at Kaohsiung. The Songshan domestic airport is located in Taipei. Don't make the mistake of asking a taxi driver to take you to the Taipei airport if you actually mean CKS International. CKS International is actually about an hours drive from Taipei, while Sungshan is located in downtown Taipei. * CKS International Airport [http://www1.cksairport.gov.tw/english/] ('''TPE''') is Taiwan's main international airport. It is located 40km to the southwest of Taipei. Several bus companies provide transport links to all major cities in Taiwan. An adult ticket into Taipei city costs around NT$ 110. * Songshan Airport [http://www.tsa.gov.tw/0069/index_e/index_e.shtm] ('''TSA''') in downtown Taipei serves domestic flights only. * The Kaohsiung [http://www.kia.gov.tw/english/e_index.asp] ('''KHH''') domestic and international airports are located in the same complex. Local carriers include China Airlines and EVA Air. Cathay Pacific schedules many flights to Hong Kong as Taiwanese flights have to go to mainland China via a third destination. There are four domestic plane companies, all of which have dinky little planes and get across Taiwan quite quickly. Flights are frequent, and it is usually unnecessary to book flights in advance. Taipei and Kaohsiung have regular services and links to most other domestic airports; however, it may not be possible to fly from one domestic airport to another. The high-speed rail, scheduled to start in 2005, is supposed to give the plane companies a run for their money. ===By boat=== There are passenger ferry links between Okinawa in Japan and Keelung. ==Get around== ===Not getting lost=== In mid-sized and smaller cities, your main reference point is going to be the train station. ===By Metro=== '''Taipei Metro''' [http://english.trtc.com.tw/] has three major lines and several new lines are near completion ([http://home.trtc.com.tw/EINFO/eroutehome.asp route map]). The BanNan (Blue) Line runs from east to west and Danshui-Xindian (Red) Line runs from north to south. Muzha (Brown) Line is a light-transit system running from north to south on the east side of the city. Trains generally run from 06:00 to midnight, with convenient bus connections outside the stations. You are entitled to one free bus connection when you use '''Easycard''' (a smartcard that stores credit) to pay for the Metro fare. Purchase tickets from the ticket machines. Do not be alarmed if you enter the head carriage of the train and see no driver. The trains are computer controlled and its functions are totally automated. If you do not trust Taiwanese technology for whatever reason, the trains are actually French. If you do not trust French technology either, there are other means of transport. ===By bus=== Buses that run between cities and are called ke-yun, as opposed to gong-che which run within the county and city. Buses run by private companies are generally more luxurious (often boasting wide, soft seats, foot-rests and individual video screeens) than those run by government-owned companies. Still, even the government-owned buses are comfortable, punctual, and maintain clean facities, such as bathrooms. In major cities, bus transportation is extensive. Route maps, however, are almost entirely in Chinese, though the destinations indicated on the front of buses are in English. If you're staying at a hotel, have the clerk suggest some routes for you, and circle your destination on the map. Show this to the bus driver, and he/she will hopefully remember to tell you when to get off. In smaller cities, there is often no local bus service, though the out-of-town buses will sometimes make stops in the suburbs. There are taxi ranks at all airports and bus terminals. ===By train=== Taiwan's train system is excellent, with stops in all major cities. In addition, the train system allows you to bypass the highways, which can become extremely crowded on weekends and national holidays. The fastest train is Zichiang, and the slowest is Pingkuai. There is often little to choose between prices and destination times for adjacent train classes, but the gap can be quite large between the fastest and the slowest. For travel to nearby cities, you can travel on the electric train "dian che" which is something like a subway car on the tracks. These arrive very frequently (about once every ten to fifteen minutes). You can order up to 6 tickets online - in English - at http://railway.hinet.net 2 weeks in advance, or 1 week in advance if you go directly to a train station. Train schedules, pricing etc can be checked at http://www.railway.gov.tw; however, the online services only work between 8am and 9pm or thereabouts. There is a small charge, NT$7, for online bookings. Children under a certain height go free, and taller kids get half-price tickets. If you get return tickets there is a small discount. There are also vending machines at the larger stations. ===By taxi=== Taxis are a dime a dozen in Taiwanese cities. You do not need to phone up a taxi dispatch center to call for a taxi, however, it is probably safer. There have been stories of passengers boarding fake taxis and being attacked by the driver. It is best not to get too paranoid about it though, as drivers may be more worried about passengers attacking them! If you decide to call dispatch, you will be given a taxi number so you can identify with the vehicle when it arrives at your destination. Generally, dispatch is extremely rapid and efficient, as the taxis are constantly monitoring dispatch calls from the headquarters using radio while they are on the move. hail a taxi, place your hand in front of you parallel to the ground. They also congregate around train stations and airports. Taxis are metered, and all are now a standard yellow with the badge and taxi driver identification in the inside and the license number marked on the outside. They are generally not fluent in English. Have the hotel desk or a Taiwanese friend write out your destination in Chinese and take a business card from the hotal. Show the driver the Chinese writing of where you are going. Compared to American cabs, Taiwanese cabs are very cheap and several people can ride in one cab for the price of one. Cab drivers are strictly forbidden from taking tips. Taxis are also a flexible although relatively expensive way to travel to nearby cities. They have the advantage over the electric trains in that they run very late at night. Taxi drivers are known for their strong political opinions. Be careful about your opinions on the cross-strait relations. ===By scooter or motorcycle=== Until recently - 2003 - it wasn't even possible to get a scooter above 150cc in Taiwan. Many of the scooters within cities are only 50cc and incapable of going faster than 40 km/h. The more powerful versions are known as junghsing (heavy format) scooters, are now quite common and can be rented for short-term use, or found for sale used at [http://www.tealit.com tealit] if you're going to need it for a while. They are '''not''' allowed on freeways even if they are capable of going faster than 100 km/h unless used for certain police purposes, but that just means you have to take the scenic route. If you're just learning to drive a scooter on the streets of Taiwan, it would be a good idea to practice a bit on a back road or alley until you have a feel for the scooter; attempting to do so in the busier cities could easily be fatal. However if you know what you're doing, it's the perfect way to get around in a city. It should be possible to rent a scooter by the day or week, depending on the city in which you're staying. In Taipei, one place to try is [http://bikefarm.j321.com/rental.htm the Bikefarm]. Another option is to rent a motorcycle. Many foreigners swear by their 125cc Wild Wolf motorcycles, and a trip around the island on a motorcycle can be a great way to see the island up close. ===By car=== VIP Rentals in Taipei is quite happy to rent cars to foreigners, and will even deliver the car to a given destination. Be aware that you need an international driving licence, or a local driving licence (converted from the international) if you are going to drive in inner cities like Jiayi. A deposit is often required, and the last day of rental is not pro-rated, but calculated on a per-hour basis at a separate (higher) rate. Numbered highway system is very good in Taiwan. Most traffic signs are in international symbols, but many signs show names of places and streets in Chinese only. The freeways are in excellent shape with toll stations around every 30 km. Currently a car pays NT$40 when passing each toll station on a freeway. ==Talk== A mix of Southern Min|Taiwanese, Mandarin, Hakka and other varieties of Chinese are spoken on the island, as well as many aboriginal languages. Taiwanese is the mother tongue of 70% of the population. In the north where there is a large concentration of Mainlanders, most people speak Mandarin as their primary language, but in the south of the island, Taiwanese becomes more standard. All people schooled after 1945 are generally fluent in Mandarin, although it is sometimes not the first language of choice. Some in the older generation are not fluent in Mandarin as they were schooled in Japanese or not at all. Some Mandarin speakers have been refused taxi service in the south for not speaking Taiwanese. Universally, however, the Taiwanese exempt foreigners from these intricacies and react with curiosity and admiration for trying the local tongue. Especially in Taipei, many people are bilingual, speaking at least a little English. The children often understand more English than their parents, especially with the emphasis on English language education today. However, attempts to speak Mandarin or Taiwanese will be met with beaming smiles and encouragement, by and large. Speakers of Mandarin or Taiwanese find English very difficult due to the fact that the Chinese language is totally different in history, structure and sound from European languages. For example, in Chinese there is no word directly translating into "yes". There isn't a "no" either. '''Note on Romanization''': The Romanization of Chinese used in Taiwan is not standardized. Most place and personal names are derived from a bastardized version of Wade-Giles. Though the government mandated Tongyong Pinyin in 2002, local governments are free to override the order. Some local governments, such as that of Taipei City, have converted their street signs to Hanyu Pinyin. This article attempts to use the Romanizations most commonly used ''in'' Taiwan (on street signs, buses, tourist maps, etc.). ==Buy== The currency of Taiwan is the New Taiwan Dollar, or NT$. As of mid 2004, the exchange rate was approximately US$1:NT$33. Thus the NT$, Taiwan's smallest denomination, is essentially worth 3 US cents. The simplest method of calculating exchange on the run is to multiply by 3, then divide by 100 for US$. Taiwanese currency is fully convertible and there are no restrictions on taking currency into or out of the island. Currency exchange is possible internationally, although you will get a much better rate if you wait until you arrive at the airport to exchange currency at the 24 hour window. Most banks in Taipei and Kaohsung will also exchange money or offer cash advances on credit or debit cards. Most hotels will accept credit cards. Most restaurants and stores will not, and cash is the main form of payment. Because street crime is rare, it is common for people in Taiwan to carry large amounts of cash with them. A meal at a streetside stall may cost NT$50; a meal at a Western fast food restaurant will run you about NT$100; a hotel room at a swanky hotel might cost NT$5000 or more. As in many Asian countries, night markets are a staple of Taiwanese entertainment, shopping and eating. Every city has at least one night market; larger cities like Taipei may have a dozen or more. The most popular night market in Taipei is at Shilin, though the most exotic is arguably the Huanhe Night Market (a.k.a. Snake Alley) where one can dine on snake soup (though this is very rare) and try many traditional desserts. Night markets are crowded so remember to watch out for your wallet! Night markets are open-air markets, usually on a street or alleyway, with vendors selling all sorts of wares on every side. Many bargains can be had, and wherever prices are not displayed, haggling is assumed. In the larger cities you will have a night market every night. Sometimes they are only open certain nights of the week so it's best to check their schedule. Shops selling the same items tend to congregate in the same part of the city. If you want to buy something ask someone to take you to one shop and there will probably be shops selling similar things nearby. Popular things to buy include: * Jade items. Although it can be hard to know for sure if the item you're buying is real jade or not, some beautiful objects are sold. Most cities have a specific jade market dealing in jade and other precious stones. * Computers. Taiwan is a center of computer design and manufacture, so some places sell original equipment manufacturers' (OEM) items at good rates. in particular Taiwanese companies produce laptop computers under license to international companies and then sell the same items under different brands locally, effectively giving the same quality for much lower prices. Desktop computers and components however tend to be the same price in Taiwan as in other areas of the world. If you're buying domestic ít's best to go to tourist hangouts to buy your stuff as you might be saddled with Chinese documentation otherwise. *NB: In order to protect the environment, a government policy rules that plastic bags cannot be given freely at stores in Taiwan, but have to be bought - bakeries being an exception as the items need to be hygienically wrapped. Re-useable canvas and nylon bags are sold at most supermarkets. ==Eat== Generally speaking, the foods of Taiwan are derived from '''mainland Chinese cuisines'''. It is possible to find Szechuan food, Hunan food, Beifang food, Cantonese food and almost every other Chinese cuisine on the island. Taiwanese renditions of these cuisines tend to be somewhat greasy, though, and completely authentic mainland cuisines are rare. This is especially true for the Cantonese cuisine, as demonstrated by the lack of Cantonese speakers on the island. Taiwan also has many of its own '''local specialties'''. Perhaps because of its long isolation from mainland China and distance from other parts of the world, most cities and towns in Taiwan are famous for special foods. For example, Hualian is famous for its mochi, a sticky rice snack often flavored with sesame, peanuts or other flavorings. Yungho|Yonghe, a suburb of Taipei, is famous for its soy milk and breakfast foods. Taichung is famous for its sun cakes, a kind of sweet stuffed pastry. In Jiayi, it's square cookies, also called cubic pastry, crispy layered cookies cut into squares and sprinkled liberally with sesame seeds. Virtually every city has its famous specialties; many Taiwanese tourists will go visit other cities on the island only to try the local foods, then return home. Taiwan also has remarkably good '''bakery items'''. Among the chain stores, the 'We Care' bakeries offer some of the better options, such as whole wheat loaves, sour breads and ciabatta. All Mahayana Buddhists, which account for the majority of adherents in Taiwan, aspire to be pure '''vegetarian''' in deference to the Buddha's teaching of non-violence and compassion. So, vegetarian restaurants (called ''su-shr'' ?? ''tsan-ting'' in Mandarin) can be found in abundance all over the island, and they run from cheap buffet style to gourmet and organic. Buffet style are common in almost every neighborhood in large cities, and unlike the 'all-you-can-eat' buffets (which charge a set price, usually ranging from NT$250 - NT$350 including dessert and coffee/tea), the cost is estimated by the weight of the food on your plate. Rice (there is usually a choice of brown or white) is charged separately, but soup is free and you can refill as many times as you like. NT$90 - NT$120 will buy you a good sized, nutritious meal. However, if you cannot find a veggie restaurant, don't fret. Taiwanese people are very flexible and most restaurants will be happy to cook you up something to suit your requirements. The following sentences in Mandarin might be helpful: ''Wo chr su'' - I'm vegetarian, ''Wo bu chr rou'' - I don't eat meat. However, as Mandarin is a tonal language, you might need to say both, plus practice your acting skills to get yourself understood. Good luck! NB: If a restaurant refuses your order, don't push the issue. The reason will not be an unwillingness to accommodate your request, but because the basic ingredients of their dishes may include chicken broth or pork fat. Although vegetarian restaurants in Taiwan do not aspire to '''vegan''' principles, due to the fact that Taiwanese do not have a tradition of eating dairy products, almost all dishes at Chinese style veggie restaurants will actually be vegan. There are also the standard '''fast food''' places such as McDonalds and KFC, which are more expensive and whose quality of food is lower. In addition there are large numbers of convenience stores (such as 7-11) that sell things like tea eggs, sandwiches and drinks. ==Drink== ===Alcohol=== Traditional alcoholic drinks in Taiwan are very strong. '''Kaoliang''' is the most famous alcoholic drink. It is extremely strong, usually 140 proof or more, and often drunk straight. Taiwanese people enjoy beer on ice. ===Tea and coffee=== Taiwan's speciality teas are '''High Mountain Oolong''' (????, ''Gau-shan wulong'') - a fragrant, light tea, and '''Tie Guan-yin''' (???) - a dark, rich brew. '''Pearl milk tea''' is no longer a fad in Taiwan, but can still be found at nearly every coffee/tea shop. Just don't expect to see everyone in the homeland of pearl milk tea drinking it. The '''cafe culture''' has hit Taiwan in a big way, and in addition to an abundance of privately owned cafes, all the major chains, such as Starbucks have a multitude of branches throughout major towns and cities. ===Soft drinks=== Taiwan is a great place for fruit drinks. Small fruit-juice bars make them fresh on the spot and are experts at creating fruit-juice cocktails (non-alcoholic, of course). ''zong-he'' - mixed - is usually a sweet and sour combination and ''mu-gwa niou-nai'' is iced papaya milk. If you don't want ice (though it is safe in Taiwan, even at road side vendors) say, ''Wo bu yau bin-kwai'' and no sugar - ''ching, bu yau fang tang''. '''Soy milk''', or doujiang, is a great treat. Try it hot or cold. Savoury soy milk is a traditional Taiwanese breakfast dish. It is somewhat of an acquired taste as vinegar is added to curdle the milk. Both sweet and savoury soy milk are often ordered with yutiao, or deep fried dough crullers. There are a lot of pseudo health drinks in Taiwanese supermarkets and convenience stores. Look out for asparagus juice and lavender milk tea for example. ==Sleep== Taiwan doesn't sleep - just look at the number of 24-hour stores out there. But since you have to.... Taiwanese hotels range in quality from seedy to very luxurious. Keep in mind however that hotels which cater specifically to Westerners tend to be outrageously expensive, while comparable and much cheaper hotels are usually available, and most taxi drivers can take you to one. In particular, the airport hotel at CKS International charges about three or four times as much as a hotel in Taoyuan which is a half hour cab ride. Motels can be easily found in suburbs of major cities. A single room with attached bathroom will cost you about 40 to 50 US$ each day. As in much of Asia, hotel beds in Taiwan are generally much harder than in the West. Only in the most upscale Western style hotels will you find beds any softer than a billard table. ==Learn== ===Martial arts=== There are many styles of '''kung fu''' taught in Taiwan, largely by masters who came here with the Kuomintang in the late 1940's. Styles include Ba Gua, Tai Chi, Wing Chun, Praying Mantis, Shway Shiao and various weapons systems. Many of the students are westerners in these classes, which has led to the rise of several NHB schools, as well as Ju Jitsu and Akido from Japan. Some of the more famous teachers will provide you with the paperwork needed to extend a student visa twice. ==Work== Many travellers coming to Taiwan pick up temporary jobs teaching English. Most Taiwanese people want to learn English, but due to the country's history, opportunities to use English are rare. English-speaking foreigners are most in demand. It is illegal to work without a work permit, and legal work requires a college degree and usually a long (two month+) application process, but many travellers nonetheless manage to find managers willing to pay them under the table for short durations. Teaching English in Taiwan can be lucrative, as the salaries are quite high compared to the cost of living. However, in the past few years, the flow of would-be teachers into Taiwan has increased dramatically, resulting in stiffer competition for jobs as well as a general drop in wages. On top of this, the Taiwanese dollar has been sliding in value over the past five years, making it more difficult for foreigners to send money home at the end of the month. ==Stay Safe== Taiwan is extremely safe, even for women late at night. This is not to say, however, that there is no crime, and you should always exercise caution. Unlike in many neighbouring countries, it is very rare to see drunks on the street, day or night. Beggars are also very rare, except a few who congregate in the vicinity of Buddhist temples, with the hope that they will get donations from generous-hearted practitioners. Beggars are generally not aggressive, and one can safely give money to them without being worried about being swamped. Like anywhere else in the world, women should be cautious when taking taxis alone late at night. Although they are generally safe, there was one noted case of a prominent female politician being assaulted and murdered by a taxi driver in Kaohsiung several years ago. If you do need to take a taxi alone, then it's a good idea to arrange to have a friend call you when you get home, and to be seen making the arrangements for this by the cab driver. It also helps if a friend sees you being picked up, as taxis have visible license numbers. Don't tell taxi drivers your exact address but just the street name or section. Many of the taiwanese taxi drivers are ex-cons and might be interested what you have at home. Police departments in most jurisdictions will have a Foreign Affairs Police unit staffed by English speaking officers. If reporting a major crime, it is advisible to contact the Foreign Affairs unit in addition to officers at your local precinct. It is not to say that Taiwan is crime-free, and there will of course be incidences of theft etc, but it is fair to say that the island is generally considered a very safe environment and violent crime, in particular, is still relatively scarce. ==Stay Healthy== *Westerners should be cautious of relatively undercooked food. Many Taiwanese restaurants offer plates of raw, sliced red meat and uncooked seafood that are brought to the table and either barbecued or simmered in a pot of stock. As this constitutes a staple of the Taiwanese diet, any bacteria that may remain doesn't affect the locals, but can wreak havoc with foreigners. The best policy is to make sure you cook the food in a manner to which you are accustomed. *Don't drink tap water without boiling it, though it's safe for brushing your teeth. *Drugs are freely available for minor ailments at drug stores. *The quality of the hospitals in Taiwan is excellent and on par with those found in the West. Long term residents with an 'alien registration card' can avail themselves of the very convenient and efficient national health service, which covers treatment and medication using both Western and traditional Chinese medicine. However, this is not available to short term visitors on tourist visas. ==Respect== ===Culture=== Taiwan shares several cultural taboos with other East Asian nations. * Sticking your chopsticks straight up into your bowl of rice. This is reminiscent of incense sticks at a temple, and has connotations of wishing death upon those around you. If you want to put your chopsticks down, either put them on the provided porcelain chopstick rest (at fancier restaurants) or rest the chopsticks on the edge of your bowl. * The Chinese are very superstitious about anything connected with dying - unlucky things should never be mentioned. * Writing people's names in red. This again has connotations of death. When writing someone's English name, this is not a problem, but avoid writing Chinese names in red. * There are numerous taboos dictating that certain object shouldn't be given to others, often because the word for that object sounds like another unfortunate word: ** Umbrellas, which in Mandarin sound the same as the word for "break up". Friends should therefore never give friends umbrellas. Instead, friends will euphemistically "rent" each other umbrellas for a tiny amount (NT$1, for example). ** Giving people clocks. "Clock", in Mandarin, has the same sound as the word "to terminate." Watch out for Arnold Schwarzenegger giving away clocks! ** Giving people shoes. Never ever offer shoes as a gift to old people, as it signifies sending them on their way to heaven. * Taiwan does not have a culture of binge drinking and is rare to see anyone drunk on the streets. While over indulging in alcohol is not a social taboo as such (and some people do so at weddings), it is considered a sign of lack of self-confidence and immaturity, and doing so certainly won't gain you any respect among Taiwanese friends. ===Politics=== Taiwanese society is rather polarized by allegiance between supporters of the two major political blocks informally known as "pan-blue coalition" and "pan-green coalition", although there are large numbers of people who are either centrist or who don't care. To simplify a complex situation, pan-blue supporters tend to be more favorable toward the idea of reunification with the mainland and pan-green supporters tend to be more favorable toward the idea of establishing an independent Republic of Taiwan, among other differences. Although there are some correlations, it is highly unwise to assume anything about a particular persons political beliefs based on what you think you know about their background. Also, the very brief sketch of Taiwanese politics obscures a large amount of complexity. Unless you know your listener well, it is unwise to say anything (either positive or negative) about the current government, about historical figures in Taiwanese history, about Taiwan's international relations, or about relations with Mainland China. Some figures such as Sun Yat-sen are generally seen positively, but others (Chiang Kai-shek and Lee Teng-hui in particular) arouse very polarized feelings. Some people will get very offended if you imply that Taiwan is part of China. Other people will get very offended if you imply that Taiwan is not part of China. Referring to the PRC as 'Communist China' or 'Mainland China' rather than simply China will tend not to offend anyone. Referring to the Republic of China as a whole as 'Taiwan Province' will draw a negative reaction from most Taiwanese. 'Greater China' may be used in certain business contexts. Keep in mind however, that there are so many subtleties and complexities here that if you are talking about these things, you've already wandered into a minefield. ==Contact== ===Getting Online=== Internet cafes are plentiful, although you may have to wander around before finding one. Rather, Internet cafes in Taiwan should be called gaming cafes. Although people do surf the Internet, most people primarly go there for gaming. Each hour of Internet access/game play is extremely cheap, coming in at around 20NT$. Some machines in the internet cafes are coin operated. ===Media=== Taiwan has a very free and liberal press. There are three daily newspapers available in English: *[http://www.chinapost.com.tw/ the China Post], *[http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/ the Taipei Times] *[http://www.etaiwannews.com/ the Taiwan News] ==External links== [http://www.tbroc.gov.tw/lan/cht/index/ Tourist Bureau] http://www.joelhaasstudio.com/NEWS.htm for 23 pages of a sculptor's account of travel to Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan for the 2004 International steel sculpture Festival and a week in Taipei. Lots of pictures and commentary. {{stub}} fr:Taiwan de:Taiwan WikiPedia:Taiwan First page | Prev | Next | Last page |

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if you like cool drinks you may be interested in:

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She Desires is the indulgence store for women. Selling everything from home spa products, to chocolate, adult toys and much more, She Desires has everything a woman could desire to pamper, indulge and feel good.

Hope you enjoyed reading about Taiwan

The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page - St Augustine

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