Backpacking in Taiwan

Introduction

Taiwan is a beautiful country located along the Asian coast. This country is geographically small, and it is uniquely located close to economic superpowers like China and Japan. This country covers a landmass of 35,808 square kilometers, and it houses about 24 million people. Taiwan is densely populated because more than half of its land area is covered with mountains and rocks. If you love to travel and enjoy having adventures in the outdoors, you should consider backpacking in Taiwan. The country’s unique culture, beautiful outdoors, and economic prosperity attract many tourists every year. Taiwan is a wonderful country with many adventures and opportunities for sightseeing available for tourists. This article has outlined the factors to consider before backpacking in Taiwan and the outdoor adventures you can enjoy in this country. Cheers!

Relevant Information for successful backpacking in Taiwan

Preparation is necessary before every trip. Before you go ahead on your trip, these are some of the key things you need to know about Taiwan.

• Accommodation

Taiwan is one of the most affordable countries in Asia for tourists and visitors. If you live, work and earn in a modern economy, you should afford accommodation. Hotels and private inns are more expensive than hostels, and backpackers with a slim budget might want to opt for hostels. Hostels in Taiwan are affordable, and most of them are uniquely located in route centers. You can easily sleep, wake up and be on your way to your next adventure.

• Food

Earlier in this article, we mentioned that Taiwan was located close to China and Japan. A backpacker looking to experience new food in Taiwan can also enjoy Chinese, Singaporean, and Japanese food in this country. Breakfast shops serve people throughout the day, while the night market caters for affordable on-the-go meals. Some of the popular meals you will find in Taiwan include beef noodles, Minced pork rice, oyster omelet, soup dumplings. It would be best if you tried as much of this food as you can. If you are sensitive to new food generally, you can always bring protein bars with you.

• Budget

If you live, work and earn in any modern economy, you should not have a problem with money if you go backpacking in Taiwan. Basic needs are generally affordable in Taiwan, and the exchange rate is about 35 Taiwan dollars to 1 euro. It might not be the cheapest destination in Asia, but you should be okay with about 40 euros per day. You can make payments with your credit or debit card in hotels, hostels, restaurants, and shopping malls. However, it would help if you tried to get some local currency to buy things in smaller shops that don’t have these payment terminals.

• Weather

Taiwan has a very unique and challenging subtropical climate. It is surrounded by water, and climate change seems to be taking its toll. However, the country still has comfortable seasons for tourists to visit. If you want to go backpacking in Taiwan, you should do it during the British autumn and winter months. This time of the year falls between May to July where Taiwan has an average temperature of 20-degrees. You can also visit the country in October or/and November. The weather is quite good during this period, and you can go hiking, cycling, and mountain climbing.

• Visa

Taiwan has exempted citizens of certain countries from getting a visa before entering the country. These countries include the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, and Belgium. If you are a backpacker from a country that is not Visa-exempt, then you need to find out what you need to get a visa from your country.

• Cities and Sightseeing

There are a lot of beautiful places to visit in Taiwan. Taipei, the country’s capital, houses the Longshan temple. This temple is over 200 years old, and it is home to more than 100 Taiwanese gods. The city also has the Taipei 101 Skyscraper. This skyscraper has 101 floors, and it is home to the highest Star bucks on the planet. The Yangmingshan national park also has hiking trails, warm springs, and a dormant volcano. There are many beautiful places to see in Taiwan, which is why this country keeps attracting millions of tourists every year.

• Official language

The official language in Taiwan is Mandarin. Before you think of getting an interpreter along with your tour guide, you would be happy to know that most young people in Taiwan also speak English.

• Electricity adapter

The sockets in Taiwan are the 2-flat pin kind. If you are traveling from Europe, you would need to get a universal adapter. The country utilizes 110 volts.

• Internet Connectivity

Taiwan is a small country, and the internet coverage is superb. In large cities, Wi-fi is available everywhere you go, and in the mountains, the connections are still far better than average.

Backpacking adventures in Taiwan

Taiwan is blessed with cultural centers, excellent structures, and lovely countryside. This beautiful country has a lot of adventures waiting for outdoor-loving backpackers. Check out the adventures you can enjoy when you go backpacking in Taiwan.

• Cycling

In Taiwan, there are many enjoyable routes for cycling. The longest of these routes covers more than 3,000 kilometers. Outdoor lovers who enjoy cycling will love Taiwan.

• River tracing

Outdoor experiences in Taiwan are the best, and River tracing (river trekking) is unique. River trekking involves hiking, bouldering, and climbing a rural mountain river.

• Paragliding

If you like extreme sports and want to see Taiwan from a unique spot, you should go paragliding. There are designated flight professionals that help you manage your flight and overall experience.

• Surfing

Surfing is a general outdoor activity in Taiwan. This island boasts of several beaches, and backpackers can decide to enjoy surfing while in Taiwan.

Conclusion

In our opinion, money spent on gaining new and exciting experiences is better than money spent on fancy equipment or gadgets. Backpacking in Taiwan will not only give you a wonderful outdoor experience, but you will also get to learn about one of the most interesting cultures in Asia. If you are planning to go backpacking in Taiwan, then we advise that you go ahead. This article has given you all the preliminary information you need. All you need to do is plan the flight and enjoy the trip. Cheers!