See you in Taiwan
Matsu Island Taoyuan/Hsinchu Taipei Nantou Changhwa Kinmen County Yilan/Hualien Penghu Tainan Kaohsiung/Kenting Taitung Lanyu (Orchid Island)
TAIWAN The Republic of China(Taiwan) was founded in 1912, making it the first democratic republic in Asia. In 1949, the government moved to Taiwan and maintained jurisdiction over an area encompassing the islands of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu, Dongsha, Zhongsha, and Nansha. Area : 36,000 square kilometers Population : 23 million Language : Mandarin / Taiwanese / Hakka / Indigenous Languages Religion : Buddhism / Taoism / Christianity / Islam Location Taiwan's total land area is about 36,000 square kilometers (14,400 square miles). It is shaped like a leaf that is narrow at both ends. It lies off the southeastern coast of mainland Asia, across the Taiwan Strait from China - an island on the western edge of the Pacific Ocean. To the north is Japan; to the south is the Philippines. Many airlines fly to Taiwan, making it the perfect travel destination. 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. There are rare or endangered species of wildlife on the island. Among these are the landlocked salmon, Taiwan serow, Formosan rock monkey, Formosan black bear, blue magpie, Mikado pheasant, and Hsuehshan grass lizard
Climate Taiwan enjoys warm weather all year round. Weather conditions fluctuate during spring and winter, while in summer and autumn the weather is relatively stable. Taiwan is extremely suitable for traveling, as the annual average temperature is a comfortable 22 degrees Celsius with the lowest temperatures on the lowlands generally ranging from 12 to 17 degrees Celsius (54-63 Fahrenheit). 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 time. Although it might seem romantic to have a stroll in the rain, it is no fun to travel when you're soaking wet. During the summer time (June to August), typhoons sometimes approach or hit the country.
Religion For the most part, the traditional religions practiced in Taiwan are Buddhism, Taoism, and folk religions; except for a small number of purely Buddhist temples, however, most of the island's traditional places of worship combine all three traditions. Taoism is China's native religion, and many of its gods are deified persons who actually lived in the past and made important contributions to society. Guan Gong, the God of War, is a classic example of this; in history he was Guan Yu, a famous general of the Three Kingdoms period. Taoism came to Taiwan in the 17th century, but it was suppressed during the period of Japanese occupation (1895-1945) because of its embodiment of the spirit of Chinese culture. During those years the adherents of Taoism had to worship their gods surreptitiously in Buddhist temples, and after the country was returned to Chinese rule, the convergence of these two religions continued. Today all sorts of deities are worshipped in the same temple, forming one of the unique features of religion in Taiwan. Confucius is another important part of religious thinking in Taiwan. Confucius was China's most famous and beloved teacher, advocating the practice of rituals and the worship of ancestors. Emperor Yuan of the Western Han Dynasty (207 B.C. - A.D. 24) built the first shrine dedicated to Confucius, and after that many more temples were constructed as a mark of respect to the sage. External religions first arrived on Taiwan in the early part of the 17th century when Catholicism and Protestantism were introduced by Spanish and Dutch missionaries. Presbyterianism is perhaps the Protestant branch of Christianity that has played the most prominent role in Taiwan's history.
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. Many elderly people can also speak some Japanese, as they were subjected to Japanese education before Taiwan was returned to Chinese rule in 1945 after the Japanese occupation, which lasted for half a century. The most popular foreign language in Taiwan is English, which is part of the regular school curriculum. However, for your own convenience, when taking a taxi in Taiwan, it is advisable to prepare a note with your destination written in Chinese to show the taxi driver. Taiwan is also the ideal place to learn Chinese. There are numerous language schools that offer Chinese classes, ranging from hourly-based classes to recognized university programs. Many foreigners from Europe and the United States, as well as other areas, come to Taiwan to spend their holidays, or one or two years, studying Chinese.
Visa Foreign travelers may obtain tourist visas if they hold foreign passports or travel documents valid for more than six months in the Republic of China for purposes of sightseeing, business, family visits, study or training, medical treatments, or other legitimate activities. Visa requirements included one completed application form, incoming and outgoing travel tickets, one photo, documents verifying the purpose of the visits, and other relevant documents. The Visitor Visa Application Form can be downloaded from the website of the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The completed form should be submitted to an overseas mission of the Republic of China for visa issuances. Visa-free privileges are afforded to citizens of 43 countries and landing visas are afforded to citizens of more than 2 countries. For any further information, please visit the website of the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For any further questions about visa application, please contact: e-mail: post@boca.gov.tw TEL: +886-2-2343-2888. Foreign Currencies: value over US$10,000 should be declared. New Taiwan Currency: under NT$60,000. A traveler should apply for the permission to the Central Bank for amounts over such value. There is no restriction on the amount of gold that a traveler can bring out of Taiwan; however, a traveler should declare to the customs office. When carrying out gold valued over US$20,000 out of Taiwan, a traveler should apply for an export permit to the Board of Foreign Trade, MOEA (Tel : +886-2-2351-0271 ext. 352) and apply for customs clearance to the customs office
Currency The Republic of China's unit of currency is the New Taiwan Dollar (NT$), which has five denominations in paper money and five in coins. Paper money comes in NT$2000, NT$1000, NT$500, NT$200, and NT$100 denominations. Coins come in NT$50, NT$20, NT$10, NT$5 and NT$1 denominations. Foreign currencies can be exchanged at governmentdesignated banks and hotels. Receipts are given when currency is exchanged, and must be presented in order to exchange unused NT dollars before departure. 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 (by room guests) most international tourist hotels.
Useful phone no.: Emergency Numbers(Free Service) Fire, Ambulance 119 Police 110 Overseas Operator 100 Chinese Local Directory Assistance 104 Chinese Long Distance Directory Assistance 105 English-language Directory Assistance 106 Telephone Repair 112 Time 117 Weather 166 Traffic 168 Tourist Information Hotline +886-2-2717-3737 24-Hour Toll-Free Travel Information Call Center 0800-011-765 International Community Service Hotline 0800-024-111 Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Terminal 1 Service Counter, Tourism Bureau +886-3-383-4631 Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Terminal 2 Service Counter, Tourism Bureau +886-3-398-3341 Tourist Service Center, Kaohsiung International Airport, Tourism Bureau +886-7-805-7888~9 Board of Foreign Trade +886-2-2351-0271 Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) +886-2-2725-5200 Taiwan Visitors Association +886-2-2594-3261 Ministry of Foreign Affairs +886-2-2348-2999 Police Radio Station +886-2-2388-8099
Electricity: Taiwan uses electric current of 110 volts at 60 cycles, appliances from Europe, Australia or South- East Asia will need an adaptor or transformer. Many buildings have sockets with 220 volts especially for the use of air conditioners Language Translation: 你好 How are you Ni Hao 謝謝 Thank you Xie Xie 再見 See you Zai Jian 早安 good morning Chao An 多少錢 How much Do Shao Chien 晚安 Good Night Wan An 計程車 Taxi Chi Chen Che 捷運 MRT(Subway) Chie Yun 飯店 Hotel Fan Dian 銀行 Bank Yin Hang 醫院 Hospital Yi Yuan
Matsu Island Nantou Taoyuan/Hsinchu Taipei Changhwa Yilan/Hualien Kinmen County Penghu Tainan Taitung Kaohsiung/Kenting Lanyu (Orchid Island)
See you in Taiwan Contact us planning your holidays China Travel Service Taiwan Inbound Dept. Ms Ceilia Wei T: +886 2 2511 0969/F: +886 2 2511 8298 M: ceilia_wei@chinatravel.com.tw