Taiwan: The First-Timer's Guide for European Travellers
Taiwan is compact, exhilarating, visa-free for EU nationals, and home to some of the best street food in Asia — here's everything you need to know before your first visit.
Taiwan: The First-Timer's Guide for European Travellers
There's a destination in East Asia that consistently leaves European travellers stunned — not because it's particularly famous, not because Instagram has oversold it, but because almost nobody expects it to be this good. Taiwan is compact, exhilarating, wildly easy to navigate, and home to some of the most genuinely welcoming people you'll encounter anywhere in the world. Yet it still sits quietly in the shadow of Japan and Thailand in most European travel conversations.
That's changing fast. According to Taiwan's Tourism Bureau, the island welcomed nearly 7.9 million visitors in 2024 — a 21% jump from the year before — and the EU has just opened new Taiwan Tourism Information Centres in Paris, Amsterdam, and beyond. Word is getting out. If you've been curious but haven't quite committed, this guide is for you.
Taiwan Is Not China
Before we get into the good stuff: a quick geography note, because many European travellers are understandably confused. Taiwan (officially the Republic of China) operates as a fully independent democracy with its own government, military, currency (the New Taiwan Dollar), and political system. It has not been governed from Beijing at any point in living memory. Visiting Taiwan requires neither a Chinese visa nor any involvement with mainland China's entry regulations. Think of it the way you'd think of Singapore or South Korea — a distinct, sovereign destination in its own right, with deep Chinese cultural roots but an entirely separate political reality.
This matters practically: your EU passport gets you 90 days visa-free entry to Taiwan, with no pre-approval needed beyond completing an online arrival card via the National Immigration Agency within three days of your flight. It's one of the smoothest entry processes in Asia.
When to Go
Taiwan's subtropical climate means the answer matters. The two sweet spots for European visitors are:
October to November — widely considered the best time. Rainfall drops to its lowest, temperatures sit in the 18–24°C range, and the air is clear enough to actually see the mountains. This is peak Taiwan weather.
March to May — pleasant and warm, with cherry blossoms appearing in early spring across the mountain parks. Some rain, but generally comfortable.
Avoid July to September if you can. Typhoon season is real — average temperatures push toward 38–39°C, humidity is brutal, and storms can shut down entire transport networks. The island recovers quickly, but it's not the relaxed first-visit experience you're probably after.
Getting Around: The Infrastructure Is Outstanding
Taiwan has invested heavily in making itself easy to traverse, and it shows.
The EasyCard (or iPass for southern Taiwan) is your best travel companion. Pick one up at Taoyuan International Airport the moment you land — it costs a refundable NT$100 deposit (roughly €2.50) and can be topped up with cash at any convenience store. Tap it on the MRT, city buses, intercity trains, and even at 7-Eleven. It makes daily transit completely frictionless.
Taiwan High Speed Rail connects the west coast from Taipei to Kaohsiung in under two hours, covering 350 km at speeds up to 300 km/h. A full Taipei–Kaohsiung ticket runs NT$1,350–1,490 (€36–40); book ahead via the official THSR website for early-bird discounts of up to 35%.
Taiwan Railways (TRA) covers the east coast and slower regional routes — scenic, affordable, and often the best way to reach places like Hualien and the east coast corridor.
One important update for 2025: following a significant earthquake in April 2024, bus services through Taroko Gorge (between the Visitor Centre and Tianxiang) remain partially suspended. Check the Taroko National Park website for the latest access status before making plans.
Taipei: Where to Base Yourself
Taipei is one of Asia's most liveable cities — clean, safe, brilliantly connected by MRT, and dense with food, culture, and green space. You'll want at least four full days here.
Da'an District is the go-to base for most first-timers: tree-lined streets, excellent cafés and restaurants, Da'an Forest Park (Taipei's answer to Central Park), and a calm residential feel that lets you move at your own pace. It's central without being overwhelming.
Ximending suits travellers who want energy — a pedestrianised shopping and nightlife district that runs until late, with a youthful Harajuku-meets-Seoul vibe. Great for street food grazing. If you're also considering the wider region, our guide to First Trip to South Korea: What to Know Before You Go covers a natural companion destination.
Zhongzheng is the most pragmatic choice if you plan to hop on early HSR or intercity trains, as it sits around Taipei Main Station.
Don't Miss in Taipei
Longshan Temple in Wanhua is one of the oldest and most atmospheric temples in the city — incense smoke, chanting, worshippers pressing prayers into golden fortune sticks. Go early morning when it's quietest.
Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan) offers the classic Taipei 101 skyline shot. It's a 20-minute hike from Xiangshan MRT station; go an hour before sunset and you'll earn one of the best urban panoramas in East Asia.
Yongkang Street in Da'an is a short stretch of legendary eating: Din Tai Fung's original location is here (yes, the queue is worth it), alongside independent noodle shops, bubble tea counters, and mango ice dessert stands that feel like a religion in summer.
Night Markets: The Real Cuisine of Taiwan
Taiwanese night market food is arguably the country's greatest contribution to global gastronomy, and Europeans routinely underestimate it until they're standing there at 10pm, bewildered and delighted.
Raohe Street Night Market near Songshan Ciyou Temple has overtaken Shilin as the favourite among serious food travellers. The star attraction is Fuzhou Black Pepper Buns — pork-stuffed buns baked in a clay oven, handed over blistering hot — but the entire 600-metre stretch rewards slow wandering. Go hungry.
Shilin Night Market remains the largest and most famous, and it's still excellent for atmosphere and variety. The underground food court beneath the market covers everything from stinky tofu (an acquired taste worth acquiring) to freshly grilled corn. It's touristy, but it's touristy for a reason.
Ningxia Night Market is where local Taipei families eat on weekday evenings — a shorter, less chaotic stretch with excellent oyster vermicelli, taro balls, and braised pork rice. A better bet if crowds bother you.
A practical note: tipping is neither expected nor customary in Taiwan. It can, in fact, cause mild discomfort. Pay the price on the menu, say thank you, and move on.
Jiufen: Go on a Weekday, Go in the Evening
The hillside mining town of Jiufen, an hour northeast of Taipei by bus, is famous for its red lantern-lit tea houses and narrow stone staircases — and yes, it lives up to the imagery. The catch is that weekends have become genuinely crowded, with tour groups from the mainland turning the main alley into a slow shuffle.
The solution is simple: go on a Monday or Tuesday. Better still, go late afternoon and stay into the evening, when the tour buses have left and the lanterns do their thing against the darkening hills. Overnight stays are available if you want the ghost-town experience after 8pm — and it is genuinely magical.
Beyond Taipei: Taroko Gorge and Sun Moon Lake
Taroko Gorge on the east coast is one of the most dramatic landscapes in Asia — a 19-kilometre marble gorge carved by the Liwu River, with suspension bridges and hiking trails threading through the cliffs. Getting there from Taipei takes around two and a half hours by express train to Hualien (NT$583, roughly €15.50), then a local bus or taxi to the park entrance. Allow at least two nights in Hualien to do the gorge justice and explore the coastal scenery beyond it.
Sun Moon Lake in central Taiwan is the country's largest natural lake — ringed by forested peaks, Taoist temples, and cycling paths that CNN has rated among the world's most breathtaking. From Taipei, take the HSR to Taichung (one hour), then the Sun Moon Lake bus (NT$195 one way, around €5). It's a natural counterpoint to Taipei's urban energy: slower, quieter, more contemplative. The cycling route around the full lake takes three to four hours at a gentle pace.
Practical Notes Before You Go
Money: Taiwan uses New Taiwan Dollars (NT$). ATMs are plentiful and usually accept foreign cards without issue. Most restaurants and markets remain cash-forward — keep some on hand.
Language: Mandarin is the official language, but English signage is excellent throughout Taipei's MRT network, at major tourist sites, and in most hotels. Away from the capital, a translation app will help in local markets and smaller towns.
SIM cards: Pick up a data SIM at the airport for around NT$300–500 (€8–13) for a week. Unlimited data with good coverage makes navigation effortless.
How long to plan: A minimum of seven days lets you do Taipei properly, with day trips to Jiufen and either Taroko Gorge or Sun Moon Lake. Ten to twelve days opens up Tainan (Taiwan's culinary heartland in the south), Alishan National Scenic Area, and the cycling paradise of the East Rift Valley.
Is It Safe?
Consistently, yes. Taiwan ranks among the safest destinations in Asia for solo travellers and families alike. The low crime rate, excellent infrastructure, and culture of genuine helpfulness toward visitors make it a place where anxious first-timers quickly relax.
The Right Way to See It
Taiwan rewards slow travel. It's tempting to try to hit every famous site in a week, but the island is best appreciated at a pace that leaves room for following a neighbourhood street to its end, ordering without knowing exactly what you've ordered, or spending an entire afternoon in a tea house above Jiufen watching the fog roll in over the valley.
If you'd rather have someone else handle the logistics — routes, accommodation, restaurant reservations, train bookings — a guided trip takes the friction away without sacrificing the depth. Viatsy works with small groups on custom East Asia itineraries designed specifically for European travellers, and Taiwan pairs beautifully with a passage through Japan or Hong Kong for a multi-destination trip through the region. For those drawn further into Northeast Asia, our China's Golden Triangle itinerary offers another compelling extension.
The island has been quietly waiting for European travellers to discover it. Now, with visa-free access, world-class infrastructure, and a tourism scene expanding specifically toward the EU market, the timing has never been better.
Go before everyone else does.
Best time to visit: October–November or March–May. Visa-free for EU nationals (90 days). Currency: New Taiwan Dollar (NT$). Language: Mandarin/English signage widely available.