Best time to go to Taiwan
It is often said that there are no seasons in Taiwan, but you should take the time into account when planning your trip. Usually autumn (September to November) is best for travel because the weather conditions are usually warm and dry, air pollution is low and prices are lower. Spring can be clear and dry, but can also be wet and gray, sometimes even sandstorms from China occur. Sometimes you can find everything in one day.
The summer (June to August) is a great time to visit the east coast, especially for outdoor activities, but be aware that typhoons can roam the island from June to October. Summer is not a good time to travel to the outer islands, it is overcrowded with tourists during this period, flights and hotels are hard to come by. You should travel here from October to November when prices are lower but the weather is still good. In the cities of Taiwan, it is always hot and humid in summer.
The period between May and October is suitable for a beach holiday.
Avoid traveling during the Chinese New Year holidays as the whole country is on the go. Interesting festavals in Taiwan are the Lantern Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival and the Matsu Pilgrimage.
Usually July and August, the Chinese New Year and Saturday nights are considered the high season. The accommodation prices are then often twice as high as in the off-season. Outside the tourist areas, however, there are only a few price changes over the months, at most between the weekday and the weekend.
Money
Currency: New Taiwan dollar. The basic unit of the New Taiwan Dollar is the yuan, which is divided into 10 Jiao and 100 Fen.
Currency abbreviations: TWD (ISO code), NT $, NTD – ABBREVIATIONFINDER.ORG
banknotes worth 100, 500 and 1,000 Taiwan dollars (more common) and 200 and 2,000 Taiwan dollars (less common) are used. Coins are in circulation in amounts of 1, 5, 10 and 50 Taiwan dollars (common) and ½ and 20 Taiwan dollars (less common).
Exchange rate:
October 2009
1 US dollar = 32.2 new Taiwan dollars
1 euro = 47.5 new Taiwan dollars
1 Swiss franc = 31.3 new Taiwan dollars
Sightseeing
Taiwan is an interesting country, which has a large number of different sights to offer its visitors.
So you should definitely not miss the Hsiahai ChengHuangmIo temple. Although it is a small complex, it is a particularly important temple that is dedicated to the god HsaiHai. Ceremonies, rituals and processions are held continuously in the temple.
The PiShan YanKai Chanc ShengMiao Taoist monastery is also worth a visit. It is located on the mountain on the edge of Teipei. From the monastery you have a wonderful view of the whole city.
The temple complex ChihNanKug in the south of Tapaeis is worth seeing. The temple complex combines a small Taoist shrine with a Buddhist monastery. The central hall of the monastery is architecturally interesting because it is adorned by a huge dome. It also has two floors and is decorated with numerous animal and Buddha statues.
Don’t miss a visit to the LungShan Temple in Taipei. It was built in 1738 and is one of the most visited temples in the country. Inside there are statues of different deities to visit.
The temple complex HsingTieKung in Taipei is also worth a detour. The temple was built in the nineteenth century and is dedicated to the god of war KuanKung.
Taiwan has a long list of other religious buildings to offer. There is hardly a temple among them that is not worth a visit.
The country also has a lot to offer nature lovers. There are five national parks in Taiwan. The first would be the KenTing National Park, which has an area of 326 square kilometers. Another would be the YuShan National Park with an area of 1054 square kilometers. There is still the YangMing Shan National Park with a size of 114 square kilometers. This park is particularly popular with tourists as there are some hot springs that invite you to relax. The last two parks would be the Tarokonational Park and the Sheipa National Park. Both are more than seven hundred square kilometers.
For tourists interested in culture, the Chang Founder Museum in Taipei is an absolute must. Here is a collection of ancient Chinese exhibits, such as B. jade figures, statuettes and porcelain are shown. The majority of the collection comes from the Han Dynasty and continues to the Ching Dynasty. In the museum there is also an interesting library and a bonsai garden worth seeing.
The Postal Museum in Taipei is also worth a visit. It was opened in 1966 and shows the history of the country’s post office.
Other interesting sights that are closely related to the culture of the country include the ChanKaiShek Memorial Hall, the National Palace Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts in Taibei, Fort San Domingo, the former British Consulate, etc. There are definitely still a few more.
A special highlight is the Mitsukoshitower. The tower in Taipei is one of the tallest buildings in the world. Inside, it houses some offices as well as department stores. From its viewing platform you have a wonderful view of the city.
Taipei
On the Danshui River lies the metropolis and capital of Taiwan, Taipei. Around 2.6 million people live here on a total area of 271.8 square kilometers.
At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty from 1368 – 1644, the location of today’s Taipei was settled by immigrants. Taipei developed into a city in 1709.
The sights of Taipei are definitely very interesting and impressive.
Taipei 101
The tallest skyscraper in the world until 2007 hides a large number of offices and a shopping center that can be reached by express elevator.
Chiang Kai-Shek National Memorial Hall
The long-standing President of Taiwan is commemorated at this place. There are several gardens and ponds throughout the complex. This makes it a place to relax and unwind.
National Palace Museum
Here you can walk in the footsteps of the three thousand year old history of Taiwan and China and visit the treasures of the Forbidden City.
Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall
This memorial honors the first President of the Republic of China.
Longshan Temple
It is probably the most famous temple in the city of Taipei.
Shilin Night Market
This market sells groceries and prepares them for eating. After you have eaten, you are strengthened to plunge into the pleasures of the district.
Shin-Kong Life Tower
This tower was Taiwan’s tallest tower until 1997, with the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi shopping center on the bottom floor.
The Taipei Fine Arts Museum
In this museum you can primarily see works of modern times by the Taiwanese artists.
Boa An Temple
The temple built in 1760 is one of the most important of Taoism in Taipei.
Confucius Temple
The temple is located near the Bao An Temple and is dedicated to the Chinese scholar Confucius, whose teachings still play an important role today.
Lin-an-tai house
It is the oldest existing residential building in Taipei City. A wealthy merchant family had the Fujian-style courtyard built between 1783 and 1823.
Zhian Temple
In the Maokong Mountains in the south of Taipei is the Davist Temple, which was built in 1890. The temple was dedicated to Lu Dongbin, whose love for He Xiangu was, according to legend, not returned.