| location | |
 | |
| flag | |
 | |
| Short dates | |
| Capital | Taipei |
|---|---|
| Form of government | Semi-presidential system of government, democracy |
| currency | New Taiwan Dollar (TWD) |
| surface | 36,193 km² |
| population | 23.593.794 (2019) |
| languages | Taiwanese Mandarin, Chinese, Hakka, Formosian Languages, Taiwanese, Austronesian Languages, American, Paiwan |
| Religions | Mixture of Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism 93%, Christian 4.5%, other religions |
| Electricity / plug | 110 V, 60 Hz, FROM |
| Phone code | 886 |
| Internet TLD | .tw |
| Time zone | CET 7h |
Taiwan, the "prodigal son of China", has its own little charms. The Portuguese sailors called the island "Formosa" (Portuguese: "beautiful") and did not exaggerate. The mountains of Taiwan rise up to over 3000 m, with valleys and gorges in between. The few plains are criss-crossed by wide river beds that fill up completely in just a few hours during the dreaded typhoons. In addition to the Chinese immigrants from different times, there are still a few descendants of the Malayo-Polynesian indigenous people who have begun to emphasize their cultural peculiarities again in recent years.
Regions
Taiwan can be divided into five regions:
- Central Taiwan - This region includes the central mountains, the central west coast and the Sun moon lake and the city Taichung with a.
- East coast - This region is separated from the rest of the island by mountains and has the most breathtaking natural beauties of the country such as the Taroko National Park. Here are the cities Hualien and Taitung.
- Northern Taiwan - The capital Taipei, the high technology center Hsinchu and the Yangmingshan National Park lie here.
- Southern Taiwan - The tropical region has many beaches and coconut palms. Here is the second largest city Kaohsiung, the oldest city Tainan as well as Taiwan's first national park Kenting.
- The offshore islands - the Green Island, Kinmen (Quemoy), Matsu, Orchid Island and Penghu.
Cities
- Hualien (花蓮 市)
- Kaohsiung (高雄市)
- Keelung (基隆市)
- Taichung (台中)
- Tainan (台南)
- Taipei (台北)
- Chiayi (嘉義 市)
- Taitung (臺 東 市)
Other goals
background
The official name of Taiwan is Republic of China (R.O.C.). The island is also called Formosa. This comes from the Portuguese sailors who were the first Europeans to travel the waters and who called Taiwan “Ilha Formosa” (beautiful island). Formosa fell to Japan after the Sino-Japanese War in 1895. After the Second World War, Japan had to cede Formosa to China again, and the national Chinese (Kuomintang, KMT) took control of the island. When they were defeated in the civil war against Mao's communists in 1949, the national Chinese government fled to the island of Taiwan. This government was the official representation of all of China at the United Nations until the 1970s, when it was finally expelled from the UN in favor of the government in Beijing. Currently, 23 states recognize Taiwan as an independent country and have official diplomatic relations with Taipei. The German-speaking countries have no embassies in Taiwan. Germans and Austrians are looked after by offices (German Cultural Center) in their countries, the Swiss embassy in Beijing is responsible.
The People's Republic of China views Taiwan as a breakaway province, while the Taiwanese people are divided on this issue. A large proportion now advocate independence from China, but the proportion of supporters of reunification (under different political circumstances) is also large. The western states pursue a "one-China policy" and see Taiwan as an official part of China. Nonetheless, the US has pledged its support to Taiwan should the People's Republic attempt to forcibly repossess Taiwan. Germany also supplies arms to Taiwan.
Taiwan's democratic constitution was adopted on December 25, 1947, but was suspended by martial law for 40 years. While the President was previously elected by the National Assembly as head of state, since a constitutional amendment in 1992, citizens can directly elect the President. The term of office is limited to two consecutive four-year terms. The first freely elected President Lee Teng-Hui was sworn in on May 20, 1996.
There are around 100 political parties in Taiwan - but in 2003, 87% of the seats in the legislature were held by the country's four major parties. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, “green faction”) won the presidential election in 2000, the second strongest party was the national Kuomintang party (KMT, “blue faction”). The People First Party (PFP) was the third largest and the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) the fourth largest. The 2008 elections brought the Kuomintang back to power.
The culture in Taiwan is shaped by Chinese. The visual contrasts between modern glass facades and old houses, the street markets, the friendliness of the people and the very good infrastructure make traveling worthwhile and easy. Taiwan is particularly suitable for beginners in Asia. With 36,179 km², the island is about the size of Baden-Württemberg and can be easily traveled, for example, in a round trip along the coast of 14 to 21 days. The bus and train network is very well developed. There is a lot to discover in culinary terms and friends of Asian temples will certainly not miss out. The east coast with the Taroko National Park and the center of the island beckon with a lot of nature; likewise the south. In the west there is one city next to the other, and in the north of the island the metropolis of Taipei dominates. The tallest building in the world until 2007 is the Taipei Financial Center, also known as "Taipei 101" due to its 101 floors.
getting there
Citizens of all EU countries, Swiss and Liechtenstein citizens do not need a visa for a stay in Taiwan of up to 90 days. All you need to enter the country is a passport that is valid for at least 6 months upon arrival. Holders of a "temporary passport" receive a "visa on arrival." HIV-positive people who want to stay in the province for more than three months are not permitted.
By plane
The international airport "Taiwan Taoyuan International" (IATA: TPE, until 2006: "Chiang Kai-Shek International") in the north is served by many airlines. There are direct flights from Frankfurt / M. to Taipei with China Airlines (2pm) and from Amsterdam and Vienna with Eva Airlines. There are connections to practically all Asian countries, the USA and Australia. The airport is about an hour's drive outside of Taipei. Bus transfers to downtown Taipei and the larger hotels are offered by several competing bus companies. The only line of the Taoyuan Metro to date runs from the airport to Taipei Central Station in around 40 minutes at a price of 160 TWD (around EUR 4.50, as of June 2019). You should make sure to choose one of the express trains with fewer stops. If you like it more convenient, you can also take a taxi for about five to eight times the price (approx. 1000 TWD / 25 euros, as of 2012).
The second international airport is in Kaoshiung in southern Taiwan - the city center can be reached in around 15 minutes by taxi or KMRT.
By boat
Taiwan has very large container ports in Kaoshiung in the south, in Taichung in central Taiwan and in Keelung in the north. There has been a weekly ferry connection from / to between China and the Taiwanese island of Kinmen and Keelung since 2010 Xiamen (Chinese booking website).
mobility
The Railway system on Taiwan is well developed. The big cities can be reached by direct connections, smaller cities have to be reached by changing trains. At all stations there are machines and counters for selling tickets for the same day and at other counters for later days. The trains are usually clean. A valid ticket is required to access the platform. When leaving the destination station, this must be shown and handed in. The staff is friendly. At the train stations there are waiting areas and a mini market, mostly from the 7-Eleven chain. The Taiwanese Railways have a very good website in both Chinese and English. The routes can be planned and the tickets reserved online. There are three tariff classes for three different train categories. The conventional trains (comparable to a regional train in Germany) are the cheapest and stop at every station. Express trains skip some stations and are slightly more expensive, and trains in the "Limited Express" category correspond to the European InterCity / EuroCity trains and are the most expensive (approx. Twice the price of single trains) absolutely necessary, although recommended - the reservations are not written to at the seats, so that you have to expect to be scared away from your seat by newly boarded passengers with a reservation).
The one that has been in operation since 2007 High speed train (HSR, "High Speed Rail") connects the north-south axis between Taipei and Zuoying (Kaohsiung) in about 2 hours and costs about 1490 TWD in 2nd class, the trains with only 3 stops do the same Price in 90 minutes. Since a large part of the line had to be built earthquake-proof on stilts, this line is one of the most expensive rail projects in the world. Except in Taipei and Kaohsiung, these stations are not well connected to the city centers in terms of transport. But there is the possibility to use free shuttle buses that bring you to the center. As a traveler, it is advisable to travel Business Class (1st class), it costs little more, but you have more space, peace and quiet and get water, coffee and a little something to nibble on, so you can travel at an average of 300 km / h enjoy. All rows of seats in the high-speed trains are always in the direction of travel (the rows are rotated at the end stations by the staff) and have their own window.
Train tickets can also be bought in mini markets (e.g. 7-Eleven). To do this, you first print out a voucher for the selected connection at a machine (which also offers various other functions, such as the purchase of tickets and money transfers), then pay at the cash desk of the market and receive the ticket there.
The cities are also with that bus connected with each other. The intercity buses from “Ubus”, “FreeGo”, “HoShin” and others offer an alternative to cheap train travel. The buses are modern and comfortable. The sales outlets are often located near the train station or the airports. A trip between the metropolises of Taipei and Kaoshiung in a luxury bus costs around 600 TWD (13 EUR; 04/2007) and takes around four hours if traffic conditions are favorable.
Between the big cities there are Flight connections sometimes even every 15 minutes. With the exception of some public holidays, you usually do not need a reservation and can even buy tickets up to a few minutes before departure. A flight between the metropolises of Taipei and Kaoshiung costs around 1800 TWD (40 euros; 08/2007) and takes less than an hour. While Kaoshiung International Airport is directly connected to the City Airport, Taipei International Airport is just under an hour's drive from Taipei City Airport.
Taxis are yellow and easy to find in the big cities. They go by meter and are reasonably priced. If you don't speak Chinese, you definitely need the name of the destination in Chinese written form. Hotels, for example, always have a Chinese name; very few taxi drivers know the English names of the hotels.
Even if foreign driver's licenses for two-wheelers are not valid in Taiwan (!), They can be easily and cheaply in some tourist areas and in large cities Scooter rent. Heavy motorcycles have also been allowed in Taiwan for a number of years, but two-wheelers are generally not allowed on the highway.
When renting cars are depending on the country of origin international car driving licenses accepted. The traffic routes outside the cities are usually very well signposted in English. In large cities, traffic is often extremely dense and confusing. A toll of 40 TWD (as of 04/2007) per route section of approx. 30 km is payable on the motorways. The speed limits are monitored in many places and traffic lights are often equipped with cameras. Parking fees are recorded on a slip of paper and stuck under the windscreen wiper - the fees can then be paid in a mini-market such as 7-Eleven. If the car is towed, you will often find the number plate and a telephone number written in chalk on the spot - a taxi driver can use this telephone number to take you to the relevant police car park.
At Chinese New Year there are restrictions on motorways on some days. In general, the volume of traffic on such public holidays is extremely high and there are often hardly any free spaces on public transport.
During one typhoon it is very dangerous, especially in the mountain regions, as roads or bridges are often torn away by the masses of water.
language
The national language is Chinese (Mandarin). Many younger people also speak English. At tourist destinations and in many shops in the city center, you will be able to communicate in English without any problems. Instead, older people often speak Japanese as a foreign language as a result of the long occupation by Japan.
In addition, Taiwanese, another dialect of Chinese, is very widespread in the southern part of the country. Since there is a certain national pride associated with it, after all, the language was banned during the military dictatorship, there are always people who only speak Taiwanese.
Caution: Many taxi or bus drivers do not understand English and often also do not understand phonetic transcription in Latin letters. It is an advantage to have a travel guide with city or street names in Chinese with you or to have addresses in the hotel or similar noted down. However, one should not forget that the characters are written in the traditional spelling. So be careful with books or travel guides that you buy abroad.
to buy
Taiwan - just like Thailand, for example - is often associated with a cheap country, but in reality this is by no means the case. Technical equipment in particular is usually only slightly cheaper than in Europe. Textiles are cheap on the night markets, we find the same price level in western department stores. The “fakes” of the big brands like “adidas”, which are quickly called “adidadi”, are entertaining.
Payment in the department stores is possible in cash or with credit cards. The price level is cheap in the night markets that offer food, textiles, CDs, pets, jewelry and food. A meal costs around 1.10 euros (60 TWD) on average, a beer costs between 0.80 - 1.10 euros (35 - 50 TWD). [As of 02/2007]
kitchen
Taiwanese cuisine is special and very different from Chinese cuisine. The innards of pork, beef and poultry, chicken feet, duck tongues, blood and necks, which are cooked in special spicy sauces, are available everywhere. For example, chicken breast is considered poor people's food, as can be seen in the night markets. (A fried chicken fillet costs 50 NTD and a chicken neck costs 30 NTD.)
Of course there are also dishes that are not so strange to Western Europeans. A lot of fish and seafood are prepared, but also poultry, beef and pork. There are many different soup dishes. The soup par excellence is the beef noodle soup. There are two variants: once as a soup and once separately, with the sauce in an extra bowl. You should definitely try the fresh bamboo industry, which is served raw with mayonnaise.
In the big cities you can of course also find all the regional cuisines of China that were brought to Taiwan by the Kuomintang. Japanese cuisine is also very well represented. Due to the large number of guest workers, there are also many Thai and Vietnamese restaurants, as well as Mongolian, Indian and western restaurants. As in the rest of the world, there are more and more fast food chains in Taiwan, such as Kentucky Fried Chicken, McDonald's or MOS Burger, and the trend towards fried foods is on the streets.
Taiwan is the birthplace of Bubble teas. Compared to the chemical sugar solutions that you get in Germany, Taiwan still has the original product with some very high quality Ololong teas. There are teashops every few meters, but unfortunately often only with a Chinese menu. The teas with taro, for which the Olong tea is mixed with cooked taro (sweet potato) and milk, are special, even if it takes some getting used to.
If you like sweets, Taiwan is the right place for you. There is white nougat in all flavors (nougat with macadamia nuts is particularly recommended), which is always freshly prepared, especially in the markets. Another specialty that is particularly popular not only with tourists is pineapple pâté (Fengli Su), a slightly dry shortcrust pastry filled with pineapple paste. Here you should pay attention to the quality. Good pineapple cakes cost around one euro each. Known to most from Japan, there are also tons of different mochi (sticky rice cakes) in Taiwan. While the traditional fillings such as red beans, peanuts, sesame paste and green tea are still dominant, milk, strawberries and chocolate can now also be found. A specialty is the Taiwan mochi, which is only available in special shops or pastry shops. This is a wafer-thin layer of mochi, filled with biscuit batter, cream and fruit. Since there is a lot of peanut and sesame cultivation in the southwest of the island, you will also find the corresponding products there. Particularly noteworthy are caramelized peanut and sesame slices. Dried salty and spiced plums in many different variations are also very popular.
Those who like ice cream and fruit will find it difficult to leave Taiwan again. Almost everywhere you can get wafer-thinly grated water ice, which is sweetened with syrup and served with fresh fruit. Especially in hot weather, this is the ultimate refreshment. In the markets you can also find pureed fruit with milk or water, served in a large mug with ice cubes.
There are very high quality fruits in Taiwan. Anyone who has always wanted to know what a mango or pineapple really tastes like should get the freshly cut fruit from the markets or supermarkets. The disadvantage: you will never want to eat pineapple in Germany again. In addition to the well-known fruits, there are also fruits that are not known in this country, such as the rose apple or fresh guavas. You should also try star fruits, cinnamon apples, cherimoyas, pomelos and especially in summer watermelons.
Many places are known for their local culinary specialties. These are often agricultural products such as peanuts and sesame in Peikang, rose apples in Pintung, watermelons in Hsilo, cinnamon apples in Taitung and pomelos in Touliu. But also special dishes such as the rooster in the urn in Guanziling and the pressed smoked duck in Ilan or sweets such as mochi in Sanyi make the respective towns and villages popular excursion destinations.
nightlife
Taiwan offers - especially in cities like Taipei and Kaohsiung - a variety of ways to go out.
All larger cities and many smaller ones have at least one night market. There are many exotic experiences to be had here for visitors from the west, especially when it comes to food. The often rumored fresh snake soup is a specialty of the "Snake Alley" market on Huaxi Street near the Longshan Temple in Taipei. But that is by far not the only discovery that can be made. Stalls with clothes, toys, snacks, drinks and meals are mixed up. You should pay particular attention to the culinary offerings. Sweet and salty, meat and vegetarian, fruit, seafood, soups and pasta in variations that have never been seen or tasted can be found here.
The most famous night markets include, next to or in front of Snake Alley, the Shilin and Shimending night markets in Taipei, the Miaokou night market in Keelung and the Liuhe night market in Kaohsiung.
accommodation
Under no circumstances are Taiwan allowed to come along South East Asia equate when it comes to hotel prices, even if it is cheaper than, for example, Hong Kong. For a simple hotel you should plan at least 30 euros a night, at least in Taipei. In many tourist places such as Kenting or Hualien In some hotels, prices almost double on the weekends.
Good alternatives throughout Taiwan are hostels, small hotels and youth hostels. On average, a night including breakfast costs 15 euros per person. There is a network of youth hostels across the country, which are mainly used by local tourists. The small hotels often change their names and owners. Bookings from Germany are possible through the international youth hostel association and a few hotel booking systems.
Anyone traveling by car or two-wheeler can stay overnight in one of the many motels for around € 40. Most of the newer motels are very comfortable and often offer a large whirlpool bathtub or massage chair in the room (ask for "SPA"). Here you can see that motels serve primarily as places for a romantic tête-à-tête for lovers.
There are campsites with showers, toilets and barbecue facilities in the mountains or on a few beaches.
Learn
Work
Many mostly younger people from Europe, North America and South Africa come to Taiwan to teach English. To do this, you officially need an appropriate qualification and a work visa. Compared to local skilled workers, the remuneration is very good.
public holidays
The most important holidays are the Chinese New Year. Since this is based on the lunar calendar (new moon), it is not in sync with our solar calendar - the Chinese New Year is in late January or February. The New Year celebrations is the only time of the year when business in otherwise busy Taiwan almost comes to a standstill for a few days.
Beware: it is very difficult to get train, bus or plane tickets during the Chinese New Year celebrations. Extreme traffic jams and a shortage of parking spaces can be expected across Taiwan. Hotels and restaurants are often hopelessly fully booked and the prices for services (hotels, taxis) can be greatly increased during this time.
security
Taiwan is considered to be one of the safest travel destinations in Asia. Europeans are treated with respect and a lot of curiosity. There are no attacks on tourists and the state punishes them severely. The country seems to be happy about every "stranger" who joins the country R.O.C. - Bringing Taiwan some recognition and breaking isolation. Visiting the night markets is also safe at any time of the night, apart from the usual risk of encountering pickpockets in the dense crowd.
Taiwan is an earthquake area, which is why tremors and tsunamis are to be expected. In addition, the island is regularly hit by typhoons, causing severe damage, including flooding, to the infrastructure. Earthquakes and storms also create loose slopes and rocks in the mountains. Watch out for mudslides and rockfalls.
health
Overall, Taiwan is a very safe country. Eating and drinking is relatively safe - but you shouldn't drink tap water. Medical care in Taiwan is good and most of the doctors in the major hospitals speak English.
As in all tropical countries, you should protect yourself from the strong sunlight in Taiwan, even on cloudy days.
There are several types of venomous snakes in the mountains, but no incidents are actually known. You should protect yourself from mosquitoes at night with appropriate clothing or sprays. On rare occasions, dengue fever has been transmitted through mosquito bites in Taiwan. Vaccination recommendations can be found on Tropeninstitut.de.
 | These medical notices have been carefully researched, but they are made no guarantee. A conversation with the person responsible Family doctor or one travel medicine or tropical medicine advice center is recommended in case of health problems or uncertainties. Also note: Note on health issues |
climate
Taiwan's climate in the north is subtropical and tropical in the south. The summers are hot and humid with daytime temperatures between 27 and 35 degrees Celsius - there is hardly any noticeable cooling at night. The sun's rays are very strong even when the sky is cloudy, so appropriate sun protection is advisable.
The winters are mild even in the north of the island with 8 to 15 degrees Celsius. In the south of the island, however, it can often get up to 27 degrees during the day, even in winter. Then the air cools down noticeably after sunset. However, since very few buildings have heating, it can still be quite uncomfortable due to the high humidity and the cold winds.
On the up to 3951 m high mountains there is occasional snowfall in winter and it is correspondingly cooler in summer. The tree line in the Taiwanese mountains is considerably higher than, for example, in Europe.
The slightly windier east coast of Taiwan is separated from the western part of the island by high mountain ranges. Every year, an average of four typhoons, mostly coming from the east or south-east, pass through Taiwan. Even if these typhoons often cause great damage with strong winds and a lot of rain, they play an important role in the fresh water supply of the island. The regional media usually warn of an approaching typhoon for several days.
respect
Respect is very important in Taiwan according to the Chinese way of life. This is especially true in the relationship between younger and older people. These include honesty, save face and posture.
You shouldn't leave the chopsticks upright in the food, as this actually symbolizes a ritual for the dead. Instead, place the chopsticks flat on the bowl or next to the bowl. If you eat together at the table with several people, you should not use your own chopsticks to get the food from the platters, but use the chopsticks that come with the dish ("Gong Kuai"). A foreigner is happy to look after mistakes anyway.
Before entering private apartments, you take off your shoes. There are also a few temples or restaurants where you have to take off your shoes.
Temples in Taiwan are not only religious sites, but usually also simply places where normal life takes place, where people discuss, play, learn, laugh, make phone calls, eat, buy, sell, smoke, drink, sleep. When visiting a temple, unlike in many other countries, you need to pay less attention to appropriate clothing. Basically, the outside also affects how you are treated by your counterpart. A well-groomed appearance is recommended, women should refrain from choosing too daring clothes. Taking photos doesn't bother in most temples, as long as you don't squeeze yourself between the prayers. In some temples, however, photography of the main altar is prohibited.
Post and Telecommunications
Post offices usually open Mon.-Fri. 8.00am-6.30pm and Saturday until 12.30pm. Larger branches also exchange foreign currencies, including euro cash, which is rarely accepted elsewhere.
Phone calls to Germany are very cheap. Cards and payphones are plentiful. For calls without an operator, you first have to dial 002 and then the country code without zero (49 for Germany). Tickets are available at the machine or in any 7-Eleven chain supermarket.
Cell phone calls are also possible without problems with a German mobile phone. When dialing, however, only 49 is possible as an entry for Germany instead of 0049. Sending SMS is possible without any problems, as is reception (sometimes also costs for reception).
Prepaid SIM cards can be found in many telephone shops. In addition to low call tariffs, there are also many interesting data tariffs. For legitimation you need 2 documents e.g. passport and identity card or driver's license. It is advisable to have the telephone shop carry out the activation. Cards to top up the credit are available in many shops, for example at 7-Eleven or Family Mart.
Internet cafes - now a dying business model - are a cheap way to send messages home. An hour costs between 10 and 25 Taiwan dollars, currently between 0.25 and 0.50 €. The computers are modern, the connection is DSL. The other visitors will mostly play on the PC, the noise will distract from e-mailing and at the same time give an entertaining picture.
On the other hand, there is the paid one WiFly that enables broadband over 10,000 hotspots nationwide, especially in American-style franchise chains. Prepaid cards, available from MOS Burger and 7-Eleven, cost 1 day; NT $ 180, 30 days: 500, 365 days: 1200.
literature
- Werner Lips: Taiwan. 600 pages. 4. A - 2005. ISBN 3831714096
Web links
- Taipei Tourist Office - Department of Tourism, Ministry of Transportation, Republic of China
- German Institute Taipei - German Institute Taipei
- Taiwan Cam - Webcams across Taiwan at www.gov.tw
