See the True Taiwan: an insiders guide

This is a re-updated post of clubs in Taipei. If you're looking to go out in Taipei for a good time, its worth it to know that things have changed significantly since the last time this blog posted about going out. Clubs: To date, if you're a well dressed, foreign man without the company of women of any race, expect to be given SOME trouble at the top clubs. Still true in 2023. Not going to name names, but party life seems to have separated into places that cater to foreigners, and places that prefer a more local vibe. Straight up refusing entry isn't something to worry about, but you might find things feel a bit off in the wrong spot. Remember They're A Business: Clubs want to make money, and if its a good idea to make money off of you they will. Some prices are specific for men / women, foreign / not foreign, etc. Although the practice is fading away bit by bit. Don't be surprised if you can't get a deal on entry for some reason, even if it was posted o...

A lot of recent college grads and world travelers have likely considered the idea that they could move to Taiwan for a while, work in a cram school, learn some Chinese and experience some local culture. A lot of advice on the internet is that you should move here for at most a year, learn whatever you can and figure yourself out, save whatever you can, don't party too hard, and keep yourself focused on your end goals. Hard truths before we even start : You won't learn Mandarin in a year unless you're already gifted in language. It's not a good place to show up to become Mr. Ladies man and exploit your foreignness. The island is VERY over the exotic foreigner thing. Take our word for it. You probably will get relatively little in the way of local experience in your first year because you're seen as a long term tourist and can't get access to the stuff you really want because you don't know anyone. It's not on par with Seoul, Hong Kong, or Tokyo fo...

One of the greatest, and worst, things about Taipei is its basin-like structure ringed by mountains. On hot summer days the heat and smog linger for what feels like an eternity and even strong winds can't blow it all way. Yet go up any of those mountains at night and you'll be rewarded with a spectacular view. Enter one of the all time classic things to do in Taiwan: The night view. Despite some rather intense discussion about if "night view" actually means anything in proper English, it's definitely what it's called here. Elephant Mountain at night in 2013. The most popular spot to take in the city at night is Elephant Mountain. You make the short but steep ascent to the large stones, turn around and...prepare to be even more breathless! On a clear night you can see the whole city from east to west, as well as almost entirely from south to north. Pre-dusk back when Nanshan Plaza hadn't gotten to full height. Elephant mountain. ...

On a recent trip back to the US east coast I ended up needing to buy a one way ticket from Taiwan, and was looking at prices well over 1,000 USD (30,000 NTD). After exhausting all the options I wound up booking an award ticket on China Airlines for a direct flight from Taipei (TPE) to New York's JFK airport. There weren't a ton of reviews about the 777 business class product, and I was reluctant to fly with China Airlines (CI) because of things I'd head as a teacher to former employees, online reviews, and their poor safety record up to 2003. Yet the improvements on the ground and in the air were incredible obvious and I will gladly fly with CI again. After a comment from a reader, just wanted to say the experience was great, and while there is some room for improvement, I was satisfied with my choice to fly CI! Check in: Check in was a bit of a mess in Terminal 2 with a single row of counters handling several international flights worth of passengers. I arrived a...

For as long as I can remember people who come to Taiwan have asked about "those wild hot springs in Yangmingshan".  Somehow the idea of soaking in volcanic water in the untamed wilderness appeals to nearly everyone, and there are a ton of blogs written about the experience at Bayan. Perhaps it's the clever name that gets people involved - wild hot springs do sound fun! - but the name tells little of the truth. A better name is "Bayan technically illegal agrichemical waste water often over crowded and full of bathing soaps wading pools", but who would want to waste a whole day going there? Agrichemicals sounds like they make for an uninviting swim, but where do the pollutants come from you ask? Just uphill of the springs - and an area you'll need to pass through if you descend to the springs - is a giant farm which also features a man made reflective pool with a rock garden. As you descend from the road you'll snake your way through the fairly exten...

Here's the best practical advice for renting a scooter during your time in Taiwan. If you live in Taiwan and hold an Alien Resident Card: Get a local license when you get here and skip trying the IDL all together. There is a written test, in English, at the DMV and a simple driving test - if you actually know how to drive a scooter - and you can get up to a 250cc machine or e-bike. Now you can rent scooters without an issue anywhere and you're covered by the minimal insurance policy it has! Bonus local ID too. As a Tourist: 2022 Update: Many countries now have reciprocal license agreements with Taiwan. The list is continuing to grow as time goes on, but with few exceptions you'll need a copy of your original license, a Chinese translation, and your passport. The program is intended for short stays Bear in mind when actually acquiring a vehicle you're still far better off holding  an IDL. Here's the link to pdf's about reciprocal licenses Bring your International...