Taiwan was a big surprise for us. I always pictured boring, crowded cities, but actually most of the island is covered with green mountains and good hiking ops. Even the capital city Taipei was amazing, with cool monuments, good food, and Taiwan’s unique mango ice cream.

Climate

Most of Taiwan, including Taipei, has a subtropical climate, while the very southern part of the island is tropical. The nicer, cooler months are from October to May, when temps range from 55 to 75 F (13 to 23 C). June to October is the typhoon season, and also the hottest time of year.

Safety

Taiwan is a very safe place to travel, with a low violent crime rate of 0.8 per 100k inhabitants (89% lower than the global average). The country had 12 million tourist arrivals in 2019.

Budget

Train transportation here is extremely cheap and efficient. It’s shocking. We took some rides in Taipei that cost less than $1 USD. Uber is also available in Taipei. Hostels and private hotels are available from $15 in many cities like Taichung and Kaohsiung, although Taipei hotels are a bit more pricey. Meals are normally about $5 to $10 depending on location.