General Information - About Taiwan

Taiwan 's total land area is only about 36,000 square kilometers; it is shaped like a tobacco leaf that is narrow at both ends. It lies off the southeastern coast of mainland Asia, across the Taiwan Straits from Mainland China -- a solitary island on the western edge of the Pacific Ocean. To the north lies Japan and Okinawa, while to the south are the Philippines. Many airlines fly to Taiwan, helping make it the perfect travel destination. Taiwan lies on the western edge of the Pacific "rim of fire," and continuous tectonic movements have created majestic peaks, rolling hills and plains, basins, coastlines, and other wonders. Taiwan sees climates of many types: tropical, sub-tropical, temperate and even sub-alpine, providing clear differentiation between the different seasons. There are about 18,400 species of wildlife on the island, with more than 20% belonging to rare or endangered species; among these are the land-locked salmon, Taiwan mountain goat, Formosan rock monkey, Formosan black bear, blue magpie, Mikado pheasant, Hsuehshan grass lizard, and many more.Taiwan is also particularly famous for its many glorious endemic butterflies and beetles. The government has established 6 national parks and 12 national scenic areas to preserve Taiwan's best natural ecological environment and cultural sites. Take in the splendor and sheer heights of the cliffs at Taroko Gorge; take a ride on the Alishan train--one of only three mountain railways in the world--and experience the breathtaking sunset and sea of clouds; or hike up to the summit of Northeast Asia's highest peak, Jade Mountain. You can also soak up the sun in Kending, Asia 's version of Hawaii; stand at the edge of SunMoonLake; traipse through the East Rift Valley; or visit the offshore islands of Kinmen and Penghu . It's FUN in capital letters as well as an awesome journey of natural discovery! The cultural aspects are also not to be missed. The blending of Hakka, Taiwanese, and Mainland Chinese cultures has produced a rich plethora of cultural and social color. Whether it is religion, architecture, language, living habits, or food, it's just one big exciting melting pot! Food is the best representative of this cultural mixing and matching. Aside from cuisines from different parts of the mainland such as Zhejiang, Hunan, Guangdong, Yunnan, Shanghai, Beijing, Sichuan, and others, there is also the local Taiwanese cuisine as well as the many local delicacies of each area. Taipei Brief Taipei is situated near the northern tip of Taiwan and is the islands political, economic, education, cultural and entertainment center. Taipei not only showcases any different foreign cultures and people but also embraces people from many other countries. Climate: The climate is subtropical. The temperatures in February are 19XC - 13XC, the average temperature is 16XC. In March temperatures are between 22XC - 15XC, with an average about 18XC. There often is light spring rain in February, March and April. In Taiwan, May is quite a rainy season, and the rainfalls in this month have been given a beautiful name: the plum rain. Compared to drizzly spring rain, it rains more frequently and heavily. Dont have cold feet because of the rain. Apart from the wet days, going out for picnic or sport is still enjoyable under breeze and lovely sunshine. The daily average temperature is 25XC (18XC - . 34XC). Voltage: 110V 60 Hz is widely used in Taiwan. Most plugs are 2-hole flat blade attachment plug, & 3-hole flat blades with a round grounding pin are also seen. Foreigners may bring Power Plug Adapters or transformers to visit Taiwan. (The Grand Hotel uses 110V 60Hz 2-hole flat blade plugs) Currency: The unit of Taiwan currency is the New Taiwan Dollar. Paper money comes in denominations of 100, 200, 500, 1000, and 2000 dollars. Most common are the $100 and $1000 bills. You can change money at banks and big luxury hotels. The commonly accepted cards are Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. Most banks are open weekdays 9:00am to 3:30pm. (Weekdays are Mon to Fri). US dollars and Japanese Yen can be changed directly in each bank. If you need to change other country currencies, not all banks are authorized to do so. The Bank of Taiwan is your first choice. To save time, we suggest that you use the foreign-exchange service in your own country. The Bank of Taiwan business information can be found at: http://www.bot.com.tw/English/BusinessUnits/default.htm The following are rough estimates of currency conversions: NT$33 = US$1 NT$19 = SG$1 NT$45 = EUR$1 NT$3 = JPY$10 NT$25 = AU$1