The Top 10 Questions Foreigners Have About Taiwan 外國人看臺灣的十個大問題

9/26/2023

Taiwan is strange and new to foreigners. Many things in Taiwan take foreigners by surprise. As Americans we want Taiwanese people to know what kind of questions foreigners have when first coming to Taiwan. This is by no means a complete list, but is written with the intent to help Taiwanese and Foreigners have a better understanding of one another’s culture.
台灣對外國人很陌生，很稀奇。台灣有的東西會把外國人嚇一大跳。身為美國人的我們想要讓台灣人了解我們外國人對台灣常發生的問號。這不是一個很完整的列表，只是為了讓台灣跟外國跟了解彼此的文化。

Basic Taiwan Travel Tips:

There is no need to tip in Taiwan. It is not part of the culture here.
Taiwan uses the New Taiwan Dollar, and many transactions such as for street food still require cash. For more information, check out our guide to the New Taiwan Dollar here.
Get yourself a SIM card or portable WiFi such as from Gigago here so you can stay connected and don't get lost in the city.
If you are from a country that does not have a 90-day visa-free program with Taiwan, consider getting your visa sorted with Ivisa.com. You can also check out our immigration FAQ here.
Get travel insurance in case of unforeseen events. You can compare prices on Insubuy here.
The electrical voltage is 110V.
Get yourself an Easy Card, so you can travel easily on the MRT, Train, HSR, Youbike, and even shop at convenience stores. You can also book a Taiwan travel pass on Klook here.
For more travel tips, check out our foreigner survival guide here.

Hotels in Taiwan:
Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Booking.com here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation in Taiwan.
Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here.

Tours in Taiwan:
There are many tour itineraries that you can enjoy in Taipei that will take you to multiple destinations and arrange transportation. For more information, you can check out Tripadvisor here, KKday here or Klook here, which are both great tour websites that can connect you with the right tour and tour guide for you.
Here are some of the most popular tours of Taiwan on TripAdvisor:

How to get around in Taiwan:
Taiwan's transportation system is convenient and safe. There are many options you can consider to get around in Taipei below:
By Train: Gets you to the city center of all major cities in Taiwan. It is about 800NT to get from Taipei to Kaohsiung. Roughly half the price of the HSR. Book tickets via the normal train (TRA) on Klook here.
By HSR: (High-Speed Rail) – Gets you quickly from north to south. Besides Taipei and Kaohsiung, most of the stations are far from city centers. It costs about 1500NT to get from Taipei to Kaohsiung. You can book tickets to the high-speed rail (HSR) on Klook here or KKDay here.
By MRT: (Mass Rapid Transit, Metro train, subway) – Easily gets you around Taipei and Kaohsiung. You can purchase a discount easy card to use on the MRT from Klook here or KKday here. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook here.
By Bus: Buses can be tricky. Long-range buses such as Ubus and King Bus are easier to understand and cheaper than the local train. They can take you to the city center of every city throughout Taiwan and to remote tourist destinations such as sun moon lake. A long-range bus from Taipei to Kaohsiung is about 500 NT. You can also book tickets to travel to Shifen via inter-city bus on Klook h ere. You can also book a Taipei Sightseeing: Hop On, Hop Off Open Top Bus on TripAdvisor here.
By Taxi: You can take short rides for about 150 NT, or hire a Taxi for a day for around 150 USD.
By Car: If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here.
By Scooter: Looking for scooter rental in Taipei? You can search on Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here.
By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can use Taiwan's many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a Sunset Riverside Bike Ride and Historical Tour, 4 Hour Cycling in Taipei, Ultimate 8-Hour Cycling City Tour, or Taipei City Bike Tour with Night Market Experience on TripAdvisor here.
For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here.

10. Why are There so Many Scooters? 怎麽這麽多機車？

In comparison, there are very few mopeds or scooters in foreign countries, especially in places with vast amounts of land such as the U.S. and Canada. Foreigners coming to Taiwan for the first time may be taken aback, and may feel that scooters in Taiwan are too loud and pollute the environment.
相較之下，外國國家騎機車的很少，特別在土地大國，像美國加拿大，騎機車比較不方便。來到台灣的新外國人可能會覺得很意外，而且覺得臺灣的機車又吵又污染。

9. Why are there Hobbit Homes Everywhere? 爲什麽到處是哈比人房屋？

Taiwan has many intrastate tombs scattered throughout Taiwan, that look different from typical gravestones in other countries. Foreigners unfamiliar with Taiwan’s traditions and culture may misinterpret these tombs as actually being houses, houses that look a lot like hobbit homes from the Lord of the Rings.
臺灣到處都是很有特色的墳墓，跟一般外國十字架墳墓很不一樣。跟臺灣的傳統不收悉的外國人可能會誤會這些墳墓是房子，以及很像哈比人的房子.

8. Why are There no Garbage Cans Anywhere?怎麽到處都沒有垃圾桶？

For many foreigners one of the first places they go sight-seeing is a night market. Some night markets do not mark trash canisters well if at all. This in addition to the foreign tourist always having to hold garbage in their hands can lead to some frustration and complaining.
很多外國人來台灣第一個去觀光的地方就是夜市。有的夜市垃圾桶的位置很不明確，加上外國人手上拿這些垃圾，導致很多外國人抱怨到處沒有垃圾桶。

7. Why Is Your Name Apple?爲什麽你的名字叫“Apple?”

“Apple” in English is not a name. Despite this, there are still many Taiwanese children with the name “Apple” or similar non-names such as “Seven” or “Taco.” These are the Chinese equivalent of being called “warm drinking water” or “wood forest.”
「蘋果」在英文不是人的名字，儘管如此還是相當多的台灣小朋友叫「Apple」。其他類似的名字「Seven」「Taco」之類的是像外國人取「溫開水」「木森林」之類的奇怪名字。

6. Why do I Have to Eat Some Stinky Tofu? 我爲什麽一定要吃臭豆腐？

For people that have never eaten stinky tofu, it really stinks, like raw sewage. But still Taiwanese people insist that ever new foreigner try this tasty delicacy, even though it is torture for most of them.
臭豆腐對沒有吃過的人真的很臭，跟大便差不多。但是台灣似乎很堅持每一個外國人一定要吃這個美味的名產。對新的外國人來說這樣的熱情其實是折磨。

5. What’s the Deal With Everyone Wearing Masks? 大家戴口罩是因爲…?

Long before before the COVID, before before 2020 in Taiwan it was courteous and polite to wear masks in public if one is sick to prevent communicable disease from spreading. The trend really took off with the outbreak of bird flu in 2008. Taiwan has imposed an outdoor mask mandate for over a year now, so you can be sure masks are not going away anytime soon.
COVID疫情發生之前( 2020 年之前)在台灣的公共場合大口罩是一個很有禮貌的舉動, 眾所周知生病時戴口罩可以防止傳染病傳播。隨著 2008 年禽流感的爆發，戴口罩這種趨勢真正開始了。台灣已經實施了一年多的戶外戴口罩的強制規定，因此您可以確定在未來大家還是會戴口罩.

4. Why are so Many People Wearing Jeans at the Beach? 爲什麽穿牛仔褲去海邊玩水？

Many western people come to Taiwan to enjoy its tropical beaches, wear a swim suit, get tan, and swim in the ocean. But many Taiwanese are more conservative when they go to the beach, hiding from the sun in long sleeves, long pants, and under umbrellas. Foreigners seeing Taiwanese people stomp in the ocean with long pants and umbrellas might shake their heads in curiosity.
很多西方觀光客想去享受台灣的熱帶海灘，在那邊就是要穿泳衣曬黑玩水。但是台灣人去海邊比較保守，有的還穿長袖長褲，帶雨傘，為了避免曬黑的情況。外國人在旁邊看可能會好奇，想說為什麼台灣人不愛玩水享受她們國家的寶貴沙灘。

3. Why do People Have Umbrellas out When it's Sunny? 大晴天爲什麽有人帶雨傘？

Foreigners with lighter skin tend to want to tan themselves and make their skin darker. Americans spend thousands of dollars a year in tanning salons, and umbrellas are almost never used for blocking out the sun’s rays. So when foreigners come to Taiwan and see people with umbrellas in the 30 degree weather, they might think it strange.
膚色比較白的外國人就是太白，想要變黑一點，甚至在美國有很多人花錢去曬黑店，雨傘從來沒有用來遮蔽皮膚過。所以外國人來台灣看這麼多人大晴天三十幾度的天氣帶雨傘長袖會覺得奇怪。

2. Why are there No Restrooms Anywhere? 怎麽到處都沒有厠所？

In America there seems to be a bathroom in every shop or store, however in Taiwan foreigners might be shocked to find that not every restaurant or store has a restroom. I’ve known a few foreigners who because of this have dirtied their underwear. I’ll stop there.
在美國好像每一個商店都有廁所，不管是買衣服，文具，或吃的都一樣。來到台灣的外國人可能會很訝異一般商店或餐廳沒有廁所。我有認識幾個外國朋友因為這樣不小心把褲子弄髒，其他不用說。

1. Isn’t Taiwan the Same Thing as Thailand? 臺灣不是泰國嗎？

It’s really sad but many foreigners don’t even know that Taiwan exists, or think that it is another name for Thailand, or simply know very little about the geography of Asia. But on the other hand I doubt the average Taiwanese citizen can name all 50 states.
令人失望的是很多外國人不知道台灣的存在，反而認為台灣只是泰國的另一個名稱或根本沒有學過亞洲的地理。但是我想說很少台灣人已經有美國50洲背下來。

Other questions foreigners have about Taiwan not listed above from long term residents:

Why is banking stuck in 1962?
Why do we need a Taiwanese guarantor for buying certain things?
Why do Taiwanese people like to line up for things?
Why do Taiwanese people always go to places that are famous instead of going to places that are different and not crowded?
Why do Taiwanese people think all western foreigners are Americans?
Why do Taiwanese people prefer the squat toilet?
Why do the outside of many buildings look like the inside of many bathrooms, with all of the tiles?
Why doesn't Taiwan let children born in Taiwan become Taiwanese?
Why doesn't Taiwan let foreign permanent residents in Taiwan become Taiwan citizens without revoking citizenship from their home country?

Attractions in Taiwan:
There are many attractions that you can enjoy in Taipei such as Taipei 101 Observatory, Taipei 101 460 Skyline Observatory, Taipei Children's Amusement Park, Maokong Gondola, National Palace Museum, Yehliu Ocean World, Yehliu Geopark, National Museum of Marine Science and Biology, i-ride 5D cinema, Astronomical Museum, Miniatures Museum of Taiwan, Double Decker Sightseeing Bus, Miramar Ferris Wheel Ticket, Taipei Zoo, Heping Island Park, Ju Ming Museum, Yuanshan Hotel Secret Road, National Taiwan Museum, New Taipei Gold Museum, Futian Leisure Farm, Chiang Kai-shek Shilin Residence, Chi Po-lin Museaum, Beitou Museum, Tsao Wonderland, Railway Museum, Fort San Domingo, 13 Levels Archaeology Museum, Austin Land, Museum of World Religions, Formosan Aboriginies Museum, ASE Parent-child Park, teamLab Future Park, Yukids Island, VR Experience, Bat Cave, Neidong Waterfall, Candlestick Islet, Jurassic Snow Park, Zhonghe High5 Amusement Park, Longshan Temple, Xingtian Temple, Ningxia Night Market, Yansan Night Market, Meteor Garden, Yingge Old Street, and many more attractions on Tripadvisor here, Klook here, or KKday here.

Activities in Taiwan:
Don't forget that there are many activities available in Taipei such as Indoor Skiing, Rock Climbing, Hiking, Wakeboarding, Surfing, Speedboat Surfing, SUP / Paddle Boarding, Diving, Snorkeling Kayaking, Canoeing, Water Biking, River Tracing / Canyoneering, ATVing, Horse Riding, Cooking Class, Archery, Ice Skating, Roller Skating, Tree Climbing, Urban Camping, Glamping, Motorcycling, Motorbike Tour, Dragon Boat Racing, Escape Room, Shen'ao Rail Bike, Laser Gun Experience, Batting Cages, Bowling, Paintball, Flight Simulation Experience, Taipei Tram Driving Experience, Rail Simulation Experience, Taipei 101 Observation Deck activity, Strawberry Picking, Professional Photo Shoot, Body Relaxation SPA, Night Tour, Calligraphy Workshop, and more on Tripadvisor here, Klook here, or KKday here.

Please like and share! If we forgot something, please tell us in the comments below!

You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here.

Like we said in the beginning, this list is not a complete statistical analysis with scientific data. It is just some fun things that foreigners think about when coming to Taiwan. If you feel like we missed anything, please let us know in the comments below! And don’t forget to like and share!
像我一開始說的，這個不是一個完整的列表。如果妳想要加其他想法或問題請在下面留言！請記得按讚和分享！

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