My Taiwan Adventure

How easy is it to travel in Taiwan? Some would say its a breeze, others would say it isn't that simple. Largely it depends on your confidence and experience traveling in a country where English is not the native language. My experience has been that it is not always simple, but Taiwan was made with convenience in mind.

For instance, I found it much cheaper to have a local Taiwanese friend book my hotel stays. This paid off especially in resort towns like Kending where you can get a reasonable room and a scooter rental all included at around $1,000 NT a night. Having been to Kending multiple times I was never able to negotiate a deal like that for myself. Knowing Mandarin definitely pays.

Finding hotels is easy, you simply walk down almost any main street and they're plainly visible. If you're on a budget negotiating for price at a hotel is a little more difficult. Never be afraid to walk out of an establishment if you feel uncomfortable or like you're getting a bad deal. If the owner is motivated they'll come behind you and offer a lower price. If they're not motivated, you just find a new place to stay. Don't be rude or insulting, just politely say something like you'll come back later.

I'll post more on travel options later. For now I hope you enjoyed the first installment of Getting Around Taiwan.

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