I recently returned to Taiwan, but this time visiting the remote offshore island known as Lanyu, or Orchid Island! Check out my video here - th-cam.com/video/OOpz-5TEQWs/w-d-xo.html!
I spend months in Taiwan and still can’t see and do enough, so I keep going back. I love Taipei. I can’t get enough of it. Almost everyone speaks English. The educated young people are the most literate in the world. Over five years it adopted me and I, Taiwan. We are family. I have several dozen close friends. The are my didi’s (brothers). They often say ‘we are your family’.
That sounds amazing!!! I'm hoping to spend a lot more time there, and eventually live there, although both times I've been so far, not many people spoke English with me, so I did feel a little isolated in that regard.
Thank you everyone for 100,000 views on my video, exactly 9 months after posting this (21/10/23)! It means a lot to me, and I can't wait to bring out more videos to inspire those to travel around the world. It's truly an enjoyable hobby and I wish I could do it more, but regardless, I love the adventures I can go on.
Thanks for sharing Taiwan's offerings. I've been in love with Taiwan since my first visit over 10 years ago. It grips you like no other place in the world.
I am in my late sixties and will be going on a trip with my work colleague who is from Thailand we will stay there she is then going to take me to Taiwan I am so looking forward to this but also feeling bit anxious but it looks really beautiful I am leaving the UK in April 18 hopefully for an amazing trip ❤
You'll absolutely love both Thailand and Taiwan! Both are amazing places!! I'll be releasing my Thailand video soon, but if your friend hasn't already told you, Chiang Mai in Thailand is an absolute must see!!!
I love Yuanzui Shan. I was lucky enough that I got to the top. Hopefully you can return again and get to the top on a clear day. The sight is breath taking. I also highly recommend Jade and Snow mountains. Although, the hike to Jiaming lake, a.k.a. Angel's Teardrop is equally if not more impressive. Taiwan's east coast, oceans, mountains, river tracing, natural hotsprings, and aboriginal cultures are all incredible, and worth revisiting.
I can't wait to go back and attempt it again, and spend a lot longer on the east coast. I was actually in Taiwan again last week to try and attempt it, however the weather all week was raining and awful, so I saw no point in trying. I am planning to hopefully move to Taiwan later in the year because I loved it so much there, and hopefully that'll open up more opportunities to explore. Thank you also for the suggestion of Jade and Snow mountains! I wanted Jade mountain at first, but after finding out you needed to enter a sort of lottery to gain access, I thought it wasn't worth the hassle as a tourist.
Very informative video. I like you comment about Airbnb's. We wasted too much time finding the place in Madrid and Ireland. We could have stayed in centrally located hotels in Ireland for not much more money. Likewise we spent 12 days in Taiwan. We want to go back sometime.
Great drone footage! I'm contemplating on bringing my drone on my visit to Taiwan. I was just wondering if you encountered any issues using your drone? also did you have any issues at the airport.
Thank you for the positive comment! 💚 I didn't encounter any issues with the drone, except me being stupid enough to risk flying it between 2 canyons at a waterfall, where it then crashed into a spiders web and then fell into the waterfall, and I had to jump in after it (this was a waterfall near Nantou County), but at least I was able to find out the DJI Mini 2 is waterproof! You do need to apply for a drone licence with Taiwan's CAA, however payment (£5 GBP/$6 USD) can only be done in a bank in Taiwan. I made the payment and carried my proof of payment around with me, however no one ever came up to me or questioned me about my drone. If you're going to Taroko National Park, you also need to apply for an additonal drone permit on their own website, but if I recall correctly, that permit was free.
I know I'd miss being there if I were you! I can't want to call Taiwan my home sometime in the future. Currently trying to teach myself Chinese Mandarin so I can find living there a little easier.
Great video and totally agree with you about Alishan. We visited the national area a few years ago and it was definitely worth it! Also, we remember that 7/11 🙂
I'm just happy to try and spread to others how great my experience in Taiwan was. It was once a country I had never, ever considered travelling to. I had no idea what to expect on my trip, what I'd experienced, and the people I'd meet. My friends all didn't know much about Taiwan, and it got me thinking that a lot of others might also not know about this gem in South East Asia!
Awesome video! I really want to travel to Taiwan. Hopefully I can find the time next year! This video was a great guide and I appreciated how you highlighted both cultural and natural attractions. Everything you did there was exactly the sort of stuff I enjoy doing anywhere I travel to!
I'm glad you enjoyed it and that you plan to go to Taiwan next year! It's definitely well worth the trip! I've been there twice already in less than a year, and I'll be going there again in 3 weeks, to experience other parts of the island, and actually, more of the cultural side of it.
Hi Adam, just wanted to thank you for the great video. Very informative and even though my family and I have been twice before and have Googled endlessly about where to go, your video really captures the beauty of the many attractions of Taiwan.
I'm so glad the video was of some help, and thank you for the compliments! I've been to Taiwan twice in less than a year, and I'll be going again in September. There's really so many things you can do no matter where you go!
Thanks Adam, I learned so much from your presentation about touring taiwan, even I grew up there( I left years ago), your video makes a great guide for me for my next visit to this fabulous island nation.
Thanks for the video dude. Concise yet comprehensive. I will be going Taiwan again real soon, and this will be my 6th time there! Definitely far from the last as there's just so many things to explore!
Thank you for the positive comment! I really do appreciate it!! And I 100% agree with you regarding returning to Taiwan! I've been 4 times in a year, and I can't wait to go again soon! I'd love to live there, but the language barrier I think is too much of a challenge at the moment.
Very detailed introduction! Welcome to Taiwan again! There are more foods in Taiwan that foreigners have never tasted, as well as scenery unique to Taiwan. Welcome to try it! 😊🎉
Thank you for the comment! I can't wait to go back to Taiwan again and try an even greater variety of food, as well as explore the areas I wasn't able to last time.
Hi Adam! I'm going to visit Taiwan for a duration of one month and I was looking for videos to help me plan an itinerary for my trip. This video has been the most helpful. I was thinking how one month would not be enough to see everything (which is true) but you gave me a vision that I can travel around the country and enjoy an immersive experience. Now, I don't want to rush moving from one place to another for the sake of just covering everywhere, but I have most of these places on my list. Thanks for all the recommendations and for sharing your experience with TH-cam!
Hey Mary! I’m glad it was able to help out and has been the most helpful you’ve found! 🥺 You are right though, even one month isn’t enough time for everything. I’ve been back to Taiwan 5 times last year and this year since posting this video and still haven’t covered everything!! I have uploaded another video of Orchid Island if you’re looking at one of the Taiwanese islands. I did come back from Penghu County 2 weeks ago, although the entire island was covered in fog the entire time, so basically managed to get nothing done 😝
Going back five times shows how much you loved the country. I'm sure I'll enjoy this trip a lot! It's unfortunate that Hualien was hit by that terrible earthquake yesterday. It's one of the cities in my itinerary that I want to see. Hope the situation gets better by then. A question in terms of money: What do you think is the best and cheapest way to exchange and use money over there? My credit card charges a 2.5% commission on each transaction. Do you use Wise or similar money transfer services?
@@maryamsamadi4714 Hualien is very difficult to visit. For this video, I sadly only had a single day there… when I returned each time, it was closed off due to safety reasons. Last September I ended up going when it was hit by a typhoon, so it was super dangerous. When I went 2 weeks ago to Penghu, the entire island was covered in fog. So it really is a challenge with weather. As for money - I have two online bank accounts “Revolut” and “Monzo”, which allow up to £200 each spending and ATM withdrawals per month fee free. Not too sure where you’re coming from, but it could be worth seeing if there’s banking options that have that. Before I found out about it, I just withdrew from ATMs and tried to ignore the bank fees hahaha. 🤣
@@maryamsamadi4714 Oh, don’t forget to sign up for the “Taiwan Tourism Lottery” - must be done between 7 days and 1 day before you arrive, for the chance to win $5000NT spending money (about £120/$150USD). I won it last September and it lasts such a long time I ended up buying random drinks for people at 7/11 just to use it up. On my recent trip though, I sadly didn’t win 🥺 5000.taiwan.net.tw/
Oh awesome! I loved Taiwan so much I returned here this week (currently sitting near the Main Station enjoying the night breeze and trying to plan a day trip somewhere tomorrow). I seriously want to move and live here it's so good! The car company I used was "Car Plus" at Taipei Main Station (opposite the Starbucks).
Thanks for the comment! ❤❤ As for the hire car company I used, it's called "CarPlus" in Taipei Main Station. It's within the underground shopping centre, opposite Starbucks. From my research before I travelled there, they provided the cheapest daily rates.
So glad to be able to give you some ideas!! I do have another Taiwan video coming out next week, which focuses on the large offshore island "Lanyu/Orchid Island" which I visited a month ago, if you're also wanting another place to visit near Taitung.
It really wasn't! It's why I went again in February for an additional 7 days, but even that still wasn't enough. I want to go back again and finish all the places I missed out on!
@@igibon8 I didn't find it that bad actually. The worst part was probably in the countryside where Google took me down wrong turns and I had to suddenly brake because the road had collapsed and no longest existed. I actually have a few recordings of these, but didn't include them as they had swearing 😂
Thank you so much for the compliments!! 🥺 I’ve been trying to make the quality of them improve with each one, and currently in Australia now doing another~
I loved my time in Taiwan during December (when this video was done) so much, that I did another trip in February to enjoy it further. I actually really want to move and live there, but it’s not a viable option at the moment. 😔
@@DefineAdam It's a great place to live depending on what type of job you will be in here, as the work environment is probably the major downside in my opinion.
You’re completely right!! I’ve been there 5 times since this video was uploaded last year, and plan to go again next month! Absolutely amazing country and I hope to one day even live there. ☺️☺️
Thank you for the lovely comment!! 😊 You'll definitely enjoy your time in Taiwan! As for driving, it's quite similar to every other place, although some of the road signs, traffic lights and line marking can be a little confusing. For example, on the main motorway from Taipei to Taichung City, the speed limit seems to constantly switch between 70km to 110km, every 5 to 10 minutes. Occasionally (mostly in the countryside), you'll come across traffic lights that aren't at any intersection that'll randomly go red. These signify that there's a red light coming up around the corner. Also, just be wary that drivers in the countryside will speed and do whatever they can to overtake you, even in the narrow mountain roads. 😂
@@DefineAdam Lol, yeah the drivers in any countryside are always a bit more "direct" from my experience, I'll see how much it's a must to rent a car Thanks again Adam, Cheers
@@bto6721 The only place I went to that absolutely had no public transport was Yuanzui Shan (at 5:36). The bullet train system in Taiwan appeared to go everywhere major, with buses connecting to smaller places. It mostly just depends on whether you want to deal with the times of public transport, or go at your own pace. Petrol is extremely cheap (compared to the UK anyway).
@@DefineAdam Yeah that's what I've read as well [= Do you have any specific recommendation on what is a "must" to see and what is skippable in your opinion?
@@bto6721 It depends how much time you have, but absolute must sees that I can't wait to go back to would be "Thousand-Island Lake" near Taipei City, "Alishan National Park" near Nantou County, "Toroko Gorge" near Hualien City on the east coast. Those are for natural landscapes. As for cities, Taipai is obvious, but Kaohsiung City was also really good, despite only spending 1 day there. I didn't get to see Tainan or the other cities for long, but that's because I prefer nature over concrete jungles. 😝
Thanks for sharing. Great video, especially you showed the key areas to visit. (Provide a lot of great ideas). This is the only video i can find that shows no food. And this is exactly what I am looking for what to see in Taiwan (nature scenery), not where and what to eat in Taiwan. Thanks again for sharing! 😊
Thank you for the amazing comments!! 🥺 And yeah, regarding food, it’s something I’ve heard quite a lot about - and what also managed to get me a collaboration on my most recent Taiwan video to Orchid Island!! Sharing food is nice and all, but everyone has different tastes and ideas of what is good food, and that’s something best left for the individual to decide on. Rather than wasting someone’s time going through the best places to find food, better off just showing the actual best places of the region, and people will find food along the way 😁
for something really different time your visit for the YanShui fireworks festival around C N Yr also Peng Hu island group and the overnight gambling boat from Keelong is the train from ChiaYi up Alishan running again ?
Great tips! As for the train, it was running when I was there in December 2022, as there were staff members advising people near the information centre about the next train departures.
@@DefineAdamI read that Taiwan is super hot and humid at that time of the year, as Well as risk of typhoons. How would you rate the time of travel at the end of august compared to the rest of the year?
@@JacobMort91 So for this video, I went in November and it was completely fine all around for me. When I did my Orchid Island video, that was in the first week of September, and it was extremely hot and humid, and I even struggled a little with the weather despite being from Australia and used to the heat. There was also a major typhoon that I drove through to get to Orchid Island, and one of my favourite places Taroko Gorge was completely closed off due to the typhoon and fallen rocks all over the main road. There’s a high chance of typhoons, and it will be hot, but it can be offset by hiring a car and enjoying the AC for the times you’re not exploring. If you’re in the mountains it’s also very cold.
Have a nice trip! ❤Recommend The National Palace Museum (Chinese: 國立故宮博物院). It has nearly 700,000 pieces of the most valuable Chinese relics, all of which were brought from the Beijing Forbidden City （Chinese: 北京故宫), very worth visiting! ❤❤❤
I loved the National Palace Museum! I wish I had longer there, but the sun was shining and I was on a tight schedule at the time :( I might be back in Taiwan for a third time in June, so I'll have to go back and check out the other exhibits! 😁
@@DefineAdam It took my whole day to visit, though news reports they broke some of the relics, but I believe will not affect your next visiting, have a nice trip!!😀😀🎶
Thank you for the tips! I am constantly looking at ways to improve my footage, without changing too much to be unrealistic. I know quite a few people like to filter clips so much that it doesn’t even look like the real place. The DJI Mini 2 drone which I currently have only goes up to 30FPS. Once my videos start making money, if they ever do, then I’ll be looking to upgrade to the Mini 4 which does go to 4K 60FPS. But while this is just a hobby I do in my spare time, I sadly have to make do with what I have. 🥺
Thanks for the positive comment! This particular video was filmed November/December 2022. If you're wanting to see what the weather is like during August/September, check out my Orchid Island video which is the south of Taiwan. Right before the trip (on my way to Orchid Island), there was a major typhoon, so a lot og places were closed off due to danger and trees/buildings all over roads, etc. I also went back to Taiwan earlier this year in March, and there were a lot of storms. When planning a trip, just check the monsoon seasons to avoid the typhoons. November/December when I went was perfect.
Thank you for the positive comment! :D The bridge is "Sanxiantai Arch Bridge", between Taitung and Hualien. When this was filmed in 2023, the island was close, and has been closed the other times I went there. I am not sure if it's still closed to the public now, but the whole area on the mainland next to the bridge and under parts of it is still a great stop to make!
Well, I've been to Taiwan twice now, however I only ever used "CarPlus" during my first trip in December (which is when this video was made). I went 2 weeks ago for 10 days and looked into hire car companies just to hire a car for 2-3 days, but most places wouldn't hire one to me for that little time - CarPlus would, but they were charging almost the same as it costed me for the 11 days I hired last year. I can only comment on my experience with CarPlus (at Taipei Main Station), but they were excellent and very friendly. No issues with hiring the car, and when I returned it, all they asked for was the most recent receipt from the petrol station proving it was returned with a full tank of fuel.
Wonderful video. We are going for longer but will definitely stop at some of the places you recommended. What was the car company that is best to rent from, your car rental costs along with all of your other costs seems reasonable for my family of 4.
Apologies for the delayed response - I just got back from a trip in Albania and it was an absolute nightmare with the hire car!! :( I've been back to Taiwan 3 times since and have spent a total of 8 weeks there this year now. Taiwan is truly an incredible place to experience (I did another recent video on Orchid Island). As for the car company, they were really good when I did this video in January, as they had just opened up. When I used them again in September 2023, they added an additional fuel charge card to me, which was around 20% more than what the actual fuel costed - not too happy about it myself, but it was still cheaper than other companies. They were called "CarPlus", and their office is located in Taipei Main Station. I booked via Discover Cars here (www.discovercars.com/?a_aid=defineadam) as they had the cheapest deal when I booked in January, but in September, I booked via Kayak. So shop around and see where is currently hosting the cheapest prices.
I've never needed an international driving licence before until coming to Taiwan. As I am based in the UK, all I had to do was walk into any post office, show them my local driving licence, and then they issued me an international one which is valid for 1 year. I believe this is also the same process used in Australia. I'm not sure how it is in other countries, but I'd assume it's also a similar process.
@@DefineAdam ok, thanks for your response and explanation! We rented a car in Japan once and it was a bit of a mission because we were not prepared with an international driver's license.
@@denisea.9033 Ooh wow. I remember being told when I was in Thailand that an international driving license was required, but they didn't even check any of my licences. Literally just handed over the car to me once I paid the fees via my credit card and showed them my passport.
@@DefineAdam that's great it went smoothly for you in Thailand. The Japan experience was likely difficult because it was a remote onsen town not used to foreign visitors, so they weren't quite sure what to do and spent quite some time on the phone with their DMV and insurance company, etc. It has left me weary to rent cars in other countries though so now I tend to avoid it. Your video made it seem easy in Taiwan though so I was intrigued because we're considering a visit there.
@@denisea.9033 I've hired a car in 7 countries now, and the only one that had an issue was actually in Cyprus, because they never advised me when I hired it, that you weren't allowed to drive the car across the DMZ into Northern Cyprus, so my car was confiscated by the United Nations Peacekeeping Force along with my passport for 2 days. Apart from that, every other country has been fine, and Taiwan was the only country to actually say an international driving licence is a must.
Almost all signage is written in Traditional Chinese, however if you just have Google Maps running, then you're able to find your destination just fine. The places that caught my attention to explore or may be of interest to tourists, are shown on the international standard sign colour of brown, and these are typically written in Traditional Chinese as well as English. Driving around was perfectly fine for me, with the exception of a few impatient drivers in small trucks in the countryside through the mountains. It was sometimes daunting that they'd be speeding to overtake me on the side of a cliff, but that only happened a couple of times. People comment about the amount of people on scooters in cities, especially Taipei City, but I didn't think too much of it. The quality of roads in Taiwan are near perfect - I don't think I saw a single pothole during my entire holiday. The roads within the mountains look like they've been constructed within the last few years, and several areas were under construction (they were building tunnels to go through the mountains rather than having to drive around them at quite a lot of places). Overall, I found the whole experience easy and relaxing, but I have also driven in 7 countries and can expect anything as I'm used to it.
You can apply for a working holiday visa to Taiwan if: 1. Your age is between 18 and 30. 2. You are from one of the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Slovakia and the UK.
Hi Adam! Absolutely loved your experience exploring Taiwan and will be adding some of the places you've been to my itinerary! May i know where is the place featured in the timestamp 12:38? Thank you in advance!
Heya Tanahmerahhantu! I'm glad it was useful!! The place at 12:38 is "Sanxiantai Arch Bridge", which is approximately 1 hour drive north of Taitung. There's no nearby train stations, however there's a local tourist bus from Taitung Main Station which goes there during the summer seasons if you're not hiring a car.
Thank you for the compliment! ☺️ Yeah, I found it quite easy to drive a car in Taiwan. There’s nothing too complicated and most people on the road are quite respectful, there’s just the odd blue trucks in the mountain roads who like to speed up behind you and take over at high speeds. I am currently in Taiwan right now and rode a scooter for the first time on Orchid Island (My next video coming out next month), and I found that to be alright on such a deserted island, but I personally wouldn’t risk riding a scooter in the cities.
I went in December 2022 (when this video was shot), and again in February 2023. Both times the weather was really good, and during both trips (totaling 4 weeks), only 2 days had rain. I am going again in September, so fingers crossed the weather remains good!
Thanks for an incredibly interesting and helpfull video Adam. Looking through the faq's I found my only real question answered, which was what time of year did you travel? Nov/Dec. I'm hoping to visit for about three weeks next year (2024) with arrival mid October. I just pray the weather will be kind. Your breakdown of costs was also helpfull, excluding flights a little over £100 per day is good🙂.
I’m very glad to hear it was helpful!! I also recently went back to Taiwan (except I focused on Orchid Island - video also posted), as well as seeing Tainan which I missed out on in the above video during September 2023, and the weather was very good for the final 2 and a half weeks of the trip. The first few days were affected by the typhoon, but if you’re intending to visit in October, then you should be fine!! 😁😁
I like this type of no-nonsense video. I am a Taiwanese who just returned to the US from Taiwan. If you can spend more time to the eastern Taiwan you will have much more preasure. Try to visit Yilan, Hualien and Taitung. By the way. Some of your drone video clips could have violated the drone laws of flying drone. Please be more careful.
Thank you for the positive comments on the video! There's quite a few things that annoy me when I watch videos on TH-cam when they're overbloated with things such as where to eat good food or other things that may not necessarily be important to everyone, so I try to create things I'd prefer to watch. I have had some feedback that there was too much content in this particular video, and should've been broken down into 2 or 3 videos, but I also don't like dragging things out for the sake of it haha. I actually managed to visit Yilan briefly when I returned to Taiwan in September, and had every intention to spend another 2-3 weeks on the east coast, however a typhoon was around and all the mountain passes were closed off. I quickly adjusted my schedule and went to Orchid Island instead (I made a video about it). As for the drone clips - I had permission/licences from Taiwan's Civil Aviation Authority to fly in Taiwan during the trip. Taroko National Park, as well as the areas around Taitung/Hualian, also required their own additional drone licences/permissions which I applied for and was approved for. The only one which wasn't approved until I had already left Taiwan, as they were confused why I came from the UK on an Australian passport, is the area around Yuanzui Shan (鳶嘴山). The drone shot going over the suspension bridge in Taroko National Park also isn't allowed under their specific licence, however I did get permission on the day and they allowed me to do 1 fly over only, and under supervision. I am very particular on where to fly with my drone, as I do not want such an expensive piece of equipment to be confiscated from me if rules are broken! :P
@@DefineAdam It is great to hear your happiness while you were in Taiwan. Because I am a Taiwanese I always tried to avoid big cities and some very common tourist-liked places such as the Sun-Moon lake. This is because I have been there many times and I am living very close to Lake Superior. If you have another chance to visit Taiwan, try a few small/little towns/places along the northeast and the east coast. I would recommend just a few as follows: (1) Badouzi near the Keelung city (th-cam.com/video/IDX1WNX0m4E/w-d-xo.html , th-cam.com/video/Uj8sHf2fNMk/w-d-xo.html , th-cam.com/video/Zc7nwVHqy_A/w-d-xo.html ) (2) Bitou, which is not very far away from Taiwan and can be accessed by bus ( th-cam.com/video/RVKHirGac64/w-d-xo.html ) (3) Fennialin Fish Port (or Pigeon Woods Fishing Port) ( th-cam.com/video/-JGsF9l1d2Q/w-d-xo.html and th-cam.com/video/o3r-4Und4fo/w-d-xo.html ) (4) Chishang ( th-cam.com/video/TdSw2HZypTQ/w-d-xo.html ) (5) Tamsui may not be a good place for a Briton; but you could visit Fort Santo Domingo ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Santo_Domingo ) where you may find the former British Consulate Residence in Tamsui very interesting. It has been very well preserved. This place can be accessed by bus or by walking (if you chose to take Taipei MRT). Really wish you will be in Taiwan again. God bless.
@@ckshene7212 I'm exactly like you! I try, almost always to avoid tourist hotspots for a number of reasons (too many people, tourist traps, ruined by tourists, not really an authentic part of the country anymore, etc). Some I'll go for the same of going, or if it's not too much of a detour, or just to say I've been there, but the majority of my trips are focused on the not so popular/known places. I went to Beitou springs and the marks during my 2nd trip in February - they were amazing! I did also spend some time in Keelung City back in September, but it was only a short day trip as it was my last day in Taiwan. I am hoping to one day move and live in Taiwan, but the language barrier is one of the major factors stopping me.
Hello, thanks for sharing uour experiences. I plan to go to Taiwan end of next month, can you please share any information with me about your car rental experience? Thanks
Hello Sarah! Out of the 5 times I've been to Taiwan, I've hired a car 3 times. Twice on the mainland, and once in Penghu County which is one of the islands. I've also hired a scooter while on Orchid Island (another Taiwanese island). The company I used on the mainland both times was called "CarPlus", and they were really good both times. The only downside the second time is that they started charging for petrol at a higher premium than it actually costs, and stated that it had to be purchased through their debit card they provide you. The additional costs probably amounted to an extra £15GBP/$20USD, so not too major, although still annoying. They were by far the cheapest option for those times. If you're wanting to drive in Taiwan, they require by law that you have an International Driving Permit, which if in Europe you can just pick up from any Post Office for £5. Only the first ever time I drove in Taiwan, did they ask to see that. Each other time after, none of the hire companies even asked to look at my licence. Seeing Taiwan by car is definitely worth it though! There's so many more things you can see and do without having to rely on tour groups or public transport. Any other questions, just let me know!
@@DefineAdam Thanks so much Adam. I have actually been in Asia for a couple of years now and have yet to venture home and get an international driving permit. So it's not looking likely for me to be able to hire! (boo) but maybe, hopefully, I can get a scooter😏or find a friend to share a car with that has the license!
Hi Adam, first of all thank you very much for this video, I find it very helpful. I was wondering with how much time in advance you booked the car and which site you used? Thank you very much!
I really think this video is one of the best travel videos I have seen so far about Taiwan. We are traveling to Taiwan this year and also looking into renting a car... do you happen by chance remember what car rental company you have chosen? I think the prices skyrocketed lately.. :) thank you and keep up the good work!
@@AndreasScherzler-sk8md I really do appreciate the kind words about the video! I used a company called "Car Hire Plus", who have their main office in Taipei Main Station, opposite the Starbucks. I used this website ( www.discovercars.com/?a_aid=defineadam ) to gain a cheaper rate than what they offer in-person for when I hired a car during the trip shown in the video. They were very good overall, and there weren't any complications with the process. I did try to use them again in February when I returned to Taiwan, but their fees ended up higher (it was quoted at around £45/day), but that might have been because I didn't pre-book it, and turned up on the spot. 😁 I hope the prices haven't skyrocketed too much! I am going back to Taiwan in September and I'm looking to hire a car... 😅
No. I didn’t get a single vaccine for my visit to Taiwan as it’s a safe country. I’d imagine a few other countries within Asia would require it though.
@@DefineAdam thanks for the response, your video def inspired me to check out taiwan im planning a trip to Japan, South korea, HK & Taiwan i saw the Japanese encephalitis vax was recommended for most of these countries, but not required. I was also in the Philippines and Vietnam last year and had no issues.
@@eduardor5899 I’d say it’s probably needed for HK and South Korea - not because those countries themselves are bad, but because they’re connected to the Asian/European continent and so it’s harder for them to control diseases as opposed to island nations like Japan and Taiwan
The main Alishan National Park area has a large carpark where you're able to leave the hire car. Then you're able to take the specific national park train up to the sunrise area. There are hotels to stay within the national park, although I suspect they're probably very expensive.
Thank you for the compliment! ☺️ As for the car rental company, I used “CarPlus” at Taipei Main Station. They offered the cheapest rates for my duration. I also drove myself the entire time. $15,000 New Taiwan Dollars equals approximately $500USD or £400GBP, so it’s not that much at all. You should be able to hire a car at a good price from here as well - www.discovercars.com/?a_aid=defineadam
Taiwan uses both types, and if I'm completely honest, I don't know the different between type A or B. I just bought a normal international adapter to charge all my equipment which worked very well for me - amzn.to/3YxqnPw
Videography and music selection were great! However, personally, i will not spend an entire holiday driving on the road because it's too tiring. Taking the speed train shortened your time by 90%, and you sounded tired, though. The west coast of Taiwan is very easy to access via THSR, especially since it stops at the locations that you had gone to. The east coast road is tough, especially to Taroko at Hualien. You have missed out Yeliu, one of the famous naturel Park. However, I appreciate your video very much.
Great video. I am looking at hiring a car but have never driven internationally before. Which hire company did you use? Is it difficult to navigate the roads around the place?
I used a company called "Car Hire Plus", who have their main office in Taipei Main Station, opposite the Starbucks. I used this website (www.discovercars.com/?a_aid=defineadam) to gain a cheaper rate than what they offer in-person. They were very good overall, and there weren't any complications with the process. As for driving internationally, it's really not an issue! It'll take some getting used to (maybe 30 minutes or so to observe what others are doing on the road and get used to some of the signs), but if you drive a lot in your own country, then you'll be completely fine!
@@DefineAdam I used your discovercars link and it does not find any location like Taipei, Taiwan, Taoyuan. How come? In addition, are you sure you used 'Car Hire Plus', not 'Carplus'??
For this particular video, it was 16th November to 10th December ☺️ I’ve also been back to Taiwan multiple times, during September, February, March and July. All months were good except July, which had a typhoon on the west coast ruining my Penghu County trip.
It is Sanxiantai Arch Bridge - which is approximately half way between Hualien and Taitung on the south east coast of Taiwan. The bridge was closed at the time of filming this video, and a few others since then have also commented that the bridge is still closed, so I'm not sure if it's open yet, or ever will be, but it was still an amazing place to visit.
Heya Rick! She was a friend who showed me around Taipei city, and gave a few suggestions on places in Taiwan, however I travelled around the island of Taiwan myself. For my other video to Orchid Island, I also went there alone and did my own research, although after finding out the only ATM on the island only accepted Taiwanese bank cards, she did help by paying the hotel fees for me, and then I paid her back upon arriving back in Taipei before leaving.
@@DefineAdam thanks, I am taking my family to Taiwan in October and we are considering using a local tour guide in some cases. I prefer finding an individual’ not a “tour company”. That is why I asked. Thanks for your feedback back!
Thank you for posting this - I fell completely in love with Taiwan when I lived in Kaohsiung for a year in high school. I get nostalgic from time to time and look for decent videos, and yours made my day! If I'd had a choice in the matter, I would've gone to boarding school in Taichung after my family moved back to the states. Alas, that was a no go. I will visit again someday!
Wow. That must have been an incredible experience and one I wish I had myself!! 🥺🥺 I love Taiwan so much that I’ve actually been 3 more times since that video was uploaded in January. I’m actually currently in Taiwan as I write this comment, although sadly it’s my last day here before going back to the UK. 😔 I honestly see myself moving here to live, however the language barrier is one of the biggest concerns for me. 🥺
@DefineAdam I'm sorry you have to leave again, but enjoy your last day there! I would gladly spend the rest of my life on that fabulous island lol! I only learned enough Mandarin from my friends to be able to direct a taxi, order food and jenju nai cha, shop, etc. I chose to attend MAK over KAS and had to take Bible class when I should've been in Mandarin. 😒 I'm much more worried about being able to eat there safely - I've been diagnosed with celiac disease since living there, and not being able to enjoy all the amazing street food and restaurants will break my heart a little! P.S. Did you conquer that mountain yet? 🙂
@@annameagher6728 Ive been slowly trying to learn Mandarin over the past year, but with 2 full time jobs, studying a masters degree - it’s all quite hectic!! I do wish I focused more on a second language during high school, although our schools in Australia mostly focused on Japanese. As for the mountain, my plan was to do it this trip as part of another video I’m doing in collaboration with an organisation, but the typhoon hit Taiwan suddenly 2 weeks ago and I had to change everything up on the spot. The entire Taroko Gorge area was closed off, and all the mountain passes. But I’ll get to it eventually!!
@DefineAdam Well it's a good thing you missed the typhoon, but I'm guessing you missed that window after a typhoon when the city skies are actually crystal clear! Bummer about Taroko! (But if it they actually closed the whole thing off....uh, it must be pretty dangerous, to say the least...) Sounds like perfect Kenting beach holiday timing to me! 😎 It sounds like you do have quite a bit on your plate, indeed. Learning a new language sounds low priority atm. Also, it takes some time to adjust to the language barrier, but it's definitely manageable to move there speaking only English.
@@annameagher6728 I actually managed to get over to Orchid Island off Taitung right after and got some amazing photos and videos of the clear blue skies!! Edit: Out of all my time in Taiwan, I think it would only be feasible in Taipei with English only
It depends what you want to focus on and see. If you’re more into cities and just exploring those areas, getting the bullet trains around the island and metros or busses in those cities will be fine. I’ve done trips with a car and not a car in Taiwan. If you’re looking to see the mountains and more niche places on the coast, then you’ll need a car. Do note, if one of the places you want to see is Taroko Gorge, it’s been closed since that huge earthquake.
@@Bebekmatrix You’re very welcome!! ☺️ If you want to visit offshore Taiwan, I did also do another video on Orchid Island if you have a few extra days to spare. 2 is plenty. The 4 I stayed was probably too long
As a Taiwanese living in California, I would not recommend foreigners take up driving in Taiwan. Driving in Taiwan can be very stressful. Taiwanese streets are narrow, blocks are short and it can feel like every 100ft is a traffic light. The streets are poorly designed and often makes no sense. Add many cars, motorcycles, and pedestrias to those streets, and one could have some of the worst driving experience. It's not Thailand or India, but New York City seems like heaven by comparison. In the country sides, there is much less traffic, but drivers, bicyclists, motorcyclists often don't follow traffic signs or laws. Running a red light is common in rural Taiwan. Intersections without any stop signs or traffic lights are also common. Illegal turns , passing, stopping, parking are common. The common sense of driving is very different in Taiwan. Take public transportation and Uber, your travel will be much more enjoyable. Taxi experience is hit or miss, but much better and reliable than taxis in the US.
I actually had the opposite experience. The roads, especially in the countryside were probably some of the best I've driven on globally (in terms of the quality of road pavement, etc). No pot holes, wide roads in the countryside, modern infrastructure. In fact, almost every road I drove on in the countryside had roadworks where they were improving the infrastructure. I agree the roads in Taiwan, especially Taipei City are narrow, but it's the same as narrow roads found in London/the UK in general, so it wasn't that challenging for me. I'd 100% agree regarding the local drivers in the countryside - they did seem quite impatient and speeding/overtaking me, etc. It was also a little worrying in Taipei City with how motorcyclists completely cut you off and go right in front of you. I suppose overall, if you're not too fond of driving in foreign countries, I'd take caution when driving in Taiwan, but for me, having driven in 7 countries on both sides of the road, I'm totally fine with anything that comes my way. I do have a few friends and colleagues who wouldn't think about touching a car in a foreign country.
@@DefineAdam Thank you for this nice and informative video. Soon I will visit Taiwan and I made notes of all the places you've mentioned in the video.In case I would like to rent a car as well I would like to ask which rental company you used and did you have good experiences with them? And is it necessary to book it (far) in advance?
@@DefineAdam I just saw some else asked a similar question. Did you book the car far in advance or were you able to hire it in the Taipei main train station at Carpluss without reservation?
@@chrish.7965 I organised the hire car 2 weeks prior to my trip if I remember correctly - which equated to around £36/day. I did go back to Taiwan in February and tried to hire a car from them again by just going up to the desk, and it was slightly more expensive at £38/day, but no major difference. I don't know how big their company is and how many cars they have to hire, so maybe for peace of mind I'd recommend hiring prior to arriving. You may also be lucky and find some discounts at DiscoverCars here - www.discovercars.com/?a_aid=defineadam. They often give a nice 10% off your booking fee during certain times.
@@DefineAdam Thank you very much for your answer and the information. I will check the website and consider to book it in advance. During my stay in Taipei I don't need a rental car but visiting some of the places in your video by public transport might be challenging so it can be useful. Do you know if taxi's are expensive in Taiwan?
The hire car company I used, is called "CarPlus" in Taipei Main Station. It's within the underground shopping centre, opposite Starbucks. From my research before I travelled there, they provided the cheapest daily rates. For the total cost, it was about £430 for 11 days, or $16,000 New Taiwan Dollars
@@stepi7414 I'm not sure where you're staying, but almost everywhere, you need to pay for parking. For the days I spent in Taipei City, the cheapest carpark (for overnight parking) was under Ningxia Night Market, and the next cheapest was under the Roaders Plus hotel at Taipei Main Station ($300NTD/12 hours if I remember correctly). They only accepted cash though, so it was fun having to run to ATMs that accepted my UK bank cards to withdraw money. So glad to hear you got some inspiration as well!! 😍
@@DefineAdam Certainly ! I remember reading of this name in a news about Japan, they may have one too. The reason this name got well known to Taiwanese is because back in 90's, a tour group from Taiwan was murdered on a tour boat in the one in China, they were robbed, shot and the boat was burnt down in the lake. That was around 50 people and no one survived. If there is one in Taiwan, the media would have made tons of comparisons; but there was none. That week came along with a major plane-crash news in Taoyuan and I really thought it was the end of the world. (what on earth is going on now) I just found it on Google Maps, it's near Taipei, is it a dam ?? 🤔🤔 I was born and raised in Taiwan, honestly never heard of this lake before.
@@eudesodoroidefrance9643 Of all the photos and drone videos I took of the lake above, I couldn’t see any dams nearby. Very interesting story about the lake in China though. I didn’t know about that either.
@@DefineAdam Well, nothing splendidly great in Taiwan; but more & more westerners have moved to Taiwan in the past 20 years and stay there for good. I hope you will see her as a hub for your future travels in Asia or even your 2nd home. I now live in Paris but will retire to Taiwan for sure. The stress of living in Taiwan is low and it's safe, while in Paris, I never put luxury goods on me because I was robbed & attacked in a subway station once and called the police for help. The police responded to me that they wold not come over because the property belongs to the subway company....what a crap ! BTW, Merry Xmas ! 😃😎
@@eudesodoroidefrance9643 I’d love to live in Taiwan eventually, but the language barrier is what worries me. I’ve been to Taiwan 4 times this year, and can’t wait to return again! And I know what you mean about safety in western countries. My first time in Taiwan, I saw a table where people just left their phones and laptops to charge, and walked away to a shop or cafe. I was so surprised and the level of trust that people there had. If that was in London, that would be gone in 30 seconds. As for the police not helping you - it was the same with me back in February. When i actually returned from Taiwan, my landlord was waiting for me, he broke into my room and stole my things, and then demanded money from me, despite already paying rent. I refused and he stabbed me. I ran straight to the police while there was still blood running down my hands and they did nothing because “it wasn’t recorded”. They’re absolutely useless here.
Taiwan is in East Asia, much different culture from Southeastern Asia. Though both have Chinese influence, Southeastern Asia is heavily influenced by Indian and Islamic culture which is exotic in East Asia. Countries in Southeastern Asia were also heavily colonized by European countries, that further set the culture apart from East Asia.
@@emhengly5250 Ohh no. They removed quarantine requirements October 2022. When I arrived at the main Taiwan airport, they handed everyone a box of 4 Covid-19 rapid tests, just for you to use during your trip, but no hard requirements to stay in a hotel.
I recently returned to Taiwan, but this time visiting the remote offshore island known as Lanyu, or Orchid Island! Check out my video here - th-cam.com/video/OOpz-5TEQWs/w-d-xo.html!
I spend months in Taiwan and still can’t see and do enough, so I keep going back. I love Taipei. I can’t get enough of it. Almost everyone speaks English. The educated young people are the most literate in the world. Over five years it adopted me and I, Taiwan. We are family. I have several dozen close friends. The are my didi’s (brothers). They often say ‘we are your family’.
That sounds amazing!!! I'm hoping to spend a lot more time there, and eventually live there, although both times I've been so far, not many people spoke English with me, so I did feel a little isolated in that regard.
Thank you everyone for 100,000 views on my video, exactly 9 months after posting this (21/10/23)! It means a lot to me, and I can't wait to bring out more videos to inspire those to travel around the world. It's truly an enjoyable hobby and I wish I could do it more, but regardless, I love the adventures I can go on.
Absolutely no need to feel like a failure, as you stated in the video. It's all about the journey, not just the destination. Cheers, Guy
Thank you for the compliment!
Thanks for sharing Taiwan's offerings. I've been in love with Taiwan since my first visit over 10 years ago. It grips you like no other place in the world.
This video is very informative. I was born and raised in Taiwan but didn’t realize the island is this beautiful! Thank you Adam.
I'm very glad you enjoyed it!!
I am in my late sixties and will be going on a trip with my work colleague who is from Thailand we will stay there she is then going to take me to Taiwan I am so looking forward to this but also feeling bit anxious but it looks really beautiful I am leaving the UK in April 18 hopefully for an amazing trip ❤
You'll absolutely love both Thailand and Taiwan! Both are amazing places!! I'll be releasing my Thailand video soon, but if your friend hasn't already told you, Chiang Mai in Thailand is an absolute must see!!!
Good suggestions for places to visit. Can't wait to visit Taiwan
It's definitely well worth the trip!! 😁
Definitely the best Taiwan travel guide ever!!! Well done!!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Thank you!! ☺️
I love Yuanzui Shan. I was lucky enough that I got to the top. Hopefully you can return again and get to the top on a clear day. The sight is breath taking. I also highly recommend Jade and Snow mountains. Although, the hike to Jiaming lake, a.k.a. Angel's Teardrop is equally if not more impressive. Taiwan's east coast, oceans, mountains, river tracing, natural hotsprings, and aboriginal cultures are all incredible, and worth revisiting.
I can't wait to go back and attempt it again, and spend a lot longer on the east coast. I was actually in Taiwan again last week to try and attempt it, however the weather all week was raining and awful, so I saw no point in trying. I am planning to hopefully move to Taiwan later in the year because I loved it so much there, and hopefully that'll open up more opportunities to explore. Thank you also for the suggestion of Jade and Snow mountains! I wanted Jade mountain at first, but after finding out you needed to enter a sort of lottery to gain access, I thought it wasn't worth the hassle as a tourist.
Thank you for letting more people know about Taiwan ❤
Of course! Taiwan's an incredible place that I've already booked another trip there for next week!! 😁😁
Very informative video. I like you comment about Airbnb's. We wasted too much time finding the place in Madrid and Ireland. We could have stayed in centrally located hotels in Ireland for not much more money. Likewise we spent 12 days in Taiwan. We want to go back sometime.
Taiwan is amazing, to the point I want to live there for a while. I cannot wait to return again as well, and I hope it'll be very soon!
Taiwan is full of everything. Beautiful nature plus sophisticated city life. clean, safe n convenient. ppl are nice n civil ❤
Couldn't agree more! :D
Great drone footage! I'm contemplating on bringing my drone on my visit to Taiwan. I was just wondering if you encountered any issues using your drone? also did you have any issues at the airport.
Thank you for the positive comment! 💚 I didn't encounter any issues with the drone, except me being stupid enough to risk flying it between 2 canyons at a waterfall, where it then crashed into a spiders web and then fell into the waterfall, and I had to jump in after it (this was a waterfall near Nantou County), but at least I was able to find out the DJI Mini 2 is waterproof!
You do need to apply for a drone licence with Taiwan's CAA, however payment (£5 GBP/$6 USD) can only be done in a bank in Taiwan. I made the payment and carried my proof of payment around with me, however no one ever came up to me or questioned me about my drone. If you're going to Taroko National Park, you also need to apply for an additonal drone permit on their own website, but if I recall correctly, that permit was free.
I am Taiwanese studying in Spain currently, now I miss my home🥰
I know I'd miss being there if I were you! I can't want to call Taiwan my home sometime in the future. Currently trying to teach myself Chinese Mandarin so I can find living there a little easier.
@@DefineAdam Yes you should definitely come back for more food and nature😄
Taiwan is such a beautiful country!
Agreed! :D
Great video and totally agree with you about Alishan. We visited the national area a few years ago and it was definitely worth it! Also, we remember that 7/11 🙂
Thank you!! :D
Thats the best video I watched for Taiwan, thank you!
Thank you for the compliment! I really do appreciate it! :D
感謝你介紹台灣 歡迎常來玩 !
爬山的話 蠻建議可以爬爬看 雪山 非常漂亮喔 !
I'm just happy to try and spread to others how great my experience in Taiwan was. It was once a country I had never, ever considered travelling to. I had no idea what to expect on my trip, what I'd experienced, and the people I'd meet. My friends all didn't know much about Taiwan, and it got me thinking that a lot of others might also not know about this gem in South East Asia!
Awesome video! I really want to travel to Taiwan. Hopefully I can find the time next year! This video was a great guide and I appreciated how you highlighted both cultural and natural attractions. Everything you did there was exactly the sort of stuff I enjoy doing anywhere I travel to!
I'm glad you enjoyed it and that you plan to go to Taiwan next year! It's definitely well worth the trip! I've been there twice already in less than a year, and I'll be going there again in 3 weeks, to experience other parts of the island, and actually, more of the cultural side of it.
Lovely video. Also interesting to see the hotels and cost comparison in the end.
Thank you for the compliment!!
Thank you for this great video. You did a amazing job filming and introductory. 👏👍
Thank you for the positive comment Mei! :D
Hi Adam, just wanted to thank you for the great video. Very informative and even though my family and I have been twice before and have Googled endlessly about where to go, your video really captures the beauty of the many attractions of Taiwan.
I'm so glad the video was of some help, and thank you for the compliments! I've been to Taiwan twice in less than a year, and I'll be going again in September. There's really so many things you can do no matter where you go!
Thanks Adam, I learned so much from your presentation about touring taiwan, even I grew up there( I left years ago), your video makes a great guide for me for my next visit to this fabulous island nation.
Really glad you enjoyed it! I'm jealous that you were able to grow up here - absolutely amazing place!
Thanks for the video dude. Concise yet comprehensive. I will be going Taiwan again real soon, and this will be my 6th time there! Definitely far from the last as there's just so many things to explore!
Thank you for the positive comment! I really do appreciate it!!
And I 100% agree with you regarding returning to Taiwan! I've been 4 times in a year, and I can't wait to go again soon! I'd love to live there, but the language barrier I think is too much of a challenge at the moment.
Very detailed introduction! Welcome to Taiwan again! There are more foods in Taiwan that foreigners have never tasted, as well as scenery unique to Taiwan. Welcome to try it! 😊🎉
Thank you for the comment! I can't wait to go back to Taiwan again and try an even greater variety of food, as well as explore the areas I wasn't able to last time.
Hi Adam! I'm going to visit Taiwan for a duration of one month and I was looking for videos to help me plan an itinerary for my trip. This video has been the most helpful. I was thinking how one month would not be enough to see everything (which is true) but you gave me a vision that I can travel around the country and enjoy an immersive experience.
Now, I don't want to rush moving from one place to another for the sake of just covering everywhere, but I have most of these places on my list.
Thanks for all the recommendations and for sharing your experience with TH-cam!
Hey Mary! I’m glad it was able to help out and has been the most helpful you’ve found! 🥺 You are right though, even one month isn’t enough time for everything. I’ve been back to Taiwan 5 times last year and this year since posting this video and still haven’t covered everything!!
I have uploaded another video of Orchid Island if you’re looking at one of the Taiwanese islands. I did come back from Penghu County 2 weeks ago, although the entire island was covered in fog the entire time, so basically managed to get nothing done 😝
Also, if you have any additional questions, feel free to ask! ☺️
Going back five times shows how much you loved the country. I'm sure I'll enjoy this trip a lot!
It's unfortunate that Hualien was hit by that terrible earthquake yesterday. It's one of the cities in my itinerary that I want to see. Hope the situation gets better by then.
A question in terms of money: What do you think is the best and cheapest way to exchange and use money over there? My credit card charges a 2.5% commission on each transaction. Do you use Wise or similar money transfer services?
@@maryamsamadi4714 Hualien is very difficult to visit. For this video, I sadly only had a single day there… when I returned each time, it was closed off due to safety reasons. Last September I ended up going when it was hit by a typhoon, so it was super dangerous. When I went 2 weeks ago to Penghu, the entire island was covered in fog. So it really is a challenge with weather.
As for money - I have two online bank accounts “Revolut” and “Monzo”, which allow up to £200 each spending and ATM withdrawals per month fee free. Not too sure where you’re coming from, but it could be worth seeing if there’s banking options that have that.
Before I found out about it, I just withdrew from ATMs and tried to ignore the bank fees hahaha. 🤣
@@maryamsamadi4714 Oh, don’t forget to sign up for the “Taiwan Tourism Lottery” - must be done between 7 days and 1 day before you arrive, for the chance to win $5000NT spending money (about £120/$150USD). I won it last September and it lasts such a long time I ended up buying random drinks for people at 7/11 just to use it up. On my recent trip though, I sadly didn’t win 🥺 5000.taiwan.net.tw/
Thank you for your videos of Taiwan.Welcome you to travel to Taiwan again.
I can't wait! :D
Great video! I am currently based in Taiwan would love to do a similar trip, which car rental company did you use ?
Oh awesome! I loved Taiwan so much I returned here this week (currently sitting near the Main Station enjoying the night breeze and trying to plan a day trip somewhere tomorrow). I seriously want to move and live here it's so good!
The car company I used was "Car Plus" at Taipei Main Station (opposite the Starbucks).
Awesome video! Thank you so much!♥️ do you remember the name of the company, where you rent your car?
Thanks for the comment! ❤❤ As for the hire car company I used, it's called "CarPlus" in Taipei Main Station. It's within the underground shopping centre, opposite Starbucks. From my research before I travelled there, they provided the cheapest daily rates.
@@DefineAdam thank you ♥️🔥💯
Great ideas for my visit this X'mas.👍
So glad to be able to give you some ideas!! I do have another Taiwan video coming out next week, which focuses on the large offshore island "Lanyu/Orchid Island" which I visited a month ago, if you're also wanting another place to visit near Taitung.
14 days is definitely not enough ! great video btw~
It really wasn't! It's why I went again in February for an additional 7 days, but even that still wasn't enough. I want to go back again and finish all the places I missed out on!
@@DefineAdam
Do you feel safe to drive around in Taiwan famous chaotic traffic around the island?
@@igibon8 I didn't find it that bad actually. The worst part was probably in the countryside where Google took me down wrong turns and I had to suddenly brake because the road had collapsed and no longest existed. I actually have a few recordings of these, but didn't include them as they had swearing 😂
I love your journey!
Thank you so much for your kind words! :3
thank you for all the information . very helpful . wishing you a great future trips .
Thank you so much!!
Really solid video. Can't wait to check some of these out.
Thank you so much for the compliments!! 🥺 I’ve been trying to make the quality of them improve with each one, and currently in Australia now doing another~
This is a nice video mate, you show loads of Taiwan. I hope you enjoyed it here!
I loved my time in Taiwan during December (when this video was done) so much, that I did another trip in February to enjoy it further. I actually really want to move and live there, but it’s not a viable option at the moment. 😔
@@DefineAdam It's a great place to live depending on what type of job you will be in here, as the work environment is probably the major downside in my opinion.
Definitely best video for Taiwan, if you are planning to visit Taiwan. Full of information about 🇹🇼
Thanks for the amazing comment! 😊
Welcome to Taiwan, and thank you for your introduction❤
Thank you so much for the positive comment and welcome!
Really informative! Many thanks to your video! It definitely help my plan to Taiwan next month!
Thank you!! I'll be going to Taiwan again next month also! :D
Very helpful, thank you!
I’m glad it was helpful, and I appreciate the comment 💙
Great itinerary!
Thank you!! ❤
Great video and info
Thank you Gina!
Nice Video!!👍👍
Thank you for the amazing comment! 😊😊
Keelung is famous for raining a lot. It's probably too ambitious to go around Taiwan in one go. It will be easier to break it down to several trips.
You’re completely right!! I’ve been there 5 times since this video was uploaded last year, and plan to go again next month! Absolutely amazing country and I hope to one day even live there. ☺️☺️
Keelung was extremely sunny and a great day out when I was there in March. Much better improvement to what this video shows 😁
Great video, thanks for making it!
I'm going to Taiwan in a few weeks, how was your experience with driving there btw?
Thank you for the lovely comment!! 😊 You'll definitely enjoy your time in Taiwan!
As for driving, it's quite similar to every other place, although some of the road signs, traffic lights and line marking can be a little confusing. For example, on the main motorway from Taipei to Taichung City, the speed limit seems to constantly switch between 70km to 110km, every 5 to 10 minutes. Occasionally (mostly in the countryside), you'll come across traffic lights that aren't at any intersection that'll randomly go red. These signify that there's a red light coming up around the corner. Also, just be wary that drivers in the countryside will speed and do whatever they can to overtake you, even in the narrow mountain roads. 😂
@@DefineAdam Lol, yeah the drivers in any countryside are always a bit more "direct" from my experience, I'll see how much it's a must to rent a car
Thanks again Adam, Cheers
@@bto6721 The only place I went to that absolutely had no public transport was Yuanzui Shan (at 5:36). The bullet train system in Taiwan appeared to go everywhere major, with buses connecting to smaller places. It mostly just depends on whether you want to deal with the times of public transport, or go at your own pace. Petrol is extremely cheap (compared to the UK anyway).
@@DefineAdam Yeah that's what I've read as well [=
Do you have any specific recommendation on what is a "must" to see and what is skippable in your opinion?
@@bto6721 It depends how much time you have, but absolute must sees that I can't wait to go back to would be "Thousand-Island Lake" near Taipei City, "Alishan National Park" near Nantou County, "Toroko Gorge" near Hualien City on the east coast. Those are for natural landscapes. As for cities, Taipai is obvious, but Kaohsiung City was also really good, despite only spending 1 day there. I didn't get to see Tainan or the other cities for long, but that's because I prefer nature over concrete jungles. 😝
Nice footage DefineAdam.
Thank you! ☺️
Thanks for sharing. Great video, especially you showed the key areas to visit. (Provide a lot of great ideas). This is the only video i can find that shows no food. And this is exactly what I am looking for what to see in Taiwan (nature scenery), not where and what to eat in Taiwan.
Thanks again for sharing! 😊
Thank you for the amazing comments!! 🥺 And yeah, regarding food, it’s something I’ve heard quite a lot about - and what also managed to get me a collaboration on my most recent Taiwan video to Orchid Island!! Sharing food is nice and all, but everyone has different tastes and ideas of what is good food, and that’s something best left for the individual to decide on. Rather than wasting someone’s time going through the best places to find food, better off just showing the actual best places of the region, and people will find food along the way 😁
for something really different time your visit for the YanShui fireworks festival around C N Yr also Peng Hu island group and the overnight gambling boat from Keelong is the train from ChiaYi up Alishan running again ?
Great tips! As for the train, it was running when I was there in December 2022, as there were staff members advising people near the information centre about the next train departures.
Great video. Can't wait to visit Taiwan in August.
You'll love it!! I'm going back there again end of August/start of September hopefully! Thank you also for the compliment on the video!
@@DefineAdamI read that Taiwan is super hot and humid at that time of the year, as Well as risk of typhoons. How would you rate the time of travel at the end of august compared to the rest of the year?
@@JacobMort91 So for this video, I went in November and it was completely fine all around for me. When I did my Orchid Island video, that was in the first week of September, and it was extremely hot and humid, and I even struggled a little with the weather despite being from Australia and used to the heat. There was also a major typhoon that I drove through to get to Orchid Island, and one of my favourite places Taroko Gorge was completely closed off due to the typhoon and fallen rocks all over the main road.
There’s a high chance of typhoons, and it will be hot, but it can be offset by hiring a car and enjoying the AC for the times you’re not exploring. If you’re in the mountains it’s also very cold.
Have a nice trip! ❤Recommend The National Palace Museum (Chinese: 國立故宮博物院). It has nearly 700,000 pieces of the most valuable Chinese relics, all of which were brought from the Beijing Forbidden City （Chinese: 北京故宫), very worth visiting! ❤❤❤
I loved the National Palace Museum! I wish I had longer there, but the sun was shining and I was on a tight schedule at the time :( I might be back in Taiwan for a third time in June, so I'll have to go back and check out the other exhibits! 😁
@@DefineAdam It took my whole day to visit, though news reports they broke some of the relics, but I believe will not affect your next visiting, have a nice trip!!😀😀🎶
awesome!! Day 5 timestamp is wrong though, it says Taitung instead of Taichung
Oooh thank you for pointing that out!! :D
I would recommend color grading your drone footage and also maybe double checking your frame rate, I would recommend 60 FPS
Thank you for the tips! I am constantly looking at ways to improve my footage, without changing too much to be unrealistic. I know quite a few people like to filter clips so much that it doesn’t even look like the real place.
The DJI Mini 2 drone which I currently have only goes up to 30FPS. Once my videos start making money, if they ever do, then I’ll be looking to upgrade to the Mini 4 which does go to 4K 60FPS. But while this is just a hobby I do in my spare time, I sadly have to make do with what I have. 🥺
Great video, what time of year were you there?
Thanks for the positive comment! This particular video was filmed November/December 2022. If you're wanting to see what the weather is like during August/September, check out my Orchid Island video which is the south of Taiwan. Right before the trip (on my way to Orchid Island), there was a major typhoon, so a lot og places were closed off due to danger and trees/buildings all over roads, etc. I also went back to Taiwan earlier this year in March, and there were a lot of storms.
When planning a trip, just check the monsoon seasons to avoid the typhoons. November/December when I went was perfect.
Thanks for the video. What is that pretty bridge to an island at 12:40?
Thank you for the positive comment! :D The bridge is "Sanxiantai Arch Bridge", between Taitung and Hualien. When this was filmed in 2023, the island was close, and has been closed the other times I went there. I am not sure if it's still closed to the public now, but the whole area on the mainland next to the bridge and under parts of it is still a great stop to make!
Great trip, I’m going in May, do you have recommendation for car rental company?
Thanks
Well, I've been to Taiwan twice now, however I only ever used "CarPlus" during my first trip in December (which is when this video was made). I went 2 weeks ago for 10 days and looked into hire car companies just to hire a car for 2-3 days, but most places wouldn't hire one to me for that little time - CarPlus would, but they were charging almost the same as it costed me for the 11 days I hired last year.
I can only comment on my experience with CarPlus (at Taipei Main Station), but they were excellent and very friendly. No issues with hiring the car, and when I returned it, all they asked for was the most recent receipt from the petrol station proving it was returned with a full tank of fuel.
@@DefineAdam Thanks Adam, yes I thought the price for the long rental plus fuel was very reasonable. I will look into CarPlus
Wonderful video. We are going for longer but will definitely stop at some of the places you recommended. What was the car company that is best to rent from, your car rental costs along with all of your other costs seems reasonable for my family of 4.
Apologies for the delayed response - I just got back from a trip in Albania and it was an absolute nightmare with the hire car!! :(
I've been back to Taiwan 3 times since and have spent a total of 8 weeks there this year now. Taiwan is truly an incredible place to experience (I did another recent video on Orchid Island).
As for the car company, they were really good when I did this video in January, as they had just opened up. When I used them again in September 2023, they added an additional fuel charge card to me, which was around 20% more than what the actual fuel costed - not too happy about it myself, but it was still cheaper than other companies. They were called "CarPlus", and their office is located in Taipei Main Station. I booked via Discover Cars here (www.discovercars.com/?a_aid=defineadam) as they had the cheapest deal when I booked in January, but in September, I booked via Kayak. So shop around and see where is currently hosting the cheapest prices.
Thank you for this great video! For driving there, do you have an international driver's license, or how do you make that work?
I've never needed an international driving licence before until coming to Taiwan. As I am based in the UK, all I had to do was walk into any post office, show them my local driving licence, and then they issued me an international one which is valid for 1 year. I believe this is also the same process used in Australia. I'm not sure how it is in other countries, but I'd assume it's also a similar process.
@@DefineAdam ok, thanks for your response and explanation! We rented a car in Japan once and it was a bit of a mission because we were not prepared with an international driver's license.
@@denisea.9033 Ooh wow. I remember being told when I was in Thailand that an international driving license was required, but they didn't even check any of my licences. Literally just handed over the car to me once I paid the fees via my credit card and showed them my passport.
@@DefineAdam that's great it went smoothly for you in Thailand. The Japan experience was likely difficult because it was a remote onsen town not used to foreign visitors, so they weren't quite sure what to do and spent quite some time on the phone with their DMV and insurance company, etc. It has left me weary to rent cars in other countries though so now I tend to avoid it. Your video made it seem easy in Taiwan though so I was intrigued because we're considering a visit there.
@@denisea.9033 I've hired a car in 7 countries now, and the only one that had an issue was actually in Cyprus, because they never advised me when I hired it, that you weren't allowed to drive the car across the DMZ into Northern Cyprus, so my car was confiscated by the United Nations Peacekeeping Force along with my passport for 2 days. Apart from that, every other country has been fine, and Taiwan was the only country to actually say an international driving licence is a must.
How was driving around Taiwan? Signage, road conditions, other drivers? I also like the option to wander, and go where my eye takes me.
Almost all signage is written in Traditional Chinese, however if you just have Google Maps running, then you're able to find your destination just fine. The places that caught my attention to explore or may be of interest to tourists, are shown on the international standard sign colour of brown, and these are typically written in Traditional Chinese as well as English.
Driving around was perfectly fine for me, with the exception of a few impatient drivers in small trucks in the countryside through the mountains. It was sometimes daunting that they'd be speeding to overtake me on the side of a cliff, but that only happened a couple of times. People comment about the amount of people on scooters in cities, especially Taipei City, but I didn't think too much of it. The quality of roads in Taiwan are near perfect - I don't think I saw a single pothole during my entire holiday. The roads within the mountains look like they've been constructed within the last few years, and several areas were under construction (they were building tunnels to go through the mountains rather than having to drive around them at quite a lot of places).
Overall, I found the whole experience easy and relaxing, but I have also driven in 7 countries and can expect anything as I'm used to it.
You can apply for a working holiday visa to Taiwan if:
1. Your age is between 18 and 30.
2. You are from one of the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Slovakia and the UK.
Surely it’s quite difficult to find a job without knowing the language though?
Hi Adam! Absolutely loved your experience exploring Taiwan and will be adding some of the places you've been to my itinerary! May i know where is the place featured in the timestamp 12:38? Thank you in advance!
Heya Tanahmerahhantu! I'm glad it was useful!! The place at 12:38 is "Sanxiantai Arch Bridge", which is approximately 1 hour drive north of Taitung. There's no nearby train stations, however there's a local tourist bus from Taitung Main Station which goes there during the summer seasons if you're not hiring a car.
@@DefineAdam you’re incredibly helpful! Thank you 😊😊
Hi Adam. Great video. Was it easy to drive in Taiwan?
Thank you for the compliment! ☺️
Yeah, I found it quite easy to drive a car in Taiwan. There’s nothing too complicated and most people on the road are quite respectful, there’s just the odd blue trucks in the mountain roads who like to speed up behind you and take over at high speeds. I am currently in Taiwan right now and rode a scooter for the first time on Orchid Island (My next video coming out next month), and I found that to be alright on such a deserted island, but I personally wouldn’t risk riding a scooter in the cities.
Which month of the year did you travel to Taiwan?
As i have booked my tickets in August and be prepared on the weather
I went in December 2022 (when this video was shot), and again in February 2023. Both times the weather was really good, and during both trips (totaling 4 weeks), only 2 days had rain. I am going again in September, so fingers crossed the weather remains good!
Thank you for the info! I am praying hard for good weather, too🤞
台灣從七月 八月 九月 十月 十一月 會有颱風 山區大雨 要是有地震 山上常會坍方 落石 天氣炎熱 不適合旅遊 除非你想待在 海邊 戲水 另外一月底 二月初 會遇上農曆新年 那是長假期 各地會人滿為患 吃 住 交通 都會比較昂貴
Thanks for an incredibly interesting and helpfull video Adam. Looking through the faq's I found my only real question answered, which was what time of year did you travel? Nov/Dec. I'm hoping to visit for about three weeks next year (2024) with arrival mid October. I just pray the weather will be kind. Your breakdown of costs was also helpfull, excluding flights a little over £100 per day is good🙂.
I’m very glad to hear it was helpful!! I also recently went back to Taiwan (except I focused on Orchid Island - video also posted), as well as seeing Tainan which I missed out on in the above video during September 2023, and the weather was very good for the final 2 and a half weeks of the trip. The first few days were affected by the typhoon, but if you’re intending to visit in October, then you should be fine!! 😁😁
Thx for your trip adviser ❤
My pleasure!
Great info. 🙏Keep it up🙏
Thank you!
I like this type of no-nonsense video. I am a Taiwanese who just returned to the US from Taiwan. If you can spend more time to the eastern Taiwan you will have much more preasure. Try to visit Yilan, Hualien and Taitung. By the way. Some of your drone video clips could have violated the drone laws of flying drone. Please be more careful.
Thank you for the positive comments on the video! There's quite a few things that annoy me when I watch videos on TH-cam when they're overbloated with things such as where to eat good food or other things that may not necessarily be important to everyone, so I try to create things I'd prefer to watch. I have had some feedback that there was too much content in this particular video, and should've been broken down into 2 or 3 videos, but I also don't like dragging things out for the sake of it haha.
I actually managed to visit Yilan briefly when I returned to Taiwan in September, and had every intention to spend another 2-3 weeks on the east coast, however a typhoon was around and all the mountain passes were closed off. I quickly adjusted my schedule and went to Orchid Island instead (I made a video about it).
As for the drone clips - I had permission/licences from Taiwan's Civil Aviation Authority to fly in Taiwan during the trip. Taroko National Park, as well as the areas around Taitung/Hualian, also required their own additional drone licences/permissions which I applied for and was approved for. The only one which wasn't approved until I had already left Taiwan, as they were confused why I came from the UK on an Australian passport, is the area around Yuanzui Shan (鳶嘴山). The drone shot going over the suspension bridge in Taroko National Park also isn't allowed under their specific licence, however I did get permission on the day and they allowed me to do 1 fly over only, and under supervision. I am very particular on where to fly with my drone, as I do not want such an expensive piece of equipment to be confiscated from me if rules are broken! :P
@@DefineAdam It is great to hear your happiness while you were in Taiwan. Because I am a Taiwanese I always tried to avoid big cities and some very common tourist-liked places such as the Sun-Moon lake. This is because I have been there many times and I am living very close to Lake Superior. If you have another chance to visit Taiwan, try a few small/little towns/places along the northeast and the east coast. I would recommend just a few as follows:
(1) Badouzi near the Keelung city (th-cam.com/video/IDX1WNX0m4E/w-d-xo.html , th-cam.com/video/Uj8sHf2fNMk/w-d-xo.html , th-cam.com/video/Zc7nwVHqy_A/w-d-xo.html )
(2) Bitou, which is not very far away from Taiwan and can be accessed by bus ( th-cam.com/video/RVKHirGac64/w-d-xo.html )
(3) Fennialin Fish Port (or Pigeon Woods Fishing Port) ( th-cam.com/video/-JGsF9l1d2Q/w-d-xo.html and th-cam.com/video/o3r-4Und4fo/w-d-xo.html )
(4) Chishang ( th-cam.com/video/TdSw2HZypTQ/w-d-xo.html )
(5) Tamsui may not be a good place for a Briton; but you could visit Fort Santo Domingo ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Santo_Domingo ) where you may find the former British Consulate Residence in Tamsui very interesting. It has been very well preserved. This place can be accessed by bus or by walking (if you chose to take Taipei MRT).
Really wish you will be in Taiwan again. God bless.
@@ckshene7212 I'm exactly like you! I try, almost always to avoid tourist hotspots for a number of reasons (too many people, tourist traps, ruined by tourists, not really an authentic part of the country anymore, etc). Some I'll go for the same of going, or if it's not too much of a detour, or just to say I've been there, but the majority of my trips are focused on the not so popular/known places.
I went to Beitou springs and the marks during my 2nd trip in February - they were amazing! I did also spend some time in Keelung City back in September, but it was only a short day trip as it was my last day in Taiwan.
I am hoping to one day move and live in Taiwan, but the language barrier is one of the major factors stopping me.
Hello, thanks for sharing uour experiences. I plan to go to Taiwan end of next month, can you please share any information with me about your car rental experience? Thanks
Hello Sarah! Out of the 5 times I've been to Taiwan, I've hired a car 3 times. Twice on the mainland, and once in Penghu County which is one of the islands. I've also hired a scooter while on Orchid Island (another Taiwanese island).
The company I used on the mainland both times was called "CarPlus", and they were really good both times. The only downside the second time is that they started charging for petrol at a higher premium than it actually costs, and stated that it had to be purchased through their debit card they provide you. The additional costs probably amounted to an extra £15GBP/$20USD, so not too major, although still annoying. They were by far the cheapest option for those times.
If you're wanting to drive in Taiwan, they require by law that you have an International Driving Permit, which if in Europe you can just pick up from any Post Office for £5. Only the first ever time I drove in Taiwan, did they ask to see that. Each other time after, none of the hire companies even asked to look at my licence.
Seeing Taiwan by car is definitely worth it though! There's so many more things you can see and do without having to rely on tour groups or public transport.
Any other questions, just let me know!
@@DefineAdam Thanks so much Adam. I have actually been in Asia for a couple of years now and have yet to venture home and get an international driving permit. So it's not looking likely for me to be able to hire! (boo) but maybe, hopefully, I can get a scooter😏or find a friend to share a car with that has the license!
Hi Adam, first of all thank you very much for this video, I find it very helpful. I was wondering with how much time in advance you booked the car and which site you used? Thank you very much!
Thank you for the kind comment!!!
Really appreciate that you answered back to me! Thanks a lot!
Cheers mate
@@portugalslb97 No worries!! If you need any other help or questions, feel free to ask away! 😊
did you go in January? I booked a flight to Taiwan this January next year, and i'm currently looking for videos of people going there in January.
This video was filmed in December 2022, and then I returned to Taiwan in February 2023 to visit addition places as I enjoyed my time so much there. 😁
To friends from the 4corners of the world, welcome to my country Taiwan
Super, super nice video! Did you travel alone?
Yeah, I did travel alone for most of the trip. Thank you for the compliments on the video also!
I really think this video is one of the best travel videos I have seen so far about Taiwan. We are traveling to Taiwan this year and also looking into renting a car... do you happen by chance remember what car rental company you have chosen? I think the prices skyrocketed lately.. :) thank you and keep up the good work!
@@AndreasScherzler-sk8md
I really do appreciate the kind words about the video!
I used a company called "Car Hire Plus", who have their main office in Taipei Main Station, opposite the Starbucks. I used this website ( www.discovercars.com/?a_aid=defineadam ) to gain a cheaper rate than what they offer in-person for when I hired a car during the trip shown in the video. They were very good overall, and there weren't any complications with the process. I did try to use them again in February when I returned to Taiwan, but their fees ended up higher (it was quoted at around £45/day), but that might have been because I didn't pre-book it, and turned up on the spot. 😁
I hope the prices haven't skyrocketed too much! I am going back to Taiwan in September and I'm looking to hire a car... 😅
fantastic/ inspiring video, did you get the japanese encephalitis vaccine before your trip? im seeing its "recommended"for some parts of asia.
No. I didn’t get a single vaccine for my visit to Taiwan as it’s a safe country. I’d imagine a few other countries within Asia would require it though.
@@DefineAdam thanks for the response, your video def inspired me to check out taiwan im planning a trip to Japan, South korea, HK & Taiwan i saw the Japanese encephalitis vax was recommended for most of these countries, but not required. I was also in the Philippines and Vietnam last year and had no issues.
@@eduardor5899 I’d say it’s probably needed for HK and South Korea - not because those countries themselves are bad, but because they’re connected to the Asian/European continent and so it’s harder for them to control diseases as opposed to island nations like Japan and Taiwan
來台灣接種疫苗 便宜 方便 快速 效率 品質高
I like the mountain where You gave up
Yeah. It's a nice mountain.
When you traveled? What month? ❤ thank you
In this video, December 2022. With my most recent Taiwan video (Orchid Island), September 2023.
Great vid. Where or which nearby town do you recommend to stay if want to catch the train to see sunrise in Alisan? Or can drive up to the mountain?
The main Alishan National Park area has a large carpark where you're able to leave the hire car. Then you're able to take the specific national park train up to the sunrise area. There are hotels to stay within the national park, although I suspect they're probably very expensive.
Love your video. Which car rental company you used? You said car hired for $15000. I’d that private driver? Thanks
Thank you for the compliment! ☺️
As for the car rental company, I used “CarPlus” at Taipei Main Station. They offered the cheapest rates for my duration. I also drove myself the entire time. $15,000 New Taiwan Dollars equals approximately $500USD or £400GBP, so it’s not that much at all.
You should be able to hire a car at a good price from here as well - www.discovercars.com/?a_aid=defineadam
Welcome to Taiwan.
So glad to be there
@@DefineAdam 台灣有許多原住民文化可以探索，還有金門跟周圍小島可以旅遊浮潛，有機會歡迎再回來玩！🎉
@@主人-v9j 感謝您的意見和建議！！我等不及要回台灣了。三個月內已經來過兩次了。不過下次去還打算住那裡！我只需要弄清楚簽證情況和工作。
welcome to Taiwan!!!!
I enjoy your beautiful shooting. Thanks.
Thank you so much for the positive comment
Is a type A or type B power adapter preferred? Thanks in advance!
Taiwan uses both types, and if I'm completely honest, I don't know the different between type A or B. I just bought a normal international adapter to charge all my equipment which worked very well for me - amzn.to/3YxqnPw
@@DefineAdam Thanks for your reply, appreciate it!
Videography and music selection were great!
However, personally, i will not spend an entire holiday driving on the road because it's too tiring. Taking the speed train shortened your time by 90%, and you sounded tired, though.
The west coast of Taiwan is very easy to access via THSR, especially since it stops at the locations that you had gone to.
The east coast road is tough, especially to Taroko at Hualien. You have missed out Yeliu, one of the famous naturel Park.
However, I appreciate your video very much.
Thank you for the compliments!
Great video.
I am looking at hiring a car but have never driven internationally before.
Which hire company did you use? Is it difficult to navigate the roads around the place?
I used a company called "Car Hire Plus", who have their main office in Taipei Main Station, opposite the Starbucks. I used this website (www.discovercars.com/?a_aid=defineadam) to gain a cheaper rate than what they offer in-person. They were very good overall, and there weren't any complications with the process.
As for driving internationally, it's really not an issue! It'll take some getting used to (maybe 30 minutes or so to observe what others are doing on the road and get used to some of the signs), but if you drive a lot in your own country, then you'll be completely fine!
Thanks for the reply! Very useful info.. do you mind if I flick you a message if I need any other info closer to my trip re drivin
?
@@nubcake272 Yeah sure. I don’t mind ☺️
@@DefineAdam I used your discovercars link and it does not find any location like Taipei, Taiwan, Taoyuan. How come? In addition, are you sure you used 'Car Hire Plus', not 'Carplus'??
Good vid, good job. TQ
Thank you for the positive comments!
What month were you in taiwan? We are going early December
For this particular video, it was 16th November to 10th December ☺️
I’ve also been back to Taiwan multiple times, during September, February, March and July. All months were good except July, which had a typhoon on the west coast ruining my Penghu County trip.
At 12:43 where is this in the country?
It is Sanxiantai Arch Bridge - which is approximately half way between Hualien and Taitung on the south east coast of Taiwan. The bridge was closed at the time of filming this video, and a few others since then have also commented that the bridge is still closed, so I'm not sure if it's open yet, or ever will be, but it was still an amazing place to visit.
@@DefineAdam thank you so much for the quick reply!
Please tell me, was YuWen Chen a friend or colleague, or a local tour guide for hire?
Heya Rick! She was a friend who showed me around Taipei city, and gave a few suggestions on places in Taiwan, however I travelled around the island of Taiwan myself.
For my other video to Orchid Island, I also went there alone and did my own research, although after finding out the only ATM on the island only accepted Taiwanese bank cards, she did help by paying the hotel fees for me, and then I paid her back upon arriving back in Taipei before leaving.
@@DefineAdam thanks, I am taking my family to Taiwan in October and we are considering using a local tour guide in some cases. I prefer finding an individual’ not a “tour company”. That is why I asked. Thanks for your feedback back!
Thank you for posting this - I fell completely in love with Taiwan when I lived in Kaohsiung for a year in high school. I get nostalgic from time to time and look for decent videos, and yours made my day! If I'd had a choice in the matter, I would've gone to boarding school in Taichung after my family moved back to the states. Alas, that was a no go. I will visit again someday!
Wow. That must have been an incredible experience and one I wish I had myself!! 🥺🥺 I love Taiwan so much that I’ve actually been 3 more times since that video was uploaded in January. I’m actually currently in Taiwan as I write this comment, although sadly it’s my last day here before going back to the UK. 😔
I honestly see myself moving here to live, however the language barrier is one of the biggest concerns for me. 🥺
@DefineAdam I'm sorry you have to leave again, but enjoy your last day there! I would gladly spend the rest of my life on that fabulous island lol! I only learned enough Mandarin from my friends to be able to direct a taxi, order food and jenju nai cha, shop, etc. I chose to attend MAK over KAS and had to take Bible class when I should've been in Mandarin. 😒 I'm much more worried about being able to eat there safely - I've been diagnosed with celiac disease since living there, and not being able to enjoy all the amazing street food and restaurants will break my heart a little!
P.S. Did you conquer that mountain yet? 🙂
@@annameagher6728 Ive been slowly trying to learn Mandarin over the past year, but with 2 full time jobs, studying a masters degree - it’s all quite hectic!!
I do wish I focused more on a second language during high school, although our schools in Australia mostly focused on Japanese.
As for the mountain, my plan was to do it this trip as part of another video I’m doing in collaboration with an organisation, but the typhoon hit Taiwan suddenly 2 weeks ago and I had to change everything up on the spot. The entire Taroko Gorge area was closed off, and all the mountain passes. But I’ll get to it eventually!!
@DefineAdam Well it's a good thing you missed the typhoon, but I'm guessing you missed that window after a typhoon when the city skies are actually crystal clear! Bummer about Taroko! (But if it they actually closed the whole thing off....uh, it must be pretty dangerous, to say the least...) Sounds like perfect Kenting beach holiday timing to me! 😎
It sounds like you do have quite a bit on your plate, indeed. Learning a new language sounds low priority atm. Also, it takes some time to adjust to the language barrier, but it's definitely manageable to move there speaking only English.
@@annameagher6728 I actually managed to get over to Orchid Island off Taitung right after and got some amazing photos and videos of the clear blue skies!!
Edit: Out of all my time in Taiwan, I think it would only be feasible in Taipei with English only
Wht is the best transportation to explore Taiwan? Is it by car?
It depends what you want to focus on and see. If you’re more into cities and just exploring those areas, getting the bullet trains around the island and metros or busses in those cities will be fine. I’ve done trips with a car and not a car in Taiwan.
If you’re looking to see the mountains and more niche places on the coast, then you’ll need a car. Do note, if one of the places you want to see is Taroko Gorge, it’s been closed since that huge earthquake.
@@DefineAdam thank u so much for info :)
@@Bebekmatrix You’re very welcome!! ☺️
If you want to visit offshore Taiwan, I did also do another video on Orchid Island if you have a few extra days to spare. 2 is plenty. The 4 I stayed was probably too long
As a Taiwanese living in California, I would not recommend foreigners take up driving in Taiwan.
Driving in Taiwan can be very stressful. Taiwanese streets are narrow, blocks are short and it can feel like every 100ft is a traffic light. The streets are poorly designed and often makes no sense. Add many cars, motorcycles, and pedestrias to those streets, and one could have some of the worst driving experience. It's not Thailand or India, but New York City seems like heaven by comparison.
In the country sides, there is much less traffic, but drivers, bicyclists, motorcyclists often don't follow traffic signs or laws. Running a red light is common in rural Taiwan. Intersections without any stop signs or traffic lights are also common.
Illegal turns , passing, stopping, parking are common. The common sense of driving is very different in Taiwan.
Take public transportation and Uber, your travel will be much more enjoyable.
Taxi experience is hit or miss, but much better and reliable than taxis in the US.
I actually had the opposite experience. The roads, especially in the countryside were probably some of the best I've driven on globally (in terms of the quality of road pavement, etc). No pot holes, wide roads in the countryside, modern infrastructure. In fact, almost every road I drove on in the countryside had roadworks where they were improving the infrastructure. I agree the roads in Taiwan, especially Taipei City are narrow, but it's the same as narrow roads found in London/the UK in general, so it wasn't that challenging for me. I'd 100% agree regarding the local drivers in the countryside - they did seem quite impatient and speeding/overtaking me, etc. It was also a little worrying in Taipei City with how motorcyclists completely cut you off and go right in front of you.
I suppose overall, if you're not too fond of driving in foreign countries, I'd take caution when driving in Taiwan, but for me, having driven in 7 countries on both sides of the road, I'm totally fine with anything that comes my way. I do have a few friends and colleagues who wouldn't think about touching a car in a foreign country.
@@DefineAdam Thank you for this nice and informative video. Soon I will visit Taiwan and I made notes of all the places you've mentioned in the video.In case I would like to rent a car as well I would like to ask which rental company you used and did you have good experiences with them? And is it necessary to book it (far) in advance?
@@DefineAdam I just saw some else asked a similar question. Did you book the car far in advance or were you able to hire it in the Taipei main train station at Carpluss without reservation?
@@chrish.7965 I organised the hire car 2 weeks prior to my trip if I remember correctly - which equated to around £36/day. I did go back to Taiwan in February and tried to hire a car from them again by just going up to the desk, and it was slightly more expensive at £38/day, but no major difference. I don't know how big their company is and how many cars they have to hire, so maybe for peace of mind I'd recommend hiring prior to arriving. You may also be lucky and find some discounts at DiscoverCars here - www.discovercars.com/?a_aid=defineadam. They often give a nice 10% off your booking fee during certain times.
@@DefineAdam Thank you very much for your answer and the information. I will check the website and consider to book it in advance. During my stay in Taipei I don't need a rental car but visiting some of the places in your video by public transport might be challenging so it can be useful. Do you know if taxi's are expensive in Taiwan?
Thank you :)
You’re welcome, and thanks for showing support 💚
What is the architecture in the cover picture, please?
It’s the temple within the Peace Park in central Taipei. Right near the museum and a short walk away from the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial.
Good job
Thank you ☺️
how did you hire your care? With which company? And how much is it?
The hire car company I used, is called "CarPlus" in Taipei Main Station. It's within the underground shopping centre, opposite Starbucks. From my research before I travelled there, they provided the cheapest daily rates. For the total cost, it was about £430 for 11 days, or $16,000 New Taiwan Dollars
@@DefineAdam Thank you so much Adam! That will help us to plan our trip. I got so much inspiration form your video!
@@stepi7414 I'm not sure where you're staying, but almost everywhere, you need to pay for parking. For the days I spent in Taipei City, the cheapest carpark (for overnight parking) was under Ningxia Night Market, and the next cheapest was under the Roaders Plus hotel at Taipei Main Station ($300NTD/12 hours if I remember correctly). They only accepted cash though, so it was fun having to run to ATMs that accepted my UK bank cards to withdraw money.
So glad to hear you got some inspiration as well!! 😍
@@DefineAdam Thank you for this additional hint. That will be probably very usefull. Looking already forward to be there soon 🙂
I want to go, too.
You’ll love it if you go!! 🙌😍
cool
The Thousand-Island Lake is located in China, isn't it !??? 🤔🤔
There's one in Taipei, Taiwan, as well as one in California, USA and Jiande, China. Can't have unique names everywhere :P
@@DefineAdam Certainly ! I remember reading of this name in a news about Japan, they may have one too.
The reason this name got well known to Taiwanese is because back in 90's, a tour group from Taiwan was murdered on a tour boat in the one in China, they were robbed, shot and the boat was burnt down in the lake. That was around 50 people and no one survived.
If there is one in Taiwan, the media would have made tons of comparisons; but there was none. That week came along with a major plane-crash news in Taoyuan and I really thought it was the end of the world. (what on earth is going on now)
I just found it on Google Maps, it's near Taipei, is it a dam ?? 🤔🤔 I was born and raised in Taiwan, honestly never heard of this lake before.
@@eudesodoroidefrance9643 Of all the photos and drone videos I took of the lake above, I couldn’t see any dams nearby. Very interesting story about the lake in China though. I didn’t know about that either.
@@DefineAdam Well, nothing splendidly great in Taiwan; but more & more westerners have moved to Taiwan in the past 20 years and stay there for good.
I hope you will see her as a hub for your future travels in Asia or even your 2nd home.
I now live in Paris but will retire to Taiwan for sure. The stress of living in Taiwan is low and it's safe, while in Paris, I never put luxury goods on me because I was robbed & attacked in a subway station once and called the police for help. The police responded to me that they wold not come over because the property belongs to the subway company....what a crap !
BTW, Merry Xmas ! 😃😎
@@eudesodoroidefrance9643 I’d love to live in Taiwan eventually, but the language barrier is what worries me. I’ve been to Taiwan 4 times this year, and can’t wait to return again!
And I know what you mean about safety in western countries. My first time in Taiwan, I saw a table where people just left their phones and laptops to charge, and walked away to a shop or cafe. I was so surprised and the level of trust that people there had. If that was in London, that would be gone in 30 seconds. As for the police not helping you - it was the same with me back in February. When i actually returned from Taiwan, my landlord was waiting for me, he broke into my room and stole my things, and then demanded money from me, despite already paying rent. I refused and he stabbed me. I ran straight to the police while there was still blood running down my hands and they did nothing because “it wasn’t recorded”. They’re absolutely useless here.
Taiwan is in East Asia, much different culture from Southeastern Asia.
Though both have Chinese influence, Southeastern Asia is heavily influenced by Indian and Islamic culture which is exotic in East Asia. Countries in Southeastern Asia were also heavily colonized by European countries, that further set the culture apart from East Asia.
Hope you visit us soon
I can't wait to come back! ❤
Do you have self-prevention regulations or not?
What do you mean by that?
@@DefineAdam I mean when you arrived, do you have to quarantine or not?
@@emhengly5250 Ohh no. They removed quarantine requirements October 2022. When I arrived at the main Taiwan airport, they handed everyone a box of 4 Covid-19 rapid tests, just for you to use during your trip, but no hard requirements to stay in a hotel.
Why you called Taiwan a "small " island ? Which island is bigger than Taiwan in the world ????
I can't tell if this comment is a joke or not haha... because there's several islands much larger than Taiwan. :P