Travel Information

About Taipei

The modern face of Taipei shines through with its glass and steel skyscrapers, wide boulevards, and the world’s tallest building, Taipei 101. Taipei boasts dozens of world-class performance venues, where you can enjoy world-class theater and concert events. The city also offers a wide range of other diversions – shopping malls, nightclubs, live-music bars, quality hotels, and exotic restaurants. In addition, Taipei is a paradise for gourmets to taste the varied delicate and delicious cuisines, such as local snacks, Hakka dishes, Chinese cuisines, and unique aboriginal foods. Gourmets may try the foods with local flavors in the night markets and have exquisite dining in five-star hotels. It is absolutely a place that tourists may not want to miss.

Useful Information


CLIMATE & CLOTHING
TIME ZONE
ELECTRICITY

MONEY MATTERS
TIPPING & BARGAINING
VAT REFUND REQUIREMENTS

Useful Hotlines

Contact Telephone No.
Emergency Numbers (Free Service): Police 110
Emergency Numbers (Free Service): Fire & Ambulance 119
Overseas Operator 100
English-language Directory Assistance 106
Tourist Information Hotline (886) 2-2717-3737
24-Hour Toll-Free Travel Information Call Center 0800-011-765
International Community Service Hotline 0800-024-111
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (886) 2-2348-2999

More information at

Taipei enjoys a subtropical climate with warm weather all year round. Taipei is suitable for traveling, as the annual average temperature is a comfortable 25 degrees Celsius with lowest temperatures ranging from 12 to 17 degrees Celsius (54-63 Fahrenheit). It will be around 15-21 degrees Celsius in December in Taipei.
Taipei is 8 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Taipei uses electric current of 110 volts at 60 cycles, appliances from Europe, Australia or South-East Asia will need an adaptor or transformer.

The official currency is the New Taiwan Dollar (NT$). Foreign currencies can be exchanged at government-designated banks and hotels. Major credit cards such as American Express, Master Card, and Visa are accepted and traveler’s checks may be cashed at foreign-exchange banks, some tourist-oriented businesses, and most international tourist hotels.
Tipping is not customary in Taipei, but some hotels and restaurants automatically add a 10% service fee to the bill.

VAT REFUND REQUIREMENTS:

  • Foreign travelers holding non-ROC passports, ROC passports withoutregistered household, or a re-entry permit.
  • Foreign travelers who make purchases of at least NT$3,000 (USD100) onthe same day from the same Tax Refund Shopping (TRS)-posted store, are eligible for a refund of the 5% VAT paid on those purchased goods. To claim the refund, they must apply at the port of their departure from Chinese Taipei within 30 days following the date of purchase, and they must take the purchased goods out of the country with them.