Taipei

Orientation

Taipei, an energetic and vibrant city full of color and life, is the capital city of Taiwan. As one of the busiest cities in the region, Taipei has a very busy traffic. However, the city is Taiwan’s commercial and entertainment center and becomes a popular tourist city destination.

City Facts

• Taipei Population : 2,880,000 (Source: UN Population Division 2000 estimate)
• Taiwan Population : 22,113,250 (Source: UN Population Division 2000 estimate)
• Currency : New Taiwan Dollar (TWD)
• Time Zone : GMT +8 hours
• Language : Mandarin, with Taiwanese and English widely spoken.

Weather

Weather Forecast

Climate

Taipei has a sub-tropical climate, with winter’s average temperature of 10°C (50°F) and summer’s average temperature of 33°C (90°F). The rainfall usually reaches the highest level during summer. The typhoon season in Taipei is from June to October.

Local Customs

As in China, “face”, or the direct translation of “pride” in the west, is a vital element in Taiwanese culture and society. To avoid causing someone to loose face, everyone in Taiwan does not show much emotion or express extreme opinions for fear of offending others. Moreover, to avoid any social mistakes, Taiwanese always generously give gifts and pays for restaurant bills, etc.

Dining

As one of the world’s great Chinese culinary centres, people in Taiwan love food. Influenced by regional Chinese and Japanese cuisine, Taiwan’s menus are filled with seafood and sweeter element.

Tipping Advice

Most of the restaurant bills are subject to service charge. If not, about 10 percent is a standard tip. For most services, you are not expected to tip, with the exception of bellboys and porters who usually expect about one dollar per piece of luggage.

Transportation

Traveling from CKS International Airport to the city centre of Taipei takes about 45 to 60 minutes. Most of the larger hotels provide fee-paying shuttle bus service between hotels and the Airport. Meanwhile, public shuttle buses running between hotels and the main railway station are also available.

Arriving by Air

CKS International Airport (TPE) is the only airport in Taipei city.

Getting Around Taipei

For those who do not know Chinese, it is quite problematic to get around Taipei as all signs are in Chinese and people seldom speak English. If driving, it is better to hire a driver who speaks English. If using the bus, the automatic driverless Metropolitan Rapid Transit trains or taxis are your choice of destination.