Taiwan may not be the most popular tourist location in the world for westerners because Taiwan is generally better known for its technological advances and its prowess in manufacturing and production, rather than exciting tourist hotspots. However, a casual visitor does have many things to enjoy on their visit. Taiwan has many sightseeing locations around the island due to the large chain of mountains and coastal areas. Living expenses are generally cheap by USA standards, a simple meal will cost from a little more than a dollar to four dollars. With transportation and lodging included, one could expect to spend around sixty U.S. dollars per day.
Focusing on the positives of Taiwan shopping is a must-do. The night markets are a staple to Taiwanese economy. Open air markets, with dozens of vendors selling almost everything one could think of, haggling is expected, and one could compare it to a nighttime version of a swap meet. You can find a night market in every city in Taiwan, some of the larger cities will have more than one. Taipei, the capital city, has a dozen or more open every night. For those tourists who don’t enjoy the idea of having to haggle prices, or dealing with the dangers of buying fake goods, there are shopping centers all over Taiwan where one could splurge on genuine goods with fixed prices.
Something one must keep in mind when visiting Taiwan is the drinking water. It is usually frowned upon to drink tap water in Taiwan. The reason for this is due to the fact that Taiwan is a seismic active zone. Due to the many earthquakes on the island, the water pipes are damaged easily which causes contaminants to enter the water freely. Usually, one would be advised to boil the water before drinking, or to just buy bottled water. Though Taiwan is not well known for the tourism scene, there are still many reasons to plan a trip to Taiwan. If you enjoy shopping and sightseeing, consider Taiwan on your next vacation.
