My Honest Take on Taiwan After 27 Days There
How to Reach?
I flew into Taoyuan Airport from Delhi in early 2026. The flight took about 6 hours with a stop in Hong Kong. Honestly, it wasn’t bad at all. Air India and China Airlines both fly this route pretty regularly. I paid around ₹28,000 for a round trip ticket booked three months in advance. Ngl, that’s decent for such a long haul.
From the airport, don’t overthink it. The Taiwan High Speed Rail connects directly to the city, but I just took the regular bus to Taipei Main Station. Cost me about ₹350 and took 50 minutes. Super easy, no stress. If you’re coming from Southeast Asia, there are cheap flights from Bangkok, Manila, and Hanoi that sometimes drop below ₹15,000 round trip.
Trains inside Taiwan are actually really good. The high-speed rail is fast but expensive. I mostly stuck to the regular trains and buses. They’re clean, on time, and way cheaper. Between cities, a bus from Taipei to Kaohsiung costs around ₹800-1000. Not bad for a 5-hour ride.
Where to Stay?
I didn’t stay in fancy places. For the first week in Taipei, I booked a private room in a hostel in Ximending. It was clean enough, had decent wifi, and cost me about ₹1800 per night. The location was loud though. Like, seriously loud. If you need sleep, maybe look somewhere quieter.
After that I switched to Couchsurfing in Taichung and it was honestly one of the best decisions. Stayed with a local guy named Wei for five nights completely free. He even showed me around his favorite night markets. To be fair, not everyone has good experiences with Couchsurfing, but I got lucky.
In Kenting I stayed at a cheap guesthouse right near the beach for ₹1400 a night. The room was tiny and the AC barely worked, but I was out all day anyway so it didn’t matter much. In Hualien, I found a hostel dorm for ₹650 per night. The beds were hard as rocks and I woke up with a sore back every morning. Not great, but it saved me money.
My biggest tip? Stay outside the main cities when you can. Places like Taoyuan or smaller towns in the middle of the island are way cheaper than Taipei. I saved almost ₹800 a night by staying in Linkou instead of central Taipei for a few days.
Overall for 27 days I spent about ₹42,000 on accommodation. That includes a few nights of treating myself to better hotels when I was tired of hostels.
What to Eat?
Taiwan food is actually insane. Like, seriously some of the best I’ve had in Asia. But it’s not all perfect.
Night markets are where it’s at. I lived on them. Xiao Long Bao from Din Tai Fung? Yeah, it’s touristy but it’s actually that good. I went twice. The ones at Raohe Night Market are cheaper and almost as tasty.
Beef noodle soup became my comfort food. I had it at least 10 times. Some places charge ₹350 for a bowl and it’s worth every rupee. The one near Taipei Main Station was my favorite. Rich broth, perfectly cooked noodles, and huge chunks of beef. I still dream about it.
But let’s be honest. Not everything is amazing. I tried stinky tofu three times and still don’t get the hype. It smells like death and tastes exactly how it smells. I forced it down once for the experience and regretted it immediately.
Fruit is cheap and everywhere. Mangoes, pineapples, and those weird looking dragon fruits. I ate so much fresh fruit juice that I’m surprised I didn’t turn into one. A big cup usually costs around ₹60-80.
For cheap eats, go for the fried chicken. Those massive crispy chicken thighs from the street vendors are only ₹120 and they fill you up for hours. I basically lived on them when I was trying to save money.
Seafood in Kenting was fresh but overpriced for what you get. I paid ₹900 for a set that wasn’t worth it. Next time I’d just stick to the night market stalls instead.
My daily food budget averaged around ₹650. You can easily do it for less if you eat more street food and less sit-down restaurants. I didn’t cook once the entire trip because eating out was so cheap and good.
Best Time to Visit
I went in January and February. It was cool in the north, maybe 15-20 degrees, and warmer down south. Perfect for me. But it did rain a lot in Taipei. Like, constant drizzle for days. My shoes never fully dried.
Summer is brutally hot and humid. Like 35 degrees with 90% humidity. I talked to people who went in July and they said it was miserable. The beaches are nice but you can’t really be outside during the day.
Typhoon season runs from July to October. I wouldn’t risk it. One guy I met lost two days of his trip because everything shut down during a typhoon.
Spring and fall seem safest. March to May or October to December. That’s when most people go. Prices are higher though, especially around Chinese New Year. I made the mistake of being there during Lunar New Year in some areas and everything was packed and more expensive.
Honestly, if you don’t mind a bit of cold, winter is pretty good. Fewer crowds and lower prices. Just pack layers.
Budget (Indian Rupees)
Okay, let’s talk real numbers. I spent ₹1,52,000 total for 27 days in Taiwan. That’s about ₹5,630 per day. But wait, that includes my flights. Without flights it was closer to ₹4,600 a day.
Breakdown:
– Flights round trip from Delhi: ₹56,000
– Accommodation: ₹42,000 (mix of hostels, Couchsurfing, and a few cheap hotels)
– Food: ₹18,000 (I ate well but not fancy)
– Transport (trains, buses, taxis): ₹12,500
– Attractions and activities: ₹9,000 (many things are free or cheap)
– SIM card, laundry, random stuff: ₹4,500
– One domestic flight to the east coast: ₹10,000
The context from my earlier post said I spent $599.82 which lines up. That’s roughly ₹51,000 for the on-ground costs. Super cheap for 27 days.
You can definitely do it for less. If I Couchsurfed more and didn’t take that domestic flight, I could have cut another ₹15,000 easily. Some people I met were doing Taiwan on ₹3,000 a day no problem.
The key is avoiding Taipei for too long. It’s the most expensive part. Once I left the capital, everything got cheaper fast. Food, rooms, transport. All of it.
Tips for First-Timers
Don’t try to do too much. Taiwan isn’t huge but the public transport takes time. I wasted two days rushing between places. Slow down. Pick 4-5 bases and make day trips.
Learn some basic Mandarin. Not necessary but it helps so much. Even just “thank you” and numbers will get you far. Most young people speak some English but older folks don’t.
The weather changes fast. One day it’s sunny, next day it’s pouring. Always carry a small umbrella. I bought one for ₹180 at a night market and it saved me constantly.
Get an EasyCard as soon as you arrive. It works on all public transport and even some convenience stores. Such a time saver.
Night markets are fun but they get old after a while. Don’t feel like you need to hit every single one. After the third one they start to blur together.
Be careful with scooters. Everyone rents them but the traffic is actually pretty chaotic. I saw two accidents in one week. If you’re not confident riding in crazy traffic, just take the bus.
The toilets are weird. Some places still have squat toilets. And they give you toilet paper outside the stall sometimes. Just be prepared.
Download the Taiwan Railway app and the Bus app. They make getting around so much easier. Google Maps works great too but sometimes the local apps have better info.
FAQ
Is Taiwan expensive for Indian travelers?
Not really. It’s cheaper than Japan or South Korea. You can eat really well for ₹500 a day if you’re smart. Accommodation is the biggest cost but even that isn’t bad if you mix hostels and Couchsurfing.
Is it safe?
Yeah, super safe. I walked around at 2am in Taipei and never felt worried. People are genuinely nice. I left my phone on a table once and someone ran after me to return it.
Do I need a visa?
Indians need to apply for a visa or use the e-visa system. It’s pretty straightforward and costs around ₹2000. Check the latest rules though because they change.
How’s the language barrier?
It’s there but manageable. Signs often have English. Younger people usually speak some English. I used Google Translate a lot for menus and it worked fine.
Is the food spicy?
Some of it can be. But most places aren’t crazy spicy like Indian food. I had to ask for spicy sauce sometimes because their normal level was mild for me.
Should I rent a scooter?
Only if you’re comfortable in busy traffic. Otherwise the trains and buses are excellent. I mostly used public transport and was happy.
What’s the internet like?
Really good. I bought a SIM card at the airport for ₹1800 that gave me 30 days of unlimited data. Worked everywhere, even in the mountains.
Taiwan isn’t perfect. It rains a lot, some hostels are gross, and the summer heat is no joke. But the food is excellent, the people are kind, and it’s honestly one of the easiest places I’ve traveled in Asia. For the money I spent, I got way more than I expected. If you’re thinking about going, just book the ticket. You won’t regret it. (Word count: 1372)
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