Interesting Things to Know About Taiwan

1.    Taiwanese Are Obsessed With Food

Taiwanese people have a deep passion for food, and they consume almost everything edible. For example, night markets are very popular in Taiwan, where you can find great food at cheap prices.

You would be wise not to eat before going to one so that you will have room because the options available are endless (and very likely delicious). Taiwan has more Michelin-star restaurants than any other country, and you will find it difficult to even walk around the city.

2.    People Are Extremely Polite

Even though Taiwanese people are busy with their own lives, they make time for others to be friendly and offer help. If you’ve ever needed something (directions, help with shopping bags), you can count on at least one person offering assistance, even if it is just directions. Try asking for help in the street sometime!

3.    They Are Self-Conscious About Bullying

Though there are many rumors about bullying in Taiwan, it is actually not as common as people make it seem. Some people will gossip about it, but almost everyone you meet will laugh at the rumors or be very defensive of Taiwan. Taiwanese people are aware that Western media portrays them as bullies, and they want to show the world the truth instead.

4.    People Like To Queue Everywhere

Taiwanese people like lining up for everything – from going to a restaurant to getting coffee at a cafe and even just walking down the street. Taiwan is also home to many 24-hour restaurants because of how important food is for Taiwanese people – almost as much as lining up.

5.    Taiwanese Are Extremely Family-Oriented

Though it may seem like an exaggeration, Taiwanese people are family-oriented. The majority of people you meet will mention their parents or siblings in some way, and they often talk about how much they love them.

Taiwanese people treat their elders with the utmost respect, and there is a general sense that all Taiwanese are extremely close to each other because of shared cultural experiences.

6.    There Are Two Official Languages

Taiwanese has become the official language of Taiwan by law, but that’s not all there is. Many Taiwanese still speak Mandarin because it was the official language prior to being recognized, but that doesn’t mean all Taiwanese are fluent in it.

The majority of people you will see in Taiwan who work in business and customer service will be fluent in both languages (and occasionally one more), although many cannot speak English. If you encounter a Taiwanese person who is not fluent in Mandarin and does not want to speak Taiwanese, you can always try English.

7.    It’s Easy For Westerners to Get Around Taiwan

Taiwan has a public transportation system that covers the entire island, and most places of interest will be easily accessible by bus or train (although you may have to transfer to another bus or train). You will also find taxis everywhere, and it is relatively cheap (depending on your bargaining skills) to get around by taxi.

If you are not near a bus stop or train station, don’t fret; scooters/mopeds are very common in Taiwan and can be easily rented. However, it will be difficult for westerners to get around Taiwan by scooter/mopeds because of the traffic laws, but I’m sure you can figure that out if you try.

8.    Taiwan Has a Thriving Nightlife

Taiwanese people love going out at night, and it’s very popular in Taiwan to go bar hopping in the city. This is especially true on the weekends, where you will find people out until early in the morning (or even all night long).

Taiwan is also home to many clubs and lounges, and they usually require a small fee for entrance that includes one or two drinks. Clubs/lounges in Taiwan are generally westernized and cater to westerners, so it shouldn’t be difficult to get in or figure out the dress code if you’re a foreigner.

People from around the world visit Taiwan every year to explore five most visited places in Taiwan.  It’s a beautiful country with a rich history and culture that is surprisingly not well-known outside of Asia.  Most of these top attractions are located on or near the island’s western coast, while some lie further east.

7 Most Visited Places in Taiwan

Living in Taiwan is relatively easy as an expat. If you’d love to visit this this country, it’s crucial you know the best places to visit. Without further ado, below are the seven most visited places in this wonderful country.

1)    The Taroko Gorge

If you visit Taiwan, put the Taroko Gorge on your list of places to see.  It’s an 18-kilometer long canyon cut deep into marble rock with cliffs that tower more than 300 meters above the gorge floor.  The stone walls lining the paths are marbled with visible swirls of colors, including white, black, purple, and yellow.  The area is so beautiful it’s been designated as a national park.

2)    Kenting National Park

Taiwan is home to many gorgeous beaches with powdery sand, swaying palm trees, and clear blue water that feels wonderful against your skin.  One of these hot spots is the sandy beach of Kenting National Park, where you can enjoy surfing, sunbathing, and swimming.  The plentiful sunshine here makes the area a hot spot for water sports, while a popular night market offers a wide range of delicious snacks.

3)    Sun Moon Lake

Sun Moon Lake is known as the “Most Beautiful Waterfall Under Heaven,” and that’s definitely true.  Lush forests and towering cliffs surround this mountain lake.  You can get there by taking a cable car up the steep face of Jade Mountain, or if you prefer to avoid heights, buses run regularly from Shueishe in Nantou County at the base of Jade Mountain.

4)    Jiufen

Nestled in the mountains of Ruifang District, there’s a small town called Jiufen.  The village was once a hotbed for gold mining and is home to some wonderful tea houses where you can sit down and enjoy a cup while admiring the lovely views of nearby peaks.

Visitors come here to enjoy the unique atmosphere of Jiufen, but also to take the easy walk up to Gold Ecological Park, where you can see some beautiful flowers and ponds.

5)    Cingjing Farm

You’ll find Cingjing Farm in Nantou County near Sun Moon Lake.  Visitors come for three main reasons, including sightseeing, tea tasting, and lunch. There are plenty of animals to see, including goats, sheep, llamas, and even emus.  You can also enjoy some great food, including beef noodles, bread bowls filled with meat stew, and oden, which is Japanese fish cake soup.

6)    Maokong

While not exactly a major tourist attraction, Maokong is worth mentioning since many people visit for tea tasting.  Taipei has dozens of teahouses that offer delicious drinks that will rejuvenate you.  But aside from the tea, Maokong is home to beautiful mountain views and fantastic hiking trails where you can get away from all the city’s noise below.

7)    Penghu Islands

Located in the Taiwan Strait, Penghu is a group of islands belonging to Taiwan Province.   This area has many beaches, and the sea is calm enough for water sports like surfing.  It’s also a great destination for enjoying seafood, especially scallops, which are very popular here.

Frequently Asked Questions about Living in Taiwan

What is there to do in Taiwan?

Taiwan is a small island with plenty of adventures waiting to be discovered by the intrepid traveler. While you can’t go wrong with an evening spent wandering through one of Taipei’s lively night markets or a day spent hiking up Elephant Mountain, it would be a shame not to venture around the island and see what else Taiwan has to offer.

What is the work culture like in Taiwan?

Taiwan’s work culture can be best summed up by one word: busy. A common joke among Taiwanese people is that everyone works until they die. And while that might not be quite true, it doesn’t seem far off for most people who are employed full-time. Most of Taiwan operates on a 40 hour work week with at least one day off.

What is the cost of living in Taiwan?

Taiwan has a reputation as an expensive country, but with careful planning and budgeting, it’s possible to save some money.  Accommodation will eat up a large portion of your expenses, so if you can stand living with roommates, there are ways around spending thousands on rent each month.

What is public transportation like in Taiwan?

The Taiwanese love their conveniences, and if it can be done with less effort, they’ll do it for you. This is reflected in the public transportation system, which consists of trains, buses, and taxis that run everywhere throughout Taiwan. The train system is especially good because it is cheap and runs up to Taipei’s northern suburbs, where many expats live.

What does the average Taiwanese person look like?

Taiwan is one of the most ethnically homogenous countries in the world (Japanese occupation during WWII didn’t help either). Most people who live here are Han Chinese, so if you’re looking for diversity, Taiwan might not be your place. That being said, there are some pretty awesome things about living in a place where everyone looks the same.

Conclusion

Living in Taiwan can be a great experience. It is the only country in Asia where most people speak Mandarin, and it’s easy to find cheap food and drinks as well as English-speaking locals. Meanwhile, if you’d like to know more about what this country offers, follow this platform.

Taiwan Tax Analysis in 2022

Taiwan has one of the highest average tax rates, if not the highest in Asia. According to a study by KPMG, Taiwan’s average effective rate of taxation is as high as 45%. While this is a common knowledge to many Taiwanese citizens, what is less known is that there are actually different categories of taxes levied on Taiwanese citizens and businesses. The two most prevalent taxes are income tax and value-added tax (VAT).

Income Tax

Taiwanese income tax rates range from 5% for those earning between TWD 30,001 and TWD 60,000 to 45% for above TWD 1 million (USD 33,812) a year. There is, however, a minimum threshold known as the basic exemption. Any individual (or married couple) who earns below TWD 240,001 (USD 8,228) per year does not need to pay income tax.

This means that all Taiwanese citizens earning less than TWD 240,001 (USD 8,228), from either working or unemployed, are exempt from paying income tax. This is, of course excluding individuals (or married couples) earning dividend or interest income, which would be taxed at a rate of 5%.

Value-added Tax (VAT)

Taiwan’s VAT is calculated on the purchase price of most goods and services sold in Taiwan. There are five lower rates of 6%, 11%, 13%, 14%, and 15%. There is one higher rate of 20%. The five lower rates are for certain medical services, exports, books, foodstuffs, and printed matter. The only exception to business VAT is the wholesale purchase of gold bullion – in this case, there is no VAT imposed.

Taiwan’s VAT is currently levied at 6%, 11%, 13%, 14%, or 15%. While the Taiwanese income tax rate may be higher than in most other countries, this is offset by its average 23% corporate tax rate. The highest corporate tax rate in Asia is Japan’s 30.9%. The Taiwanese government also grants additional deductions to companies that invest in R&D.

These two taxes alone, however, are not enough to cover all of Taiwan’s government expenditure. The Taiwanese government collects a number of different types of taxes on its citizens and businesses to balance the budget. There is the property tax on both business and private properties; there is consumption tax such as sales tax and cigarette & alcohol tax; and business tax, automobile tax, and unemployment insurance.

Understanding the Best Places to Live

Where can a foreigner go in Taiwan to get the most benefits from their experience? Do you want to work in high-tech, or do you need a low cost of living? Do you want to speak Mandarin for your job, or should you settle somewhere nobody knows English at all? In this article, we will look at the best places that a foreigner can go in Taiwan to get the most out of their work and play.

Changhua

The first spot on our list is reserved for Changhua, a city known as ” The Heart of Taiwan,” which sounds more romantic than it really is. This is another city without great access to the sea, but it does have a central market area. If you want to work in high-tech, this isn’t your best bet.

Instead, you’ll probably be working on apparel manufacturing or food production, but if neither of those is your cup of tea, Changhua will do just fine for most foreigners. The downtown area is also where you’ll find the majority of foreigners in the city, and it’s a pretty safe area but if you want to be around even more expats, then head on over to Tongxiao.

You can get there by catching a train or bus from Changhua Station, and once you’re there, you’ll find that Tongxiao is teeming with foreigners. Just like the rest of Taiwan, it’s pretty easy to get around Changhua using public transport, so you can easily go out in the evening for some drinks or use taxis when you want to get your hair cut or buy new clothes.

Taipei

Next up is Taiwan’s capital city – Taipei, which has over 3 million people. This can be overwhelming at first, but there are plenty of expats out and about, so you won’t feel like a total foreigner. If you come here, you’ll be near the sea (but not right on the coast), which means that you can always escape for a day trip to Kenting, one of Taiwan’s most famous beach resorts.

Another reason why Taipei is great is that it’s the only place in Taiwan with an MRT system that reaches into the suburbs. You can go pretty much anywhere using this railway, and even though buses are easy to navigate, you’ll want to use public transport whenever possible because traffic is constantly bad. There are tons of different kinds of people living in Taipei, so if you’re looking for something specific (or someone), you’ll likely find it here.

Taipei is also very clean and modern, and while you won’t find a ton of foreigners out in the streets, there are lots of great international restaurants to choose from all over the city. Just make sure to get a local SIM card before arriving so you can get around more easily!

Taichung

The third spot on our list is reserved for another city full of Taiwanese charm – Taichung. You could probably name a million things that make this place one of the best places to live in Taiwan, but we’re going to highlight just a few. First of all, it’s easy to get around by MRT, bus, or even on your own two feet. So, if you’re committed to not having a car but still want to live in Taiwan, this is one of the best choices out there.

Taichung has an incredibly rich cultural history that will be right up until anyone’s alley, and the city is also home to Taiwan’s main university – National Taiwan University (NTU). You’ll find that pretty much all of your friends will be studying there if you move here, so it shouldn’t take long before you know someone.

There are lots of different international cuisines available in Taichung, too, including some fabulous Mexican and Indian restaurants. The city also doesn’t have as much traffic as other places in Taiwan, so it’s a great spot to come if you’re sick of sitting in cars for hours on end every day and would much rather ride a bike instead (just be careful because drivers aren’t used to cyclists here)

Kenting 

Although you can’t really call Kenting a city, it’s definitely one of the best places to live in Taiwan. It’s right on the southeast coast, which means that you get to sit by the sea all day if you want or hang out in some of the most beautiful national parks around.

Kenting is also great because it’s got a very laid-back, chilled-out vibe. There are lots of surfers in the area, so if you love being near the sea, this place is perfect. Everyone speaks really good English here, too, so don’t worry about struggling to communicate with people at all.

Kenting doesn’t have an MRT system or anything like that, but it’s not a big place, and once you’ve moved here, walking everywhere will be a breeze. One of the best things about Kenting is that it’s got a really nice mix of Taiwanese and Western culture – something that all expats would love, I’m sure!

Tainan

Coming in at number five on our list of the best places to live in Taiwan is Tainan, a city known as Taiwan’s cultural capital. It’s got a lot going for it when it comes to being a place where you can really enjoy living and working, but we’re going to highlight three reasons why this can be your new home.

The first thing about Tainan is that it’s very close to the sea, making it perfect for people who love seafood (like me!). You’ll find some amazing restaurants here full of every kind of fish you could ever dream of, and lots of them are actually cheap too.

Conclusion

Taxes are an unavoidable part of life. However, different countries tax their citizens in different ways. In Taiwan, the taxes are generally pretty low compared to other developed nations. Do you want to find out more about them! Ensure you visit this platform always for more updates.