Taiwan Travel Guide For Solo Travelers

If you’re traveling solo for the first time abroad and you don’t know where to go, I would recommend that you choose Taiwan. Yes, I did Vietnam and Cambodia in my lonesome, but I find traveling in Taiwan easier than those two. Why? Because, first of all, Taiwan is a first-world country, which means everything is fast and convenient; they have an efficient MRT train system, beautiful parks, convenience stores everywhere, clean surroundings, and a mix of modern and old architecture. Communication is also easier because even when the signs are in Chinese, they also provide the English translation, plus the locals speak better English than Cambodians and Vietnamese. In this article, I will share with you my 4D3N itinerary in Taiwan.

Getting there

The regular one-way fare is around 7,000 pesos, but some airlines offer seat sales, and that’s when you can book a flight for as low as 2,000+ pesos. I booked a return promo flight with AirAsia for PHP 6,532.03 (USD 129.69). But you can do better; I know some people who booked theirs for as low as 4,000+ pesos.

Read: Visiting the Land of Meteor Garden

Weather

The coldest season in Taiwan happens from December to February. Needless to say, I arrived in a freezing cold Taipei. If you’re going in this time of the year, be sure to wear winter clothes. Gloves, a face mask, boots, a beanie, and scarves made a ton of difference in helping me fight the cold. Do not expect snow in Taipei; if you want to experience snow in Taiwan, you have to go up in the mountains in the Central Mountain Range.

Accommodation

If you don’t mind staying away from the central part of Taipei, you may want to consider staying at Happy Taipei Hostel in Shilin District. You can stay in a dorm room for as low as PHP 573.38 (USD 11.43) per night. That’s the rate for their mixed dorm where I stayed, slightly cheaper than staying in an all-female or all-male dorm. The good thing about this hostel is that they allow early check-in as soon as their office opens at 9:00 a.m., provided they have an available bed in the room.

Author’s note: Last time I checked, Happy Taipei Hostel is no longer in operation.

Transportation

There are three modes of public transportation in Taiwan: taxi, bus, and train. I never rode a cab while I was there and stuck to the cheaper options, bus and train. The MRT train of Taipei is the most convenient way to get around. I recommend that you take the MRT; it is not as complex as the Japanese railway but just as efficient. I made a post that shows how to navigate Taiwan’s MRT.

Day 1

The travel period of my Taiwan trip is January 20-24, but my flight arrival and departure were scheduled so late at night that I only had 3 days to explore. To be honest, I didn’t have a set itinerary; I never made a habit of creating one in all of my solo travels. So this itinerary is the result of my anything-goes approach to traveling.

I rented a WiFi device during my trip. But there’s a more convenient option now, and that is buying an eSIM. You don’t have to buy a physical SIM card; you just need to find an eSIM provider and then set one up before you fly. A day costs $4.20, and three days of unlimited data is $12.60. The first gigabyte each day runs at full 5G speed. The same plan also works across 20 countries in Asia, which is handy for anyone adding a stopover.

My first day was pretty relaxed. After checking in at my hostel, I took the MRT to Sun Yat-sen Station to meet a friend. Together we had coffee, explored Sun Yat Sen, and walked until we reached Taipei 101 (which we only admired from the outside).

Day 2

Before my trip to Taiwan, I found Tourmeaway online and booked their Taipei Chill Out tour. Tourmeaway offers free walking tours in Taipei. Just by walking with their 3 guides and fellow tourists, I was able to see more of Taipei. We were taken to Daan Park, The Heaven Road, Qing Tien Street, Antique Market, Yongkang Street, and Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.

At night, I met up with my friend again to have a food trip at the Shilin Market, and that’s pretty much it.

Day 3

It’s my last day in Taiwan, and I dedicated it to visiting Jiufen. I had a little misadventure due to some bad decisions, but I am hoping that by sharing my experience, you will get there without hassle.

Food

More than sightseeing, the best thing to do is go on a Taiwan food trip. They have many night markets where you can find some of the most delectable dishes! I was able to try food from Yongkang Street, Shilin Market, and Jiufen.

Locals

Before I close, let me tell you some things about the Taiwanese that I have observed. For each country that I go to, I always come up with a word to describe its people; for example, polite for the Japanese. When visiting their temples and shrines, they wear traditional clothing. They also respect the rule that when crossing the street, they don’t do it unless the green light is on, even if there are no vehicles in sight. Simple for the Cambodians because they live a slow-paced, uncomplicated life. A friend described the Taiwanese as friendly, but I think the more appropriate word for them is helpful.

Being a solo traveler and directionally impaired, I always stop random people on the street to show me the direction. Three times, I encountered locals who could not speak English, but it didn’t hinder them from helping me. A woman let me hitch a ride on her scooter and drove me to the spot where I was supposed to meet the staff of my hostel. A teenage couple helped me find the bus that goes to the airport. And this guy (pictured below), who couldn’t express himself in English, walked with me instead to the Ruifang station. I am amazed that the Taiwanese people would go the extra mile to help tourists like me, and for this, I am very grateful.

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So this sums up my Taiwan trip. I hope that you will find this guide useful when you decide to visit Taiwan. It is an amazing country, and I cannot wait to go back. You don’t have to worry about dining; food there is generally inexpensive. I described myself as a somewhat budget traveler because while I am not as tight as the legit budget travelers, I don’t go overboard like the luxurious travelers. Definitely, you can travel Taiwan alone; it’s safe, cheap, and it’s a beautiful country. I created a PDF copy of my Taiwan itinerary. You can download the file below.