Money:
Taiwan's currency is the New Taiwan Dollar (TWD), which is
divided into 100 cents. Foreign currencies and travellers cheques
(American Express, Citibank or Thomas Cook) can be exchanged at
government-designated banks and hotels. Receipts are given when
currency is exchanged, and must be presented in order to exchange
unused NT dollars before departure. Major credit cards such as
American Express, Master Card, Visa, and Diners Club are accepted.
Banks are open Monday to Friday. US dollars are the preferred
currency. ATMs are plentiful but not all accept international bank
cards.
Time:
Electricity:
Electrical current is 110 volts AC, 60Hz. Two-pin flat
blade plugs and one with a third grounding pin is
used.
Language:
Mandarin is the official language of Taiwan, but
Taiwanese is often spoken and English is generally
understood.
Health:
Taiwan health regulations require that travellers arriving from
infected areas carry vaccination certificates for yellow fever.
Travellers are advised to have up-to-date jabs for hepatitis A and
typhoid, and it is advisable for most long-term travellers to be
inoculated against Japanese encephalitis. Due to recent outbreaks
of dengue fever, insect repellents and other measures to prevent
mosquito bites are recommended for those travelling to the southern
part of the island. Visitors should only drink bottled water and
should be wary of potential food poisoning. Taiwan's medical
facilities are first-class, but health insurance is recommended for
travellers.
Tipping:
Tipping is not customary, although if offered it will be
accepted. Baggage handlers at hotels and the airport will be
pleased with some loose change. Hotels and restaurants will usually
add a 10% service charge to the bill.
Safety:
Most visits to Taiwan are trouble-free. The country has only a
low incidence of petty crime, and is considered safe. The only
threats are natural ones, because the island is prone to typhoons
and tropical storms, usually between May and November, as well as
earthquakes and tremors. These are seldom severe.
Customs:
The concept of 'saving face' is very important in Taiwanese
culture, and tourists should try to avoid embarrassing locals.
Self-control is another key aspect to Taiwanese culture, and losing
your temper or creating a public spectacle is highly frowned upon.
Relationships in Taiwan are built around mutual benefit, and the
exchange of small gifts is common. Taiwanese customs include a
number of superstitions, including prohibitions of writing a
person's name in red, pointing at cemeteries or graves, whistling
at night, or giving a gift of shoes, umbrellas, clocks or knives.
Remove your shoes before entering a person's home. Physical contact
with strangers is considered impolite.
Business:
Doing business in Taiwan is a pleasure for those who value high
work ethics and technologically-savvy business partners. Taiwan has
traded heavily with the West for many years and business
formalities have melded over time. However it is important to
observe and respect the cultural heritage to which many firmly
cling. Confucian values tend to dictate business etiquette and
common practice in Taiwan. The majority of businesses in Taiwan are
medium-sized and family-owned, meaning that the paternal head of
the family is always consulted - this can result in business
decisions taking longer than expected.Two important aspects of business culture in Taiwan are face and
'Gianni' (relationships). Face relates to dignity - that of a
person or a company - and informs all social and business
interactions. It is important to keep, or save, face at all times.
Never correct a colleague and if someone makes a mistake don't
expect them to correct themselves. Relationships are an integral
part of most business cultures and Taiwan is no exception.
Gift-giving and taking business deals slowly are central aspects to
building and maintaining good business relationships in Taiwan.
When giving gifts, its general practice to give a simple gift to
all members involved in a meeting, and a better gift for the most
important member of the party. When receiving a gift, it is polite
not to open it in front of your hosts.Always accept invitations to events outside of normal business
hours, as this is when relationships are built. Don't make direct
or prolonged eye-contact with someone who is in a very senior
position. However, be sure to always direct the conversation to the
most senior person in the meeting. Punctuality is expected in all
meetings. Shaking hands, for men and women is common nowadays, but
a bow goes a long way as a sign of respect. Business hours are from
9am to 5.30pm from Monday to Friday. Business cards are exchanged
often and should be printed in both English and Taiwanese. Work
clothes tend to be formal and conservative. Men wear dark suits;
women wear modest dresses and skirts rather than pants. Taiwanese
is the language of business and hiring a translator is often a
necessity.
Duty Free:
Travellers aged over 20 may enter Taiwan without paying customs
duty on 200 cigarettes or 25 cigars or 454g tobacco, 1 bottle of
alcohol (maximum 1 litre), and a reasonable amount of perfume.
Travellers are also permitted to bring personal goods valued up to
NT$20,000 duty free (or NT$10,000 for those under 20 years). Guns,
narcotics, fresh meat and fruit are prohibited.
Communications:
Taiwan's international access dialling code is +886 and the
outgoing code is 002 followed by the relevant country code (e.g.
00244 for the UK). City/area codes are in use, e.g. 2 for Taipei.
Six network operators provide mobile telephone services in various
regions using either GSM 900 or 1800 networks. Internet cafes can
be found in Taiwan's cities and towns, and most hotels in Taipei
have Internet access in their guestrooms.