Host City 2013
Taipei City
Taipei is the national capital of Taiwan. It is in the northern part of the island in a basin between the Yangming Mountains and the Central Mountains. It is, with 2.6 million inhabitants, the fourth largest administrative area of Taiwan. Taipei serves as the island's financial, cultural, and governmental centre.
Taipei is a vibrant city, bustling with life and full of activities for the visitor to enjoy.
Taipei has many of the things that tourists can expect to find in a world-class city. There are museums and galleries, memorial halls, theatre and concerts, glitzy malls and lively night markets, beautiful temples and many restaurants serving delicious food.
One of Asia’s most prosperous cities, a place where you can enjoy shopping, eating and cultural activities as well, Taipei is a must-visit city for visitors to Taiwan.
Other important information
Getting to the venue
W Taipei is approximately 50 km away from the International Airport of Taoyuan (TPE). Travel to W Taipei from the airport takes about 45 minutes by taxi (cost: TWD$1,400) and approximately 1.5 hour by Airbus (cost: TWD$145).
Language
Mandarin is the official language of Taiwan, and spoken by the vast majority, followed by Hokkien and Hakka. However, English is also widely used.
Climate
Taiwan’s climate is subtropical. In general, autumn (September to November) is the best time to visit, as conditions tend to be warm and dry, air pollution is at a minimum, and prices lower. During springtime (March-May) average temperatures are similar to the fall, around 70°F (20°C), however, the amount of rain can be unpredictable. One year, spring could be great for traveling, and another year, it would be raining all the time. So, you would be trying your luck when visiting in spring. The good news is if it is too wet outside, there are plenty of restaurants and shopping malls to go to.
Currency
Taiwan’s currency is the New Taiwanese Dollar (NT). Bills come in denominations of NT50, NT100, NT200, NT500, NT1000 and NT2000, while coins come in units of NT1, NT5, NT10 and NT50. Exchange rate is about : US$1 = NT29
Major Credit and Charge Cards
Credit cards are widely accepted.
Local Time
UTC/GMT +8 hours
Electricity
Taiwan uses electric current of 110 volts at 60 cycles, appliances from Europe, Australia or South-East Asia will need an adaptor or transformer. Many buildings have sockets with 220 volts especially for the use of air conditioners.
Tipping
Tipping is customary and is usually 10% of the bill at hotels or restaurants.
Visa
Foreign travellers may obtain tourist visas if they hold foreign passports or travel documents valid for more than six months in the Republic of China for purposes of sightseeing, business, family visits, study or training, medical treatments, or other legitimate activities. Visa requirements include one completed application form, incoming and outgoing travel tickets, one photo, documents verifying the purpose of the visits, and other relevant documents. The Visitor Visa Application Form can be downloaded from the website of the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The completed form should be submitted to an overseas mission of the Republic of China for visa issuances.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Overseas mission of the Republic of China
Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport
Countries eligible for Visa-exempt entry
Countries eligible for Landing Visas
30-day visa-free privileges are granted to citizens of 31 countries and 30-day landing visas are afforded to citizens of 3 countries. For any further information, please visit the website of the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For any further questions about visa application, please contact: e-mail: post@boca.gov.tw TEL: +886-2-2343-2891 or +886-3-398-2629
