Practical

SIM card

Get a SIM card with unlimited data on arrival, as early as at the airport. Before and after customs you'll find various desks offering this for about 10–20 EUR a week, all more or less equally cheap.

Getting around

As we are cyclists, we prefer exploring Taiwan by bike. Keep in mind that the endless mountain roads are not for the faint-hearted, so only go by bike if you're more or less trained. The country's asphalt roads are of impeccable quality and extremely well maintained: even after typhoons, earthquakes and landslides, the Taiwanese tend to fix their roads with incredible speed. There are hardly any gravel roads in Taiwan, and asphalt is your best friend.

Renting a bike is an option (from Taipei Bike Works or a Giant store; book well in advance), but nothing beats bringing your own. We found that Taipei hotels are usually fine storing your bike box for the duration of your trip if you book some nights in advance. For this reason we love staying at the Waterfront Hotel 松河璞旅 in Songshan District.

If cycling hundreds of kilometres a week is not your thing, you could rent a scooter (weather permitting). Finding a rental is a little difficult in Taipei, so we advise going to Jiaoxi for this (open to suggestions closer to Taipei). Renting a car is an excellent alternative if the weather is less favourable, and can still give you an equally nice experience. Driving in Taiwan's cities can be a little hectic, but nothing too crazy. Road signs with destinations show our (Roman) script as well as Chinese characters, but warnings are always in Chinese only.

In the route suggestions we mostly refer to “riding” and “cycling”, but all routes are also accessible by scooter or car. Daily stages are sized for (well-trained) cyclists, so you may be able to go further if you travel motorised.

Getting around by public transport is possible, but you'll mainly hop between bigger cities and hubs, and miss much of the beautiful nature and remote places these routes are made for. Nevertheless, Taiwan's trains are amazing, and bus connections can even take you deep into the country's less-travelled areas. Google is perfect for finding out how.

Convenience stores

Taiwan has literally thousands of 24/7 convenience stores. 7-Eleven and FamilyMart are the two moguls; Hi-Life and OK Mart are the cheaper options. Even in the most remote and desolate places you'll find these stores offering all the refuelling you need, especially when you just want a quick stop. Some have a toilet or ATM (only if there are icons for this on the big sign outside). Although we love convenience stores, don't lean on them completely for your daily intake: find time to try local restaurants, street food and all the culinary amazingness Taiwan has to offer. For where to eat what, check out David's Taiwan Food Guide.

Laundry

You don't need to carry weeks of clothing: next to your hotel's or homestay's services, there are ample public laundry machines everywhere in Taiwan. No need to wait around, because people won't touch your stuff. Almost all machines are cold wash.

Luggage forwarding

If you go cycling, there's an amazing luggage forwarding service at the omnipresent 7-Elevens, allowing you to send bags or parcels from almost any branch to another. Send a fresh set of clothing, hiking shoes or anything else, and save yourself carrying it over the thousands of metres of climbing ahead. Please mind:

• It takes two days to arrive (cut-off 17:00, pick-up from 12:00 two days later).
• It costs only 60 TWD (not even 2 EUR).
• The parcel can't be heavier than 5 kg (or 10, unclear).
• The longest side must be under 45 cm, and length + width + height must not exceed 105 cm. It can also be a backpack, within the same limits.
• Some 7-Eleven branches are excluded (i.e. most mountain villages). Check the list of exclusions (only in Chinese: copy and paste the Chinese 7-Eleven name as found on Google, minus the last two characters 門市).
• You need a local phone number to register the shipment.
• The actual sending is done on a 7-Eleven terminal; the staff are always friendly and happy to help.