The Ultimate Taiwan Travel Checklist: Before You Go

Taiwan is one of Asia's most rewarding and least stressful destinations, but a little preparation goes a long way toward a smooth trip. From visa-exempt entry and the online arrival card to packing for a humid subtropical climate, there are a handful of things worth sorting before you board your flight. This ultimate Taiwan travel checklist walks you through everything to know before you go, in the order you'll actually need it.

Use it as a pre-departure run-through: confirm your entry requirements, pack smart for the weather, set up your money and connectivity at home, download the right apps, and breeze through your first 24 hours from the airport to your hotel.

Entry: visa-exempt stays and the online arrival card

For most Western travelers, getting into Taiwan is refreshingly simple. Passport holders from the United States, Canada, the UK, the EU, Australia, New Zealand and many other countries can enter Taiwan visa-free for stays of up to 90 days for tourism. Because policies are updated periodically, always confirm the current rules for your specific nationality on the official Bureau of Consular Affairs website before you travel.

A few entry essentials to tick off:

Passport validity: Your passport should generally be valid for the duration of your stay. Many travelers prefer at least six months of validity to be safe, so check yours well in advance.
Proof of onward travel: Have a return or onward ticket ready, as airlines and immigration may ask to see it.
Taiwan Arrival Card: Taiwan uses an online arrival card system. You can complete it digitally before you fly rather than filling out a paper form on the plane. Do this a day or two before departure so it's one less thing to handle at the airport.

If you're planning a longer stay, a working holiday, or any non-tourist activity, the rules differ, so research those separately. For a standard one- or two-week holiday, visa-exempt entry plus the online arrival card covers you.

What to pack for Taiwan's climate

Taiwan has a subtropical climate in the north and a tropical one in the south, which means warm, humid weather for much of the year and genuinely hot, sticky summers. What you pack depends heavily on your travel dates, so check the season before finalizing your bag.

Clothing by season

Spring (March to May): Mild and pleasant, but variable. Pack light layers and a compact rain jacket.
Summer (June to September): Hot, humid, and the typhoon season. Bring breathable, quick-drying clothes, sun protection, and a sturdy umbrella. Afternoon downpours are common.
Autumn (October to November): Often the sweet spot, with comfortable temperatures and lower humidity. Light layers work well.
Winter (December to February): The south stays mild, but Taipei and the north can feel cold and damp, with temperatures occasionally dropping enough to want a warm jacket. Mountain areas like Alishan get genuinely cold.

Year-round essentials

A compact umbrella or packable rain jacket — useful in every season.
Comfortable walking shoes. You'll cover a lot of ground in cities and on trails.
A reusable water bottle. Public refill stations are common, and it saves money.
A light layer for indoors. Air conditioning on trains, in malls, and in restaurants can be aggressively cold.
Sun protection — sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat, especially for the south and any hiking.
A power adapter. Taiwan uses Type A and B plugs (the same flat-pin style as North America) at 110V, so travelers from the US won't need a converter, but those from Europe, the UK or Australia will.

Pack light overall. Taiwan's cities are extremely well-stocked with convenience stores and pharmacies, so anything you forget is easy to buy on arrival.

Setting up money, transport and connectivity before you land

The most efficient travelers sort out the practical stuff at home so they can step off the plane and start exploring. Three things are worth setting up in advance.

Money

Taiwan still leans on cash for night markets, small eateries, temples and rural areas, even as cards and mobile payments grow in the cities. Notify your bank that you'll be traveling, check your card's foreign transaction fees, and plan to withdraw New Taiwan Dollars (TWD / NT$) from ATMs on arrival rather than exchanging large amounts at home. For a full breakdown of cash versus cards, ATM fees and tipping norms, read our guide to money in Taiwan and the New Taiwan Dollar before you go.

Transport

Taiwan's public transport is clean, punctual and tourist-friendly. The single most useful purchase is an EasyCard (or iPASS), a tap-and-go stored-value card that works on the metro, most buses, the YouBike bike-share system and even at convenience stores. You can buy one at the airport or any metro station and top it up as you go. For longer hops between cities, the High Speed Rail (HSR) runs down the west coast and is worth booking ahead during busy periods. Our complete overview of getting around Taiwan by HSR, trains and metro explains how the EasyCard, TRA trains and city metros all fit together.

Connectivity

Getting online the moment you land removes a huge amount of friction. Rather than hunting for a SIM counter at the airport or relying on patchy public WiFi, the easiest option for most travelers is an eSIM you install before you fly. A Taiwan eSIM plan lets you download your data package at home, then activate it the second your plane touches down — no queues, no swapping physical cards, no being offline while you find your way to the city. If you're weighing your options, our guide to the best Taiwan eSIM for travelers compares data amounts, coverage and the local networks (Chunghwa, Taiwan Mobile and FET).

Apps every Taiwan traveler should download

Download and set up these apps before you leave, while you still have reliable WiFi. Having them ready means you're productive from the airport onward.

Google Maps: Excellent in Taiwan for walking, driving and especially public transit directions, with reliable metro and bus routing.
A translation app: Google Translate or similar, with the Chinese language pack downloaded for offline use. The camera feature is invaluable for reading menus and signage.
A ride-hailing app: Uber operates in Taiwan's major cities and is handy when the metro isn't convenient.
A transport app: Apps for the metro and the High Speed Rail help with timetables and ticketing. Many travelers also use Klook or KKday for booking attractions and intercity transport.
A maps or notes app for offline backup: Save your hotel address (in Chinese characters too), key bookings and emergency numbers somewhere accessible offline.

Most of these apps need a live data connection to be useful for real-time directions and translation, which is exactly why sorting your connectivity in advance matters. If you want a step-by-step walkthrough, see our guide to setting up your Taiwan eSIM so it's installed and ready before takeoff.

First 24 hours: airport to city checklist

You've landed at Taoyuan International Airport (or Taipei Songshan, or Kaohsiung). Here's a simple sequence to get from the gate to your accommodation smoothly.

Turn on your eSIM data. If you installed a Taiwan eSIM before flying, switch on the line and your data plan so you're connected before you even reach immigration.
Clear immigration with your arrival card done. Because you completed the online arrival card in advance, this step is quick — just your passport and a smile.
Withdraw cash. Use an airport ATM to get some New Taiwan Dollars for your first day, including small bills for transport and snacks.
Buy and load an EasyCard. Pick one up at the airport, top it up, and you're set for the metro, buses and convenience stores.
Head to the city. From Taoyuan, the Airport MRT connects directly to Taipei Main Station in well under an hour. Confirm your route in your maps app before you set off.
Grab essentials at a convenience store. 7-Eleven and FamilyMart are everywhere and stock water, snacks, SIM top-ups and even bill-payment services. They're a traveler's best friend in Taiwan.
Check in and confirm your plans. Once you're settled, use your connection to confirm tomorrow's reservations and map out your first full day.

With those steps done, you've cleared the only mildly logistical part of the trip and can switch fully into exploring mode.

A few final pre-trip tips

Travel insurance: Sort it before you go. Taiwan's healthcare is excellent, but you'll want coverage for the unexpected, especially if you plan to hike.
Be earthquake- and typhoon-aware: Taiwan sits in a seismically active region and sees typhoons mainly in summer. Both are usually well-managed, but it's worth knowing the basics and keeping your phone charged for official alerts.
Carry your hotel's address in Chinese: Handy for taxi drivers and for asking directions.
Plan a rough itinerary, but stay flexible. If this is your first visit, our 7-day Taiwan itinerary for first-timers is a great backbone to adapt around your interests.
Keep a power bank handy: Between maps, photos and translation, your phone will work hard.

Tick these boxes and you'll arrive in Taiwan relaxed and ready. The single best pre-departure move is to sort your connectivity before you fly: with a Taiwan eSIM installed and ready to activate, you'll step off the plane already online, navigating the metro, translating menus and confirming bookings from the very first minute — leaving you free to focus on the food, the temples and the mountains.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a visa to visit Taiwan as a tourist?

Travelers from the US, Canada, the UK, the EU, Australia, New Zealand and many other countries can enter Taiwan visa-free for tourism for stays of up to 90 days. Rules vary by nationality and change periodically, so confirm your specific requirements on Taiwan's official Bureau of Consular Affairs website before you travel, and make sure your passport has enough validity.

What is the Taiwan arrival card and when should I fill it out?

Taiwan uses an online arrival card system, so you can complete it digitally before your flight instead of filling out a paper form on the plane. It's best to fill it in a day or two before departure to save time at immigration. You'll need your passport details and your accommodation address in Taiwan.

What should I pack for a trip to Taiwan?

Pack for a warm, humid subtropical climate: breathable, quick-drying clothing, comfortable walking shoes, a compact umbrella or rain jacket, sun protection and a light layer for strong air conditioning indoors. In winter, bring a warmer jacket for the cooler, damper north. Taiwan uses 110V Type A and B plugs, so US travelers won't need a converter but European, UK and Australian visitors will.

What apps do I need for traveling in Taiwan?

Download Google Maps (excellent for transit directions), a translation app like Google Translate with the Chinese pack saved offline for menus and signage, a ride-hailing app such as Uber, and a transport or booking app like the HSR app, Klook or KKday. Set them up before you fly, and remember most need a live data connection, so arrange an eSIM or local data in advance.

How do I get from Taoyuan Airport to Taipei city center?

The Taoyuan Airport MRT connects the airport directly to Taipei Main Station in well under an hour. Buy and top up an EasyCard at the airport to tap through, or take an airport bus or taxi if you have a lot of luggage. Activate your eSIM and check your route in your maps app before you leave the terminal.