Taiwan
 

My 17 year old son will be traveling to Taiwan for the first time in a few weeks to immerse himself in the language. Althouh he will be staying with the families of two friends that he met while they were visiting us in the US, I am hoping to get some tips of places to go and things to see while he is there. Any suggestions? What are the "must-sees"? Also, we have received conflicting information regarding the type of electric power and the plug type. Are the electric plugs and outlets in Taiwan the same configuration as here in the US? Same voltage? We don't want to have problems with his cell phone charger being useless, or electronics being fried! Your comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks - David

I have never stayed on Taiwan so cannot comment on must sees. The daughter of a friend was there for one year as an exchange student and loved it! She returned for a one month visit six months later, as she missed her friends. She is now quite fluent in reading/writing the language and has had job opportunities because of this skill.

If your son's appliances are dual voltage he will not have a problem charging them. Most cell phone, camera, and computer chargers are dual voltage. I'm not so sure when it comes to shavers... I know that I have purchased a special brush curling hair dryer in Europe that I use in Europe and Asia, as my regular one that I use here in the USA would get fried if I tried to use it over there! I do, however, sometimes have to use an adaptor plug with my phone/camera/computer, but not a converter.

Carol is right about electronics. Anything that has a little box on the cord (cell phone, camera, laptop and such) has a built-in converter - that's what the little box is. Anything that plugs directly into the wall without a little box would be fried. Your son will need an adaptor to put in the wall socket in Taiwan so he can plug cords into that. In my experience, electronics that do not have converters don't work very well overseas and you are better off buying it locally - hairdryers, coffee makers, etc.

The one absolute must-see in Taipei is the National Museum.

National Museum is definitely a must see in Taipei.

Chiang Kai Shek Memorial, Sun Yat Sen Memorial, Taipei 101, Taipei Fine Art Museum, Shimending(hipsters hangout place)& Shilin nite food market are worth to take a look, they are all accessible by Taipei MRT.

There are several nite food markets in Taipei, Shilin Nite Market is the largest, known for its snack food like oyster omelet, tempura, pearl tea, bubble tea.....,
take MRT and get off at Jiantan station for Shilin market.

Taiwan electricity 110 V, same like US..

Yes same voltage and the same type of flat blade pins so no need for adapters.

Hello. I'm an American expat living in Taiwan. The voltage is the same as the US, so there are no problems with any electronics. The kids love the night markets and the Simending area - there cheap eats everywhere and the food in Taipei is terrific. Karoke is wildly popular with all ages; he may be asked to sing!

The National Palace Museum is Taiwan's Number One tourist attraction. There are English tours every day at 10:00 and 3:00, 365 days a year. Taipei 101, the LongShan Temple, the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial, the Lin Family Gardens and the Martyrs Shrine are other top tourist sites.

Just twenty+ minutes away from downtown is Yangmingshan National Park - great hiking and views and cooler in the summer. There are loads of bike trails around the city (pretty hot in the summer, though) and it is easy to rent bikes. The MRT is easy to use, even for foreigners.

About two hours from Taipei is Taroko Gorge - a truly magical spot that should not be missed. At the southernmost part of the island is Kenting, a beach area featured in the film "Cape No. 7" -- this was a blockbuster hit in Taiwan, and you should try to rent it before your son leaves.

Taipei is a great city with very friendly people. It is also incredibly safe! He should have a wonderful time.

You must go to Taiwan night markets and eat some Taiwan snacks,it's delicious.
http://www.achinesetraveler.com/chin...ts-and-snacks/
National Palace Museum in Taipei is also a place you should go.It is located in paragraph 2 Zhishan Road of Shihlin District of Taipei City
http://www.achinesetraveler.com/chin...eum-in-taipei/