Category: Arriving in Taipei

The landscape of Taiwan is an imaginative place. It calls to one's creative eye and is ripe with a sense of poetic and mythic possibility in the ways

Check out our post about Koxinga, Taiwan's "Pirate King" and Ming Dynasty folk hero.

In the woods of Nangang Park lies a secret stone circle...

Think of it as your broad brush survival guide to the wonderful world of Taipei weather. It's a Groundhog Day, a "Practically-Destitute Richard's" predictive masterpiece, and we are very excited to be your forecasters.

Mark your calendars with the events and all that you cannot miss in Taiwan in 2024.

We believe the secret to Taipei is that it is a city patiently helping and waiting for you to fall in love.

We are here to help you develop your Formosa-savoir faire, and, similar to the importance of identifying shiny leaves of three, it is good to know how to navigate the landscape.

"Come guess me this riddle, what beats pipes and fiddle What's hotter than mustard and milder than cream What best wets your whistle, what's clearer than crystal What's sweeter than honey and stronger than steam."

Let's siphon from these holy waters and begin to distill or divine your choice of bubble tea.

Taiwan could become a mecca for outdoor sports enthusiasts, and, in some ways, it is already being discovered.

There's just that sort of X-files vibe, Twilight crossed with Twilight Zone ambiance you know?

Grab your crackerjacks folks, it's time to catch a baseball game...

Pyrotechnics around the world rejoice! One of our favorite times of year is upon us, New Year’s Eve and the concussive displays of fireworks that chase midnight across the world like a wave rising around a sports stadium.

A cold snap descended on Taiwan this week, resulting in weather advisories for the northern end of the Island. For those of us who call Ilha Formosa home, it was a signal to pull out our long underwear and heavy blankets, and transition fully into our winter routines. For those of you who are new to Taiwan or who have not spent a lot of time in Southeast Asian in the winter months, we decided to write this post for you. Welcome, it can definitely get chilly here.

The rules, written and unwritten, of traffic and pedestrian laws and etiquette are tricky to decipher especially in new country. In India you just walk, in Japan you must wait, certain countries in Central America, you should run. For foreigners new to Taiwan, we’re here for you, and we’re still learning some of these conventions ourselves. Here are some of the things we have found.

If you enjoy fresh fruit and are new to Taiwan, get ready to have your world rocked. Taiwan is famous for its fruit. In fact, the Island has been nicknamed “the kingdom of fruit” on account of the quality and different varieties of fruit that is grown throughout the year. In our opinion (and we are only slightly biased) Taiwan has some of the best fruit on the planet -- especially if your baseline for good fruit up until this point has been a European or American grocery store half a…

Living in abroad for an extended period of time, it can be easy to fall into what we like to call "the apathy trap." It's that sense that you've seen it all already, you've developed your routines, you know how to navigate fairly easily for the day to day, and you have already expended so much energy to just get to where you are functioning (fairly well) abroad. You really don't need or want to deal with the mafan 麻烦 of something like visiting a temple on the other side of…

Flapjack lovers beware, we are laying down the gauntlet: Asia, and specifically Taiwan, has the best pancakes in the world. Don't believe us? Leave your bottle of syrup at home and get ready to meet your new, favorite, and infinitely expanded, food group.

There are a wealth of stories out there about foreigner purchasing faux pas in foreign countries. It is almost a tale as old as time. However, with a little bit of help and knowing where to look, sometimes things can go a little easier. In this edition of our blog we have collected a list of grocery stores in Taipei that supply foreign foods and ingredients. If you are looking for a taste of the familiar but don’t know where to begin check out our list below. 

Traveling in Taiwan is convenient and a great deal of fun, especially if you are using the right resources! Here is a list of the essential apps you will need when visiting or planning to live on the Island. 

Here are some ideas and resources to get you started on your workout journey in Taipei.

Living in Taiwan and need to get in contact with your country of origin? We can point you in the right direction. Check out our list of embassies and consulates in Taiwan.

Arriving in a new place can be nerve-racking even for the most seasoned traveler. This post is here to help alleviate the stress and smooth your entry into Taipei, Taiwan from Taoyuan International Airport. You can focus on keeping track of your passport, and we will work on giving you the knowhow to get from the airport into the city. Welcome to the Ilhha Formosa.