Category: Useful

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

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

We have been thinking about loftier pursuits... For a long time we have wanted to try our hand at paragliding.

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.

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.

In this blog post we explore the primary languages are spoken in Taiwan as well as a few of the benefits to studying Mandarin on the Island. 

It can be a great joy to find your place and your stride living and teaching in Taiwan. But in order to make sure you succeed, let's talk brass tacks. In the post below we will seek to answer the big question that most first time teachers or those new to the Island have: How do I save money while teaching in Taiwan?

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.

The Easycard is a central part of Taiwanese life. It’s basically a card you can top up with cash and use not only for the MRT (metro) but also buses, Ubikes, some taxis and even many convenience stores (which in Taiwan are also used for way more than the convenience stores you are probably used […]

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.

“Why choose Taiwan’s SIM Cards options as a foreigner ?”- you might say. You’ll need the Internet in Taiwan : localization applications (e.g. Mapps), searching for addresses (you can find ideas with this PopRoom’s article : https://pop-rooms.com/discover-incredible-daan-district-taipei-in-4-steps/), finding institutes or embassies in case of regulatory issues, using translation tools (e.g. Deepl), and keeping in touch […]

If you’re planning on visiting, studying or moving to Taiwan you should definitely know more about the Taiwanese customs and etiquette. In this post we will be going over some of the most important Taiwanese customs and etiquette you should know before you go to Taiwan! The Taiwanese people are some of the friendliest and […]

If you’re planning to go to Taiwan and have no clue how to get around, here is a list of some possibilities to give you an idea how you can get around in Taiwan by using public transportation in Taiwan. The public transportation system in Taiwan is well organized and easy to follow, there will […]

If you’re planning on travelling, moving to taipei or studying in Taipei. In this post we will be going over all the 12 districts in Taipei to give you an idea of where to go, where to stay and where you will find the things that will suit your needs. The 12 districts of Taipei […]

Are you planning to travel to Taiwan? Are you travelling around asia and you want to include Taiwan but you’re not sure it will fit your budget? Here we will be discussing some ways to budget travel in Taiwan and reduce the cost of travelling around Taiwan so you get the chance to travel this […]

sections: Intro Daan or Da’an translates as ‘Great Peace’, which might not make a lot of sense, since Daan District has the most heavily populated and probably the lively area of Taipei – it has many different neighborhoods, many of which are very trendy, as well as many businesses, universities and night markets. Transportation Da’an […]

Beitou District is in the far north of Taipei City, and is famous for it’s many hot springs. It’s been a holiday destination since early 1900s. Many people love Beitou for it’s fresh air, mysterious hills – and it’s most famous asset, ‘white sulfur’ hot springs! Beitou is in fact one of the most hot […]

The Beitou district is the most mountainous, highest and is also the northernmost located district of Taipei city. The Beitou district is known for its beautiful natural and green surroundings. Furthermore is it also known for its natural hotsprings and thermal valley, which is a must visit when you’re in Taipei. In this article we […]

Nowadays safety is a big topic, CCTVs everywhere, criminality rates world wide are as low as never before and there are more solved then unsolved crimes, though not in every country. So what about Taiwan? Is Taiwan safe or not? Taiwan is a small island nation that truly hides a bunch of awesomeness. It has […]

The Zhongzheng district has to thank his name to the generalissimo and the late president of the republic of China Chiang Kai-Shek. Zhongzeng district is a loved district by foreigners and tourists because there are a lot of thing going on here. Home to many tourist attractions, most of Taiwans governmental buildings, this district has […]

As Taiwan is a country of natural and cultural diversity, many people decide to stay here longer than the 90 days visa-exempt entry and start living here on the Ilha Formosa. But as you’ve probably already expected, to apply and receive an Alien Resident Certificate is not as easy as spreading butter on bread. So […]

In general Taiwan is pretty safe, back in 2015 it was even declared as the 2nd safest country in the world. You can walk around alone day and night and sit together in parks without any worries. Just until a few decades ago everything had been different: Taiwan was infamous for a lot of brutal […]

Taiwan is not only one of the the Asian Tigers, but also has an astonishing flora and fauna. The climate here ranges from subtropical to subarctic, and its vegetation zones range from coastal over montane to alpine. Makes it not hard to guess then, that the biodiversity is enormous. There are over 120 different mammals, […]

It is kind of obvious, most of the time female travelers/expats can’t experience a place the same way as their male counterpart. There are always added dangers, prohibitions, assumptions, expectations and just those extra things women notice because experience and necessity have trained them to do so. It can be said for sure, that in […]

Being one of the oldest districts and even having the oldest roadway in whole Taipei, the iconic Dihua street, the district is one of the cultural hot spots of the city. In this article I’ll work through some of the best places of this amazing district to give you an idea what to expect if […]

Wenshan District is the most southern District of Taipei and is famous for its beautiful nature. Most foreigners like to live there because of its natural beauty and calm small-town vibe not far away from the big city life style In this article I”ll work through some of the best places of this amazing district […]

As the center of the city’s tourist industry and one of the centers of international business it’s easy to say that this district has its general and administrative importance. It’s covered with large hotels and international restaurants and is one of the main centers of art and culture. You can say it’s an area of […]

This district is well known as a major financial and cultural center of Taipei. You can find numerous headquarters from relevant banks and airlines. Plus, there are a lot of museums and Songshan is the uprising district, meaning it’s gaining more and more popularity. In this article I”ll work through some of the best places […]

Most of the water heater in our properties are gas operated. The most common issue with the water heater is that the battery is dead, and the heater can’t produce a sparkle to light the gas and heat the water. The battery type is “D” and is available in all 7/11s and most convenience stores […]

These photographs of Taiwan are for you to use in non commercial use, just credit us with a link to our page: pop-rooms.com. Contact us at hello@pop-rooms.com for commercial use of these pictures, if you need a better resolution, or partnership. Want to take your own pictures? Make sure you check the best places for […]

Here are some useful links and partners, which will make your life in Taiwan even more easier.

The word ‘Neihu’ translated means ‘inner lake’ and that is because of the lake that is located in the middle of the Neihu district. This district is located on the east side of Taipei and because of the neighbouring Shilin district what makes that this district also has a beautiful scenery and nature around it. […]

The most touristy and famous district is the Xinyi district, located relatively central in Taipei with tall and big skyscrapers. This is the district that is most famous for the most iconic landmark of Taipei, the Taipei 101. Here in the Xinyi district are many commercial things located like high-end eaterys, fancy clubs and shopping […]

The Wanhua district is located West in Taipei and is bordering with New Taipei. This is also where the Dahan and Xindian river come together and form the Tamsui river. It is Taipei’s oldest district, thats why its home to many old buildings and historical sites and makes it one of the most cultural districts […]

The Shilin district is a district located north of Taipei and because of the neighboring Yangmingshan national park and other natural environments, you can enjoy a scenic view from this district. This is also the reason the Shilin district is a loved place for living in Taipei for Taiwanese people and also foreigners. Especially a […]

Finding a room in Taipei: what you need to know and the best ways and places to find a room in Taipei.

How to get a driving licence (scooters and cars) by taking the test or converting your existing driving licence. With all practical information.