Hsinchu Travel Tips

Banks: 09:00 to 15:30, Monday to Friday
Post Offices: 08:00 to 19:00, Monday to Friday; 08:30 to 16:30, Saturdays; 08:30 to 12:00, Sundays
Government Offices: 08:30 to 12:30 and 13:30 to 17:30, Monday to Friday
Business Centres: 10:00 to 21:00, Monday to Sunday
Shops: 09:00 to 22:00, Monday to Sunday

Hsinchu is a safe place for international travellers to visit. Several decades of development and industrialisation have lead to a modern, well-adjusted city with few safety concerns for visitors. In the rare event that tourists need to report a crime, English-speaking law enforcement officers can be reached at the office of foreign affairs (phone: +88 63 524 2103).

While violent crime and muggings are virtually unheard of in touristy areas, pick-pockets can sometimes be a nuisance. When visiting crowded areas like marketplaces, bus terminals and virtually anywhere during festivals, it is wise to keep valuables close to your body. If you must carry a large amount of cash, consider wearing a money belt underneath your clothes.

The best way to avoid instances of petty theft is to keep a low profile. Tourists are advised to avoid flashing large amounts of cash in public. Wherever you're travelling, it is a good idea to leave unnecessary valuables in your hotel safe. While Hsinchu city’s streets are secure, solo travellers are advised not to travel alone after dark.

Periodically natural disasters threaten the island of Taiwan, though damage is usually minimal. As part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, minor earthquakes are a frequent occurrence. Buildings in Hsinchu are built according to strict codes, and tremors seldom cause much damage. Seasonal typhoons are also fairly regular occurrences and visitors are advised to keep abreast of weather forecasts.

Electricity: 110 volts, 50 hertz

Medical facilities in Hsinchu and throughout Taiwan are very modern. As an island nation, quarantine issues are important in the healthcare scene. This has ultimately fallen in Taiwan's favour, as some of Asia's common diseases (such as malaria) have been completely eradicated on the island. Recent studies have shown that Taiwan's medical infrastructure rivals and even surpasses that of many Western nations.

Certain vaccinations are required before visitors receive a visa. Immunisations against hepatitis A and tetanus are mandatory, and vaccination against Japanese encephalitis is advised. Visitors arriving from areas with known cases of yellow fever are required to produce a certificate of immunisation before entering Taiwan.

Travellers are advised to avoid drinking tap water. Water used for drinking or making ice should be treated first. As boiling water can be a cumbersome task for tourists, visitors are recommended to use bottled water, which is inexpensive and widely available throughout Hsinchu.

Milk is generally not pasteurised, and many healthcare providers recommend drinking powdered milk instead of fresh milk. Avoid eating raw vegetables and look for thick-skinned varieties when purchasing fresh fruit.

The official language in Taiwan is Mandarin Chinese, as it is in mainland China. However, a Taiwanese dialect is also used throughout much of Hsinchu and the rest of the island. Local aboriginal languages are also spoken by Hakka tribes and other minority groups. While English is understood within business and tourism sectors, it is a good idea to carry the name and location of your hotel in Mandarin to assist you with hailing a taxi.

Taiwan's official currency is the new Taiwan dollar, abbreviated as NT$. Banknotes are issued in increments of NT$50, 100, 500 and 1,000. Coins are found in smaller increments of NT$10, 5 and 1. Banknotes issued before 1997 are often not accepted by vendors and merchants.

Currency exchange is easily available throughout Hsinchu. Several forms of international currency are traded by large local banks, though most visitors do their banking when they arrive at the airport in Taipei. ATMs are well-located throughout Hsinchu, and are easy to use. When travelling into the surrounding aboriginal countryside, it is a good idea to bring all of the cash that you'll need with you.

Traveller's cheques are accepted by larger hotel chains and can also be exchanged for new Taiwanese dollars at banks. Credit cards are also widely accepted in large shopping centres, hotels and restaurants. Most banks will issue cash advances against credit cards if you cannot find an ATM.

It is illegal to import or export the following items without prior approval: firearms (including toy guns), antiques and other national treasures, illegal drugs and certain prescription medications. Restrictions on the import and export of foreign currency are relatively lax, though cash must be declared on arrival. Visitors needing to carry a restricted item should contact their nearest Taiwan embassy for more information.

Everyone entering Taiwan must fill out a customs declaration form. Per person, duty free allowances are as follows: 454 grams of tobacco (either 25 cigars or 200 cigarettes), one video camera and one still camera, one litre of alcohol and gifts not exceeding NT$6,000.

In Taiwan, feet are viewed as dirty and consequently shoes should be removed before entering houses and religious sites. Many homes have slippers situated directly inside the doorway for guests to use while visiting. Be careful not to point or otherwise gesture with your feet. The head is considered especially important, and another person's head should not be touched in casual interactions.

Greetings are often as simple as a nod of the head. Within the business subculture, handshakes are prevalent. Japanese-style bowing is also commonly used in Taiwan as a means of demonstrating respect.

Small scale gift-giving is an important part of Taiwanese culture, and this practice is useful in softening social interactions. A great deal of superstition surrounds the art of giving gifts. Shoes are not considered suitable gifts—especially for the elderly—as this is interpreted as speeding them into the afterlife. Sharp objects (scissors, knives and so on.) indicate ending a relationship and are not given as gifts.

Many other cultural taboos are related to spirits and dying. While most of these are not important for visitors, they are nonetheless interesting points of cultural difference. Writing a person's name in red ink is bad luck, as it brings death to mind. Whistling after dark supposedly summons ghosts, as does pointing directly at cemeteries and grave sites.

Dining Etiquette
Taiwanese cuisine is closely related to that of neighbouring Japan and mainland China. Pork is favoured over beef, a long-standing tradition that values beasts of burden over livestock.

Rice is featured in practically every dish, whether as a simple bed of white rice or ground into rice flour noodles. Hsinchu is especially well-known for its noodles and pork balls, and hospitable locals will undoubtedly wish to share this local delicacy with you.

Chopsticks are widely used in Taiwanese restaurants, although upscale and Western-style establishments are equipped with forks and spoons for foreign visitors. Avoid inserting a pair of chopsticks into a bowl of rice, as this resembles burning joss sticks and is reminiscent of last rites.

Tea is also an important part of every meal in Taiwan, as well as in other instances of hospitality. When dining in a restaurant, servers will periodically pass to refill your teapot. You can indicate an empty pot by removing the porcelain lid; tapping your index and middle fingers on the table three times is a non-verbal means of thanking the server.

Tipping is still a largely foreign practice and is not necessary in Taiwanese restaurants. However, some larger hotels and resorts have been heavily influenced by Western visitors and may expect a small tip. In some cases, a small surcharge for service may be included in the bill.

As visa requirements are fairly fluid, visitors are advised to check in with the closest Taiwanese embassy for up-to-the-minute regulations before finalising travel plans.

Tourists from most Western nations are issued with a visa on arrival for stays not exceeding 30 days. Visitors applying for a visa on arrival must show proof of return airfare or similar travel arrangements, and a quick criminal history check must return clean. The processing fee is paid in new Taiwanese dollars. Visas issued on arrival are strictly non-extendable.

Travellers who wish to spend more than 30 days in Hsinchu must contact the Taiwanese consulate or embassy at home before travelling. In some cases, it is possible to arrange visits of up to 90 days. Regardless of how you arrange a visa, your passport must be valid for at least six months after date of entry into the country.

The main headquarters for the Taiwan Tourism Bureau is located in Taipei on Jungshiau E road. Phone: +88 2 349 1635; website: www.tbrock.gov.tw.

The recently opened Hsinchu Tourist Information Centre is located in the 10-mile Coastline Scenic Area. This lavish facility is an attraction in itself and contains a great deal of useful information for tourists. Website: http://dep-tourism-en.hccg.gov.tw.