Business Hours
 Banks: 09:00 to 15:30, Monday to Friday; 09:00 to 12:00, Saturday Post Offices: 08:00 to 16:30, Monday to Friday Government Departments: 08:30 to 12:30 and 13:30 to 17:30, Monday to Friday; 08:30 to 12:30, Saturday Business Centres: 08:30 to 12:30 and 13:30 to 17:30, Monday to Friday; 08:30 to 12:30, Saturday Shops: 09:00 to 22:00, daily
Cautions
As a large city, Kaohsiung doesn’t present visitors with many things to worry about, owing to a well-mannered populace and harsh sentences for perpetrators. Violent crime is practically unheard of against tourists, although Kaohsiung isn’t immune to petty crime which usually comes in the form of pickpockets.
Kaohsiung is however a major seaport and there is some organized crime regarding scams and motorcycle theft. The average tourist is unlikely to experience any association with this as long as they remain vigilant when in busy areas.
Asians in general do not like confrontation and will avoid it as much as they can. Visitors are advised not yell or provoke locals even under difficult circumstances, such as after a traffic accident.
 Regards the climate, single-layer cotton clothing is ideal in the summer, along with smart shorts, or slacks, and a hat. Do not walk around city streets wearing beach attire as this is considered disrespectful by the Taiwanese who place great importance on dress.
Electricity: 110 volts, 60 hertz
Health
 Eating undercooked food can cause problems for foreigners in Taiwan, where many barbeque/fondue type restaurants serve raw meat and uncooked seafood which you then cook yourself in a hotpot. If you are used to this way of eating, then it probably won’t be a problem, but new arrivals may get an upset stomach. In addition, the tap water is not potable although brushing your teeth with it is fine.
There are hundreds of hospitals and clinics in Kaohsiung, and the quality of healthcare is very good. Free healthcare isn’t available to tourists although treatment and medicine is generally not very expensive in Taiwan. Having first-class travel insurance is a must for visitors.
Common medicines can be found in the drug stores and pharmacies of Kaohsiung, and you should be able to find generic prescription drugs should you run out or come without a prescription.
 Although chances of contracting dengue fever are low, some areas of Taiwan are affected by mosquitoes that can transmit the disease. Contracting dengue fever is highly unlikely within the city itself, but if you plan on travelling around the countryside and hiking in the wilderness you should apply insect repellent frequently.
 Minsheng Hospital: +886 7 751 1131
Language
Taiwanese (Mandarin Chinese) is spoken by most of the populace in Kaohsiung yet there is also a significant mix of Hakka and other Asian dialects. Learning the basic civilities, such as please (qi) and thank you (xie xie) is recommended. English is spoken and understood in the main touristy areas and at major attractions and temples.
Currency
Taiwan’s currency is the new Taiwan dollar, commonly referred to as TWD. There are five denominations of banknotes although the most commonly used are TWD 100, 500, and 1,000 value notes, while coins come in denominations of TWD50, 10, 5, and 1.
There are currency restrictions for visitors entering Taiwan. Visitors may bring in up to TWD40,000, but will need a permit from the Ministry of Finance for the import of anything higher than TWD8,000, as well as a permit to export anything more than TWD40,000. Regards foreign currency, you can bring in as much as you like, but can only export a maximum of USD$5,000 in banknotes.
Currency Exchange
You can pick up new Taiwan dollar virtually anywhere, but will get a better rate inside Taiwan and especially at Kaohsiung International Airport. You can also walk into any bank in the city and exchange currency or use a credit card to get new Taiwan dollars. The larger hotels also exchange currencies, but make sure you have clean notes and recently printed US dollar bills.
The best way to get local money when travelling is to use an ATM. At an ATM, you can withdraw local currency based on commercial rates. Taiwan is among the Asian Tigers and thus has an excellent banking system and thousands of ATMs. Plus and Cirrus systems both work here. The maximum withdrawal per transaction is TWD20,000 at most banks, although HSBC Global Access customers can take out up to TWD30,000 per transaction from HSBC ATMs.
Major hotels and department stores will accept Visa and MasterCard credit cards, yet Diners Club and American Express cards are usually not accepted. You will find that most restaurants will only accept cash, so it is a good idea to always carry cash when eating out.
Customs
The limits for duty items are 200 cigarettes, 25 cigars, or 454g of tobacco; 1 litre (usually one bottle) of spirits; a standard amount of perfume for personal use; and goods for personal use that don’t amount to more than TWD20,000. There are restrictions in place regards the import and export of new Taiwanese dollars and foreign currency.
Etiquette
As with most places in Asia, the Taiwanese are a superstitious bunch and believe that ghosts are everywhere and that even a seemingly innocent act, such as whistling a tune at night, will attract them. This also extends to pointing at graves and talking about dying and unlucky things in general. Another taboo is writing someone’s name in red ink, particularly the Chinese version, which is considered bad luck.
 If you happen to be invited to the home of a Taiwanese family, remove to remove your shoes before entering. Free-size slippers will often be found near the front door, in bathrooms and on balconies for guests to wear.
Additionally, visitors should not show anger and frustration in any situation, avoid confrontations, and refrain from swearing and wandering around city streets clothed in beach attire.
Dressing well at all but the most casual restaurants is the norm in Kaohsiung. Asians place great awareness on dress and personal hygiene. A pair of slacks, a shirt and clean shoes is fine for men, while ladies can wear light cotton attire.
Visitors aren’t expected to tip in hotels and restaurants, but if you feel the urge to reward for good quality and service, then by all means round up the bill. Percentage tipping in Kaohsiung is not expected.
 Food is generally served on large plates in the centre of the table on a ‘lazy suzy’ – a large revolving dish - and eaten with chopsticks. Many places do not provide a serving spoon with each dish, and it is the norm to transfer items to your plate with your chopsticks. For those who consider this unhygienic, most restaurants will provide large communal chopsticks if you ask.
After eating a bowl of noodles, ensure you leave the chopsticks resting across the top of the bowl or in the special holder, in the case of an upmarket eatery. To leave them either sticking up or down is seen as wishing death on those around you.
The Taiwanese enjoy wine and beer, yet heavy drinking is not common among locals. The downtown area of Yencheng, where workers from Kaohsiung Port like to drink, can get quite rowdy however.
Visa and Passports
Visitors from the UK, Ireland, the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and many EU member countries can enter Taiwan without a visa for 30 days, provided their passports are valid for at least six months past the date of their departure. Citizens who have passports with less than six months validity can apply for a landing visa with a maximum 30-day stay. Visas are non-extendable beyond 30 days in both cases.
Tourist Information Offices
The main Kaohsiung Tourist Service Centre is located in the Arrivals area on the first floor of Kaohsiung International Airport’s International Terminal. Phone: +886 3 3982194.
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