Destination: Taiwan

Taiwan tours for seniors

It’s easy to see why Taiwan was once called Ilha Formosa (or ‘beautiful isle’). Few countries combine ancient culture and modern life so seamlessly among such pristine and lush scenery. In Taipei, uncover history at the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, scale the Taipei Building (Taipei 101) for amazing views of the city, and feast on delicious snacks at one of the many vibrant night markets. Outside the city, dive in to the traditional local culture at Taiwan’s thousands of Buddhist temples, particularly the headquarters of Fo Guang Shan, the largest Buddhist monastery in Taiwan. Finally, make sure to head into the countryside to see the most breathtaking natural landscapes: the towering cliffs and river gorge of Taroko National Park, the vivid blue Sun Moon Lake, and the dense forests of the Alishan Railway. Join Odyssey Traveller as we take you on a journey through this fascinating travel destination.

Taiwan Tours

Tours for Mature Aged and Senior World Travellers.

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Lanterns in Taiwan

11 days

Feb

Taiwan Lantern Festival small group tour

Visiting Taiwan

A small group tour for senior couples and solo travellers to Taiwan. Held annually on the first full moon of the lunar calendar, the Lantern Festival is one of the most fascinating festivities around the globe. The Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival is part of this spectacular Festival. Our Taiwan Lantern Festival program includes Taipei and its Sky Lantern Festival and its impressive Taipei 101 Tower.

From A$9,150 AUD

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Articles about Taiwan

Taiwan - Changchun temple and waterfall at Taroko National Park

Questions about Taiwan for Senior travellers

Escorted small group tours for mature and senior travellers to Taiwan. Designed for couples and solo travellers who like to explore and enjoy learning as they travel.

14 Sep 19 · 2 mins read
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Touring Taiwan

The need to know

Getting around

Odyssey travels by coach and occasionally uses local transport, including trains and ferries. Specifics are always outlined in your tour itinerary. The Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) runs an extensive rail network, with an efficient system of train services running across the country. Bus services are also widely available, and are reasonably priced.

Accommodation

In major cities, Odyssey stays in centrally located 3-4 star hotels, with easy access to public transport. In smaller towns or rural areas, we usually stay in family-run hotels or guesthouses. On our longstay tours, during which you spend the length of the tour in a single location, we use serviced apartments.

Tour Guides

Odyssey always engages local guides with regional knowledge to ensure an authentic experience during which you can learn as much as possible about the history and culture of places you visit.

Geography, environment and weather

The island of Taiwan covers a total area of 36,104 square km, and has a coastline of 1,139 km. Much of Taiwan is mountainous, with two thirds of the country dominated by mountain ranges. The terrrain levels out towards the western coast, with most of the country’s population living on the flatlands in the west of the country.

Taiwan has both subtropical and tropical climates, with warm year-round temperatures and heavy precipitation during monsoonal periods. Depending on when you intend to travel, check the weather reports and dress accordingly.

World Heritage sites

Due to Taiwan’s current diplomatic status, UNESCO does not presently include any sites in Taiwan on its World Heritage Sites list.

Festivals and events

Numerous festivals and events dot the calendar in Taiwan. Many of the Taiwan’s biggest annual festivals reflect the island’s Chinese cultural heritage, including Chinese New Year and the Chinese Lantern Festival. One of the more visually striking events of the year is the Taiwan International Balloon Festival. Taking place between July and early August, the festival features an eye-catching array of hot air balloons, including balloons in the shape of animals, vehicles, fictional characters, and religious figures. Traditional crafts and art forms are preserved through events such as the Yunlin International Puppet Arts Festival, which showcases puppetry, shadow puppetry and marionette performances.

Reading list

Formosan Odyssey, by John Grant Ross
Taiwan Tales, by J.J Green
Heaven Lake, by John Dalton
Accidental State, by Hsiao-ting Lin

Eating and Drinking

Taiwanese cuisine has been shaped by the culinary influences of neighbouring China, as well as the local produce and unique flavours of the island. Noodles and soups feature prominently in Taiwanese cooking, with beef noodle soup one of the most popular dishes in the country. Steamed buns are widely consumed, and are found at nearly every night market, food court and street stall, while soup dumplings are also very popular. Taiwanese cooking has some rather innovative uses for some of the produce of the island – for example, oysters have been used as the key ingredient in noodle dishes (oyster vermicelli) and is even cooked with eggs to make an oyster omelet.

To keep cool in Taiwan’s often stifling heat, a refreshing pearl milk tea may come in handy. Featuring milk tea filled with chewy tapioca balls, pearl milk tea can commonly be seen in the hands of locals on hot summer days. Tea itself is something that Taiwan greatly treasures, with Taiwanese oolong tea held in particularly high regard.

Health and Safety

Taiwan is generally a safe country to travel in, although always exercise common sense while travelling. The monsoon season between May and November can bring flooding and mudslides, while Taiwan is also prone to earthquakes.

Electrical supply

Whenever you travel overseas, it’s always wise to take an appropriate travel adaptor. The standard voltage in Taiwan is 110V, while the standard frequency is 60Hz. Taiwan uses both Type A and Type B electrical plugs, so make sure that you are carrying the right travel adaptor with you.

Tour Reviews

The tour was fantastic and well organised and well managed. · I have travelled expensively but have not with a travel organisation that comes anywhere near Odyssey's attention to detail and the comfort of its travellers. · The tour was fantastic and well organised and well managed. The transport provided was always very good and where the seats were a little narrow, the bus was big enough for us to 'spread out' for more comfort. · Our accommodation was excellent as was our local guide.I would highly recommend a trip to this beautiful country with many treasures to explore and learn about. Discover Myanmar Nov ‘15

info@odysseytravel.com.au

Discovering Myanmar | Small Group Tour for Seniors

The local guide, Drukpa, was exceptional value. When I was ill for a couple of days his care for me, assisted by Len, was way beyond my expectation.

Participant March 2017

Bhutan | Small Group Cultural Tour

I wish to sincerely thank Len for his amazing care, good cheer and flexibility ! Len has that great combination of simultaneous organisation and flexibility, which is so very necessary on a small trip such as this. In his stride, he was able to re-design the program at short notice due to weather conditions (working closely with Drakpa) and the end result was better than the original plan in my opinion!!! It was clear from day one, that Len cared and payed attention to each and every one of us at every step of the way – going out of his way to assist those who needed it. The trust and camaraderie we developed with Len made the trip that much more special! I miss our laughs.

Participant March 2017

Bhutan | Small Group Cultural Tour

The trip to the Tang valley and the Ogyencholing museum were a highlight. Beautiful scenery, wonderful people and one of the best museums I've seen. That night and all next day it snowed - what a buzz. Made everything look magical and improved the scenery for the next few days

Participant March 2017

Bhutan | Small Group Cultural Tour

Loved: National Institute of traditional medicine hike to Wanyditse Goemba Punakha festival – definitely a highlight Hanging the prayer flags at the pass! The outdoor picnics! Archery competition! Dumtse Lhakhang – went to heaven!!! Dzong Drak Kha (mini tigers nest) amazing views and climb Sanga Choekor Shedra (Bhuddist College) Drakpa and his team (Nima and Karma) were just amazing. Drakpa was very knowledgeable, friendly, caring and cheerful. He went out of his way to provide us with information and experiences to help our understanding of the culture and religion, he was funny and entertaining and very professional under pressure.Nima was a very competent driver, and I have never felt in safer hands in the difficult driving conditions we were in.

Participant March 2017

Bhutan | Small Group Cultural Tour

Your chat-operator was informative and helpful. We have covered quite a few countries and seasons to travel. Full marks for that!

Philip Lee

Discovering Myanmar | Small Group Tour for Seniors

We did this tour in 2011. Wonderful, extraordinary experience. Loved every minute.

Rex and Maree

Journey through Mongolia and Russia small group tour

FAQs

What time zone is Taiwan in?

Taiwan has a single time zone, Taiwan Time (UTC+8). Taiwan does not observe Daylight Savings.

Is tipping customary in Taiwan?

If you’re on an Odyssey tour, we take care of tipping so you don’t need to give it a second thought. However, in your free time, or if travelling independently, it’s essential that you tip an appropriate amount for services. Tipping is not particularly common in Taiwan, with a few exceptions. Bellhops in hotels may expect a tip of around $1 per bag, while tour guides should be tipped around 10% of the tour cost.

What is the internet access like in Taiwan?

Internet access is easily accessible, and most hotels and many cafes will be able to offer it.

Can I use my mobile/cell phone while in Taiwan?

Check with your cell phone provider to see whether you’re able to make calls and use data while in Taiwan. Many providers will allow you to pay a daily fee that allows you to make calls and check the internet while only being charged your regular rates. However, be certain to inform your provider that you’re heading overseas, because just like a bank they can turn off your service as a result of unusual activity.

Articles about Taiwan published by Odyssey Traveller:

Questions About Taiwan.

For all the articles Odyssey Traveller has published for mature aged and senior travellers, click through on this link.

External articles to assist you on your visit to Taiwan:

The Telegraph: 15 reasons why Taiwan should be your next adventure.

Buns and Bright Lights: The Joys of Taiwan’s Street Food.

A Brief History of the Taiwan Lantern Festival.

Responsible travel tips for Taiwan

  • Learn at least the local greetings to break the ice. Although many locals speak English, the more you know of the native language, the greater your experience of the country will be.
  • Carry a business card in your wallet or purse from your local hotel, to assist you with the return journey if you do become lost.
  • Always ensure that you are covered by travel insurance. If you need advice on this feel free to contact Odyssey and we’ll be able to help.
  • When travelling independently, make sure you check the opening hours of shops and museums so that you don’t miss out! Museums and galleries are often closed on Mondays. Also be certain to check whether your trip coincides with any public holidays, so you can plan accordingly.
  • Consider contacting your bank to inform them that you may be making purchases overseas. Otherwise, they may flag any activity on your account as suspicious. Also, check which ATMs and banks are compatible with your cards, to ensure you can withdraw cash with minimal fees.
  • Before departing, make sure you have a number of NTD in a range of denominations. You don’t want to be carrying around enormous amounts of cash, but take enough to make it easy to pay in locations that might not accept credit card. It will also help you avoid card transaction fees, and it makes tipping a breeze.

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