Joanne's Journey

🇹🇼 Taiwan

Coming to Taiwan? Here’s tips you might not know:

✈️ Before You Arrive – 3 minute read

1. Entry & Visa 🛂

  • Ok this is basic but ALWAYS Check if you need a visa to enter and ensure your passport has at least 6 months validity. (USA 90-day visa free for TW)
  • For quick entry to Taiwan, fill out this form online: ITS FREE https://twac.immigration.gov.tw/

2. Taiwan Lucky Land vs. Thank You Season 🎁

Taiwan has been pushing out tourism like crazy so here is the current (Winter 2025) official campaign site and travel program information:

🧧 1. Taiwan the Lucky Land (original campaign)
  • This was a tourism campaign that originally ran starting May 1, 2023 and officially ended around September 30, 2025. Participants could win NT$5,000 vouchers or hotel/consumption rewards by registering and doing a draw when arriving in Taiwan. GlobeNewswire+1
🙏 2. Taiwan the Lucky Land – Thank You Season (current)
  • Now it labeled “Taiwan the Lucky Land – Thank You Season.” 遊台灣金福氣 which is a follow-up gratitude campaign for travelers who:
    ✔ already registered for the original Lucky Land campaign, and
    ✔ have already visited Taiwan before.
  • It is running now — from Nov 12, 2025 to Jan 30, 2026.
  • Only travelers who already registered in the original Lucky Land program and actually entered Taiwan before are eligible.
  • If you hasn’t registered before, they likely cannot join this edition

🟡 Taiwan Lucky Land — originally the big tourism lottery (ended).
🟢 Thank You Season — the current campaign (running) for past participants.

3. Transportation from Airport 💺

  • Taoyuan MRT: fastest to Taipei city (~35–45 min).
  • Airport bus: cheaper alternative (but consider traffic)
  • Taxi/Grab: direct to your hotel (more expensive)

MY TIP: You can use APPLE PAY through some gates. then go into the city and pick a cute transport card

4. EasyCard/iPass 💳

  • Get an EasyCard (or iPass) use it for metro, buses, convenience stores, etc.

MY TIP: Taiwan is known for the cutest metro cards, find one that you like (many style – keychains!) WATCH THIS VIDEO

5. USE UBER or BOLT 🚕

  • Taiwan Taxis are easy to use but…
  • UBER we all know but BOLT is a new service that recently got into Taiwan. Therefore they have lots of discounts:

I’m giving you 70% off your first 5 trips on Bolt app. (Max NT$250 per trip)
To accept, use code JOANNEFV9 to sign up!
Details: https://invite.bolt.eu/JOANNEFV9


(OUT OF TAIPEI) ACTIVITY LISTS:

slow days in Taiwan’s oldest city ✨ Tainan’s full of history, hidden gems, and lots of walking (worth it tho 🫶)

📍Sicao Green Tunnel – felt like a real-life Totoro forest 🌳

📍Chimei Museum – lowkey one of the prettiest museums in Taiwan 🎻🏛️

📍Ten Drum Cultural Park – old sugar factory turned amusement park?? say less 🍭🥁

📍Chihkan Tower – living history tucked into the city 🏯

📍Anping Old Fort – where Dutch colonial vibes meet Taiwanese roots 🧭

📍Anping Tree House – nature reclaiming history and looking cute doing it 🌿🏡

Alishan (阿里山) — one of Taiwan’s most magical escapes 🍃🌲 known for its incredibly fresh air but also a view of sunrise at EYE-LEVEL 🌅👀

This was my second visit (first in 2020) and after spending so much time in the city, I needed a deep breath of fresh mountain air — Alishan was the perfect place to be.

My friends and I took the historic 100-year-old train up through the misty forest, surrounded by ancient cypress trees (some over 2,000 years old!)

🪜 Just a heads-up: there are quite a few steps, but every one is worth it.

📍Pro tip: Go early morning to catch the light streaming through the trees — it feels like stepping into a dream. (Hoping that it’s a good weather day…)

—

阿里山 — 台灣最夢幻的避暑勝地之一 🍃🌲 不只空氣超級清新，還能在海拔上看日出 🌅👀

這是我第二次來（第一次是2020年），在城市待久了，真的很需要到山上大口呼吸新鮮空氣，而阿里山就是最完美的選擇。

我們搭乘百年歷史的小火車穿越雲霧森林，沿途都是超過兩千年的神木群，壯觀又神聖🌲✨

🪜 小提醒：階梯不少，但真的非常值得一走！

📍小撇步：建議清晨前往，當陽光透過雲霧灑落在森林間，整個氛圍像極了夢境～（祈禱天氣好☁️）

🔍 BOOK ON KLOOK: Alishan National Forest Recreation Area Ticket

Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) ☀️is not your typical one-day destination… however, if you only have a limited of time in Taiwan 🧋⛰️— here’s how I still managed to see temples, piers, a local market, and some seriously dreamy lake views 🛶✨

☁️ Peaceful walks & bike rides

⛩️ Temple stops

⛵️ Lake moments

…and a surprise hike to Ci’en Pagoda at the end (not part of the tour but so worth it!!)

🔍 BOOK ON KLOOK: Sun Moon Lake One-Day Tour Departure From Taipei

if you’re in taiwan 🇹🇼 between late Jan to April, you’ll have many chances to see these beautiful Sakura🌸 as they’re all around the island! (check map in video 🗺️)

📍Three Gorges Big Bear Cherry Blossom Forest

237, New Taipei City, Sanxia District, Zhulun Rd, 228號之一

🗓️ feb 28, 2025