How do I book hotels cheaper using a VPN?

Set your VPN to a Thailand server before searching on Agoda or Booking.com. Thai IP addresses are shown prices 20-40% lower than US or European IPs — for hotels anywhere in the world.

Is using a VPN to find cheaper hotel prices legal?

Yes, using a VPN is completely legal in most countries. You are simply browsing the internet from a different location. CheapStay teaches you how to find the best publicly available price.

Which is cheaper — Agoda or Booking.com?

It depends on the destination and dates. CheapStay compares both in real time so you always see the lowest price. In Asia, Agoda is often cheaper. In Europe, Booking.com tends to win.

What credit card is best for hotel bookings?

Chase Sapphire Preferred earns 2x points on hotels with no foreign fees — best for most travelers. Amex Gold has the biggest welcome bonus. Capital One Venture is the simplest — 2x miles on everything.

Can I get cashback on hotel bookings?

Yes. TopCashback and Rakuten offer 3–8% cashback on Agoda and Booking.com. Stack this with Thai IP pricing and a travel credit card for maximum savings.

Expert guideVerified: July 22, 2026

🇹🇼 Flying to Taiwan

Visa · Health · Arrival · Flights — everything you need before you fly.

⚠️

Content under review. Entry requirements and health rules change frequently. Information marked [VERIFY] has not yet been confirmed against authoritative sources. Do not rely on this page for travel decisions until verified content is published. Always check IATA Travel Centre and your government's travel advisory.

Last verified: July 22, 2026

Sources: www.boca.gov.tw, twac.immigration.gov.tw, www.immigration.gov.tw, www.gov.uk, wwwnc.cdc.gov

Avi's Insider Tip

Buy an EasyCard the second you land — it's not just transit, it's basically a debit card for 7-Elevens, which in Taiwan means it's a debit card for half your meals. And don't go looking for Grab here — it's not a ride option yet, just open Uber.

Travel essentials

Scannable data for the efficient traveler.

Sources: www.boca.gov.tw, twac.immigration.gov.tw, www.immigration.gov.tw, www.gov.uk, wwwnc.cdc.gov

password

Visa-free entry

Citizens of 50+ countries — including the US, UK, most of the EU, Canada, Australia, and Japan — can enter visa-free for 90 days. A smaller group of nationalities (including Malaysia and Singapore) get 30 days. Thailand, Brunei, and the Philippines currently have a separate 14-day reciprocal visa-free arrangement in effect until July 31, 2027. Regardless of nationality, all visa-exempt visitors must also submit the Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC) online.

Taiwan does not offer a general visa on arrival. Nationalities not covered by a visa-exempt arrangement must apply for a visitor visa in advance through a Taipei Economic and Cultural Office / Taiwan representative office, or check eligibility for Taiwan's Travel Authorization Certificate (available to some Southeast/South Asian nationalities meeting specific criteria).

medical_services

Health & vaccines

No vaccines are legally required for entry for most travelers. Routine vaccines (MMR, tetanus) and Hepatitis A are commonly recommended by travel clinics.

warningYellow fever

Yellow fever vaccination certificate is NOT required for Taiwan under normal circumstances. It is only required if you are arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission (parts of Sub-Saharan Africa and tropical South America) — otherwise Taiwan is outside the risk zone entirely.

gavel

Customs

200 cigarettes or 25 cigars or 1 lb tobacco, plus 1.5 litres of alcohol, duty-free (age 20+). A further NT$35,000 personal-goods exemption applies (excluding tobacco/alcohol/controlled items). Declare NTD cash over NT$100,000 or foreign currency over USD 10,000 equivalent.

🛂 Entry requirements

Visa-free entryCitizens of 50+ countries — including the US, UK, most of the EU, Canada, Australia, and Japan — can enter visa-free for 90 days. A smaller group of nationalities (including Malaysia and Singapore) get 30 days. Thailand, Brunei, and the Philippines currently have a separate 14-day reciprocal visa-free arrangement in effect until July 31, 2027. Regardless of nationality, all visa-exempt visitors must also submit the Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC) online.

Visa on arrivalTaiwan does not offer a general visa on arrival. Nationalities not covered by a visa-exempt arrangement must apply for a visitor visa in advance through a Taipei Economic and Cultural Office / Taiwan representative office, or check eligibility for Taiwan's Travel Authorization Certificate (available to some Southeast/South Asian nationalities meeting specific criteria).

e-VisaTaiwan does not run a broad e-visa system. Instead, visa-exempt visitors must complete the free Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC) online at twac.immigration.gov.tw within 3 days before arrival — this replaced the old paper arrival card on October 1, 2025. It is a registration, not a visa, and there is no fee.

Passport validityPassport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your date of entry. Only formal passports (ordinary, official, diplomatic) qualify for visa-exempt entry — most emergency/temporary passports do not (US citizens and Brunei Certificate of Identity holders are exceptions).

⚠️ Don't skip the TWAC — without it, entry processing cannot proceed at immigration. Verify current rules at the Bureau of Consular Affairs (boca.gov.tw) or National Immigration Agency (immigration.gov.tw) before booking.

💉Health & vaccine requirements

Recommended vaccinesNo vaccines are legally required for entry for most travelers. Routine vaccines (MMR, tetanus) and Hepatitis A are commonly recommended by travel clinics.

Yellow feverYellow fever vaccination certificate is NOT required for Taiwan under normal circumstances. It is only required if you are arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission (parts of Sub-Saharan Africa and tropical South America) — otherwise Taiwan is outside the risk zone entirely.

MalariaThere is no malaria risk in Taiwan — antimalarial medication is not needed for any typical itinerary. Dengue fever does occur periodically, particularly in southern Taiwan (Kaohsiung/Tainan area) during warmer months, so mosquito bite prevention (repellent, covering up at dusk) is worth packing regardless.

⚠️ Health requirements sourced from the CDC Yellow Book and NaTHNaC guidance. Always confirm with your doctor before departure.

Essential local apps

Download these before you land — tap a card to open the real app or site.

Uber

Ride-share

The main app-based ride option in Taipei — Grab does not currently run ride-hailing in Taiwan (it entered the market in 2026 only via a food-delivery acquisition, migrating by 2027), so Uber and regular metered taxis are what you'll actually use.

open_in_new

EasyCard

Payment

A tap-and-go stored-value card that covers Taipei MRT, buses, YouBike, and convenience stores nationwide. Buy one at any MRT station counter or 7-Eleven on arrival — genuinely the single most useful thing to pick up on day one.

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LINE Pay

Payment

Widely used by locals for everyday purchases, but full functionality generally needs a Taiwanese bank link — less useful for a short visit than the EasyCard.

open_in_new

Arriving at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE)

wifi

SIM & connectivity

Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, and FarEasTone all have 24-hour counters at Taoyuan T1 and T2. Tourist SIMs with unlimited data run roughly NT$300–500 for 3–5 days up to about NT$1,000 for 30 days.

New Taiwan Dollar (TWD/NTD). ATMs widely available at Taoyuan Airport and across Taipei. Currency exchange desks in arrivals.

directions_transit

Getting into town

The Taoyuan Airport MRT Express reaches Taipei Main Station in about 35 minutes (NT$160); the all-stop commuter train is slower (~50 min) but a bit cheaper. Taxis and Uber run about NT$1,000–1,200 to central Taipei (45–60 min depending on traffic) — Uber tends to run somewhat cheaper than a metered taxi. Airport buses to major hotel districts are the budget option.

location_onTaiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE)

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Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa to visit Taiwan?▼

Citizens of 50+ countries — including the US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, and Japan — can enter visa-free for 90 days. You'll also need to complete the free Taiwan Arrival Card (TWAC) online at twac.immigration.gov.tw within 3 days before you fly.

What is the TWAC and is it required?▼

The Taiwan Arrival Card is a free online pre-arrival registration that replaced the old paper form on October 1, 2025. It applies to visa-exempt visitors and must be submitted within 3 days before arrival at twac.immigration.gov.tw — without it, immigration cannot process your entry.

Do I need malaria pills or a yellow fever shot for Taiwan?▼

No — Taiwan has no malaria risk at all, so antimalarials aren't needed. A yellow fever certificate is only required if you're arriving from a country with yellow fever transmission risk; otherwise it doesn't apply.

How do I get from Taoyuan Airport to Taipei?▼

The Airport MRT Express reaches Taipei Main Station in about 35 minutes for NT$160 — the best option for most people. Uber or taxi costs roughly NT$1,000–1,200 and takes 45–60 minutes depending on traffic.

Is Grab available in Taiwan?▼

Not for ride-hailing, at least not yet — Grab only entered the Taiwan market in 2026 through a food-delivery acquisition, with a fuller platform migration targeted for 2027. For getting around, use Uber or a regular metered taxi instead.

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