Taiwan is a mountainous island where the west coast holds the cities and the east coast the cliffs and gorges. Taipei anchors the north with night markets and the National Palace Museum, while Taroko Gorge, Sun Moon Lake and the hot spring towns are reachable by rail and bus.
The guides here cover Taiwan as a whole. Typhoon season runs roughly July to October and can close mountain roads and trails; spring and autumn are the reliable windows. High-speed rail covers the west coast in about two hours end to end, while the eastern line is slower and more scenic. Convenience stores function as everyday infrastructure here in a way visitors quickly come to rely on.