LEAGUE GOTHIC VIETNAM TRAVEL

DESTINATION

TRAVELERS GUIDE

BanGkok

HISTORYThe history of Taiwan can be traced back at least 7000 years. Between 7000 and 400 years ago, Austronesians, the ancestor of the island's indigenous people arrived in small groups and became the earliest known inhabitants of Taiwan. During the age of discovery in the 16th century, Western sailors arrived in the Far East to set up colonies and conduct trade. In the first half of the 17th Century, the Dutch established a presence at Anping (in modern-day Tainan city). They conducted missionary activities, trade and production of various goods. They also recruited many Han Chineseimmigrants from the China coast leading to a multi-cultural history of Taiwan. The number of Han Chinese immigrants in Taiwan steadily increased during the short lived Cheng (Koxinga) regime and Qing period over the next 200 years, creating a primarily Han society in Taiwan. In the late 19th century, the wave of imperialism touched the shores of Taiwan. The island became a colony of Japan andremained under Japanese rule for 50 years during which time it evolved from a traditional society into a modern one. At the end of World War II in 1945, Taiwan was liberated from colonial rule. Since then, the

island has experienced an economic miracle and introduced political democracy achievements that have attracted the world's attention. Today Taiwan boasts an excellent infrastructure, convenient transportation system, and high quality communication services. It also has accomplished, in the face of several international energy crises and economic downturns, a remarkable record of economic development and political democracy by virtue of the perseverance and unremitting efforts ofits people.

THE PEOPLEThe larger part of the island's inhabitants are the descendants of immigrants from the various provinces of mainland China, but in particular from the southeastern coastal provinces of Fujian and Guangdong. Because the different ethnic groups have fairly well integrated together, differences that originally existed between people from different provinces have gradually disappeared. About 360,000 indigenous people, the original inhabitants of Taiwan, still live here.

POPULATION23 million

TIMETaiwan is +16 hours PST, +15 hours MST, +14 hours CST, +13 hours EST and does not practice daylight savings time.

VISASAll travelers will need a passport valid for at least six months following your departure date from Taiwan. For all USA passport holders a Taiwan tourist visa is not required for stays up to 90 days. INSURANCEIt is strongly advised that the traveler purchase travel insurance prior to departure to cover any sickness or illness that may arise during their travels.

LANGUAGEThe official language of Taiwan is Mandarin Chinese, but because many Taiwanese are of southern Fujianese descent, Minnan (the Southern Min dialect or Heluo) is also widely spoken. The smaller groups of Hakka people and indigenous tribes have also preserved their own languages. The most popular foreign language in Taiwan is English which is part of the regular school curriculum.

COMMON PHRASES Ni Hao or Ni Hao Ma? - How are you? Hello. Nien Hao - A formal, polite greeting reserved for seniors or bosses. Xie, Xie (or sometimes romanized as hsieh, hsieh) - Thank you (use this often, Taiwan people are very polite) Bu Ke Chi - You are welcome Mayo wen ti - no problem (or don't worry) She So Jian - Bathroom "Bu Hao E Tze" or "dway bu chee" - sorry, pardon

RELIGIONTaiwan is a country of various religious beliefs. There are currently thirteen registered religions on the island practiced by nearly half the residents of Taiwan. These religions include Buddhism (the most popular), Taoism, Catholicism, Protestantism, Hsuan-yuan Chiao, Islam, Li-ism, Tenrikyo, Baha'i, T'ienti Teachings, Tien Te Chiao, I-Kuan Tao, and Mahikarikyo.

CURRENCY Taiwans unit of currency is the New Taiwan Dollar (NT$), which has five denominations in notes and five in coins. The notes come in NT$2000, NT$1000, NT$500, NT$200, and NT$100 denominations. Coins are in NT$50, NT$20, NT$10, NT$5 and NT$1 denominations. Foreign currencies can be exchanged at government designated banks and hotels. Receipts are given when currency is exchanged and must be presented in order to exchange unused NT$ dollars before departure.

CREDIT CARDSMajor credit cards such as American Express, Master Card, Visa, and Diners Club are accepted and traveler's checks may be cashed at foreign exchange banks, some tourist-oriented businesses and most international tourist hotels.

TIPPING Service charges of 10% are often added to bills in most leading hotels and restaurants. Where it is not included, a tip of 10-15% of the bill would be appropriate. Airport porter/hotel bellboy: $1.00 - $ 2.00 US per bag. Your tour guide: $10.00 - $ 12.00 US per person per day. Driver/assistants: $ 6.00 - $ 7.00 US per person per day.

ETIQUETTE The Nepalese are very polite people. Handshaking is customary for both men and women upon introduction and smiling is definitely a national tradition. There are a few taboos - The use of the left hand to give and receive as well as crooking your finger to call someone are considered impolite. Improper dressing is probably the most significant and visible faux pas committed by visitors. Modesty applies to men as well as women, but women should be especially careful to cover the upper arms and legs and avoid tight or revealing clothing. When entering homes, shoes are usually left at the door. The same applies to temples and monasteries, especially if the shoes are leather ones. Watch what others do. Children can become veritable pests in their desire to pose for photography, but it's polite to seek permission before photographing an adult: by smile and gesture, if not verbally. Don't sit or stand on statues, chortens, chaityas, prayer walls or any vaguely religious object. Buddhism maters here and pervades every aspect of daily life. When visiting a temple always walk clockwise around Buddhist stupas, chortens or mani walls. Always remove your shoes before entering a Buddhist or Hindu temple or sanctuary. There are many rules, but they are constantly repeated, so you won't make any mistakes. If you do, the Bhutanese will forgive you if they see you are trying to be reverent. It's the custom to give a white scarf of khata to a Buddhist abbot when you are introduced. You may be subjected to a rapid barrage of questions on personal subjects. This is not considered rude, but if you feel it is you can change the subject, or start questioning the questioner. Among Hindu castes, cooked food is a primary vehicle for ritual contamination. Any food or utensil that touches the lips is juto, ritually impure, and should not be given to anyone else. Empty glasses and dishes should be placed on the ground, away from cooked food. Drinking chang or butter tea in a Sherpa home is a ritual in which a quest's glass is refilled (or at least topped up) at least three times in the course of the first few minutes. Pace yourself and allow the server to do his or her duty. Body language can be confusing. Bobbing the head from side to side signals agreement, not 'no' and when a Nepali waves 'come' it looks as if he saying 'go'. Pointing with the finger is impolite; villagers use their chins to point. Physical contact between the sexes, even hand-holding, is frowned upon in public, but it's perfectly all right for members of the same sex. As in most of Asia, time is a malleable concept and promptness is a relative thing. If it does not happen today it may happen tomorrow. This charmingly, relaxed approach can be infuriating if you are waiting for something urgent. It's good to donate a few rupees to genuine beggars, religion mendicants, wandering minstrels or the blind, crippled or ill. Beggars who harass are a different category, as are begging children. Many are quite well off, and play 'one rupee, one pen, on chocolate as a game. Confrontation and aggression are avoided at all costs, and people will go to great lengths to save face and not push an issue or person to the wall. Polite persistence may calmly make it clear you're not interested in the object they're shoving in your face.

CLIMATETaiwan enjoys warm weather all year round. Weather conditions fluctuate during spring and winter, whilein summer and autumn the weather is relatively stable. Taiwan is extremely suitable for traveling, as the annual average temperature is a comfortable 71F (22C) with the lowest temperatures on the lowlands generally ranging from 54F to 63F (12C-17C). Therefore, with the exception of a few mountain areas where some traces of snow can be found during winter, no snow can be seen in Taiwan. During raining season (March to May), continuously drizzling rain will sometimes fall on Taiwan. When visiting Taiwan during this period remember to carry an umbrella at all times. During the summer time (June to August) typhoons sometimes approach ormake landfall.

THE LANDThe island of Taiwan, Republic of China, in Eastern Asia is about 100 miles (161 kilometers) away from the southeast part of mainland China, and about 300 miles (483 kilometers) north of the Philippine island of Luzon. The East China Sea forms the northern border of Taiwan; the Taiwan Straits are to the west, the Philippine Sea to the south, and the Pacific Ocean on the east coast. The territory is slightly smaller than the combined area of Maryland and Delaware and occupies a total area of 13,892 square miles (35,980 square kilometers). Its capital city is Taipei in the northeast and is the most densely populated area in the territory. Taiwan lies on the western edge of the Pacific "rim of fire" and continuous tectonic movements have created majestic peaks, rolling hills and plains, basins, coastlines and other natural landscapes. Taiwan's tropical, sub-tropical and temperate climates provide clear differentiation between the different seasons.

TAIPEI Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov DecRainfall (inches) 4.1 7.6 8.3 5 8.4 7.9 4.5 4.6 6.0 4.1 3.8 3.2Min Temp (F) 55 55 59 64 72 75 77 79 75 70 64 57Max Temp (F) 64 64 68 77 81 86 90 90 86 81 73 66

FOODTaiwan is home to an ethnic and cultural diversity that affects its dietary culture as well. Taiwanese cuisine has been strongly influenced by foods rooted in mainland Chinas Fujian province, and also by the cuisines of Fuzhou, Chaozhou and Guangdong. During Taiwans half-century of Japanese colonial rule, Japanese-style cooking techniques also began to color Taiwanese food. Such classic Japanese foods as fried prawns and raw fish have been transformed into Taiwanese specialties. Hostess club cuisine which developed in the Beitou area at social clubs and entertainment venues, and bando culture, a form of boisterous eating around a round table in an open space, were significant in the development of Taiwanese cuisine. When the Republic of China government relocated to Taiwan, Taiwanese cuisine began to incorporate the hometown dishes of people who arrived from the various mainland Chinese provinces, resulting in a still greater diversity. With a rich array of dishes, Taiwanese cuisine offers a style unique in the Chinese-speaking world. Taiwanese foods place an emphasis on ingredients original flavor. A light taste and fresh ingredients are their main features. As Taiwan is an island, seafood is in ready abundance and has become a major focus of Taiwanese dishes. As to cooking styles, sauting and stir-frying are used widely as they have been found to best preserve ingredients freshness and nutritional goodness. From past to present, Taiwanese cuisine has continued to incorporate the essence of dishes introduced from abroad and to absorb the influences and flavors of Western dishes. The Taiwanese cuisine of today is the fruit of a long, continuous process of evolution and innovation

WATER SAFETYAll water should be regarded as being potentially contaminated. Water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilized. Bottled water is widely available and usually well priced; most of the hotels provide water for guests as a matter of course. Milk is un-pasteurized and should be boiled. Powdered or tinned milk is available and is advised. Avoid dairy products which are likely to have been made from un-pasteurized milk such as ice cream. It is best to only eat well-cooked meat and fish served hot. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.

HEALTHPack medications in their original, clearly labeled containers. A signed and dated letter from your physician describing your medical conditions and regular medications (use generic names) is also a good idea. When carrying syringes or needles, be sure to have a physicians letter documenting their medical necessity. If you have a heart condition bring a copy of your ECG taken just prior to traveling. If you take any regular medication bring double your needs in case of loss or theft. In Taiwan it may be difficult to find some of the newer drugs. VACCINATIONSThe following are recommended vaccinations for visiting Taiwan; however, it is wise to consult with your personal physician for the best recommendation based on your current health history and past immunization record. Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Measles/Mumps/Rubella, Typhoid and Japanese Encephalitis. The Yellow Fever vaccine is required for travelers arriving from a Yellow Fever infected country.