Taipei is the capital city of Taiwan, it is situated in the north of the island in the so-called Taipei Basin; mountain ranges filled with hot springs surround the city. The city’s appropriate name literally means “north of Taiwan”. Central Taipei is home to nearly 2.7 million people, has an area of 271.8 sq. km and is rich in leisure and recreation, cultural arts, heritage sites, and other attractions, it enjoys a superb geographical position and world renowned transportation networks and an comfortable climate all year round.
In many ways this 300-year-old city is like a living museum. The Taoist temples buzz with the prayers of the hopeful; the wooden boards of Japanese-era mansions creak under the feet of visitors; and the pilfered treasures in the National Palace Museum date back 5000 years. Merchant villas to military barracks have been restored, reworked and now live again as a museum or a shopfront. From the heirlooms of a tea merchant to the memories of a cemetery for the victims of the White Terror, Taipei is a city that takes great pride in celebrating its history.
When you zoom in on Taipei, there are a lot of landmarks to be found. The most famous one is definitely Taipei 101, which is officially known as the Taipei International Financial Center. This skyscraper with 101 floors is one of the world’s tallest structures. It dominates the city’s skyline, rising up from between the rest of the buildings like a giant bamboo stick

Placement programme

You can choose from our wide array of placement companies based on your sector preference. InternChina will conduct a short interview with you then introduce you to prospective host companies for an internship interview. Should you be successful, InternChina will send the booking form for you to confirm your placement.
View our list of placement companies here
The companies will treat you like a full member of staff, the Taiwanese work hard and are very hospitable to foreign students. You will be immersed in the local culture and working environment for a rich learning experience. Not only will you learn about your chosen field but more importantly about how to do business in an international environment, out of your comfort zone, with InternChina supporting you all the way!

Timeframe

From September 2017 onwards, for placements of 6-12 months. Just let us know your ideal timeframe and we will approach the potential placement companies with your requirements to find the ones which can accommodate you.
InternTaiwan will assist you to get a visa which allows you to work and be paid for any duration up to 12 months. This is included in our price.

Accommodation

We will assist you in sourcing and renting a room in a shared apartment with other western professionals or local Taiwanese (your choice!) or a studio apartment all to yourself following these steps:
+ Outline your preferences for the apartment
+ We will suggest a short list of potential matches which suit your preferences and placement location (shown to you before arrival)
+ Upon arrival we will accompany you to visit the matching apartments until you have chosen one which you like
+ InternChina will help you with the contract and offer advice should there be any problems

Rent in Taipei varies between districts and duration but you should budget around £200 – £300 per month for a bedroom in a shared apartment.

Apply now to find out more about our placement programme in Taipei – https://internchina.com/placements/

Taipei has many districts all with their own unique feel: Xinyi is the modern business hub where Taipei 101 is located with lots of nice restaurants and shops, Ximending feels more like a cool Japanese shopping area with lots of people in crazy outfits, lots of bustling shops and street performers. If you venture south east you get to the more rural parts of the city, this is where the pandas are, the mountain cable cars and the tea terraces. West of the city is the more traditional part, where you can find lots of temples, museums and ancient streets to explore. And in the north you can ride the metro all the way to the beach… It really is a city with something for everyone!
Taipei has two main airports. Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport is the largest airport in Taiwan, serving 42.3 million passengers in 2016. It even has direct flights to mainland Europe, the UK, the US, and more. The other airport, Taipei Songshan Airport, has mainly domestic flights.
Over 3 million tourists visit Taipei every year, making it the world’s 15th most visited city. Taipei has an extensive metro system that makes it easy to get around the city. The bus system is world famous and taxis are also quite cheap.

The Tropic of Cancer runs straight through the middle of Taiwan, bringing with it tropical and subtropical weather. Taipei has a similar climate to our other destination city – Zhuhai. Taipei usually presents an average temperature of 22C (71.6F) all year round. There is no severe cold in winter, but the weather in summer is very hot with high humidity.

During winter, the island experiences continental high pressure systems from Mongolia and Siberia, and is influenced primarily by the northeastern monsoon climate. The coldest months in Taipei are from January to March with the lowest temperatures going to about 10C (50F). Sometimes, in rare cases, you can see snow on the high mountains.
In summer, the island’s weather is controlled by the marine high pressure system formed above the Pacific Ocean, with a humid, southwestern monsoon climate. The hottest months are from June to August with the highest temperature up to around 38C (100F).
Taiwan has a naturally humid climate. June to October is the typhoon season in Taiwan, with plenty of brief showers and rainfall. So don’t forget to bring your umbrella!

Taipei is already a bustling city during the day, but it’s night when the atmosphere really gets exciting. The city is famous for its mazes of street vendors that offer an enticing range of snacks and delicacies. Here’s some delicious foods you can try:

BEEF NOODLES

This staple of Taiwanese cuisine can be found almost anywhere in Taipei. The dish combines slow-cooked beef in stock drenched over handmade noodles. The soy sauce and five spices give it irresistible aroma and taste.

SHRIMPS

Arguably the most popular fish dish in Taipei, there are even restaurants around which let you fish for your own shrimps and then barbeque them for you!

BUBBLE TEA

Surely you have tried this fun drink, but did you know it is from Taiwan? Allegedly invented out of boredom by a Taiwanese vendor in 1988, this delicious drink combines the tea with sweet, chewy tapioca pudding balls.

LIU SHA FRITTER

Imagine this as a Taiwanese donut. It is a sweet, fried bun filled with silky, gold custard. A nice snack or desert that can be found in any night market.

FRIED BEEF ROLL

Comparable to a Western ‘wrap’ and yet beyond compare, this roll is made of crispy pancake filled with braised beef and vegetables, all brought together with a the slightly-sweet taste of black bean sauce.

Taipei has been a place of major importance in Taiwan as early as the Qing Dynasty, and continued to be so under Japanese rule from 1895-1945. However, it gained more prominence after 1949 when the Kuomintang led by Chiang Kai-shek fled to Taiwan near the end of the Chinese Civil War. Ever since then, Taipei has been a major city both domestically and globally as the capital of the Republic of China.

NATIONAL PALACE MUSEUM

When Chiang Kai-shek and the KMT fled to Taiwan in 1949 at the end of the Chinese Civil War, they brought along boatloads of priceless artifacts. Now home to nearly 700,000 pieces of Chinese artifacts and artwork, Taipei’s National Palace Museum is one of the richest treasure troves of ancient Chinese culture and history in the world. The Chiang Kai Shek memorial is also a sight to behold!

TAIPEI NIGHT MARKETS

One of numerous night markets in Taipei, Shilin is the biggest and most famous. This massive cluster of food streets offers a diverse range of tasty snacks including smelly tofu, ice cream spring rolls, soup dumplings, and more. For any foodie out there, this locale is a must-eat.

BEITOU HOT SPRINGS

As Taiwan is an island formed by volcanic activity, there is an abundance of beautiful mountains and natural hot springs. Perhaps the most popular in Taipei is Beitou Hot Springs, which provides world class hot springs to relax and feel rejuvenated. If you want more of an adventure you can travel to Yangmingshan national park to see the real volcanic hot springs.

TAIPEI ZOO

Taipei zoo is world famous and has its very own Panda base. Entrance is very cheap (approx. £1) and you can see animals from all over the world including the red Pandas and the black and white Pandas.

MAOKONG MOUNTAIN

Situated next to Taipei zoo, Maokong mountain hosts a multitude of sights and attractions, including tea terraces, ancient towns, temples and beautiful tea houses. Hike up the mountain if you like or take one of the cities new glass bottomed cable cars to cruise to the top. The best part of the mountain however has got to be the stunning panoramic views of the city.

FULONG BEACH

If you ride the metro to the most northern end of the line you will find yourself at one of Taiwans many awesome beaches – Fulong.
Fulong is a long sprawling beach with a temple at one end with lots of hill top bike trails surrounding.These are just a few of the many awesome attractions in Taipei, for more information and to find out what else there is to do, stay tuned for our next blog!
Don’t forget, Taipei is only a small part of Taiwan… The island is full of exciting places to visit and things to do, all easily accessible by train!

In Taiwan, they speak a form of Mandarin that is similar to the mainland, but has a few differences in pronunciation and vocabulary. The most marked difference for those able to read and write Chinese, however, is the writing system! While the mainland has been using simplified characters for decades now, Taiwan maintains usage of traditional characters, which illustrates its strong ties to traditional Chinese culture. For the old-school sinologists out there, Taipei is the place to go!

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