Going to Taiwan for a Month, Looking for Some Advice on Hostels, Cash, Cards and SIM Cards

Lhahaitme on 03/07/2023 - 21:51

First time going to Taiwan, and first time travelling in a long long time due to some career obligations and I guess Covid more recently. Had some Taiwan related and some general travel questions I was hoping people might be able to help with.

1) I'm a shitty planner and I had this idea of just only having the flight there and flight back home booked, and winging everything else. Is this a bad idea? Ideally I'd like to just rock up to hostels and just pay as I go instead of being locked to X amount of days. That way I can just move on to the next town when I've finished exploring and don't have to stick to a set schedule.

2) Do I still need to swap a bunch of cash at an exchange to get by? These days in Aus I don't even carry my wallet with me anymore since I have my card on my phone and just use that. Assuming Taiwan might be the same? But might just need a bit of cash for say street food vendors.

3) How do travel cards like 28 degrees and WISE work? Just skimmed over their websites and am I correct in assuming you just top them up with the currency you plan on spending (fee), then once you're overseas there's no fees per transaction? And then just a fee every time you withdraw with an ATM? Also wondering which one is better out of the two.

4) I plan on getting a local prepaid SIM once I land, I'm going solo so I don't really need to call anyone, but I just want internet access on the go. How do you handle 2FA/SMS verification codes though? For example if I need to send money from my bank to my travel card account, or need to book something and my bank sends a verification code via SMS, is there a way to receive that somehow?

Travel Asia Taiwan

Comments

  • scotty on 03/07/2023 - 22:45
    +2

    1. generally planning an itinerary & booking the hostels in advance = more savings. However it should still be possible to stay at a place for one night and then move around.

    2. Taiwan still does a lot of transactions in cash — night market, many eatery, etc. It's relatively easy to withdrawal cash from 7-Eleven or Family Mart which are literally at every street corner.

    3. 28Degrees is a MasterCard credit card. You use it like a mastercard, and pay off the balance later. Wise is MasterCard debit card (also has VISA digital card). You transfer money into the account first, and then use it like a mastercard. Both allow you to withdrawal from ATM if you have positive balance. Not sure about ATM fee though. Went to TW last December and used my ING debit card which rebates ATM fees.

    4. Many Australian SIM should still be able to receive SMS while roaming overseas. Check with your provider. I've received SMS in TW with Woolworths Mobile, AldiMobile and Kogan. Just put a local SIM into the 2nd SIM slot and enable data there.

    • hahaitme on 04/07/2023 - 08:47
      +1

      Thanks for clearing up the cards - both sound good I suppose it's just preference on credit vs debit. I did look up the ING card but I saw some posts here that said they're stopping the ATM rebates on August 1 so I'll miss out on that by a month.

      And my phone doesn't have a 2nd sim slot which sucks haha, guess I'll have to carry a paperclip with me

      • lachhelix on 04/07/2023 - 09:20
        +1

        guess I'll have to carry a paperclip with me

        Carry like 50, in assorted locations! Coming from past experience you'll lose just 1 😂

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 03/07/2023 - 23:52
    +1

    28d card cannot be topped up and over limit into credit in your favour and used as a cash withdraw card anymore.

    • hahaitme on 04/07/2023 - 11:08

      Thanks for the heads up, guess Wise would be the better choice then.

  • Hjshakenwin on 04/07/2023 - 12:09

    I was there over Easter this year.

    1. I will prebook accommodation, prices for hostels and hotels can get expensive in taiwan if last min or peak season.
      2&3. Take a hsbc card and you will be fine. Withdraw cash from 7-eleven as you go. There are atm everywhere in Taiwan, i didn't bother checking which one will work or not as most of the time one atm doesn't work there is another 100m down the road.
    2. Your aussie sim card may work depends on your plan here. best to also get a local sim card for wifi, they sell them at the airport once you came out of the terminal and they will set it all up for you there. prices between each carrier are all roughly the same Chunghwa Telecom is the equivalent of Telstra there so if you want best coverage in more rural area this is the one i will go with.

    Pro tip spend some time outside of Taipei there are heaps of amazing stuff, friendly people further south and east of taiwan.
    The place is super safe and with the mix of high speed rail, train and subway you can pretty much get to everywhere.

  • maiuspala on 04/07/2023 - 15:12

    Has any non Chinese speaker visited Tw during lunar new year? Is it a good time to go?

  • cookie2 on 06/07/2023 - 22:44

    Cards are fine for shops (not sellers or some casual food places) but I'd strongly suggest cash coz it's a bit of a (profanity) around going to banks etc there, at least I found it to be very time consuming and wished I'd brought more cash.

    1 or 2 nights accommodation and you're good.

    Enjoy. Taiwan is special country.

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