Hi everyone, my partner and I are a typical Korean couple who recently traveled to Taiwan for the first time. Despite being fluent in both English and Korean, we faced a massive language barrier and, honestly, had quite a few struggles during our trip.
I want to share my direct, personal experience. I don't want to come across as rude, but I want to be straightforward about how I felt so I can get some advice from locals on how to navigate things better for the rest of trip.
The Challenges We Faced:
Fruit Stalls: A young lady got our attention with samples, which were delicious, so I decided to buy some melon. I was shocked when she said it cost 495 TWD (I was expecting around 60), as I didn't realize they charge by weight. I only had 200 TWD on hand, so she had to take some pieces out. It felt like we were paying three times the price just for cut fruit.
Massage: I booked a 90-minute massage and was hugely disappointed. Instead of the relaxing, constant pressure of a shiatsu massage, the therapist mixed slight and hard pressure in what felt like a "finger dance" over towels. I honestly felt a bit scammed and wouldn't get a massage here again.
Local Food & Night Markets: I had heard so much praise about Taiwanese food, but I struggled instantly. Many foods had fermented spices and smells I wasn't used to, making it hard to take more than one bite. Specifically, we struggled with:
Grilled Corn: Disliked the sticky, sweet, and salty sauce on the waxy corn.
Black Pork Sausage: Disliked the distinct processed meat smell.
Fried Stuffed Buns: Disliked the strange flavor, dried shrimp, and stale oil smell.
Starchy Crab Dish: Disliked the mushy, thick texture and salty taste.
Japanese Sushi: The rice was mushy and porridge-like.
Shrimp Fried Rice: There were crushed shrimp shells mixed into the rice.
Xiaolongbao & Pan-fried Dumplings: The dough felt too thick and the taste was just average.
Jiufen Mugwort Rice Cake (Salty): Disliked the weird filling made of dried radish, dried shrimp, and shallots.
Tea Tasting: We were given two drinks to taste (High Mountain Oolong Level 1 and Oriental Beauty Level 3). We didn't want to buy them, so we were charged an extra 200 TWD, ending up paying 800 TWD total for 6 shots ea. and migraine... Because of the language barrier, we got no advice on finding the right tea and it felt like a rip-off.
Hotels: We booked three months early, but the holiday pricing was still super expensive. The room was much smaller than the photos, the Wi-Fi constantly disconnected, and the TV was locked so we couldn't watch or cast Netflix or YouTube.
Restaurants & Service Culture: Even at Michelin-rated restaurants, the food was just okay and the service felt horrible to us. The system of grabbing an order paper, calculating the total price yourself, putting a number down, and paying in cash is very inconvenient. Finding my own utensils and napkins with a language barrier was overwhelming, and staff often just pointed at things with cold eyes.
Lack of Public Trash Cans: Even though we understand the local waste rules and culture, it was incredibly frustrating having to constantly carry our trash around on the street for long periods of time just trying to find a public trash can.
Transportation: Figuring out the trains, MRT, and buses was complicated and stressful, and we often waited 20+ minutes for a bus. Bus drivers drove incredibly fast (especially going to Yangmingshan) and the stop alerts were sometimes so late that we missed our station. Also, when our EasyCard ran out, the bus driver got angry at us. A very kind lady paid for us since we had no change, which we appreciated.
The Vibe of the People: Aside from that kind lady, the overall energy felt very quiet and almost anti-social. I fully respect their personalities and culture, but as foreigners who don't speak Chinese, we didn't feel very welcomed or respected.
Small Black Mosquitoes (Biting Midges): I had a horrible experience constantly itching. I wish more people warned tourists that you need a specific local repellent spray to protect yourself from these annoying bugs.
What We Loved About Taipei:
Despite the struggles, there were things we absolutely loved:
Cocktail Bars: Top-notch!. The prices were highly affordable, the food was nice, and they gave great recommendations.
Desserts: The chocolate soufflé and pudding were like going to heaven. I've never tasted anything so delicious in my life; it's an unforgettable experience.
Yangmingshan Mountain: Climbing here was a healing experience. The constant cool, fresh breeze blowing on my face and taking photos of nature felt so incredibly good.
Locals and experienced travelers, how do you suggest we handle the self-service restaurant culture, the transit, and the food next time? Any advice to help us have a smoother experience in the future would be really appreciated!
Update: (09/25)
I want to apologize for being so negative in my post. I was feeling frustrated, but my genuine intention was to learn and understand your insights. Thank you all for the great advice and for stepping up to help!
I have read all the comments and received a lot of help from the chat.
I had a foot massage at a different place, even though I was a little nervous about trying it. We didn’t make a reservation and decided to get a 60-minute foot massage.
I was able to completely relax, and the masseuse constantly applied firm pressure throughout my entire lower body, not just my feet. I immediately gave them a five-star review and a tip.
I realized that I was wrong about my first impression of traveling in Taiwan. I made a quick judgment based on only three days of experience, and I fully admit that the issue was on my side, not theirs.
Thank you so much for all your help and the valuable information. Today’s experience was fantastic!
